Course Description:
This course is designed for exceptional students interested in learning important concepts and practical techniques in the field of genetics. Honors Genetics Lab is project-based, where students will design and conduct a laboratory experiment aimed at exploring aspects of transmission genetics, population genetics, and molecular genetics using the Georgia Tech Urban Honey Bee Project and neighboring hives. As with all research, we will begin with a question and then follow the scientific method to generate a hypothesis, design and conduct an experiment, and analyze the data to draw a conclusion. Because we’ll be exploring new questions to Atlanta’s urban honey bee populations, we’ll probably also bump into the primary frustrations of scientific research—assays that require troubleshooting, delays when protocols don’t work perfectly at first pass, and results that don’t match our thinking about the system. We’ll do this because asking real questions in a relevant study system is what scientists do, and learning how to navigate the process and solve the ensuing problems is the best training you can have for your senior research experience and to pursue careers in scientific research, medicine & human health, or other fields that require problem solving and logic.
Course Goals: By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Generate and craft a thorough, genetics-based hypotheses about European Honey Bees.
- Design experiments and interpret results using basic statistical analysis.
- Create and troubleshoot genetics lab protocols.
- Cite relevant genetics primary literature.
- Write effective and accurate notebook entries, and lab reports in the style accepted by genetics scientific journals.
- Use appropriate lab safety standards and precautions.
Resources:
- Genetics Lab Report Guidelines
- Format your references in the Literature Cited section using this link.
- Genetics Lab Report RUBRIC S18
- Genetics Lab Notebook Guidelines
- Grant Proposal Guidelines and Rubric