Courses regularly taught by Paul at UConn

Phylogenetics (EEB 5349)

A seaweed phylogeny
A seaweed phylogeny

This graduate course explains models and methods used in maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetics. Phylogenetic trees, genealogies at the level of species or more inclusive groups, are now pervasive in biology. Their estimation has been revolutionized by the availability of molecular sequence data, which has allowed elucidation of historical relatedness among lineages for which important life cycle stages have never been observed. Topics include substitution models, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), Bayesian statistics, comparative methods, and the use of a range of phylogenetic inference software.

Link to Spring 2024 lecture/lab schedule

Evolution (EEB 2245)

Aposematic coloration in milkweed bugs
Aposematic coloration in milkweed bugs

This is a sophomore-level 3-credit undergraduate course that satisfies the Evolution Core Requirement of the BIOL major as well as one of the Core Requirements of the EEB major. In this course, you will learn how natural selection and other processes lead to evolutionary change in organisms across generations, and about key turning points in history that have led to the diversity of organisms we now see on Earth. You will learn tree thinking that will allow you to understand and correctly interpret evolutionary trees in scientific literature.

Link to Spring 2023 course web site

Introduction to Botany (BIOL 1110)

Liverwort, Woods Hole, MA.
Liverwort, Woods Hole, MA.

This is a freshman-level 4-credit undergraduate BIOL/EEB majors lab course that satisfies the General Education Content Area 3 (lab) requirement at the University of Connecticut. The course covers many key aspects of biology (anatomy, physiology, ecology, biodiversity, genetics, population genetics, and evolution) using examples from green plants (including green algae), fungi, cyanobacteria, heterokonts, and red algae. Lab topics include selection, photosynthesis, transpiration, plant hormones, and fossil plants. Important: this course is equivalent to BIOL 1108 for the BIOL and EEB majors, so, if you are interested in plants, take this one instead and enjoy a smaller class size!