Courses

Introductory Botany (BIO 114)

This course provides an in-depth exploration of plant biology, emphasizing the unique characteristics, evolutionary history, and ecological role of plants. Students will investigate the structural and functional organization of plants, from cells to whole organisms, and study key processes such as growth, reproduction, water transport, ecology, symbiosis, and ethnobotany. The course roots all these concepts in a phylogenetic perspective to understand how evolution shaped plant diversity. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of plants as organisms and their fundamental role for life on Earth.

Plant Diversity and Evolution (EEB 424)

This course will introduce you to the major players of the botanical kingdom. Throughout this course you will become familiar with the diversity and biology of plants, gain substantial insight into the morphological diversity and evolution of plants, understand and explain botanical and evolutionary processes such as flowering-plant biogeography, pollination and dispersal ecology.

Plant Structure and Function (EEB 461)

This course explores the structure and function of plants, from cells to whole organisms. We will examine why plants look the way they do. The course emphasizes how anatomy, morphology, and physiology interact to enable plants to survive and function in diverse environments. During the semester we will integrate lectures with reading and discussion of the primary literature. 

Tropical Plant Biodiversity (EEB 461, study abroad)

The tropics are home to nearly all of Earth’s species. In two square acres of land in Panama, as many as 400 different tree species can be found. Compare that with all of Tennessee, which has 400 tree species total. How and when did the diversity of the American tropics come to be? Why are these regions so diverse? What plant families make up this diversity? These questions and more will be explored during this course. Exploring these questions will provide you with a deeper understanding of biodiversity in the tropics, plant identification, evolution, and the importance of the tropics on the global ecosystem. This immersive field-based course, in collaboration with a conservation-focused nonprofit, explores the rich tropical plant biodiversity of Panama, offering students an in-depth understanding of plant form, function, biogeography, evolution, and identification. During the field experience, students will hike and botanize trails through the Mamoní Valley Preserve in Panama.

Special Topics in Plant Evolution (EEB 607)

This is a graduate-level course where we dive into contemporary problems of plant evolution.