| MAP 6437-01 - Biomathematics Projects Course
Spring 2013 - Course Syllabus LOV 104 TR 11:00am - 12:15pm http://www.math.fsu.edu/~mhurdal/ |
Dr. Monica K. Hurdal
002-A Love Building Office Hours: MW 1:30pm - 3:00pm or by appointment |
| Instructor
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Dr. Monica K. Hurdal, Department of Mathematics |
| Contact Me |
Office: 002-A Love Building
Phone: 644-7183 (office); 644-2202 (dept. front desk) Email: mhurdal@math.fsu.edu Webpage: http://www.math.fsu.edu/~mhurdal/ |
| Office Hours | Mondays and Wednesdays 1:30-3:00pm or by appointment. |
| Class Times | Tuesday, Thursday 11:00am-12:15pm in LOV 104. In addition, the class will attend other seminars and colloquia as announced in class. |
| Objectives
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The use of mathematics and computation is important in biology and medicine as scientists search for better ways to process all the information now available about the structure and function of living organisms. The goal of this course is to give students an opportunity to supplement and apply their knowledge in biomathematics through research, projects and presentations. |
| Eligibility | This course is for second year students in the Biomathematics Master's program. Other students must have permission of the instructor to enroll. |
| Text Book
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There is no specific text for the course. Students will do in-depth research from a variety of sources including journals, textbooks, computer programs, and the web. Students should form the habit of reading from a variety of sources about current developments in computational and mathematical biology. It is especially important to browse the web on a regular basis because sources of information are increasingly web based. |
| Courtesy and Attendance | I expect you to get to class on time and not to leave class until I have dismissed it. If you must leave class early, please let me know before class begins. I expect you to attend class regularly. Studies show that students who attend class get higher grades than those who skip classes. A student absent from class bears the full responsibility for all subject matter and procedural information discussed in class. |
| Project | Students are required to research a biomathematics topic of their choice that must be approved by the instructor. Your research will concern applications of mathematics to problems in biology, biochemistry or medicine and will be an in-depth investigation of the subject, culminating in a research project consisting of three class presentations and a report. Your research topic should involve i) biology or medicine and ii) mathematics or statistics or computation. You are responsible for finding and researching your individual topic. Topic ideas can include incomplete investigations suggested to you in previous courses or a direction in which you may seek employment or write a dissertation. You may work with a faculty member who has previously taught you and might have suggested an investigation you find interesting. You may also find a research topic related to experimental investigations of a faculty member in another department such as Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science or Statistics or you can ask your instructor for suggestions. |
| Class Presentations |
Students are required to give three presentations related to their project. The first presentation should include enough background material so that your classmates can comprehend your work. The final presentation must be a computer presentation and you should take the opportunity to learn to use PowerPoint, LaTeX or an equivalent means of computer presentation. At least one day before each of your presentations you should email the class an abstract. If you wish the class to review any reading material prior to your presentation then that material should be emailed at least three days before hand. You should be prepared to lead discussion and answer questions on the topic. Presentation schedules will be organized in class. |
| Written Report | A written report on the project is due by April 1. This report should be considered final unless revisions are recommended during the project discussions (see below). If revisions are required, final revisions to the report are due on April 25. The report is required to follow the FSU guidelines for theses and dissertations found at http://www.gradstudies.fsu.edu/Information-For/New-Current-Students/Theses-Treatises-and-Dissertations . All sources for your report, both written and web source, must be listed in your references. Any direct quotes from these sources should be indicated as such. Failure to properly cite sources will result in an F for the report. |
| Project Discussions / Critiques | Peer review of journal articles and research proposals is a critical component in the evaluation and publication of research results and grants. The review process will be discussed during class and students will be required to review a number of articles. Subsequently, after all the projects are presented and reports submitted, students will be required to read the reports of their classmates. One student will be assigned as lead reviewer for each project report and be required to lead a discussion and critique session for that project. The other students will act as secondary reviewers for the report. The critique and discussion should provide useful suggestions to the project author, including items such as requesting points of clarification and trying to express and review the impact of the project contents. This will be done after all presentations are finished. If report revisions are recommended, then students will have the opportunity to resubmit the report. |
| Grading | Grades will be determined as follows. The three presentations will form 15% of your grade. The project critiques will form 10% of your grade. Engaging in class participation and discussion will form 10% of your grade. Your written report constitutes 65% of your grade. |
| Project Dates | Tentative project dates:
Presentation 1 ........................................................... February 14-28 Presentation 2 ........................................................... March 5-26 Presentation 3 ........................................................... March 28-April 11 Project Report ........................................................... Monday April 1 by noon Project Reviews ........................................................ April 16-18 Project Report Resubmission ................................... Thursday April 25 by 11:00am |
| University Attendance Policy | Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness. |
| Academic Honor Policy | The Florida State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University's expectations for the integrity of students' academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to ". . . be honest and truthful and . . . [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University." (Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at http://fda.fsu.edu/Academics/Academic-Honor-Policy.) |
| Americans with Disabilities Act |
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and (2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class. This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request. For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the: |
| Syllabus Change Policy | Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice. |