By Lisa Thompson
Biology 100 students will show off their final projects today, Dec. 8, and Tuesday, Dec. 9, in a biology symposium in the Wilkinson Student Center Garden Court.
The 1,650 students in the two Biology 100 classes taught by Rex Cates and Larry St. Clair created their own posters featuring one of four causes of extinction.
'The symposium is a pretty incredible experience,' St. Clair said. 'Most of the students haven''t had an experience like that before. It''s kind of an exciting environment.'
Students were divided into groups of four to five students to design posters.
'The students work together as a group to put the poster together,' Cates said. 'We want them to get involved and get into the literature. We want them to come together as a group.'
The causes of extinction featured in the symposium include habitat loss, alien species, pollution and over-exploitation.
Biology 100 student Hillary Coates, a junior from Chandler, Ariz., majoring in French teaching, said the topic of extinction has never been a focus of the Biology 100 lectures.
'It was kind of overwhelming at first because it feels like the topic you''re assigned has nothing to do with what you''re learning in class,' she said. 'But the topics aren''t hard to research and when you''re done with it, it feels like you''ve learned something.'
Teaching assistant Brian Stephenson, a senior from Delta, majoring in agricultural business, said he thinks the students'' research helps enhance their creativity.
'We don''t give a lot of direction,' he said. 'We just tell them what the general topic is, and underneath those topics they can talk about anything. With the creativity they have, they come up with things I wouldn''t have thought of.'
This is the third semester Biology 100 students have participated in the symposium. Each semester, Cates and St. Clair assign a new theme pertaining to science and social issues, Cates said.
'The class mission statement talks about students learning about how biology is impacting their lives and how we as humans are affecting biodiversity,' Cates said. 'We want to have a greater appreciation of the resources they have available on the earth.'
The symposium is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Students will be presenting their posters to visitors as well as Cates, St. Clair and teaching assistants who will grade their posters and presentations.
Stephenson, who has participated in the past two symposiums, said he thinks the students, although at first overwhelmed, learn a great deal from participating in the symposium.
'Typically, the students really enjoy the presentation,' Stephenson said. 'There''s the usual angst in getting the assignment done and there''s quite a few freshmen who haven''t worked in groups or created posters before. But when it''s done they usually really enjoy the project.'