Great Discoveries in Science Seminar:
An Exploration of the Process and Culture of Science
Th
Spring 2014
The University of Alabama – Stillman College-Shelton State Community College
February 3, 2014
BSC 497Great Discoveries in Science
OVERVIEW “Greatest Discoveries with Bill Nye: Genetics”
This film highlights the progression of discoveries that built and advanced our understanding of
genetics, from Gregor Mendel to Craig Ventor and the world team that completed the
sequencing of the human genome.
There are characteristics of these scientists making great discoveries that aided in their pursuit
to understand how the blue-print of life worked and how features are passed on from one
generation to another.
Take note of those characteristics portrayed in the film. What attributes typified these
individuals? Did they work alone or collaboratively? Has the process of science changed over
the past 150 years?
Outline of Film
Gregor Mendel – Dominance and segregation of “traits” (former Czecho)
Johansen - traits called genes (Danish)
Thomas Hunt Morgan – genes occur linearly on chromosomes; sex-linked traits; Drosophila
melanogaster (fruit fly) as a model organism.
George Beadle – One gene – one protein. Used mutants to demonstrate activity of genes.
Neuorspora crassa as a model organism (United States).
Barbara McClintock – Transposable elements. Used Zea maize as a model organism.
Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase- Transformation. DNA is the inheritable unit.
James Watson (USA) and Francis Crick (UK). X-ray crystallography (3-D structure). Made
models.
“Lots of People” mRNA and making proteins in the cytoplasm
Nirenberger and Malike – 64 triplets code for 20 aminot acids. The code of life.
Alec Jeffrey – microsatellite DNA
“Restriction enzymes” (recombinant DNA)
Craig Ventor – sequence of human genome
Position Paper #1 (two pages of text in length) Due February 24, 2014
(Narrative should be typed, double-spaced and two pages in length. On a third page full
references should be cited as a bibliography of sources used for your paper)
1. What is the diversity of scientists portrayed in the film? What countries did the scientists come
from? List at least three traits the scientists exhibited (note name of the scientist with the trait).
2. Select an important discovery that was made by a women or underrepresented minority
scientist that was not presented in the film.
Describe the historical climate at the time this discovery was made (What was not known that
we know now?).
2. Why did you select this discovery?
List at least three attributes that the scientist exhibited that helped drive the discovery process.
3. What type of inquiry approach was used?
(Discovery or Hypothesis-Driven or a combination)?
Use at least one reference of your choice.
Cite that reference and any other references used in your position paper.
Links to explore scientist diversity:
>>Women Scientists
http://science.education.nih.gov/home2.nsf/Careers/F4DC786C2DC6E5548525733E0063F93F
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/bla0int-1
http://womeninscience.nih.gov/women_scientist/index.asp
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/african-american-women-scientists-and-inventors.html
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/ear0int-1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_C._Jemison
>>African-American Scientists
http://www.justgarciahill.org/
https://webfiles.uci.edu/mcbrown/display/faces.html
http://www.microbeworld.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=391:cliff-houstoncareer-profile&catid=75:career-profiles&Itemid=219
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/car1bio-1
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/bla1int-1
http://biology.about.com/od/genetics/a/aa021105a.htm
http://minority-scientist.blogspot.com/2010/02/african-american-scientists-and.html
>>Hispanic-American Scientists
http://bio.sacnas.org/biography/Biography.asp?mem=91&type=2
http://bio.sacnas.org/biography/Biography.asp?mem=51&type=2
http://www.justgarciahill.org/
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/shapeoflife/explorations/bio_diaz.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0836336.html
http://scicom.ucsc.edu/QandA/2011/sanchez.html
>>Native-American Scientists
http://bio.sacnas.org/biography/Biography.asp?mem=33&type=2
http://bio.sacnas.org/biography/Biography.asp?mem=92&type=2
http://www.stanford.edu/group/bioaims/images/Native%20American%20Scientists.pdf
http://neuroscience.nih.gov/Lab.asp?Org_ID=473
http://biology.sfsu.edu/people/wilfred-denetclaw
http://www.lilburnes.org/Students/Scientists/4thB/Frank%20Dukepoo%20%20%20%20%20Jada%20Rodr
igues.htm
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/About/Poodry.htm
http://jgh.hunter.cuny.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22:burgess-david-rphd&catid=6:biographies
Sponsored by a Grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Precollege and
Undergraduate Science Education Program to The University of Alabama