Tentative 20111213
GESC1210 Science and Our Lives 2011/2012
Date: Jan 13 – Apr 20, 2012 (Friday)
Time: 15:30-18:15
Venue: LSKLT4
Teachers:
Office
Tel
Email address
Prof. P Ang Jr
MSL107
3943-6133
put-ang@cuhk.edu.hk
Prof. SM Ngai
SCEG6025
3943-6025
smngai@cuhk.edu.hk
Prof. CK Wong
MSL203
3943-6771
chongkimwong@cuhk.edu.hk
Prof. NYS Woo
SCG78
3943-6148
normanwoo@cuhk.edu.hk
SCEG01A
3943-4449
kwanmeiyam@cuhk.edu.hk
Ms. KM Yam
Schedule:
Week
Date
Topic
Teacher-in-charge
Theme 1: Biotechnology
1
Jan 13
General Introduction
KM Yam
1.1 From DNA to protein to …
SM Ngai
SM Ngai
2
Jan 20
1.2 Contemporary research in biotechnology
3
Jan 27
Chinese New Year Holidays (Jan 23-28)
4
Feb 3
1.3 Human identification: Blood typing, fingerprinting and
KM Yam
DNA fingerprinting
5
Feb 10
1.4 Field trip – Biotech company visit I
SM Ngai/KM Yam
6
Feb 17
Biotech company visit II
SM Ngai/KM Yam
Theme 2: Population and community interaction
7
Feb 24
2.1 From mice to dinosaurs - why size matters?
CK Wong
8
Mar 2
2.2 Coastal resources: Use and abuses
P Ang
9
Mar 9
2.3 Ecosystem functions: Our forests and our seas
P Ang
10
Mar 16
2.4 Field trip – Nature walk I/II
11
Mar 23
2.5 Radiation: Environment, lifestyle and health issues
12
Mar 30
Student presentations
13
Apr 6
14
Apr 13
15
Apr 20
P Ang/KM Yam
NYS Woo
All
Easter Holidays
Student presentations
All
Tentative 20111213
Assessment:
Field trip attendance and short quizzes
2 X 10%
Oral presentation
20%
Teachers’ evaluation
14%
Peer evaluation
6%
Written assignment
20%
Final exam
40%
Field trip
Each student is required to join two field trips. Students can choose to join Biotech company visit I or II in the first field trip
AND Nature walk I or II in the second field trip.
done on a first-come-first served basis.
Vacancy for each trip is limited.
Prior registration is required and will be
Details will be announced later.
Biotech company visit
Nature walk
I: HKIB (Feb 10, 16:00, TBC)
I: Wetland Park (Mar 16, 14:30, TBC)
II: CK Life (Feb 17, 15:30, TBC)
II: Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve (Mar 16, 15:30, TBC)
Oral presentation
Students are expected to form a group of ~4, study a topic of choice related to any of the field trips, and give a ~10-min
presentation on Mar 30, Apr 13 or Apr 15.
After each presentation, there will be a ~5 min Q & A session.
Detailed
arrangement will be announced later.
Written assignment
Each student is expected to write a short essay ( 5 pages) on one of the topics listed below:
Topic
Assignment no.
Teacher-in-charge
"Why GMO is needed at present and in the future of mankind?"
1
SM NGAI
"How powerful is DNA evidences in forensic cases?"
2
KM YAM
"Can forest be the ultimate sink for excess CO2 produced by human?"
3
P ANG
"Why a bigger person is more prone to injury?"
4
CK WONG
"Does the world need nuclear power to solve its energy problem?"
5
NYS WOO
Students are required to submit two softcopies: a word file to VeriGuide and a pdf file with a signed VeriGuide
declaration to WebCT by Apr 24, 2012 (Tue), 17:00.
Students may wish to refer to the VeriGuide Academic Student User Manual available at
https://services.veriguide.org/academic/documents/VeriGuide_Academic_Student_User_Manual_CUHK.pdf for the proper
procedures
of
VeriGuide
submission.
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/.
Final exam (to be centrally arranged)
For
more
information
on
academic
honesty,
please
visit
Tentative 20111213
SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR ORAL PRESENTATION:
Biotechnology:
1. GM food/plants/animals
2. Reproductive cloning
3. Therapeutic cloning
4. Artificial fertilization
5. Drug discovery/development
6. Gene therapy
7. Tissue engineering
8. Biotech stocks/funds
9. Ethics in biotechnology
10. Selected techniques in biotechnology (Teachers’ approval required)
11. Other topics on biotechnology (Teachers’ approval required)
Population and community interaction:
12. Coastal wetlands support high biodiversity
13. Bird migration
14. Fossils as evidence of evolution
15. Zonation in rocky shores
16. Competition for light in a forest
17. Forest restoration
18. Forest as the ultimate source of medicinal plants and animals
19. Biology and invasive organisms
20. Climate change and global warming
21. Collapse of fisheries
22. Ecology and fire
23. Endangered species
24. Pollution and health issues
25. Safety of drinking water
26. Other topics on population and community interaction (Teachers’ approval required)