LIFE SCIENCE for ENGINEERS

Fall 2016 Syllabus

BIO 213-01: T 4:10pm6:00pm, Bldg. 06 (PAC), Rm. 124

BIO 213-02: R 4:10pm6:00pm, Bldg. 06 (PAC), Rm. 124

Instructor: Praveen Babu, Ph.D. Email: pbabu@calpoly.edu

Office: Bldg. 33, Rm. 270 Office Hours: T R 8:10-9:00pm
Text
Biology: The Essentials. Marille Hoefnagels (2015), 2nd Ed., McGraw Hill with Connect
Online Access Code (ISBN: 9781259810961)
OR
Connect 1 Semester Access Card for Biology: The Essentials. Marille Hoefnagels (2015),
2nd Ed., McGraw Hill. (ISBN: 9781259294983)

Course Description
Biology 213 is a 2 unit GE Area B2 course designed to provide students a broad overview of
the field of biology. The course will examine our understanding of biology at multiple levels
of organization ranging from the chemical building blocks of life to the basic functioning of
ecosystems. Specifically, the fundamentals of energetics, cell biology, molecular and
classical genetics, microbiology, organismal biology, and ecology will be covered. A student
at the conclusion of the course should have:

Familiarity with the principles and nature of biological science and scientific inquiry in
biology or the scientific method.
Familiarity with the chemical nature of life, including a basic understanding of
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids and their functions within cells.
An understanding of the cell as a structural/functional unit in biology, including the
similarity and differences among prokaryotic, plant, and animal cells, and the structure
and function of the organelles that characterize them.
An understanding of the primary metabolic processes (photosynthesis, respiration, etc.)
required for life.
An understanding of reproduction at both the cellular and organismal levels. Students
will be familiar with the role and structure of the nucleus and chromosomes, the cellular
processes of mitosis and meiosis, the role of nucleic acids in inheritance, protein
synthesis, and the expression of genes.
A basic understanding of ecological interactions including the relationship between
organisms and the environment, the structure and properties of communities, and large
scale ecological processes such as nutrient cycling.

Prerequisite: MATH 142; for engineering students only. Co-requisite: ENGR/BRAE 213.
Recommended: CHEM 124.

1
Grading Policy, Assessments, and Assignments
Comprehension of pertinent principles will be assessed based on the content, quality and
execution of written assignments, performance on examinations, and participation in
classroom discussions and debate.
Final course grades will be based on a standard
Online Assignments 15 %
percentage scale: A (91%-100%), B (81%-
Online Quizzes 25 %
88%), C (71%-78%), D (61%-68%), and F
Exam 1 25 %
(below 60%). Plus/minus grades will be given
Exam 2 (Final Exam) 35 %
for borderline scores within 1%.

Examinations: Please bring a Scantron sheet (Form No. 882-E; 50 questions per side, 100
total) and No. 2 pencil for multiple choice sections on examinations.

Online Assessments
A portion of your overall grade will be determined through
the use of an online assessment program called ConnectTM.
It is important that you enroll in the section of Dr. Babus
ConnectTM online course pertaining to your Cal Poly
section. As of 2014-2015, the ConnectTM online access code is ~$65 or you may purchase
both ConnectTM and eBook access for ~$85.

Getting Started
To register, you must click the link below pertaining to the section of BIO 213 in which you
are registered:

TUE If you are in the Tuesday section (BIO 213-01), follow the link below:

http://connect.mheducation.com/class/p-babu-fall-2016-section-01-tue-410pm-6pm

THR If you are in the Thursday section (BIO 213-02), follow the link below:
http://connect.mheducation.com/class/p-babu-fall-2016-section-02-thu-410pm-6pm

For additional assistance with registering you may follow the link below:

http://bit.ly/StudentRegistration

Attendance Policy & Make-Up Assignments/Exams

1. Regular attendance is essential if you wish to do well in this course.
2. As a courtesy to your fellow students and your instructor, please arrive on time. Arriving
late to class is rude and disruptive.
3. In the event of an absence, you are responsible for having your assignments submitted on
time, obtaining new assignments, and noting any schedule changes.
4. Late assignments will not be accepted in any form to be fair to all students.
5. Make-up exams will be considered only for documented emergencies and if you contact
me prior to an absence or within 24 hours of an absence.
6. Pending a verifiable and acceptable excuse, a make-up exam may be omitted at the
instructors discretion. In this instance, the student will be graded on the remaining
points in the course. For example, if a student misses one exam and a mutually agreeable

2
 time is not possible to administer/take a make-up exam, the students overall course grade
will be out of the total points for the course minus those pertaining to the missed exam.
Studying
Successful students study 25-35 hours per week (approximately 2 hours per unit per week).
For this class, you should expect to spend 8-12 hours per week outside of class reviewing
lecture notes, reading the textbook (particularly those concepts that arent covered during
lecture), completing assignments, and working problems from the textbook. Understanding
the problems will help you learn the material and allow you to perform well on exams.
Solutions to most of the problems can be found in the back of the textbook.
Electronic Devices
Students are expected to turn off ALL electronic devices PRIOR to the start of class. Note-
taking by hand is strongly encouraged over electronically as it greatly increases learning and
comprehension. References supporting this are available to you upon request.

Academic Honesty
Students are responsible for being aware of and complying with the campus policy on
Academic Dishonesty [refer to: Campus Administrative Manual (CAM), Section 684].
Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated and carries the penalties of requiring an F
course grade, prohibiting further attendance in the course, and notification of the Coordinator
of Campus Student Relations and Judicial Affairs. In short, please give me your best honest
effort and this course should be a rewarding experience for all.

***Policies and schedule are subject to change as deemed appropriate by the instructor.***

3
 LIFE SCIENCE for ENGINEERS
Fall 2016 Schedule

Instructor: Praveen Babu, Ph.D. Email: pbabu@calpoly.edu

Office: Bldg. 33, Rm. 270 Office Hours: T R 8:10-9:00pm

Week Date Lecture Topic / Assessment Reading

1 9/20 No lecture
Chs. 1-3
9/22 Course Intro, Connect, & Science, Chemistry, and Cells
2 9/27
Science, Chemistry, and Cells (continued) Chs. 1-3
9/29
3 10/4
Cells and Energy Chs. 4-6
10/6
4 10/11
Cells and Energy (continued) Chs. 4-6
10/13
5 10/18
DNA Structure, Function, and Replication Chs. 7-8
10/20
6 10/25
***Examination (In Class; Bring one Scantron 882-E)***
10/27
7 11/1
Cellular Division: Mitosis and Meiosis Chs. 8-9
11/3
8 11/8
Cellular Division: Mitosis and Meiosis (continued) Chs. 8-9
11/10
9 11/15
Patterns of Inheritance I Ch. 10
11/17
10 11/22
No lecture Thanksgiving Holiday Week
11/24
11 11/29
Patterns of Inheritance II Ch. 10
12/1
12 12/6
Recombinant DNA Technology Ch. 11
12/8
13 12/15 R Final Examination (7:10-10:00pm) for T section (BIO 213-01)
12/16 F Final Examination (7:10-10:00pm) for R section (BIO 213-02)
Tentative schedule; subject to change.
You must take the final examination at the time and date specified by the University. This is
true also in the event of a schedule change from the University scheduler.