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BIOE: Mechanics of Evolutionary Design When engineers design a machine, a
structure, or anything else, they are constrained by the basic physics of the
world around them. However, long before
the first engineer tried to figure out how to build a shelter as protection
from the onslaughts of weather, living organisms dealt with the issues that
are so familiar to engineers today.
Living organisms were and are able to retain structural, thermal, and
chemical integrity, move across land, through water, through air, and
transfer information, energy, and materials.
These and other challenges were solved in ways from surprisingly
similar to unbelievably diverse, using only a small number of basic
materials. No engineer planned these
wondrous structures and machines, though; rather, they arose through the
mechanisms of evolution. In this
course, students will learn how animals and plants have solved the problems
of movement, flight, subterranean life, underwater life, and how they become
engineers themselves. Students will
also learn the importance of engineering concepts in the understanding of the
evolution and anatomy of living organisms, and will discover what engineers
can learn by studying the engineering feats of nature, performed through
evolutionary processes. Tentative Syllabus: Instructor: Mosheh Wolf,
mhwolf@uic.edu Days
and Times: Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:00-12:15 Place: Taft Hall Rm. 216 Course
Website: XXXX Course
Structure: Course will consist of lectures, student
team papers, short presentations, discussions, and class activities. Teams of 2-3 students will write a written
project on one of the course topics.
Student teams will select topic at the beginning of the semester, and
meet with instructor over the semester for grading, and guidance (grading
will be incremental). At the end of
the semester, the teams will present an oral short summary of the paper
(15-20 min), and lead a discussion on the topic. . Grading: Students will be graded on papers,
presentations, and participation. Office
Visits Offices will be by appointment Disabilities Students with disabilities who require
accommodations for access and participation in this course must be registered
with the Office of Disability Services (ODS). Please contact ODS at
312-413-2183 (voice) or 312-413-0123 (TTY). Reading
materials:
Steven Vogel (2003) Comparative Biomechanics:
Life's Physical World,
R. McNeill Alexander (2006) Principles of Animal Locomotion,
Assigned readings from journal articles. Syllabus A. Introduction/organization B. Flight: mechanics, morphological
and physiological (chemical) adaptations and pre-adaptations, “raw
materials” (skin, muscles, bone) a. Flying with feathers: avian flight b. Flap your hands: bats and pterodactyls c. Gliding on gills: insect flight C. Underground living: mechanics,
morphological and physiological adaptations and pre-adaptations, “raw
materials” a. Pushing: reptiles – 2 hours b. Digging:
moles, mole crickets, cicada nymphs c. Eating:
mole rats, gophers, earthworms D. Swimming: mechanics, morphological and
physiological (chemical) adaptations, and pre-adaptations, “raw
materials” a. Long-term aquatic: fish b. Partial Aquatics: endotherms
(penguins, otters), ectotherms (terrapins, water
snakes, marine iguanas) c. Returnees: endotherms
(whales), ectotherms (sea-turtles, sea-snakes) E. Joint Success: the wonder of jointed appendages, and the most
diverse phylum ever a. Movement: walking, swimming b. Feeding c. Manipulating the environment –
building, etc. F. Short student presentations and
discussions |
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