BMD RES 1A
Science in Your Time
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Exploration of current topics in biology from media sources like news organizations and TED Talks, tracing information back to primary research. Students learn to critically evaluate primary sources. Discussion of bias in system producing primary research from undergraduate education through tenured faculty, and medicine and national science funding (National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation). Addresses lack of Black and Latinx representation and its impact on science valued by current system. Letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2025 - Oh my did I love taking this class, and I think it's very helpful for those who are thinking about a Ph.D or other research related degrees. In short, the class delves into what it is being a researcher and the logistics of research. It talks about the money, the methods, how to write a proposal, how to read a paper, and dips a little into the politics behind research. The class is structured into 2 halves, with the first half discussing diversity in research and alcohol and the second half discussing about vaccine research. Grading was very light, and it shows that Dr. Turlo heavily values your participation in class. Most of the grade came from participating in lecture by filling out a paper worksheet based on the content Dr. Turlo covered in-class and attending discussion, so bring a pen/pencil. There are also 2 papers assigned in the class, but they're both designed to be very brief and concise -- it was more of a struggle attempting to shorten the paper compared to actually lengthening it. Discussion was kind of lacking compared to lecture however, and I found it boring to attend discussion other than for peer reviews for the papers. There are also some problem sets that need to be completed for homework, but they're really not too hard to complete. Dr. Turlo's lectures are one of the few lectures I was actually excited to go to. She's very engaging and loves to entertain questions, and it is very clear she is very enthusiastic about teaching the class. Even though lectures are technically mandatory, it's not that big of a deal considering how much effort Dr. Turlo puts into ensuring that you learn. Furthermore, the class size is relatively small, so it is a lot easier to speak up and ask questions. At one point, Dr. Turlo brought in a professor colleague to discuss what it is like being a professor and the many challenges research brings. You may need to put your phone away for this class, as Dr. Turlo doesn't particularly like it when you are doomscrolling or texting during her lectures. Overall, I really enjoyed this class and would heavily recommend taking it if you are interested in learning about research as a life scientist.
Spring 2025 - Oh my did I love taking this class, and I think it's very helpful for those who are thinking about a Ph.D or other research related degrees. In short, the class delves into what it is being a researcher and the logistics of research. It talks about the money, the methods, how to write a proposal, how to read a paper, and dips a little into the politics behind research. The class is structured into 2 halves, with the first half discussing diversity in research and alcohol and the second half discussing about vaccine research. Grading was very light, and it shows that Dr. Turlo heavily values your participation in class. Most of the grade came from participating in lecture by filling out a paper worksheet based on the content Dr. Turlo covered in-class and attending discussion, so bring a pen/pencil. There are also 2 papers assigned in the class, but they're both designed to be very brief and concise -- it was more of a struggle attempting to shorten the paper compared to actually lengthening it. Discussion was kind of lacking compared to lecture however, and I found it boring to attend discussion other than for peer reviews for the papers. There are also some problem sets that need to be completed for homework, but they're really not too hard to complete. Dr. Turlo's lectures are one of the few lectures I was actually excited to go to. She's very engaging and loves to entertain questions, and it is very clear she is very enthusiastic about teaching the class. Even though lectures are technically mandatory, it's not that big of a deal considering how much effort Dr. Turlo puts into ensuring that you learn. Furthermore, the class size is relatively small, so it is a lot easier to speak up and ask questions. At one point, Dr. Turlo brought in a professor colleague to discuss what it is like being a professor and the many challenges research brings. You may need to put your phone away for this class, as Dr. Turlo doesn't particularly like it when you are doomscrolling or texting during her lectures. Overall, I really enjoyed this class and would heavily recommend taking it if you are interested in learning about research as a life scientist.
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