Nora E. Demers, Ph.D.,

Comparative Immunology
Associate Professor
Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies
Office: Whitaker 218

Office Hours:

Just send a note, stop by or give me a call to make an appointment.  

Phone:  (239) 590-7211
Fax: (239) 590-7200

ndemers@fgcu.edu    

Dr. Demers Page

Notice:
This is not an "easy" class but it is very interesting and rewarding. 

A great deal of work outside of class time is expected.  

I encourage you to  work with others on similar topics. Take advantage of this opportunity to work as a member of a highly functional group of your design and control.

WARNING: This class is not for the light-hearted- those wanting an "easy A" are strongly encouraged to look elsewhere!  You will be challenged  at least as much as your most rigorous disciplinary course.  I believe that IDS courses are where you should synthesize and apply your disciplinary experience to interdisciplinary issues that our community faces.  If you do not desire this sort of rigorous and challenging exercise, then please do us both a favor and enroll in a different section of IDS 3303.

I look forward to meeting an enthusiastic group of undergraduates at every class session.

Cheating, dishonesty, and plagiarism will not be tolerated and may result in failure of the assignment and/or course.

 If you are at all unclear on the conventions or expectations on academy regarding providing proper citation to your research sources, then please take a moment to review these articles on plagiarism: "What is Plagiarism at Indiana University"; "How to Avoid Plagiarism"; "Avoiding Plagiarism"

Disability Accommodations Services

Florida Gulf Coast University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the university’s guiding principles, will provide classroom and academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities. If you need to request an accommodation in this class due to a disability, or you suspect that your academic performance is affected by a disability, please contact the Office of Adaptive Services. The Office of Adaptive Services is located in Howard Hall 137. The phone number is 239-590-7956 or TTY 239-590-7930

Spring 2011: IDS 3143

CRN 11533: Investigating Current Issues

Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30-1:45  

AB3 115

This course is part of the Collegium of Integrated Learning and is required for the B.A. in Liberal Studies. Students and faculty will work together to investigate selected contemporary science/technology issues and problems and how they have developed across time.

Individually and in teams, students will develop "intellectual histories" of an issue or problem and take a stance on an issue. These "histories" will require building an integrated context by examining issues through the perspectives and methods of knowing in the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. Organized in interdisciplinary ways and problem-based, the course will stress engaged learning.

Students will be expected to formulate their own interpretations and responses to the issues. Consequently, success in the course will rely heavily on critical, creative, systematic, and collaborative thinking and the sophisticated use of communication, information, and technological skills.  

Required text: Science, Nonscience and Nonsense (1995) by Michael Zimmerman Amazon for less than $5

Publisher:Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London

ISBN:0-8018-5090-8

Learning to think things through: A guide to critical thinking across the curriculum (2^nd Edition). Gerald M. Nosich (2004). 

Suggested texts:

Brave new Worlds by Aldous Huxley (1932)

http://www.huxley.net/

1984 by George Orwell (1949)

http://www.gerenser.com/1984/bio.html

Citations for even more readings can be found here

Students will also be expected to identify and use a wide variety of resources available through the library and world wide web.

I will be corresponding with you through your student email account. It is very important for you to have your student email activated. If you need assistance with this, please review the instructions for activating, forwarding, and getting help with your email.