University Bulletin
Undergraduate Degree Programs
ABIOL 590
Astrobiology Seminar (2) Student-led presentations and discussions of current and classic literatures relevant to the themes of Astrobiology.
ABIOL 590 Astrobiology Seminar (2)
Astrobiology is a new, multidisciplinary field of science encompassing astronomy, biology, biochemistry, genomics, chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, geochemistry, paleontology, geology, and many other fields of science and technology. Astrobiology includes the study of the origin of life, the connections between the evolution of life and of environments, the potential for life and life's actual distribution in our solar system and beyond, and future of life on Earth and in space. This course is conducted as a seminar series led by the 16 principal investigators of the Penn State Astrobiology Research Center (PSARC) and their students. Classic literature relevant to the themes of Astrobiology will be introduced, but the main focus of discussions will be on new and important research developments made by the PSARC members and other astrobiologists.
The seminars will be given once a week, typically on Friday afternoons, during the Fall semester each year. At each seminar, a faculty member will present a ~ 30 minutes summary of important questions and current knowledge on the topic. This will be followed by summaries by two or three students on selected papers (~ 40 minutes) and by discussions involving all students and faculty (~ 50 minutes). This is a required course for all students in the Dual Title Degree program in Astrobiology, but is open to any undergraduate and graduate student. There is no prerequisite. Grading will be based on the degree of participation in discussions and on a short (10 page) term paper. The term paper may be based on the paper(s) discussed in the seminars or on students' own research projects.
Note : Class size, frequency of offering, and evaluation methods will vary by location and instructor. For these details check the specific course syllabus.