We are bombarded 24 hours a day with news from all over the world. Many news stories are about biological matters both in nature and in our daily lives. Some biological news are edited by journalists while others are statements from experts. Together they influence the public’s attitudes both concerning the general level of knowledge and decision-making in the governing of nature and the limits for interference in our own lives.
But far too often there are discrepancies between the expert testimony and the edited story and the citizen is left with no real facts. Therefore there is a rising demand for educated biologists who have a solid foundation in mediation and societal issues and who can bridge the gap between the two statements.
A minor in experimental biology with focus on ecology, neurobiology, ecophysiology or ecotoxicology is based in research with particular emphasis on the intersaction of organisms (animals, plants, fungi and bacteria) with the surrounding environment.
There are great possibilities for specialising within the areas of research at the Department of Biology:
- the meaning of organisms to the ecological cycle of organic material and nutrients
- nervous systems and behaviour when animals communicate or react to environmental changes
- physiological reactions and adaptations to environmental stress
- ecotoxicology with emphasis on the mechanisms of xenobiotic compounds and their effects on animal biochemistry, physiology and behaviour.
The programme gives you a broad understanding of how animals interact with the world around them and adapt to challenging changes in biotic and abiotic environmental circumstances.
Since Biology is not just something to be studied in the lab, much of the experimental work will consist of a dynamic interaction between field and laboratory work. The programme combines a broad scientific competence with the newest and most advanced knowledge, focussing on experimental methods.
The minor is primarily for students with majors in another scientific subject within the natural sciences.