Comparative Vertebrate Biology This course will explore the evolution of the vertebrate classes and the adaptations that allow them to live in almost every habitat on Earth. We will study the phylogeny, anatomy, physiology, and ecology of the major extinct and extant taxa of vertebrates and discuss how each group solves the problems of finding food, finding mates, and avoiding predators. Laboratory exercises will focus on the comparative anatomy of a cartilaginous fish (the dogfish shark) and a mammal (the cat). Students will learn to identify some anatomical structures of the vertebrate body and learn basic functions and the evolutionary homologies for these structures. Occasional field trips will introduce the local vertebrate fauna in their natural habitat.

Graduate Fellowship Writing in the Life Sciences In this course, we will make explicit the otherwise “hidden” curriculum of applying to graduate programs in the life sciences. We will work as a group to demystify how to identify and contact potential PhD advisors/programs, how to translate a resume into a scientific curriculum vitae, how to craft compelling graduate school application materials, and how to write fellowship statements. Course deadlines will provide a structured scaffold for achieving milestones in the application process. Multiple rounds of feedback will be offered by peers during the writing process. Students will complete this course by submitting a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship proposal (or equivalent). Open to students majoring in BIOL, BIOL/ECSC, BIOL/ENVS or by instructor approval). This course is not intended for pre-health students.

Pleistocene Park, Jurassic World: Fossil Stories of Our Future What can coprolites tell us about climate change? Will mammoths roam Siberia once more? While paleontology might seem like it’s all about the past, the tools that paleontologists employ are directly relevant to our future. Students will explore scientific topics such as the process of fossilization, how to reconstruct the history of life, and why mass extinctions happen. We will also discuss the ethical dimensions of fossil ownership, de-extinction, science communication, and other societal issues. Ultimately, students will leverage the richness of geologic and evolutionary time to develop a new personal context for interpreting our rapidly changing planet. One field trip to a fossil locality is included. 3 hrs. lect

Conservation Biology        A conservation biologist is a problem-solver who applies tools from disparate fields – e.g., evolutionary biology, genetics, ecology, paleontology, anthropology, and population biology – to address complex real-world dilemmas of relevance to human, wildlife, and ecosystem health. To effectively leverage their data, conservation biologists must also recognize and navigate government regulations, diverse cultural practices, and stakeholder perceptions. This course is international in scope. Emphasis will be placed on current issues such as species reintroduction, detecting extinction, rewilding, novel ecosystems, protected area design, shifting baselines, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change. This course will require engagement with community partners in independent research. Open to juniors and seniors.

The Horror of Deep Time Vanishing species, hostile climates, plagues that engulf planets – the looming dread of our current world can be paralyzing. In this course, we will cultivate curiosity as a technique for confronting such phenomena by looking to those who regularly face the limits of human knowledge: scientists and the protagonists of cosmic horror. Paleontology provides the ideal toolkit for grappling with overwhelming timescales, worlds without humans, and bizarre lifeforms. We will combine works by Lovecraft, Thacker, VanderMeer, and others with visits to spaces of science (e.g., fossil outcrops, molecular laboratories) to engage with the simultaneous beauty and terror inherent to discovery. Projects that blend scientific, environmental, and creative writing will allow students to explore darkness as an empowering opportunity to shine light.

Mammalogy Thanks to a rogue asteroid, we now live in the Age of Mammals. Mammals fulfill important ecological roles and have adapted to a wide range of habitats – flying, swimming, and scurrying their way to survival. Mammals are also central to numerous livelihoods and cultural practices. We will use the phylogeny of mammals globally to build expertise with evolutionary concepts. Locally, we will work within Vermont to develop a field-based toolkit for studying wild mammals. Experiential learning opportunities may include preparation of salvaged animals, non-invasive monitoring, engagement with trappers/hunters, and introduction to molecular techniques.

Community-Engaged Environmental Studies Practicum In this course students work in small groups with one of a variety of partners and organizations to complete a semester-long, community-engaged project. Project themes vary by term and typically focus on local and regional environmental issues that have broader application. Projects rely on students’ creativity, interdisciplinary perspectives, skills, and knowledge developed through their previous work. The project is guided by a faculty member and carried out with a high degree of independence by the students. Students will prepare for and direct their project work through readings and discussion, independent research, collaboration with project partners, and consultation with external experts. The course may also include workshops focused on developing key skills (e.g., interviewing, public speaking, video editing). The project culminates in a public presentation of students’ final products, which may various forms such as written reports, policy white papers, podcasts, or outreach materials. (Open to Seniors) (ENVS  0112 OR APES[5]) AND (ENVS  0211 OR PSCI  0211) AND (ENAM 0215 OR ENVS  0215 OR ENGL  0215) AND (GEOG  0120 OR ENVS  0120 OR GEOG  0150 OR ENVS  0150 OR ENVS  0251 OR GEOG  0251 OR ENVS 0261 OR GEOG  0261 OR ENVS  0271 OR GEOG  0271 OR ENVS  0281 OR GEOG  0281 OR GEOG 0252))

Science of Environmental Systems We will utilize a systems approach to study selected environmental topics as we learn how to integrate scientific principles of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. We will also explore intentionally interdisciplinary approaches such as socioecological and regenerative systems frameworks. In lecture, we will take a more global approach as we examine climate change, water, energy, biodiversity, ecosystem services, pollution, and agriculture. We will discover emerging knowledge that is shaping potential solutions and learn how to evaluate such efforts through a systems science lens. In the lab units, we will investigate local manifestations of human-environment relationships through experiential, hands-on, embodied approaches.

Alexis Mychajliw

Reviews and ratings for Alexis Mychajliw at Middlebury College.Alexis Mychajliw teaches Comparative Vertebrate Biology, Fellowship Writing in Life Sci, Jurassic World and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Alexis Mychajliw good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

This course was not on a topic I would have ever chosen, but it was interesting nonetheless. We read and thought about worlds before and after humans and how to grapple with these realities. I ran things to say but I need the character count :)

This is my favorite class I’ve taken in the biology major, it is intense but I highly recommend for bio majors looking to apply their skills to conservation. Group and individual projects are the main assignments of the course (it’s a CW). While this coursework does lead to a lot of writing over the semester, fortunately each assignment is broken into multiple parts so it is easier to avoid large bouts of work in a single period.

This course was admittedly much more difficult than I had heard or than I expected. I feel that it was a good preliminary introduction to paleontology, and also brought in several concepts from Bio and ECSC courses I have taken previously. I think that if I had not already taken any Bio or ECSC courses, I would have been pretty confused. I appreciated that the class was interdisciplinary in many aspects, and also tied in the ethics of fossil extraction/trade, which was super interesting! 