EEB 348 -- Population Genetics

Problem #1

I've posted Problem #1 to the web site. If you'd like to take a look at it before lecture tomorrow morning, feel free. You'll find the link on the lecture detail page for tomorrow.

In case I forget to mention it tomorrow in lecture, we will accept electronic copies of your work. To ensure that we don't lose them, please send copies to both Uzay and me.

WinBUGS

I'll be introducing some software that will be new to nearly all of you on Friday -- WinBUGS. As the name suggests, it's only available for Windows. But if you have a Windows laptop, you might want to download it (link on the Resources page), install it, and bring it to class on Friday. I'll illustrate how to use it in class, but you'll be much more likely to remember how to use it if you're able to follow along.

If you do download the software, you'll want to register it too. Registration is free, but it's required if you want to be able to do more than “toy” problems.

I've heard reports of people running WinBUGS under Mac OS X using Wine or another Windows emulator, but I don't own a Mac so I don't know how hard it is to make it work or how satisfactory it is when it is working. You're welcome to try it on a Mac if you have one, but if you run into problems, I'm not likely to be able to help.

Then a miracle occurs

In case you're wondering, the phrase "Then a miracle occurs" is hardly original. It's shamelesly stolen from this S. Harris cartoon.

You can find a collection of S. Harris science cartoons at http://www.sciencecartoonsplus.com.

E-mail announcements

You received the e-mail that pointed you to this announcement because you are enrolled in EEB 348, Population Genetics -- at least PeopleSoft thinks you are. I posted this announcement for two reasons:

1. To let those of you who haven't discovered it already know that the course web site is up and functional and to give you a chance to poke around before lecture tomorrow morning, if you're so inclined.
2. To allow me to check tomorrow to see if there are any additions to the enrollment list that PeopleSoft doesn't have yet. Since this course is being offered in a distance learning classroom at Avery Point as well as in CUE at Storrs, I'll be posting all course announcements to the web site to make sure they're available to everyone.

By the way, I am told that CUE 320 has wireless Intenet. At various points during some lectures, I'll illustrate points we're talking about using Java applets from my web site. If you'd like to “play along,” feel free to bring your laptop along. (I would appreciate it, though, if you listened to lectures rather than checking e-mail or exchanging instant messages with friends.)

See you tomorrow morning at 9:00am.

Notes for first few lectures

If you want to get ahead a little, I've revised and posted notes for lectures through Wednesday, 6 September. The best way to find them is to go to the “Schedule”, click on the particular lecture, and follow the HTML link or PDF link from there as you prefer You can also get to the notes from the “Notes” page, but that page doesn't indicate which ones have been revised. You could end up looking at notes from Spring 2004, which wouldn't be horrible, but you might miss a few things.

In any case, if you're planning to print the notes, I'd suggest waiting until you see the copyright 2006 at the bottom. I'll do my best to have the notes available at least a few days before class, but I can't promise that I'll always make it.

On a related note, I'll be populating a notification list from the class roster next weekend. If you've registered for the course, you'll start receiving e-mails every time the web site is updated after that. If you haven't registered by then and want to be sure to receive updates, please let me know that you're planning to attend. I'll add you to the notification list.

Tentative problem/project dates

I've added dates when I expect to hand out problems and projects. You'll notice that I've allowed a week before each is due to give you plenty of time to ask questions. As the Overview page points out, projects are more involved than problems, but a week should be plenty of time for them too.

I'll mention this again, but it's important to keep up with the assignments, not only because you'll find it hard to catch up if you fall behind, but also because the material we cover is cumulative. You will find later parts of the course heavy going if you haven't stayed up on the earlier parts.

Getting ready for Fall, 2006

If you're looking for information on the Fall, 2006 edition of this course, you'll find a little here already. The Overview , Textbook, and Resources pages are worth a look. You'll find links to notes on the Notes page, but they're links to notes from 2004. They'll be updated as the semester progresses. At the bottom of the Overview page you'll find links to earlier versions of the course, if you'd like to see what other students have survived.

Note: The course requirements currently listed on the Overview page are subject to revision. I'll be working on the syllabus this weekend, and I am likely to modify the number of problems after I see how the timing of various events works out. In particular, I now that a few of you will be submitting NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant proposals this fall, and I'll try not to have too much due at the same time as DDIGs.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions about the course, but don't bug Uzay yet. He and I haven't had a chance to talk about the course yet.