Virtual diatom course

Ecology and Systematics of Diatoms (virtual 2-week course) June 7 – 18, 2021

Synchronous class schedule: Monday through Friday, 9AM – 3PM Eastern Daylight Time, USA

Online office hours: 4 – 5PM and by appointment

Instructor: Dr. Sylvia Lee ([email protected])

This is an online instruction course for two credits from the University of Iowa. Although we are unable to meet in person for field sampling, microscopy, or laboratory work, we will do the best we can to learn some of these skills remotely. Students are encouraged to use their own light microscope or a microscope they can access with permission from a school or laboratory, but this is not a course requirement in any way and will not influence your final grade. Registration information can be found at: https://iowalakesidelab.org/

Course Objectives

1. Students will know how to visualize the three-dimensional structure of diatom frustules and how to describe diatom morphological characteristics. Students will understand the information on diatoms.org taxon pages (e.g., https://diatoms.org/species/diploneis-puella).
2. Students will know how to group morphological operational taxonomic units reflecting a good understanding of diatom life cycles.
3. Students will have a working knowledge of North American diatom genera and basic rules of nomenclature.
4. Students will have a general understanding of how diatom data are assembled, quality checked, and applied to answer ecological research questions.

University of Iowa Tuition and Fees
A nonrefundable $100.00 deposit must be paid to the Iowa Lakeside Lab Administrative Office before your registration will be processed.

Summer 2021 tuition is $337.00 per credit hour for undergraduate students and $560.00 per credit hour for graduate students (rates are subject to change based upon tuition adjustments made by the Iowa Board of Regents). See the Iowa Lakeside Lab website for more information: https://iowalakesidelab.org/student-resources

Scholarships (applications due May 30, 2021)
Two endowed scholarships are available this year for diatom course students, post-graduate researchers, or professionals. For endowed scholarships, applicants should e-mail the following to the Lakeside Lab Director at [email protected]: 1) A cover letter; 2) resume or CV; 3) 1-2 page statement describing the applicant’s background, qualifications, and motivation for taking the diatom class; and 4) unofficial transcripts (if student).

1. Charles Reimer Scholarship - $650 awarded to one undergraduate or graduate student annually based on scholastic merit.
2. Eugene Stoermer Scholarship - $650 awarded to one Ph.D. candidate or post-graduate researcher/professional annually based on scholastic merit.