Pesticide Science

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary course explores the basic science of pesticides from biology, chemistry, and ecology perspectives. Students will learn the basic science of pesticides and their impacts on the environment. The first class meeting each week will be given in lecture format. Lectures will cover topics including an introduction to pesticides and integrated pest management (IPM), pesticide exposure and evaluation of toxicity, chemical classification of pesticides and their modes of action, toxicodynamics, pesticide residue, pesticide resistance, the major classes of synthetic pesticides and biopesticides, genetic engineering of pest resistant crops, environmental toxicology and pesticide regulation. The second class meeting each week will be an active learning paper discussion designed to develop their discussion and critical thinking abilities. Students will read classic and/or current literature papers relevant to that week's lecture. Starting from the first week. students will begin work on their class project by choosing their topic of interest associated with pesticides (due on the third week), writing a literature review paper (with clear guidance step by step), and presenting their review in class at the end of the semester (last 2 weeks or more time if enrolled student number is larger than 12), design to help students develop their oral and written communication skills.