Biology and Public Health

Catalog description

The goal of this course is to educate students on the convergence of Biology and Public Health. Students will engage with diseases whose impact on the individual impacts society and diseases where societal norms and standards influence understanding and progression. We will discuss our current methods for assessing and understanding the burden of disease on our society. Recent experiences with Covid-19 and public health will be used as a springboard to discuss many of the intersections of public health and biology and a segue into other important topics of public health including, but not limited to, vaccines, obesity, diabetes, mental health, AIDS. Understanding biology and public health necessitates the understanding of certain biological concepts as well as the understanding that while 'the science' can inform decisions, public health requires that we also understand the impacted populations, recognizing that different communities may behave differently, and public health needs to adapt to as many people within a given society. Special attention will be paid to the disparity in public health issues and responses in various local and global communities. Science & Technology for non-science majors. Not for Bio major/minor. Previously offered as BIOL 1060 or SCIE 1060.