Joan Slonczewski publishes research with undergraduates on bacterial pH stress, funded by the National Science Foundation. She also studies cold-adapted microbes from Antarctica. She authors science fiction novels, including The Highest Frontier and A Door into Ocean, both of which earned the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. She teaches courses on microbiology, virology and biology in science fiction.
Visit her professional website.
Education
1982 — Doctor of Philosophy from Yale University
1977 — Bachelor of Arts from Bryn Mawr College
Courses Recently Taught
BIOL 103
Biology in Science Fiction
BIOL 103
Science-fiction literature and film extend our awareness of the natural world in amazing ways, as in the film Avatar. Yet real biology is often more amazing than science fiction. This course explores biology through science fiction, and through nonfiction biology more amazing than fiction. We meet human mutants in the X-Men, and we meet real human mutants in the medical literature. We explore human evolution through Vonnegut's Galapagos and discover bizarre living creatures through Herbert's Dune and Crichton's Jurassic Park. We model growth and explosion of populations in Star Trek, "The Trouble with Tribbles," and show how global climate change disrupts the marine ecosystem as in Slonczewski's A Door into Ocean. Students learn to blog science, an important form of online nonfiction writing. This course counts for science diversification, but does not count toward the major or minor, nor QR. Students may not take this course as pass/D/fail. No prerequisite. May be offered in alternating years.
BIOL 116
Information in Living Systems
BIOL 116
How is information generated, transmitted, stored and maintained in biological systems? The endeavor to understand the flow of biological information represents a fundamental undertaking of the life sciences. This introductory course examines the mechanisms of heredity, the replication and expression of genetic information and the function of genes in the process of evolution, with an emphasis on the tools of genetics and molecular biology to address research questions in these areas. Majors and nonmajors may enroll. Biology majors should take this class prior to the junior year. Prerequisite: BIOL 115 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Offered every year.
BIOL 211
Health Service and Biomedical Analysis
BIOL 211
Students volunteer weekly at Knox Community Hospital, College Township Fire Department, or another designated health provider. We study health research topics including articles from biomedical journals, in the context of students' own community service in health-related fields. The academic portion of the class will meet as a three-hour seminar. Students read and critique articles on topics such as: diabetes in the community; pain-killers and drug addiction; AIDS and STIs; influenza transmission and socioeconomic status and health disparities. Students will relate these topics to their experiences from health service. Outside of class, students will have four hours/week reading, and a minimum of four hours/week service. Student assignments will include keeping a journal on their service, and class presentations related to the reading and their service. This counts as an upper-level lecture in organismal biology/physiology. Prerequisite: one year of biology or chemistry and permission of instructor.
BIOL 238
Microbiology
BIOL 238
Microbes inhabit the most extreme environments on earth, ranging from superheated sulfur vents on the ocean floor to alkaline soda lakes. In medicine, newly discovered bacteria and viruses cause a surprising range of diseases, including heart disease; they may even hold the key to human aging. Yet other species live symbiotically with us, keeping us healthy, and even regulate our brain. Still other microbes, such as nitrogen fixers, are essential to the entire biosphere. This course covers microbial cell structure and metabolism, genetics, nutrition, microbial communities in ecosystems, and the role of microbes in human health and disease. This counts as an upper-level lecture in organismal biology/physiology or in cellular/molecular Prerequisite: BIOL 116.
BIOL 239
Experimental Microbiology
BIOL 239
We learn the classic techniques of studying bacteria, protists and viruses in medical science and in ecology. We practice microbial culture and examine life cycles, cell structure and metabolism and genetics. High-throughput methods of analysis are performed, such as use of the microplate UV-VIS spectrophotometer and whole-genome sequencing. For the final project, each student surveys the microbial community of a particular habitat, using DNA analysis and biochemical methods to identify microbial isolates. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y-110Y or a chemistry lab course. Prerequisite or corequisite: BIOL 238.
BIOL 291
ST:Health Serv&Biomed Analysis
BIOL 291
BIOL 375
Virology
BIOL 375
In this course, students examine the form and function of viruses through current research papers and through documentaries on viral disease. Specific viruses are examined in depth, exemplifying their roles in human and animal health, biotechnology and global ecology. Topics may include human papillomavirus, a DNA virus causing cancer; hepatitis C virus, a growing cause of liver failure; Ebola virus, an RNA virus with extraordinary virulence; influenza virus, an RNA virus of humans and animals with pandemic potential; and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of AIDS. We investigate the use of HIV-derived viral vectors for gene therapy.This counts as an upper-level lecture in cellular/molecular biology. Prerequisite: BIOL 238, 243, 263, 266 or 358. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 231. May be offered in alternating years.
BIOL 385
Research in Biology
BIOL 385
This combined discussion and laboratory course aims to develop abilities for asking sound research questions, designing reasonable scientific approaches to answer such questions, and performing experiments to test both the design and the question. We consider how to assess difficulties and limitations in experimental strategies due to design, equipment, organism selected and so on. The course provides a detailed understanding of selected modern research equipment. Students select their own research problems in consultation with one or more biology faculty members. This course is designed both for those who plan to undertake honors research in their senior year and for those who are not doing honors but want practical research experience. A student can begin the course in either semester. If a year of credit is earned, it may be applied toward one laboratory requirement for the major in biology. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y-110Y and 116 and permission of instructor.
BIOL 475
Senior Seminar
BIOL 475
In this capstone seminar, students explore current research topics in biology. Each section will explore a different fundamental concept in biology that spans the range of biology from ecosystems to molecules. Students analyze, critique, and integrate information from research articles they connect specific studies to broader biological questions and they propose future work that refines and extends prior studies. Student communicate their insights and analyses in both oral and written formats. Assignments include short essays, student presentations, student-led classes, peer review, and writing workshops. This course counts toward the upper-level lecture course requirement for the biology major. This course is only open to senior biology and molecular biology majors.
BIOL 497
Senior Honors
BIOL 497
This course offers an in-depth research experience. Prior to enrollment in this course, students are expected to complete at least one semester of BIOL 385-386 and participate in the Summer Science Scholars program. Two semesters of BIOL 385-386 are recommended. Emphasis is on completion of the research project. Students also are instructed in poster production and produce one or more posters of their honors work for presentation at Kenyon and possibly at outside meetings. There will be oral progress reports, and students draft the Introduction and Methods section of the honors thesis. The letter grade is determined by the instructor and project advisor in consultation with the department. Students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.33 and a GPA of 3.33 in biology. Prerequisite: BIOL 385 or 386 and permission of project advisor and department chair.