REVISED Biology 402  SPRING 2002

 

APPLIED & INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY SYLLABUS

 

 

Dr. Carol Litchfield                                            There will also be materials on reserve at Johnson Library

 

Office:   David King Hall 3035                             Required Text: Environmental Microbiology by Maier, Pepper & Gerba

 

Office Hrs:       Wednesday 11-12:30             3 Exams                              300

                        &                                      1 Term Paper                       200

By appointment                    3 Critical Path Thinking          300

                        1 Comprehensive Final           200

                         TOTAL                                 1000

       

clitchfi@wpgate.gmu.edu

 

 

Note:  There will be 2-3 field trips.  These are scheduled for Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.  They are noted below. 

 

 

DATE                          SUBJECT                                      Text Chapters

 

 

1/23      What is Applied & Industrial Microbiology?

Start Microbial Detection Methods                                                                     8-10

 

 

 

1/28      Finish Detection Methods                                                                                   11-13

1/30      Microorganisms Important to this Course                                                            2, 3 & 4.6 (Chap. 4)        

 

2/4        Adhesion/Attachment of Bacteria to Surfaces                                                     7.2.3

 

2/6        Biofilm Formation and Critical Thinking Problem #1                                            Materials on Reserve

This problem is worth 100 points; posters will be posted in King Hall.                     & 14.4, 6.2.4,

        15.1-15.3 in Text

http://www/asmusa.org/edusrc/edu34j.htm

http://www.asmusa.org/edusrc/biofilms/index.htm

More specific instructions will be given when the problem is handed out.                                                            

 

 

2/11      Biofilms

2/13      Biofilms concluded

 

2/18      Microbiology of Biodeterioration    Turn In Biofilm Problem

2/20      EXAM

 

2/25     Guest Lecturer and Handout Critical Path #2                                                      

2/27      Wastewater Microbiology -Science Librarian will speak the last

15 minutes of the class on GMU resources to help with your term paper.              20-22

 

3/4        Industrial Water

3/6        Drinking Water -Possible Guest Speaker TURN IN TERM PAPER TOPIC B Critical Thinking Problem #2

 

 

3/11      Spring Break

3/13      Spring Break

 

3/18      Control of Microbial Growth                                                                               23

3/20      Control of Microbial Growth B Presentation of Problem # 2 – Debate

 

 

3/23      FIELD TRIP TO BLUE PLAINS WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT -Be there at 10:00 am.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/25      Microbiology of Air - Return of the Miasma                                                        5

3/27      Control of Microbial Growth BDr. Carl W. Erkenbrecker, DuPont will speak on Biocides in Industry-

 

TURN IN TERM PAPER OUTLINE WITH 3 PRIMARY REFERENCES - WORTH 10% OF TERM PAPER GRADE

 

 

4/1        Microbiology of Air

4/3        EXAM

 

4/8        Fermentation & Food Microbiology                                                                    Materials on Reserve

4/10      Microbiology of Paper -Dr. Lynda Kiefer, Westvaco

 

FINAL VERSION OF TERM PAPER DUE ON 15 April FOR REVIEW

 

 

4/15      Food Microbiology - QA/QC - Guest Speaker: Dr. Joe Zindulis (Biotecon) B Debate Question #3 handed out

4/17      Food Microbiology

 

 

4/22      Food Microbiology - Food Poisoning and Food Preservation-  REVIEWER=S COMMENTS GO TO AUTHORS.

4/24      Food Microbiology

 

4/26      FIELD TRIP TO TIGR

 

 

 

4/29      Possible Guest Lecturer B Turn in Corrected Term Paper

5/1        EXAM

 

5/6        From Laboratory to Business - Guest Speaker:  Dr. Jenifer Isbister (SRIF George Mason University); Debate # 3

 

 

5/13   COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM - 07:30 - 10:15, or if a take home exam is given, it will be due in the office of the Department of Biology by 10:30 on 13 May 2000.

 

 

 

The course will primarily be a lecture course with class participation expected.  The critical thinking problems will develop team work as well as improve your analytical skills and public speaking skills.  There will be guest speakers and field trips.  It is strongly suggested that you make arrangements now to attend the Blue Plains and TIGR field trips.  Assigned readings will be on reserve in the library as well as the text book.  Outline packets for each set of lectures or each lecture will be on the internet on my home page.  My outlines will be posted on the weekend before the next series of lectures.  Guest speakers may or may not choose to put their notes on the internet.

 

NOTE:  THERE WILL BE A REDUCTION OF 1/3 GRADE POINT FROM AN "A" FOR EACH DAY EITHER THE CRITICAL THINKING PROBLEMS, TERM PAPER PREVIEW, OR CORRECTED TERM PAPER IS LATE.   ATHE COMPUTER ATE MY PAPER@ WILL GAIN YOU SYMPATHY BUT NO TIME EXTENSION.   IT IS LIKELY THAT PART OF YOUR FINAL EXAM WILL INCLUDE A TAKE HOME PROBLEM.

 

It is possible there may be some shift in Guest Speaker dates depending on the availability of the Speakers and their company requirements.  You will be notified by email of major changes to this schedule.

 

 

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS REQUIRED

 

Use of electronic data bases, along with journal searches and use of the Internet.  However, unless a paper is in a peer reviewed journal, it will not be acceptable for inclusion in your term paper.

 

Use of e-mail for communicating with others in your group and with me.

 

Proper English and writing skills will be considered part of the grade.  The use of a word processing program with spell check is essential for your term paper.  It is expected that you will use the spell check feature if you wish to receive an A, but this of course does not guarantee an A.  Proper reference citation according to the American Society for Microbiology is also required.

 

 

GOALS OF THIS COURSE

 

The goals of this course are to acquaint students with the applications of microbiology in their everyday lives and what opportunities exist for microbiologists in industry.  Students will be expected to attend lectures, especially when guest lecturers are brought in, and to read the most critical recommended references and their reader and other assigned readings.   While the field trips are not required, it is expected that the students will arrange their schedules to make their attendance possible.

 

At the conclusion of this course, students will be expected to understand the importance of biofilms, water, food, and air microbiology and how they can apply this information to their daily lives as well as make a career in the arena of applied microbiology.