Sophomore seminars are small interactive courses offered by faculty members in departments all across the campus. Sophomore seminars offer opportunity for close, regular intellectual contact between faculty members and students in the crucial second year. The topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to 15 sophomores.

Science is a universal enterprise, yet there are many barriers to effectively communicating and understanding science. One major hurdle is the predominance of a single language for publishing and communicating science. This is an issue both for aspiring young scientists who must learn English as a second language while mastering complex scientific topics as well as for members of our communities who would benefit from scientific information that is currently unavailable in their primary language. In this class we will combine readings and discussion of papers in the fields of Evolution and Ecology with an active goal to break down language barriers in science. During the semester, students will each translate one paper into a second language or into another creative format that communicates the science to a broad audience. Translations resulting from this seminar will be made available online at https://evolution.berkeley.edu/improving-access-to-primary-literature-in-biology-through-translation/. Bilingual and multilingual students are especially encouraged to take this seminar to help us break down language barriers. Course website: https://www.tarvinlab.org/teaching Professor Tarvin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. She is intrigued by the evolutionary mechanisms underlying adaptation and diversification. Her interests in research are grounded in an appreciation for natural history, especially (but not limited to) frogs. Currently she studies the evolution of chemical defenses in frogs, flies, and nudibranchs. Professor Tarvin is interested in making science more accessible by breaking down language barriers in part because she has been privileged to work alongside many scientists from South America who have faced language-related economic and social barriers during their STEM training. She and her lab believe that translating science into more languages will have a positive impact on science by diversifying STEM professionals and the audiences who can access STEM content. Outside of the lab Professor Tarvin is interested in many sorts of creative projects, from 3D-printing to painting and baking. She also loves to cycle, play soccer, and follow politics. Faculty web site: www.tarvinlab.org

Repeat Rules