Title

Evolution

Course Description

This semester we will focus on reading Ziheng Yang's 2006 book Computational molecular evolution. Ziheng Yang (http://abacus.gene.ucl.ac.uk/ziheng/ziheng.html) is a leader in developing maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods for inferring phylogenies, divergence times, and positive selection. For a detailed table of contents see the book's website: http://abacus.gene.ucl.ac.uk/CME/

For the last three weeks we will read selected chapters (the presenters choose which chapters) from Rasmus Nielsen's edited book Statistical methods in molecular evolution. You may view (but not print) parts of the book online at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=nJipT3toWFAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Sta#PPR11,M1

In browsing through Yang's (2006) book, you will see lots of equations and complicated math stuff that may be over your (and my) head. Don't freak out about it. If you don't understand the math (I don't think anyone in the discussion group will understand all of it) just browse over it and focus on the more accessible sections of the text.

Instructor (s)

Mark P. Simmons

E-mail

psimmons@lamar.colostate.edu

Phone Number

491-2154

Credits

1

Academic Restrictions or Recommendations

Instructor approval

Meeting Times

Provisionally (subject to change) Wednesdays, 2:00 - 2:50 pm

Classroom

TBD

First Meeting Date

August 27, 2008

CRN

60170

Will this course be cross-listed or cross-enrolled

BZ692GV / BZ492FV

Enrollment Limit

15

Background

Previous coursework on, and/or experience with, molecular evolution and/or systematics.

Text to be used

Nielsen, R. 2005. Statistical methods in molecular evolution. Springer. Yang, Z. 2006. Computational moelcular evolution. Oxford, Oxford University Press.