82415 - Hot Topics in Marine Sciences

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has advanced knowledge on the main and most recent topics in marine sciences, and in particular those concerning the themes of "marine habitats", "biotic resources and fisheries" and the interactions between biotic and abiotic components in marine ecosystems on a regional and global scale. The student is able to address in an analytical and critical way the various biological, physiological, ecological, physiographic, legal and political-economic aspects of the problems, has the ability to synthesise and illustrate the analysed aspects, to design and plan experiments and to provide solutions

Course contents

The course is organized into three modules: Advances in Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Advances in Marine Ecology and Advances in Marine Geology.

In the first part of the course there will be lectures addressing the most advanced research topics related to each of the three teaching modules, through the discussion of recently published case of studies.

In the second part of the course the students will be divided into working groups to develop an original and structured research project, on a specific theme chosen by the students amongst those proposed during the lectures. The work will be performed under the teachers’ supervision.

Finally, each group will present and discus the projects to the whole class and the three teachers.

Within each module seminars and/or cycles of specialist seminars held by experienced teachers (both Italian and foreign) will be offered.

Readings/Bibliography

Scientific articles in English provided to the students and illustrated in the frontal lesson’s lectures

Teaching methods

Group work activity in class assisted by the teachers, to develop an original and structured research project, on a specific theme chosen by the students.

Assessment methods

The final evaluation of the course includes two tests:

1. Evaluation of the group work activity through project presentation and discussion with a peer-to-peer approach - 70% of the overall grade (NB: The test is carried out in class with all the groups present).
2. Individual report on the chosen topic, using the scheme defined by the teachers and presented to the classroom - 30% of the overall grade.

The final grade will be determined by the weighted average of the marks obtained in the two tests together with the evaluation by the teachers of the degree of participation of the single student in group work and during the classroom discussion.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint and scientific articles. Discussion in the classroom.

Office hours

See the website of Federica Costantini

See the website of Fausto Tinti

See the website of Claudia Romagnoli