I have developed a full semester course (3 lectures/week) for graduate students with no experience in biology undertaking this diploma. This introductory biology course runs for first semester and is based on a series of problem solving exercises as well as formal lectures. This course avoids the conventional memory- based aspects of traditional biology courses (involving detailed studies on the biology of certain taxa) in favour of focusing on a functional approach to understanding ecology.
I also lecture the advanced biology section of this course (12 lectures/semester), describing the importance of invertebrates in conservation biology and the growing body of literature focusing on insects in environmental science. Topics covered include metapopulations, keystone species in assemblages, and the role of diversity in ecosystem function.