Instructor Insights

Instructor Insights pages are part of the OCW Educator initiative, which seeks to enhance the value of OCW for educators.

Course Overview

This page focuses on the course 20.416J Topics in Biophysics and Physical Biology as it was taught by Professors Mark Bathe and Jeff Gore in Fall 2014.

This course provides broad exposure to research in biophysics and physical biology, with emphasis on the critical evaluation of scientific literature. Weekly meetings include in-depth discussion of scientific literature led by various MIT faculty on active research topics. Each session also includes a brief discussion of non-research topics including effective presentation skills, writing papers and fellowship proposals, choosing scientific and technical research topics, time management, and scientific ethics.

Course Outcomes

Course Goals for Students

  • Meet the interdisciplinary faculty at MIT who research biophysics and physical biology
  • Learn about important topics in the fields of biophysics and physical biology
  • Discuss topics relevant to becoming a successful scientist
  • Write a scientific research proposal

Possibilities for Further Study/Careers

This course prepares students for a future in academia, specifically for success in graduate school in biophysics and/or physical biology.

 

Instructor Insights

Part of our motivation for developing 20.416J Topics in Biophysics and Physical Biology was to create a forum for exposing students to ... essential non-research topics.

— Mark Bathe

In the following pages, Professors Mark Bathe and Jeff Gores describe various aspects of how they taught 20.416J Topics in Biophysics and Physical Biology.

 

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

None

Requirements Satisfied

MIT Biophysics Certificate Program requirement

Offered

Every fall semester

The Classroom

  • 20.416j-classroom.jpeg

    Room 1 of 1

    Lecture / discussion

    Students and faculty convened around this large table for lecture and discussion.

 

Assessment

Grading was based on in-class participation, weekly reading questions, and a research proposal.

Student Information

13 students took this course when it was offered in Fall 2014.

Breakdown by Year

Mostly first-year graduate students and a few upper-level undergraduates

Breakdown by Major

Mostly students involved in the biophysics certificate program and biological engineering, with a few people concentrating in biology and chemistry

 

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 6 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

Lecture / Discussion

2 hours per week
  • Met once per week for 2 hours per session; 12 sessions total; mandatory attendance.
  • MIT faculty guest lecturers led discussions about scientific journal articles on topics in biophysics and/or physical biology.
  • Each class session included a discussion about a non-research topic, such as “Becoming a Scientist,” or “Writing a Fellowship Proposal.”
 

Out of Class

4 hours per week
  • Students read assigned readings about biophysics/physical biology topics and non-research discussion topics.
  • Before each class, students answered assigned reading questions.
 

Semester Breakdown

WEEK M T W Th F
1 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
2 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
3 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT.
4 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
5 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
6 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
7 No classes throughout MIT, but research proposal was due at this date. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Peer feedback on research proposals scheduled.
8 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
9 Research proposal was due at this date. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
10 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
11 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
12 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting Scheduled
13 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
14 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. Optional class meeting at Cambridge Brewing Company scheduled.
15 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
16 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
Displays the color and pattern used on the preceding table to indicate dates when classes are not held at MIT. No classes throughout MIT
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when lecture sessions are held. Class meeting
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when students presentations are held. Optional class meeting 
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when no class session is scheduled. No class session scheduled
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when assignments are due. Research proposal due date
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when assignments are due. Peer feedback on research proposals