Life 102: Attributes of Living Systems – Session 1 (Intro)
Course context and goals
Course: Life 102 – Attributes of Living Systems (stated as Life 102, sometimes spoken as “life one zero two”).
Instructor: Dr. Eric Arthan (prefers to be called Eric). PhD in microbiology from CSU. Teaching style emphasizes peer learning and a collaborative classroom culture.
Schedule: Regular lectures Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:00\text{--}9:50\text{ AM} in this classroom during fall term (Fall 2025 reference in the talk).
Setting and vibe: Classroom described as a “prison cafeteria” to emphasize a student-centered, collaborative environment with multiple tables/learning stations.
Core aim: Build a cohesive understanding of what life forms have in common across all species, from bacteria to humans to plants, through a structured sequence of topics.
What Life 102 is about
Title and focus: Attributes of living systems; what life forms have in common across all domains.
Scope: Across all life forms, from bacteria to whales, across environments (land, air, water).
Key guiding question: What does life require, and what makes life up? Exploration starts from chemistry and progresses through progressively larger scales.
Opening example to illustrate core ideas: Headstander beetle from the Namib Desert (Namib Desert, southwestern coast of Africa).
Desert context: The Namib Desert has nearly no liquid water; rain is extremely infrequent, yet life persists.
Adaptation through evolution: Headstander beetles survive in water-scarce environments by exploiting fog-derived water vapor via specialized cuticle features.
Mechanism detail: Twice daily fog events bring water vapor; the beetles position themselves on their heads to collect water droplets on their back/body that condense from fog; gravity helps channel droplets toward the mouthparts for drinking.
Takeaway: This example demonstrates how chemistry (water vapor condensation) and physical adaptations enable life in extreme environments, illustrating a unifying theme across life forms: chemistry is universal; life is both well-adapted and diverse.
Broader implications: The same fundamental chemistry underpins all life forms; the Namib beetle exemplifies how evolutionary adaptation enables thriving in challenging habitats.
Course structure and progression
Four-month span: Approximately 16\,\text{weeks} of material.
Core sequence:start with chemistry, then water, carbon, bigger molecules, cells, energy, genetics, and finally evolution.
The aim is to show how all organisms are affected by these foundational elements in similar ways, even as they are highly diverse.
Comparison with Life 103: Life 103 (future course) focuses on differences among life forms (e.g., plants vs animals vs fungi). Life 102 ends with evolution and then Life 103 expands on differences.
Relevance across courses: These two courses together cover unity and diversity in biology.
Instructor and teaching philosophy
Eric’s background: Grew up in Red Lodge, Montana; undergraduate degree in biology; PhD from CSU in microbiology/immunology; teaching experience with pre-nursing microbiology and immunology courses.
Personal approach: Sees himself as a peer and collaborator with students; uses first-name basis; aims to minimize teacher-student adversarial dynamics.
Availability and openness: Office hours noted (Biology Building) with a plan to meet in Yates (for Life 102 lab) and general accessibility.
Teaching team: Learning Assistants (LAs) form a core support network; the goal is to rely on collaborative learning rather than solely on lectures.
Learning Assistants (LAs)
There are nine LAs who will support the class. They will be stationed around the room according to a quadrant layout and will rotate as needed.
LA bios and roles (summarized):
Amaya: 3rd-year undergrad in zoology; from Cortez, Colorado; runs a scientific art club; 3rd semester as LA.
Leo: He/Him/His; 4th-year biology; from Brookfield, Colorado; has prior LA experience in chemistry (Chem 111) for 5 semesters; campus involvement.
Mia: She/Her; 3rd-year biology; from Denver; enjoys roller skating; 1st semester as LA.
Marina: 3rd-year health and exercise science; from an unspecified location; recently had shoulder surgery; LA.
Acacia: She/Her; nutrition student; graduating December; LA.
Sophie: She/Her; Biomedical Sciences; previously took the class; 2nd year as LA; from an unspecified location.
Josh: He/They? (neuro/ neuroscience); 2nd year; 1st year as LA.
Francesca: She/Her; 3rd-year biomedical and mechanical engineering; math minor; international student from Colombia; works at the Engineering Success Center.
Role emphasis: LAs are experienced students who have excelled in this course and will help facilitate group learning, discussion, and problem-solving.
Class logistics and classroom setup
Room dynamics: Nine LAs plus the instructor; tables organized into quadrants; aim to get students talking and collaborating; students are encouraged to bring dry-erase markers for in-class problem solving on tables.
Participation emphasis: The class emphasizes active student participation, with students expected to engage in problems and discussions during class rather than just passively receiving information.
Attendance and pacing: The session plans to use in-class participation as part of the learning process, with a focus on collaborative work rather than passive listening.
Study groups: About five weeks into the semester, the class will send invitations to study group cohorts; focus on peer-to-peer learning and structured cohort work.
Syllabus, Canvas, and course resources
Canvas: There is a single course page for the Life 102 lecture and a separate page for the Life 102 lab; announcements and course materials are posted here.
Announcements and contact: Instructor will post announcements here; email for office hours and questions is provided.
Syllabus discussion: Early in the session, there is a focus on going through the syllabus together, then addressing questions.
Office hours and locations:
Biology Building (office hours): Tuesdays 12:00–1:00 PM; Thursdays 10:00–11:00 AM.
Office hours occur in Yates 206 and Yates 208 (the Life 102 lab location is in the Yates Building). Access to these spaces is encouraged for questions.
Group Learning Sessions (GLS): Mon–Thu, 5:00–8:00 PM, in the Oval (TILT Building); these sessions run weekly and are designed to support student learning.
Additional resources: A dedicated Learning Assistant website with syllabus, study guides, practice exams, and notes; emphasis on using these resources to prepare for weekly classes.
Echo 360 recordings: Lectures are recorded and available about an hour after class ends; these are intended to help with study, not as an excuse to skip class. Attendance and participation in class are integral to the grade; watching recordings can lead to a grade penalty if relied on exclusively.
If you skip class and only watch Echo360, you may receive a grade penalty of about one to two letter grades.
Examinations, assignments, and grading notes
Exam schedule: The tentative schedule is posted on the Canvas course site; first exam is on Friday, September 19. The schedule is generally stable unless there are unforeseen events (e.g., weather).
Lab schedule around Labor Day: Because Labor Day is on a Monday, there will be a lab in Week 1; Week 2 has no labs. Students should attend the lab in Week 1 as scheduled.
Attendance/participation: In-class activities account for 10% of the overall grade (10% of the final grade).
Textbook and access:
There is a Day One Access program via McGraw Hill; students sign in with an existing account or create a new one to access the textbook and initial homework.
The CSU-negotiated digital access is typically around 100\, to <100-150>\, depending on year; the physical textbook can cost around 350\, if purchased as a traditional hard copy. The Day One Access route substantially reduces cost.
If you take Life 102 and Life 103, the same textbook may cover both courses, reducing the need for separate purchases.
Textbook logistics: Billing for the textbook is handled through the CSU bookstore and tied to the student’s CSU bill/registrar processes.
Homework and extra credit: There are no extra-credit opportunities in this course according to the instructor, but there is an implicit form of extra credit in the sense that 3 out of 18 homework assignments will be dropped (i.e., 3 lowest scores are dropped from the final grade calculation).
Important takeaways and expectations for you
The course prioritizes collaboration, discussion, and active problem-solving over passive listening.
You are encouraged to engage early with the syllabus, Canvas, and the Learning Assistants to map out the semester.
If you miss class due to emergencies, communicate with the instructor to explore make-up options; the instructor emphasizes flexibility and understanding.
The learning assistants are there to support you; leverage the GLS, LA office hours, and the in-class collaborative structure.
Expect to contribute to group discussions, draw and explain concepts on whiteboard tables, and participate in cohort-based study groups as the semester progresses.
Quick tips for the first weeks
Introduce yourself to nearby classmates; the instructor plans a guided icebreaker and then a follow-up question to stimulate conversation.
Bring dry-erase markers for in-class notes on the tables; be ready to work in a team and learn from peers.
Review the syllabus on Canvas early and identify the dates for the first exam and the Week 1 lab schedule due to Labor Day implications.
Check Echo 360 recordings if you miss a class, but remember in-class participation remains important for your grade.
Explore the Day One Access and the CSU digital textbook access to minimize upfront costs and get started on Homework #1.