Reviews for BSCI436

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Anne Simon BSCI436 Expecting an A Anonymous 09/07/2023	First off, I took this course when it was brand new, so there will inevitably be some alterations to the syllabus and content after the experience Drs Simon and Dinman (co-teaching together) gained from guiding us through the subject. It's absolutely cutting edge stuff; Simon and Dinman are both highly knowledgeable in the field and well published in their respective areas (Dinman with Ribosomes, Simon with plant viruses), and they bring excellent insights to their respective lectures in a way that you wouldn't get for a more "generic" 400 level like immunology. In terms of what you learn and the quality of delivery, the small class size and the familiarity of the lecturers with the topic makes it a low-stress, pleasurable experience where you always come away feeling like you've learned something revolutionary. In terms of workload, it's not much, but the more you put into it, the more you take away from it at the end of the class. Exams are open note and essay based (minimal multiple choice), so no mass-memorization is required, and a familiarity with the concepts and the ability to apply them is what they're looking for. If you ever feel like you don't understand anything in the course, the small class size makes asking questions far easier, and if you attend either of their office hours, they will help you not only understand but master what you ask about. I know she's got some more negative reviews, but the things discussed there don't really transfer over to a high-level, low memorization class like this one. It's much lower time-impact than a memory-heavy course like immunology and there's minimal homework (which they let you re-submit after going over the answers so you can get full credit). Overall, it's a highly enjoyable experience; grab a friend or two and drag them along for a smooth ride, and learn some cutting edge stuff.
Anne Simon BSCI436 Expecting an A Anonymous 08/28/2023	Dr. Simon is a very smart women and is able to help simplify really difficult topics so that you can understand them. She looks out for her students and makes sure that everyone can explain what the current topic is in their own terms that way you can better understand it as well. BSCI436 had many difficult topics but I was able to leave the lecture after every class having a general understanding of what I just learned which helped me be able to study later on. If you are able to take a class with Dr. Simon, do it and if you can take BSCI436 with Dr. Simon I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
Anne Simon BSCI436 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 05/09/2023	Dr. Simon is an extraordinarily passionate lecturer and researcher. This was the first semester that BSCI436 has been run, and I couldn't recommend it enough to anyone with an interest in RNA/biology as a whole. This class presents you with the most up-to-date information on advanced RNA therapeutic techniques/background information by people who love teaching you about it; throughout the semester, Dr. Simon and Dr. Dinman brought very positive, vibrant energy to the classroom environment, which made learning/remembering the concepts very easy. The class's structure places an emphasis on learning above all -- both Dr. Simon and Dr. Dinman made it clear that they want you to be present during lectures and not worry about having to just memorize super detailed information, and the course experience reflected that (the exams were very fair, they were open note for this semester and essay-based -- one midterm, one final. the format really gives you the opportunity to show what you know and not be overwhelmed by small details during preparation). The real-life examples we cover make this class the most fascinating, enjoyable one I've taken at UMD, and the small class size lends itself to a small-group discussion vibe. All of these factors made me look forward to going to these lectures every week. 10/10 low stress (if you go to lecture/take good notes), high learning-output course: this is what learning should be. If you take this class I recommend downloading the lecture slides or printing them and annotating them -- the slides have everything you need to know (I really enjoy the way Dr. Simon makes her slides), and annotating them made remembering the information much easier.