Courses and Workshops

From 1831-36, Charles Darwin circumnavigated the globe on HMS Beagle. In the Galapagos Islands and elsewhere, he collected data that, after decades of study and reflection, formed part of the basis for his publication On the Origin of Species. The ideas presented in that volume remain the foundation of all modern biological thought. Drawing upon original source materials and the instructor’s photos, this course will present the historical and cultural context of Darwin’s era, follow the 5-year journey, discuss how Darwin came to his ideas, and explain his theories in detail. This course is intended for people with little or no college-level biology experience; no prior knowledge of biology or evolutionary theory is presumed.

Faculty Bio

Eric J. Simon, Ph.D. has been a professor of Biology for over 25 years. An avid traveler and award-winning photographer, Eric leads educational international trips for both undergraduates and lifelong learners. Prof. Simon earned his Ph.D. at Harvard and is the author of a widely used series of college biology textbooks used by students in over 40 countries.

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

• Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
• Classes will also be video recorded
• You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Tuesday, Sept. 17, and ends on Tuesday, Nov. 12
• Classes meet for 8 weeks, 1.5 hours per session (10:30–noon)
• No class on Oct. 15
• Videos will post on Fridays in Member Dashboards
• All course materials, including videos, will remain available to view and enjoy through Dec. 31

Faculty Q&A

• Read a recent interview with Eric Simon about his work and course