Accessibility statement

Food & Fuel - BIO00049I

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  • Department: Biology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Tim Doheny-Adams
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2021-22
    • See module specification for other years: 2022-23

Module summary

The provision of food for humanity is set to be a perpetual challenge due to globally increasing population, diminishing mineral resources, and changing demands across cultures worldwide. The Autumn term will introduce students to food and fuel related issues and technologies with lectures and workshops and will be assessed with an exam.

The Spring and Summer terms will engage students in developing a solution to a food and/or fuel related challenge in small groups. This exercise will be assessed by a poster completed by each group and a personal reflective essay written by each student.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2021-22 to Summer Term 2021-22

Module aims

The provision of food for humanity is set to be a perpetual challenge due to globally increasing population, diminishing mineral resources, and changing demands across cultures worldwide. On the other hand, increasing availability of sugar-rich foods is leading to an epidemic of obesity in many nations. Furthermore, there is an increasing demand to use land for bio-fuel crops rather than food crops. There is a need for creative thinking to ensure the best use of the potential of biology to provide humanity’s needs whilst maintaining global biodiversity. In this module we will explore the issues surrounding food and fuel production and use by investigating the underlying biological properties and adaptability of plants, humans and their associated microbial communities. Biological innovation is part of the solution, but this sits in a wider context of social, ethical and environmental factors which need to be taken into account.

Module learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this module will have the ability to:

1. Discuss appropriate technical approaches for solving problems in the provision of food and fuel

2. Analyse issues related to food and fuel at multiple scales and from multiple perspectives, appreciating the global context for provision of food and fuel and the impacts on the environment

3. Calculate and estimate relevant values such as the flux of energy and biomass involved in food production and use

4. Formulate and review a strategy to use biological processes to adapt food and/or bio-fuel production and/or use

5. Build up a body of knowledge through working together and communicating within a peer group

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Food and Fuel		 8 hours 40
Oral presentation/seminar/exam
Presentation		 N/A 60

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Food and Fuel		 8 hours 40
Oral presentation/seminar/exam
Presentation		 N/A 60

Module feedback

Marks for open assessments will be made available to you and your supervisor via e:vision. Individual comments will be added to your script and/or on separate summary feedback document. Histograms of module marks will be posted on the notice boards outside the Biology Student Services office. You should take the opportunity to discuss your marks and feedback with your supervisor.

During the teaching of the module you will receive feedback that may be at a whole class or individual level. Forms of feedback may include: model answers and discussion of workshop questions, summaries of performance in practicals, VLE-based quizzes, individual spoken comments during workshops, individual written comments on formative work.

Indicative reading

These are available through the VLE module site.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.