Summer 2026 (May 11 → Jul 29)
One online astronomy course bridging into the Fall pre-med load.
Astronomy on the Web
Bennett Essential Cosmic Perspective 9e · Ch 1–19 over 12 weeks · ~45 of 50 test Qs come straight from the Canvas review sheet.
Superheroes, Zombies, Cyborgs & Droids
Intro neuroscience through superheroes & sci-fi · Carter The Human Brain Book 3e · ~20 short quizzes + a design-a-superhero final project.
⚛️ Physics 2 Lab (IOLab + Excel)
Complete lab archive: finished Lab 0 Excel, Lab 1 heart-rate report + BPM calculator, full IOLab setup guide with wiring photos, and every quiz answer.
5 testing windows
- Test 1 May 31 → Jun 3 · Ch 1–4
- Test 2 Jun 14 → Jun 17 · Ch 5–7
- Test 3 Jul 5 → Jul 8 · Ch 8–11
- Test 4 Jul 19 → Jul 22 · Ch 12–15
- Test 5 Jul 26 → Jul 29 · Ch 16–19
Fall 2026 (Aug 24 → Dec 18)
Ecology
Smith Elements of Ecology · 8 units from organism→biome · open-note exams · drops lowest.
Cellular Biology
Alberts MBoC · mammalian cell function · cell junctions · tissue culture & fluorescent microscopy.
Molecular Microbiology
Moat Microbial Physiology · Bacteria + Archaea · genomes & metabolism · pathogenesis emphasis.
Intro Neuroscience I
Bear Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain · neurons → sensory systems · neuroinflammation slant.
MCAT Prep
Bio · Biochem · Gen Chem · Org Chem · Physics/Math · Behavioral Sci · CARS · 528 Advanced.
Study tools
Build your own study materials — not tied to any one course.
Interactive diagrams & flashcard studio
Draw interactive science diagrams and high-quality flashcards, then export as a GIF, image, PDF, Anki deck, or embeddable widget for these study pages. Import any file, resize, add arrows and text, download or copy in high-res.
SOTU CNA — Pre-Shift Review
Your CNA study hub for the Solid Organ Transplant Unit — float sheet, skills, daily flow, quizzes & codes. Opens the password-protected site in a new tab.
What's in every course
Study Guide
Semester-spanning chapter notes with key terms bolded.
Flashcards
Interactive flip deck. Filter by unit, mark mastered, keyboard shortcuts.
Mastery
Spaced-repetition drill that resurfaces what you keep missing.
Practice Exams
Multiple-choice + short-answer simulators with auto-grade.
Cheat Sheet
Printable 1-page reference, formatted for 8.5×11 portrait.
Concept Maps
Visual summaries of high-level pathways and relationships.
Semester pace
| Date | Milestone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 24 | Classes begin | Confirm syllabi, get textbooks via MavLINK. |
| Sep 8 (Mon) | Labor Day | No classes. |
| Mid-Sept | Exam 1 window | Most courses run 3 mid-term + 1 final. |
| Mid-Oct | Fall break + Exam 2 | Use the long weekend to drill cross-course. |
| Mid-Nov | Exam 3 window | Cellular bio lab final practical possible. |
| Nov 26–28 | Thanksgiving | No classes. |
| Dec 8–13 | Final exams | 4-course finals week — cheat sheets help most here. |
| Dec 18 | Semester ends |
Your professors
Tom Bragg
Plant + fire ecology · Tallgrass Prairie · Henry Wright Lifetime Achievement Award. Quiet speaker — sit up front. Open-note exams, drops lowest exam grade.
Kristen Johnson
Cell-cell junctions, adherens, gap junction assembly/disassembly · cancer-related changes in cell adhesion. Expect heavy emphasis on cell communication and microscopy methods.
Donald Rowen
Microbial pathogenesis · Pseudomonas aeruginosa mucoid conversion · Type III secretion. Reviews note ~40-50 slides per 50-min lecture — pre-read!
Ernest Chivero
Substance-use neuroinflammation, microglia, NLRP3, HIV-Tat. 4.7/5 RMP, 95% would retake. Online async; expect immune-brain bias on standard intro topics.
Source materials & references
- UNomaha Biology faculty directory
- UNomaha BIOL course catalog
- UNomaha NEUR course catalog
- UNomaha Criss Library — Biology Research Guide
- NCBI Bookshelf — Alberts Molecular Biology of the Cell 4e (free)
- OpenStax Microbiology (free)
- MIT OCW 9.01 Intro Neuroscience — Mark Bear (textbook author)
- NCBI Bookshelf — Purves Neuroscience 2e (free)
- Internet Archive — Smith Elements of Ecology
- Internet Archive — Madigan Brock Biology of Microorganisms
- Wikipedia — Molecular Biology of the Cell (book)
- Wikipedia — Brock Biology of Microorganisms