Name: Mr Matt Richardson
Job Title: Senior Laboratory Technician
Address: Cornwall College, Camborne, Trevenson Road, Pool, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 3RD
Tel: 01209 617506
Email: matt.richardson@camborne.ac.uk
I am currently studying with the Open University for a BSc Life Sciences. This will take approximatly 7 years. The modules to be studied include a heady mix of science subjects including Evolution, Investigative Biology, Oceanography. Assesment of the modules is assignment based this involving essay writing and short answer style questions. To date I have completed one 60 credit module in Discovering Science.
Future studies will include residential field courses that involve experimental and field studies. I expect to attend the first of these in the summer of 2008.
To date i have completed two more modules, Studying Mammals and Blue Planet. The first was a short module on which i had to look at mammel behaviour their role and Sustainability within a changing environment. the Blue Planet was another short module looking at life in the oceans, looking at the geology, variety of life and the affect humans have had on the oceans.
I am now taking a short break and will continue my studies next year.
After my short break i have jumped into a 30 credit module called Human Biology, this is a level 2 module studying how the human body works i have completed 2 assignments looking at how the central nervous system works and how the body copes with controlling its functions.
I'm hopefully going to study a chemistry module next worth 60 credits.
This year round, I have been finishing my Human biology module worth 30 credits.
This has included how living processes are maintained before considering diet and nutrition in depth.
Communication and control of the nervous and endocrine systems, and the responses to the world around us (sensory and musculo-skeletal systems).
Studying the anatomy and physiology of body systems including circulation and respiration, fluid regulation and excretion and the immune system.
The last part of this course looks at challenges life throws at us like obesity, sleep, stress, reproduction and our responses to them.
This module had 4 assignments and 1 exam.
Also I have just started a 10 credit module titled Darwin and Evolution this course is about Darwinian theory of evolution and the implications for us today.
In 2011 I completed two 10 credit modules one was learning about the planets and their satellites within our solar system. The topic covered items like planet geology, composition of the different atmospheres, formation of the planets and solar system, orbital periods of each body and the moons that orbit some of the planets.
The second module was on forensic science covering topics such as fingerprinting, examination of body fluids, analysis of DNA, toxicology, courtroom procedures and roles of the police and forensic teams.
I am now starting a second year module titled Science in context covering subjects such as BSE/cJD, medicinal plants, near earth objects, climate change, genetic manipulation and nanotechnology. This module should be completed august time.
The next module titled Science in Context covered a range of diverse topics from climate change to nanotechnology.
This was a good starter unit to a lvl 2 qualification using science in real situations.
The subject topics include; Arsenic comtamination in Bangledesh, this module looked at how certain ground fed water wells have become polluted and possible recomendations on how to treat/prevent future infections. Near Earth impacts was the study of celestial bodies that may or may not impact on the earth. Medicinal plants looks at how the human race has used plants in medicine over thousands of years. Genetic manipulation brings forth the questions of moral and scientific value of changing DNA. Climate change looks at how the Earth has changed since the last Ice age and human impact on it. Nanotechnology is studying the very small reality of things to come, as nanites can be used in medicine, advertising and general day to day life.
Finishing this year off i'll be doing a short module on the Frozen planet (based losely around the recent BBC documentry). This module takes an indepth look at two of the most remote places in the world and how they impact on the rest of the world, studying Antartica and the Artic.
Matt's details were last updated on 27th Mar 2012