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Dr. Stephen Mayfield +1 more instructor

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Introduction to Algae

University of California San Diego

About this Course

17,778 recent views

This course was produced by the Algae Technology Educational Consortium and UC San Diego with funding from the Algae Foundation, the National Renewable Energy Lab, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Algae are an extremely diverse group of organisms that can be found in almost every ecosystem on the planet, and they play an essential role for life on earth. They are little bio-factories that use the process of photosynthesis to create chemical compounds that we can utilize for food, feed, medicine, and even energy. We’ve brought together some of foremost algae experts from industry and academia to teach you the fundamentals of algae.

This course will cover what algae are, why they are important, and why we are interested in them for both their environmental benefit, as well as their use for products. You will also explore the vast diversity of algae including the characteristics and applications of some of the main types of algae that are in commercial use today.

Later you will learn about algal ecology and how interactions with environment, including pests and predators, affect algal productivity. And finally you will examine the processes of algae bio-manufacturing including production processes, as well as some of the products, benefits, and challenges that impact our ability to make commercially viable products from algae.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

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Intermediate Level

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Serbian, Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Serbian, Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.69/5 (369 Ratings)

Dr. Stephen Mayfield

Professor of Molecular Biology

University of California San Diego

88,794 Learners

3 Courses

Ira "Ike" Levine

Professor, Natural and Applied Sciences

University of Southern Maine

27,573 Learners

2 Courses

Offered by

University of California San Diego

UC San Diego is an academic powerhouse and economic engine, recognized as one of the top 10 public universities by U.S. News and World Report. Innovation is central to who we are and what we do. Here, students learn that knowledge isn't just acquired in the classroom—life is their laboratory.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(3,499 ratings)

Week

Week 1

2 hours to complete

Algae Basics

This section will cover what algae are, how they've evolved, and how they've transformed our planet. We will also go over how humans have used algae throughout history.

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 42 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Algal Diversity

Algae are extremely diverse, and in this section you will learn about the main different types.

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 60 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Algal Ecology

Algae are found almost everywhere and have complex ecologies. This section covers the basics of algal ecology including some of the other organisms they interact with in nature and in industrial settings.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 46 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Algae Biomanufacturing Part 1

Algae are studied because of their potential to create products using biomanufacturing. In this section, we will look at how algae is used as an industrial organisms and different examples biomanufacturing technologies.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 50 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.7

308 reviews

5 stars
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4 stars
18.19%
3 stars
2.61%
2 stars
0.74%
1 star
0.27%

TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO ALGAE

by AZApr 9, 2019

one of the best course to know everything about algae. I recommend all people who decided to work on algae pass this course. I learnt about different aspects of algae and seaweed. thanks Coursera.

by KRDec 14, 2021

I enjoyed learning a small amount of info on algae, you presented a lot, don't know how much I retained. It sounds very environmentally friendly and innovative!

by AMOct 12, 2019

I wish there was an option that I could see the captions (the sentences that the speaker spoke) during the presentations like watching TV with the CC is on... Just a suggestion.

by PGApr 15, 2020

Very interesting and inspiring course! So cool to learn about the history and great diversity of algae, as well as the potential uses of algae in renewable energy and for sustainable materials.

View all reviews

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Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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Introduction to Algae

Introduction to Algae

About this Course