Genetics is among the most exciting and important biology courses that you will take. Almost daily, we are bombarded with examples of the relevance of genetics: the discovery of genes that influence human diseases, traits, and behaviors; the use of DNA testing to trace disease transmission and to solve crimes; the use of genetic technology to develop new products. And today, genetics is particularly important to the student of biology, serving as the foundation for many biological concepts and processes. It is truly a great time to be learning genetics!

Although genetics is important and relevant, mastering the subject is a significant challenge for many students. The field encompasses complex processes and is filled with detailed information. Genetics is often the first biology course in which students must develop problem-solving skills and apply what they have learned to novel situations.

My goal as author of your textbook is to help you overcome these challenges and excel at genetics. As we make our journey together through introductory genetics, I’ll share what I’ve learned in my 35 years of teaching genetics, give you advice and encouragement, motivate you with stories of the people, places, and experiments of genetics, and keep our focus on the major concepts.

Genetics Essentials: Concepts and Connections was written in response to requests from instructors and students for a more streamlined and focused genetics textbook that covers less content than a full-length genetics textbook. It has as its foundation my more comprehensive Genetics: A Conceptual Approach, which is now in its fifth edition.

At Southwestern University, my office door is always open, and my own students frequently drop by to share their own approaches to learning as well as their experiences, concerns, and triumphs. I would love to hear from you—by email (pierceb@southwestern.edu), by telephone (512-863-1974), or in person (Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas).

Ben Pierce

Professor of Biology
and holder of the Lillian Nelson Pratt Chair,

Southwestern University