top of page

RICHARD (ZHIFEI) DONG

Personal Home Page

COURSE NOTES

I upload the personally made course notes for some of the courses I took during my undergraduate study at the University of Waterloo. Subjects include AMATH, BIOL, CHEM, CS, PHYS, MATH, and MUSIC. This does not cover all the courses I have taken at UW as some of the non-digital notes I took are not uploaded. I do not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and/or accuracy of this set of notes.

AMATH/BIOL 382: COMPUTATIONAL MODELLING OF CELLULAR SYSTEMS

This is a cross-listed course between AMATH and BIOL. It focuses on using ODEs to model and design a variety of cellular systems. If you like system biology, you will for sure enjoy this course. The note is a quick reference sheet of some important equations studied in class.
(Image source: Nature)

AMATH 383: INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY

This course utilizes similar tools as those of AMATH 382, yet instead of looking at cellular processes, we looked at larger biological processes such as population dynamics. A very fun course overall!

BIOL 266: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

This course introduces the fundamental techniques in computational biology, including sequence alignment, phylogenetics, and structural biology.
(Image Source: Wikipedia - Sequence Alignment)

Image by Johannes Plenio

BIOL 359: EVOLUTION 1: MECHANISMS

This course discusses the mechanism and evidence for evolution. It also discusses the application of evolution in population genetics. This course note is made together with my friend Yolanda Tu.

BIOL 365: METHODS IN BIOINFORMATICS

This course builds on the bioinformatic methods discussed in BIOL 266 by explaining in detail how a variety of algorithms can make those tools work. This course note is made together with my friend Yolanda Tu.
(Image source: Wikipedia)

Image by Robina Weermeijer

BIOL 373: PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY 2

This course is a continuation of BIOL 273 (which unfortunately I do not have the digital notes available). It discusses some important human systems including the CNS, the digestive system, the endocrine system, and the excretory system. This course note is made together with my friend Yolanda Tu.

Image by Hal Gatewood

BIOL 376: CELLULAR NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

This course introduces the concept of neurophysiology from a cellular perspective by using physical equations. If you are interested in neuroscience I would strongly recommend you take it - it is not easy but very very interesting. This course note is made together with my friend Yolanda Tu.

BIOL 465: STRUCTURAL BIOINFORMATICS

This course looked at some computational tools and experimental techniques we used to study protein structures. This note is made together with my friend Yolanda Tu.

dna-test-infographic-genome-sequence-map-chromosome-architecture-and-vector-id1125105809.j

BIOL 469: GENOMICS

This course discusses the computational techniques used in genomics, including BLAST, genome annotation, comparative genomics, variant calling, and gene finding. It is a very practical course and builds on the knowledge of BIOL 266.
(Image source: BMJ Blogs)

Test Tubes

CHEM 237L: INTRODUCTORY BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY

This lab allows you to practise some of the most commonly used lab skills in biochemistry laboratories.

Image by Terry Vlisidis

CHEM 266: BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I

This course is an introductory organic chemistry course and introduces many fundamental organic chemistry reactions. This note is a big summary sheet of all the important reactions studied in the course.

A person working on a laptop PC

CS 231: ALGORITHMIC PROBLEM SOLVING

This course introduces various commonly used algorithms and compares the running time of each of them. A great survey course as an introduction to the topic, and is definitely helpful for your python toolkit.

Coding Station

CS 234: DATA TYPES AND STRUCTURES

This course provides an overview of the important data types and implementations of ADTs in computer sciences.

$Math Formulas and a Calculator$

MATH 114: LINEAR ALGEBRA FOR SCIENCE

This is a typical first year course in linear algebra with a focus on computational techniques. Topics include complex numbers, vectors, matrices, systems of linear equations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and diagonalization.

220px-Triple_Integral_Example_2.svg.png

MATH 227: CALCULUS 3 FOR HONOURS PHYSICS

This course introduces the idea of multivariable calculus with a focus on its application in the field of physical sciences. This note consists of a set of important equations for quick references.
(Image source: Wikibooks)

Musical Notes

MUSIC 100: UNDERSTANDING MUSIC

This survey course gives an overview of western music history from the Middle Ages to the Post-Romantic period.

Music Festival

MUSIC 140: POPULAR MUSIC AND CULTURE

This course is one of the best courses I have taken at UW. It discusses the evolution of American/European popular music through the analysis of historical events. If you love history and popular music, you will love this course for sure.

Image by Jens Thekkeveettil

MUSIC 240: INTRODUCTION TO JAZZ

This course provides an overall of jazz history and a variety of jazz styles. If you love jazz music, this course is a must try! This course note is made together with my friend Sylvia Xu.

Cinema

MUSIC 246: SOUNDTRACKS: MUSIC IN FILM

This course describes the techniques used in film music composition and the evolution of film and film history. A very fun course as an elective.

PHYS 225: MODELLING LIFE PHYSICS

This course introduces a variety of modelling techniques in life physics. It is a mix of many concepts from stat, physics, and biology.
(Image Source: Springer Link)

PHYS 233: INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM MECHANICS

This is an introductory course to quantum mechanics. It provides a basic understanding of probability, uncertainty, and expectation values in quantum mechanics using quantum vectors and operators, wavefunctions, and Schrodinger's Equation. If you are interested in physics, consider trying it - it is not too bad and it serves as a great survey course of the main important ideas in QM!
(Image Source: Wikipedia)

Image by Redd

PHYS 256: GEOMETRICAL AND PHYSICAL OPTICS

This course discusses the fundamental concepts in both geometrical (ray) optics and physical (interference) optics.

Statistic designs

PHYS 267: PROBABILITY, STATISTICS, AND DATA ANALYSIS FOR PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

This course provides an overview of some of the key python packages for data analysis, statistical modelling, and hypothesis testing. A very practical course to take!

Image by National Cancer Institute

PHYS 380: MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOPHYSICS

This course provides some very useful modelling techniques used in biophysics.

Image by National Cancer Institute

PHYS 383: MEDICAL PHYSICS

This course provides an introduction to the key ideas in medical physics, include radiation interaction with matter, CT imaging, radiation biology, radiotherapy methods, and radiation safety. Overall this is a very practical course as this course is taught by medical physicists in Grand River Hospital.

DNA-damage-hero-new-8d4941a65946b70c04ab8d8703b5ed87.png

PHYS 395: BIOPHYSICS OF THERAPEUTIC METHODS

This course has a lot of overlaps with PHYS 383, but it goes into more details about the molecular mechanisms of cancer treatments rather than the application of such treatments in a clinical setting. If you are interested in radiobiology, I would recommend you to take both.
(Image Source: Nature)

Course Notes: My Work

bottom of page