PLU’s Lathiena Nervo discusses her work and being named one of the “1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America”
Pacific Lutheran University Assistant Professor of Biology Lathiena Nervo was recently named one of Cell Mentor’s “1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America.” A developmental biologist in her second year at PLU, Nervo is equally passionate about teaching, biological research, and increasing diverse representation in science.…
By the Numbers: PLU Professor Collaborates on a New Artwork Illuminating the Beauty of Math
PLU mathematics professor Jessica Sklar is one of 23 collaborators creating a notable work of art, soon touring the nation. Called Mathemalchemy, the installation celebrates the beauty and creativity of mathematics. The finished piece will be about 16 x 8 feet in area and 9…
PLU Awarded $14,000 for Washington Youth Development Nonprofit Relief Fund
School’s Out Washington and the Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded Pacific Lutheran University a grant for $14,000 from its Washington Youth Development Nonprofit Relief Fund. The grant will go toward the Tacoma/South Puget Sound MESA program, which prioritizes early exposure to STEM topics…
Dr. Rachid Benkhalti, Much Loved Mathematics Professor, Passes Away
With heavy hearts, we must share the news that Dr. Rachid Benkhalti, PLU Professor of Mathematics, died unexpectedly of natural causes this past weekend. Beloved by his students and peers alike, Rachid joined our Department of Mathematics in 1987. He became a full professor in…
Thu “Kim” Le interns with Benaroya Research Institute, doing cancer research from home
As the pandemic has progressed many of found ourselves thinking more about health and disease, however, Thu “Kim” Le ‘21 has spent most of her college career researching these topics. Le recently completed a six-week summer internship with the Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) at Virginia…
Paige Balut ‘21 tutors elementary and middle school students through the pandemic
Paige Balut ‘21 is finding ways to help her community through the pandemic by offering her skills as a tutor in both mathematics and music to local elementary and middle school students who may be struggling with the adjustment to online schooling. “Pierce County Health…
Carson Bergstrom and Nate Sager start a podcast to showcase capstones of fellow 2020 graduates
Recent graduates Carson Bergstrom ‘20 and Nate Sager ‘20 struggled with quarantine boredom and the bittersweet end of the school year when they thought of a cathartic project to help share the capstone projects of their peers and burn some creative energy. The series, titled…
Tacoma Rescue Mission Executive Director and PLU alumnus Duke Paulson on adapting through the pandemic
Duke Paulson ‘93 graduated from PLU in 1993 with a major in biology and a minor in psychology. While at PLU, he was on the swim and rowing teams, played soccer for a bit, and was heavily involved in Young Life. Today, he’s executive director…
New NSF grant will support PLU students studying to become STEM educators
Twenty-one new scholarships will be created for PLU students from underrepresented backgrounds preparing to become STEM educators, thanks to a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant, which provides funding over the next three years, will help extend existing collaborations between the…
Aminda Cheney-Irgens ’20 on her chemistry and Hispanic studies double major, research in Puerto Rico, and preparing for graduate school
Aminda Cheney-Irgens is a smart, driven, and globally-minded Pacific Lutheran University senior who, like her peers, spent her spring adjusting to a new way of doing college. She’s learned to record Zoom lessons, sharpened her Google Docs skills, and misses the real-life campus interactions. She’s…
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