More
About Joint Science at the Keck Science Center
The
Joint Science Program
Selective liberal arts colleges, with their emphasis on critical
thinking and a deep commitment to high quality undergraduate education,
produce a disproportionately large share of the distinguished scientists
in the nation. Claremont McKenna College, Pitzer College, and Scripps
College, as members of The Claremont Colleges consortium, share
this commitment. The cooperation among these colleges, each of which
has a distinctive curricular emphasis, enables them to offer a strong
and innovative program in the natural sciences: the Joint Science
Program. This intercollegiate arrangement allows each college to
provide far greater opportunities in science than it could offer
alone.
The
Curriculum
Unlike science programs at most other institutions, biology, chemistry,
and physics comprise a single department in our program. This offers
students an integrative, challenging, and diverse education in the
natural sciences. The Joint Science Program is unusually flexible
in the major areas of study it offers. Twenty-five faculty members
offer over 50 courses toward a variety of majors in biology, chemistry,
physics, management engineering, psychobiology, science and management,
and the environmental area. Major programs that combine science
with interests in another field, such as economics or philosophy,
are encouraged.  Students
may also supplement their major programs in science with courses
available at Pomona College and Harvey Mudd College. An appreciation
for modern issues in science and technology requires not only knowledge
of physics, chemistry, and biology but also an understanding of
many areas outside of the natural sciences including history, economics,
ethics, psychology, and public policy. Students in the Joint Science
Program develop a broad appreciation of modern issues because of
the department's place in a liberal arts curriculum.
An Emphasis
on Thinking
Students in the Joint Science Program take courses which emphasize
analysis. Laboratory investigations occupy a central place in most
Joint Science courses. In advanced courses, students discuss original
research papers and current scientific problems. A student's scientific
education culminates in the senior research project. Each senior
student works closely with faculty directors to complete a year-long
laboratory, field, or theoretical investigation. Some students produce
collaborative publications in scientific journals and presentations
at professional meetings. Students often view research as one of
their most valuable educational experiences. Endowed funds provide
support for students to conduct summer research projects with faculty.
Advanced students may also serve as teaching assistants working
with a faculty instructor in laboratory courses.
Excellent
Facilities
The W.M. Keck Science Center completed in early 1992 provides students
with a spacious, modern facility for study and research in the sciences.
The center includes classrooms, laboratories, and student-faculty
research areas, as well as a computer laboratory and vivarium. The
laboratories have been equipped with state-of-the-art instruments
which are available to students.
Adjoining the campus, the Bernard Biological Station provides an
excellent locale for field studies.  An
observatory within an hour's drive supports astronomical research.
The center also houses the Roberts Environmental Center where student
teams do applied research on environmental problems. The Roberts
Center also operates a field station near Mono Lake in the Eastern
Sierra.
A Faculty
Committed to Undergraduate Education
All Joint Science faculty hold doctoral degrees from leading universities.
They were attracted to this program because of their commitment
to education. While all faculty are active in research in their
fields, they share a primary dedication to their students. Faculty
put a great deal of effort into creating stimulating courses, but
equally into interacting with students outside the classroom setting.
Advising students on courses and career preparation is an essential
part of a faculty member's role.
Some
Titles of Faculty/Student Publications
Kinematics of Defensive Turning Responses in the Crayfish, Procamarus
clarkii
High Resolution Images of Cobweb Threads of Black Widow Spider Latrodectus
Mactans
Monte Carlo Simulation of the Contribution of Single, Nearby Type
II Supernovae to the Diffuse Calactic 1.809 MeV Line Emission
Cytological localization of the warts-rel sequence in Drosophila
melanogaster
Glutathione levels in the Trisomy 16 fetal mouse
Microscale Dehydration of Cyclohexanol using a Macroreticular Cation
Exchange Resin as Catalyst
Imaging of the P-Glycoprotein in Normal and Multidrug Resistant
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (SLCA) Cells with the Atomic Force Microscope
Growth of human small-cell lung cancer cells in AIM-V, a serum-free
medium
Successful
Graduates
The success of students who graduate from one of The Claremont
Colleges after completing the Joint Science Program indicates both
the quality
of the students and the benefits of the program. Since 1990, an
average of 50 students are graduated each year with degrees in
science
or management engineering. About 45 percent of them apply to medical
school, with an acceptance rate of nearly 75 percent. Many graduates
pursue advanced degrees in science, in medicine, and in other health
professions. Joint Science graduates attend many of the best graduate
and professional schools in the country, including UCSF, UCLA,
U.C. Irvine, U.C. Davis, Stanford, USC, Washington University (St.
Louis), Harvard, Yale, Chicago,
and Johns Hopkins. Each year, approximately
10 students complete the management engineering program which includes
three years of courses in Claremont and two years of further study
in an engineering program at schools such as Rensselaer, Columbia,
Boston University, Washington St. Louis, University of Southern
California and a number of other prestigious institutions.
Joint Science graduates work throughout the nation as physicians,
scientists, engineers, teachers, veterinarians, lawyers, business
people, pharmacists, research assistants, and environmental analysts.
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