inFOCUS Newsletter

This year eleven FOCUS members and FOCUS coordinator David Higgs ‘18 attended the SACNAS conference, in warm San Antonio, TX. Through the North Star STEM Alliance, funded by the NSF’s Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) grant program, and with funding from the College, all Carleton and FOCUS students were fully funded for travel and conference fees. Check out how this event impacted FOCUS members!

Learn about Allie Cardel ’13 and her path through graduate study in Chemistry.

FOCUS students Mayte Aldrett, Rowan Ford and Clarissa Smith traveled to Ethiopia over the summer to investigate how to reduce harmful byproducts and CO2 emissions from the use of charcoal stoves in food preparation.

Learn what the Fall Term FOCUS cohort thinks about coffee, the cold, and Cindy Blaha.

Read a thank-you note to FOCUS from past Coordinator Ernesto Polania-Gonzalez.

Hi, I am David Higgs! I use He/Him/His pronouns. I am a senior physics major from Houston, Texas. Outside of science, my hobbies include reading, art/photography and making baked goods. In terms of music, I really love most musical genres so I am always looking for suggestions. I have recently been listening to Natalia Lafourcade and Brockhampton but few of my all-time favorites are Stevie Wonder, Adele, and Queen. At Carleton, I have been an RA for three years which has been fun. I am also a Posse Scholar and a Mellon Mays Fellow.

Come and learn about the cool things Elissa Koele has been up to at NIH since graduating last year!

As part of the IDEAS distinguished speaker series designed to build a bridge between St. Olaf and Carleton, Dr. Tepper L. Gill was brought to speak at St. Olaf about the things he wishes he had known when he was in college. 

Tepper Gill earned all three of his degrees from Wayne State University- his B.S. in mathematics and physics (1966), his M.S. (1969) and his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics (1974). At Howard University, starting as an Assistant Professor in 1976, Dr. Gill was promoted to Associate Professor in 1981, and Professor in 1988. In 1987 he became the Chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering. He has a joint appointment in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Mathematics. 

“If you can do everything well,” Tepper L Gill asserts, “you will always be in demand.” In sharing life advice for aspiring STEM-ticians, Gill advised students to find themselves in the various fields they wished to pursue. “If you love it, then it will come easier, and then you find more about yourself,” he said.

Learn about Raul Noguera-McElroy, a political science major, and what he’s been doing since graduating last year!

The University of Chicago hosted the first annual Regional SACNAS Conference, an amazing day jam-packed with inspiring and engaging programing for current undergrads, graduate students, and professionals in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. SACNAS celebrates STEM diversity by combining cutting-edge science with training, mentoring, and cultural activities to provide a powerful and unforgetable professional experience. This year 12 FOCUS members, and chemistry Professor Dani Kohen attended the SACNAS conference, held at the University of Chicago.  Through the North Star STEM Alliance, funded by the NSF’s Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) grant program, and with funding from the College, all Carleton and FOCUS students were fully funded for travel and conference fees. Check out how this event impacted FOCUS members on the next pages.