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“Attending a chemistry program at a small liberal arts school…gave me post-graduation opportunities! I was able to do research at PLU, research through an REU program at an R1 school, and had multiple post-graduation options months before I graduated. Thank you for preparing me for a life of inquiry in the sciences!” – Caleb Chandler ’17 Research By Area Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Angie Boysen, Ph.D. Brian Naasz, Ph.D. Biochemistry Tina Saxowsky, Ph.D. Dave Song, Ph.D.  Physical

Learning TogetherPLU emphasizes the importance of student research and creative projects. From summer-long student-faculty research projects in the natural sciences to student-directed plays in theatre, these opportunities have many benefits and help students explore and learn more in-depth about an area of study or future career path that interests them, gain invaluable hands-on experience and organizational skills, and learn to balance independent and collaborative work. These research and

-side with you on research and creative projects. No matter what you plan to do after you earn your PLU degree, you’ll have gained the experience that employers and graduate programs want.Summer research that rocksMany students take part in student-faculty summer research projects, often in the nearby forests, mountains and coastal areas. Read MoreScience happens (And so much more!)Of the numerous student-faculty research projects that take place at PLU each year, there is the science. But that is

Spring 2015 Research TeamVirginia Allred ‘17 (Psychology & Geology) Kelsey Barnes ‘16 (Anthropology & Art History) Michael Diambri ‘18 (History) Rachel Friedland ‘18  (Undeclared) Madeline Marello ‘18 (Psychology) Brock Martin ‘18 (Environmental Studies)Adrian Mayoral ‘15 (History) Emma McCain ‘17 (Anthropology) Savannah Phelan ‘15 (Anthropology & Religion) Shaun Spurlock ‘15 (Religion) Carli Snyder ‘16 (History & Women’s and Gender Studies)Michaella Thompson ‘16 (History & Anthropology

Faculty Research InterestsStudents are encouraged to do research with a faculty member during their undergraduate experience at PLU. Check the Natural Sciences website for more information about the Undergraduate Research summer program.Ann Auman I am a microbial ecologist interested in studying microbial communities in natural environments with the goals of understanding how the microbes are contributing to global processes and what products these microbes may be making that may be of

When talking about locating sources for an assignment, students often remain task-oriented and focus on “finding” rather than on learning, and our own research demonstrates this remains true for many PLU students. In general, students already know how to search for information but are unable to apply what they already know into a new context. In other words, students need guidance with framing research questions, seeing patterns in the literature, weighing the relevance of evidence, and

Things to Keep in Mind Having a plan before starting any research project or assignment will bring you the most success once you begin your research. While it might be difficult to develop a full plan of action, knowing some (or all) of the following things will be useful: A general understanding of your research topic. Doing background research would help with this. The type of resources (newspaper articles, blogs, for example) required or needed to complete your research. You can find this

Research & Internship Opportunities for PLU Natural Sciences StudentsPLU Natural Sciences offers a limited number of paid on-campus research opportunities working with our faculty each summer, as well as support for our students in getting off-campus internship and research positions. Off-campus summer research offers invaluable experience in real world labs working with career researchers, professors, and other undergraduate students from across the nation and around the world. For those