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Monday, September 21 - Week 2
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Wednesday, September 23 | Our Cosmic Origins - Early Galaxies and Black Holes
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7-8:30pm • Olin 149 • Physics and Astronomy
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The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in 2021 provided the first observation of the earliest phases of structure formation in the universe—astronomers were stunned. We found an early universe filled with more galaxies than expected, a completely unexpected population of "little red dots", and abundant growing black holes.
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Today, Monday, September 21
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- Biology Faculty Lightning Talks - Olin 141, 3:30-4:30pm
Want to learn more about Biology research at Carleton? Here's your chance! Carleton Biology faculty will give lightning fast talks about everything from reptiles to parasites to cells. Don't blink or you'll miss it!
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Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 22
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- Physics Table - LDC Shearer dining room, noon-1 pm
Gather with folks who are interested in Physics! Have lunch with us, regardless of your experience level with Physics coursework, and meet students, faculty, and staff from the department. If you are off board, let the cashier know you are coming for Physics Table.
- Speaker Form Due: Northfield Undergraduate Mathematics Symposium - noon
Apply now if you're interested in giving a 15-minute talk about your math or stats research at the symposium on September 29.
- CS Bits & Bytes hosts EmilyJune Wong from the Career Center - Anderson 329, 3:30-4:30pm
EmilyJune will present, "Building Your Network for Careers in Tech." Join this interactive workshop to understand the true value of strategic networking and gain practical tools to expand your professional circle.
- Mathematics and Statistics Graduate School Info Session and Panel - CMC 206, 4-5pm
Join us to learn about different types of programs, financial considerations, and how to prepare a strong application. A panel of Carleton alumni will share their experiences.
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- Chemistry Periodic Table - Anderson, Mohrig student space, noon-1 pm
If you are off board, the department will cover your lunch. Go to the Schulze Cafe in the Daugherty Atrium and ask for the chemistry charge. Any questions, contact Danielle Morisette.
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- Welcome to Chemistry! - Anderson 329, 3:30-4:30pm
Come celebrate the start of the 2026-27 academic year in the Chemistry Department. We will highlight department activities and provide a chance to meet with representatives from the CCCE, the Career Center, and the Fellowships Office.
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- Spectacles of the Arctic Agricultural Frontier - Olin 141, 3:30-4:30pm
Mindy Price, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Macalester College will unpack scholarly visions of the Arctic as a new agricultural frontier. She will discuss how scientists use climate projections and crop suitability models to depict the Arctic as a future breadbasket, and how this vision contrasts sharply with the experiences of local Indigenous growers and small-scale commercial producers.
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Campus Events and Resources
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Friday, September 25 | Convocation: Tech Minefields, Expertise, and the Liberal Arts with Professor Jeff Ondich
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10:50-11:50am • Skinner Memorial Chapel
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He has taught nearly all the required courses in the computer science major, while focusing mostly on software development, computer security, and computer systems. His multi-lingual dictionary applications, published by his company Ultralingua, Inc., have been used by tens of millions of people.
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Sunday, September 27 | Arboretum Centennial Speaker Series: Reimagining Restoration with Dan Hernandez and Mark McKone of the Carleton Biology Department
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The restoration of native ecological communities has been a focus of activity in Carleton's Cowling Arboretum since its founding a century ago. The traditional goal of prairie restoration has been to return these ecosystems to their perceived historic state. But the reality of global environmental changes requires us to reconsider strategies for effective prairie restoration and management. We will review the history of prairie restoration in the Arboretum, and discuss a new project that considers how to make restored prairies more resilient to future climate change by sourcing seeds from locations that more closely match the current and projected future climate of the Arb.
Photo: Emma Lederer '20
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Open to the Carleton Community
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- Tuesday, September 22 | Open Farm Day - 11am-3pm, Carleton Farm
Come explore and enjoy the farm! There will be farm tours and treats made by Dacie Moses using farm-grown ingredients and an on-farm produce stand. Check out opportunities to connect your class, office, lab, or student club to our local food system and foster a community of caring.
- Tuesday, September 22 | AI: Shakeup or Smokescreen? - Weitz 236, 11:45am-1pm
How is the computer science department thinking about AI? Join a discussion on technology, pedagogy, and practice in the AI world with computer science faculty Eric Alexander, Amy Csizmar Dalal, Jean Salac, and Anya Vostinar.
- Saturday, September 26 | Mindful Mending - Anderson 036, 3-4pm
Learn a new mending skill and apply the principles of contemplation and mindfulness to daily life. Led by students, with support from experienced menders. Skills you might learn range from sewing to bike repair... and everything in between!
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- Tuesday, September 22 | Innovation Scholars Info Session - Alumni Guest House Room 114, 12:15-1pm
Carleton's 2026 assigned project is an integrated medical device technology. Attend this info session if you are interested in learning about this collaboration between Mayo Clinic, biomedical companies affiliated with Medical Alley, the Minneapolis Heart Institute, NASA, and Minnesota private colleges and universities. Lunch served at this event.
- Wednesday, September 23 (7-8pm) and Thursday, September 24 (noon-1pm) | Pre-Med/Pre-Health Information Session for First-Year Students - Anderson 121
Pre-Health advisor Pam Middleton will provide information on preparing for medical school and other health profession schools.
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- Tuesday, September 22 | Ed Tech Tea: Classroom Technology Changes - Anderson 121, 3:30-4:30pm
Classroom technology continues to evolve. Get pointers on how to use the existing technology effectively and learn what is on the horizon.
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Kolenkow-Reitz Fellowship: Winter Application Deadline - October 5
The Kolenkow-Reitz Fellowship empowers Carleton students to engage in three weeks of winter break research with non-Carleton science and math faculty. This initiative is aimed at nurturing scientific talent and encouraging exploration of STEM fields as potential career paths. The fellowship provides $580 per week for full-time research work.
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Humanities Center Opportunities: Humanities Connections NEH Grant
The Humanities Center is pleased to provide some exciting new opportunities for faculty, including an NEH Humanities Connection Seed Grant and Curricular Innovation Grants for STEM-Humanities Collaboration.
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Denali Raforth
Administrative Assistant for American Studies and Cognitive Science/Linguistics
Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Cowling Arboretum
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Update on Mill Towns Bike Trail Opening and Arboretum Trail Changes
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The Mill Towns Bike Trail, eventually connecting Faribault and Cannon Falls, is becoming more obvious in Northfield. Construction of the segment of the trail that passes along the edge of the Arboretum is open for use!
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With this section of the Mill Towns Trail now open we are making some changes to bike use in the Arboretum. We are shifting all bike use to paved trails and campus roads only, with the exception of a gravel trail that connects the new trail to the campus road system. Read more about the Mill Towns Trail update.
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Fall Recruiting ShowcaseMonday, September 21, 6:30-9pm, Tomson Hall 280 and Atrium at St. Olaf College This joint event between Carleton and St. Olaf is designed to help students learn about opportunities in the business, advertising/marketing, technology, and consumer products and goods industries. This casual event is for all interest levels, so even if you aren't sure what your career interests are, this is a great way to learn more directly from employers.
Job Search Strategies for Seniors
Wednesday, September 23, 4:30-5:30pm, Anderson 121
Join the Career Center to learn how to identify possibilities, leverage your professional network, and utilize online resources to find and apply for relevant job opportunities. We'll address issues of timing and task management, and share perspective on the job market.
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Richard "Dick" Edwin Stearns '58 passed away on August 29, 2026 at the age of 90. He was one of the fathers of computational complexity theory, earning the A.M. Turing Award from the Association of Computing Machinery in recognition of his seminal paper with Juris Harmanis establishing the field's foundations.
Deborah Gross, Charles "Jim" and Marjorie Kade Professor of the Sciences; Ellen Iverson, director of the Science Education Resource Center (SERC); and Kristin O'Connell '04, evaluation/education associate in SERC, published a paper with multiple Carleton alumni: Jonathan Nguyen '25, Jelimo Kaitany '24, Mo Armstrong '23, Yelena Hallman '22, Milon Hutchinson '21, Vermilion Villarreal '19, David Higgs '18, Ernesto Polania-Gonzalez '17, and Chloe Bergstrand '16. The paper, " Greater than the sum: programs to support the whole student in STEM during and after college," is in an issue of Frontiers in Education celebrating the NSF's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation.
Elisabeth Haase, director of environmental health and safety compliance; Joe Udelhofen, environmental health and safety specialist and training coordinator; and Kevin Dolge, chemical hygiene/radiation safety officer, were awarded the 2026 CSHEMA Process Improvement Innovation Award in collaboration with Pat Ceas from St. Olaf College and Margaret Smallbrock from South Dakota School of Mines. The project, "An Innovative Safety Training—Game-Based Learning Method," was presented at the 73rd Annual CSHEMA Conference in Austin, Texas.
Kate Meyer, '09, assistant professor of mathematics, published Climate Applications for the College Mathematics Classroom with co-authors Kaitlin Hill (St. Mary's University) and Katherine Slyman (Boston College). This collection of climate modules and problem sets "enable instructors to help students engage critically with climate-related topics while deepening and strengthening their mathematical skills."
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Visit Carleton Integrated Math and Science for additional news and research opportunities in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Geology, Mathematics & Statistics, Neuroscience, Physics & Astronomy, and Psychology.
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This Week in Science is produced by the Center for Integrated Math and Science. For questions about the newsletter, please contact Kari McMartin.
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