Eliot Circular

news from campus

THE BIGGEST LAB ON CAMPUS

Encompassing the headwaters of Crystal Springs Creek, the 28-acre Reed Canyon has long beckoned students to explore and reflect. But these days, they’re learning, too. Students in Biology 308: Restoration Ecology with Prof. Julia Michaels study ecological theory and put it to the test; here Lulu Maturo ’23 and Kit Gurin ’22 pull invasive canary grass to study how native plants and animals adapt and respond. Students made some exciting discoveries this semester, including a family of coyotes, and a rare crustacean called the Stumptown Scud. The experiments continue next semester. See more at /www.reed.edu/reed-magazine.

photo by tom humphrey

Biochemist Joins National Academy of Sciences

Reed grad Rachel Klevit ’78, professor of biochemistry at the University of Washington, has been elected to the nation’s top scientific organization, the National Academy of Sciences, in recognition of her groundbreaking work on the structure and function of proteins, which has major implications for understanding breast cancer and neurodegenerative disease. Prof. Klevit has been widely hailed for her work in using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to identify the structure of critical biological agents, including the Cys2-His2 zinc finger fold, found in proteins that bind to DNA, and ubiquitinization enzymes, which play a key role in breast cancer.

Being chosen for the National Academy of Sciences is a prestigious achievement reserved for the world’s most eminent researchers. Altogether the NAS has elected 22 Reedies. Reed ranks No. 12 in the nation when it comes to producing fellows in the NAS and its allied academies in medicine and engineering. Reed also ranks No. 1 in the nation in the proportion of STEM majors who go on to earn PhDs in STEM fields.

Prof. Klevit earned her BA from Reed in chemistry and wrote her senior thesis on alkaline phosphatase with Prof. Will Bloch. After Reed, she won a Rhodes Scholarship (the first woman in the Pacific Northwest to do so) and went to Oxford University to earn a D. Phil in chemistry. For more than 50 years, the Watson Fellowship has enabled scores of Reedies to embark on research adventures around the world. Anthro major Alisa Chen ’21 will do it on ice skates.

Alisa will spend a year exploring the power and privilege dynamics of ice hockey, a sport they grew up playing in Michigan. Their Watson itinerary will take them on a tour of far-flung places to see the game in action—Canada, Sweden, India, Iceland, and Hong Kong.

“My project is about seeking out ice hockey experiences that are centered in community, that are working towards inclusivity and trying to diversify who’s on the ice,” Alisa says.

The Thomas J. Watson Foundation offers graduates from top liberal arts colleges a chance to spend a year traveling abroad in pursuit of a singular passion. The program aims to develop global leaders through journeys of self-discovery.

Alisa is the 71st Reedie to be selected as a Watson Fellow since the program began in 1969.

Read more at reed.edu/reed-magazine.

—ROMEL HERNANDEZ

Build Reed in Minecraft

It’s got bricks. It’s got gargoyles. It’s even got rain. Yes, Reed College has materialized in the realm of Minecraft, thanks to the painstaking efforts of Christopher Bruns ’86, who has embarked on an ambitious project to recreate a model of campus on the legendary construction platform. A recent stroll through the model revealed breathtaking details, including the sundial over the Sallyport, and llamas (!?) grazing on the Great Lawn. But the best part is that you can join the fun. Find out more at tinyurl.com/reedcraft.

Thank you to Reed’s alumni volunteer leaders

Reed is incredibly grateful to the dedicated alumni leaders who have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the college and alumni community this year by adjusting strategies, initiatives, and events to a virtual world. Thank you so much for everything. It is an honor to work with you, and we couldn’t imagine better partners during a pandemic.

Alumni Board

Melissa Osborne ’13, President alea adigweme ’06, Vice President Dave Baxter ’87, Secretary Jinyoung Park ’11, Past President Mo Copeland ’82, Alumni Trustee Christine Lewis ’07, Alumni Trustee Darlene Pasieczny ’01, Alumni Trustee Lisa Saldana ’94, Alumni Trustee Jon Bates ’67, At-Large Member Sirius Bonner ’05, At-Large Member Molly Case ’12, At-Large Member Shirley Gibson ’94, At-Large Member Liz Gilkey ’01, At-Large Member Andy McLain ’92, At-Large Member David Messner ’90, At-Large Member Rennie Meyers ’15, At-Large Member Peter Miller ’06, At-Large Member Salim Moore ’11, At-Large Member Govind Nair ’83, At-Large Member Laramie Van Duzer Silber ’13, At-Large Member Jac Nelson ’13, Presidential Appointment Eve Lyons ’95, Chapter Leadership Council Member Andrei Stephens ’08, Chapter Leadership Council Member Alexia Cassimatis ’89, Chapter Leadership Council Member

Alumni Fundraising for Reed Steering Committee

Kyndra Homuth Kennedy ’04,

Co-Chair Cori Savaiano ’11, Co-Chair Keith Allen ’83 David Buckler ’85 Caroll Casbeer ’10 Katie Connolly ’00 Jay Hubert ’66 Advait Jukar ’11 Charli Krause ’09 Katherine Lefever ’07 Christine Lewis ’07 Jan Liss ’74 Heather Rode Niemi ’00 Dylan Rivera ’95 Andrew Schpak ’01 Lara Simonetti ’20 Michael Stapleton ’10 Joel Staudinger ’19 Anne Steele ’70 Andrei Stephens ’08 Carlie Stolz ’13 Marcia Yaross ’73 Janet Youngblood ’68

Chapter Leadership Council

Andrei Stephens ’08, Chapter Leadership Council Chair,

New York Co-Chair, and CLC Representative Carlie Stolz ’13, Austin Chair Dieter Dehlinger ’01, Bay Area Chair Eve Lyons ’95, Boston Chair and CLC Representative Justin Corban ’04, Chicago Chair Andrew Korson ’04, Denver Co-Chair Erica Weaver ’05, Denver Co-Chair Johanna Colgrove ’92, Europe Chair Alexia Cassimatis ’89, CLC Representative Peter Miller ’06, New York Co-Chair Leslie Vickers Jones ’83, Portland Representative Wayne Clayton ’82, Southern California Chair Bennett Barsk ’82, Washington, DC, Chair