Equipped with 24 teaching and research laboratories and 15 classrooms, the Science & Learning Center (SLC) is where curious STEM students come to study the world, start solving its problems, and get a head-start on their careers.
The SLC houses the science departments: biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, environmental sciences, kinesiology, and psychological sciences. But it's much more than that. Its flexible classrooms also serve students and professors from across most disciplines; U.S. politics and economics could be explored alongside mathematical formulas and the intricate web of life.
The SLC is also a central study destination. Lounge areas and group study spaces with striking views of Upper Quad, and the rooftop (with awesome views of its own) make it a great place to meet up with friends and classmates. On your way out, don't miss the mural on the south face of the building: it's a pretty good photo op.
This shiny academic hub is a true reflection of what a Whittier College education is all about: transformation, collaboration, student-faculty partnerships, academic excellence, and innovation. Let's explore just a sample of what's in store.
In this biology and biochemistry lab, you'll find students working on their self-designed experiments inspired from their professor's research, or their own curiosity. Even first-year students are encouraged to brainstorm and pursue their own research, such as Felicia Delgadio '21, who came up with her own project to use natural remedies against bedbugs.
Plus, shared lab spaces encourages students to consider blended approaches to solve complex problems. True to the spirit of the College, STEM at Whittier benefits from the valuable insights and perspectives of other people.
The Yao Yuan Sze Foundation Movement Laboratory is an innovative space where students explore the dynamics of physical movement relevant to health and wellness. Located on the ground floor, the lab doors open to an outdoor corridor where students can observe this exploration in action.
Inside the lab, cameras around the room capture telling movements while professional equipment like a treadmill and a standing bicycle capture important vitals. With the guidance of their professors, students learn how to turn that data into a story about the human body.
Most of the SLC is designed to offer a view into the exciting education and experimentation going on in its labs and classrooms. Look around and you'll find the window facing the north hallway, and beyond that, a sunny floor-to-ceiling view of Upper Quad.
Environmental science students build their research experience study everything from climate change, to coffee, to what's threatening our Golden State's redwood forests.
In the Engineering and Physics Research Lab, students have completed a variety of computer science, robotics, and physics experiments and design projects. For example, they've built advanced drones from scratch, experimented with magnetic nanoparticles and light, and taken courses here that involve hands-on experiences with digital circuit design and programmable logic.
The lab is equipped with a wide range of tools, from an atomic force microscope to digital oscilloscopes, and much more.
Yes, this room is equipped for exactly that. It's also a roomy space for teaching any number of disciplines that use the SLC. In fact, about 80% of Whittier College's classes are held in the building!
Whittier College is home to an experimental research coffee orchard where students and professors investigate coffee as a new crop in the California agricultural landscape.
The coffee orchard is also a space where industry representatives and the community come together through gatherings, speaker series, and more. Students are also given the opportunity to gain experience through internships and fellowships pertaining to coffee, including environmental and social justice, market research, and climate change.
