Scientific Report 2007

Kellogg School of Science and Technology

In 2007, the graduate program again had many accomplishments. At the beginning of the year, the graduate office processed more than 400 domestic and international applications to the Kellogg School of Science and Technology. During 3 weekends in February and March, visiting students were immersed in a social and academic whirlwind, including interviews with faculty and opportunities to speak with current students. The admissions committees offered positions to 97 students; 32 accepted the offer, including 2 students who will study on the Florida campus (among them, the first biologist) and 3 Skaggs Oxford Scholars.

During the spring, the graduate program deans initiated an external review of the administration of the graduate program. The review panel, which consists of W. James Nelson, Stanford University; Michael A. Marletta, University of California, Berkeley; Joanne Chory, The Salk Institute; and Larry Overman, University of California, Irvine, met privately with students, faculty, and other groups to determine if adequate staffing was in place to maintain the program's momentum of success.

In May, the annual commencement ceremony was again held at the Neurosciences Institute. Among the 27 graduating students was the first from the Florida campus, Porino Va. Marye Anne Fox, chancellor of the University of California, San Diego, gave the commencement address and received an honorary degree.

The new students started to arrive on the Scripps Research campuses in the summer. Events to ease their transition included a luncheon with the dean and associate deans, a picnic with the continuing students, and orientations by the graduate office and the human resources department. At the beginning of August, the new students began the required Critical Thinking and Communication in Science course developed by Francisco Asturias and Ashok Deniz, which includes information on applying for National Science Foundation and other fellowship awards.

The annual student/faculty symposium, held at the Bahia Resort Hotel on Mission Bay, kicked off the academic year for continuing students in California and Florida. For the first time, Skaggs Oxford Scholars who reside in the United Kingdom also attended the symposium. Christopher Vanderwal, 2004 chemistry alumnus and professor at University of California, Irvine, was guest speaker. A total of 165 students presented posters, and 17 students gave oral presentations. The gathering was honored to have Scripps Research trustee A. Brent Eastman, medical director, Scripps Health, join the luncheon.

As in previous years, the stipends and tuitions of the Kellogg School students were supported by generous donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations, including gifts from the American Chemical Society, the ARCS Foundation, Inc., the Ann and Bill Bauce Family Foundation, the Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation, David and Ursula Fairchild, the Gilula Memorial Fund, the Hertz Foundation, the Fletcher Jones Foundation, the Koshland Foundation, Novartis, the Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation, Lesly Starr Shelton, and the Andrea Elizabeth Vogt Memorial Fund.

The administration of the Kellogg School continues to work on the 3-year process for reaccreditation. The institutional proposal to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges was accepted on the first submission, and the review panel considered it exemplary. The proposal is now being used as a model for other institutions involved in the process. A survey is being developed for distribution to the students, faculty, and alumni to evaluate the overall effectiveness of graduate education at the Kellogg School.

With a graduate student population of 234, including 10 Florida students, 8 Skaggs Oxford Scholars, and 2 University of California, San Diego, Medical Scientist Training Program (M.D./Ph.D.) students, the faculty and administration of the graduate program are preparing to face new challenges as these diverse intellectual individuals begin their careers in science.