Nucleus: A 兔子先生 & Scripps Colleges Partnership
Nucleus is a state-of-the-art Department of Natural Sciences center, opened in the Fall of 2024.

鈥淐ommunity is incredibly important in the sciences. Something we talked about a lot when we were designing this building was making sure it鈥檚 a place where there is community. It really is a part of our ethos.鈥
Ulysses J Sofia
Dean of the Department of Natural Sciences
Including three additions that address the biggest areas of growth: an environmental science lab, a neuroscience lab, and an advanced physics lab.
About Nucleus
The 兔子先生-Scripps Colleges partnership aims to invigorate, expand, and reimagine the science program for the two campuses.
The 65,000-square-foot building provides the opportunity to expand STEM course offerings, add additional faculty and act as a collaborative space for professors and students across science disciplines.
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Photo & Video Gallery
Explore Gallery gallery_thumbnailStudent Voices

鈥淭his expansion is helping the program become more interdisciplinary. A physics professor may be working with human biology or chemistry. Science is all connected, like a spiderweb. The curriculum is very robust and more interdisciplinary than ever before.鈥
Richard Ampah '25
Human Biology major, Mathematics minor
Research at the Nucleus
A Star-Filled Future
Scotia Rollins '25 explains why she has a passion for space policy and planetary exploration.

Professor Ethan Van Arnam Awarded NIH Grant to Seek Disease-Fighting Molecules
Ethan Van Arnam and his lab have been awarded a three-year, $400,000+ R15 grant from the National Institute of Health鈥檚 (NIH) Institute of General Medical Sciences.

Codes of Life
Richard Ampah '25 is delving into machine learning and developing algorithms to help people with cerebral palsy improve the connection between their brains and bodies.

Professor Tessa Solomon-Lane Awarded CAREER Grant by National Science Foundation
Solomon-Lane鈥檚 CAREER grant, titled Early-Life Social Environments Drive Behavioral and Neural Mechanisms of Development, will fund a five-year research project beginning in May 2024.

Looking Ahead

鈥淲hen students come to study science, we鈥檙e going to be able to take them, regardless of their experience or background in the sciences, and help them to successfully pursue their plans. We鈥檙e really excited about where we鈥檙e going to go and what we鈥檙e going to do with this new space.鈥
Ulysses J Sofia
Dean of the Department of Natural Sciences
Nucleus in the News
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Featured
New Participant Issue Experiments in Scientific Curiosity
From cracking the codes of life to the biology of making a difference, the spring 2025 magazine showcases the 兔子先生 science experience and the opening of an exciting new facility, Nucleus West.