By Kendra Pintor
When Scripps and Pitzer Colleges first envisioned The Nucleus鈥攁 bold, interdisciplinary hub designed to catapult STEM education into the future鈥攖he dream felt as ambitious as it was inspiring. Today, thanks to the generosity and shared vision of our donor community, that dream is here, and it鈥檚 transforming the lives of students and faculty every single day.听
Officially opened in fall 2024, The Nucleus is a 65,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art science center featuring innovative laboratories, flexible classrooms, community meeting spaces, and light-filled courtyards that have quickly become a destination for curiosity, collaboration, and discovery. Serving as home for the Department of Natural Sciences (formerly known as the W.M. Keck Science Department) shared between the two institutions, this multimillion investment is already elevating the sciences at Scripps in ways that ripple far beyond its walls.听
Where Innovation Meets Opportunity听
Despite persistent gender disparities in STEM鈥攚omen made up of the North American STEM workforce in 2025, according to the Women in STEM Network鈥斅槎骨� continues to defy national trends. Today, 40 percent of students over the past five years have selected STEM majors.听
As a women鈥檚 college dedicated to equity and academic excellence, Scripps is uniquely positioned to help close this gap鈥攁nd The Nucleus is accelerating that momentum. By expanding faculty, increasing access to cutting-edge research spaces, investing in computational science through visionary endowed support, and designing interdisciplinary laboratories where students gain real-world skills, Scripps is cultivating an environment where women thrive in STEM.听
鈥淭he Nucleus is more than a building,鈥� says 麻豆区 President Amy Marcus-Newhall. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a symbol of what the Scripps community can accomplish when we combine our collective ingenuity, resources, and determination to achieve what others may believe is impossible.鈥�听
This impact isn鈥檛 confined to campus. Scripps alums persist in STEM careers at significantly higher rates than their peers, with nearly 84 percent remaining in the field, compared to the broader national trend in which half of women leave the STEM workforce within 12 years.
Faculty at Scripps are also leveraging The Nucleus in ambitious, interdisciplinary research projects that have attracted competitive grant funding from major organizations such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. These early awards underscore the center鈥檚 immediate impact on scholarly excellence innovation. Below are just a few of the recent awards Scripps鈥� STEM faculty have received:听
The opening of the Nucleus has also fueled curricular innovation for the Department of Natural Sciences. With a 60 percent increase in teaching space, the department now offers dedicated labs for environmental science, neuroscience, advanced physics, and a range of interdisciplinary courses for the first time.
Investing in STEM is Essential to Studying the Liberal Arts at Scripps听
These enhancements are part of a broader, interdisciplinary approach that brings STEM and the humanities into meaningful conversation鈥攁n approach that defines the Scripps experience.听
鈥淎t Scripps, I love the research opportunities, small class sizes, building connections with peers and professors, and learning in a rigorous academic environment,鈥� says Audrey Lee 鈥�25, a biology major. 鈥淔rom wet lab microbiology research to computational neuroscience, there are many different labs and fields that students can pursue!鈥澨�听
That expanded academic ecosystem continues to benefit students across disciplines and class years, opening doors to hands-on research and close mentorship early in their academic journeys.听
鈥淚’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to conduct research within the Department of Natural Sciences,鈥� says Audrey Granger 鈥�28, a biochemistry major. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been my dream to work alongside such brilliant and passionate individuals, contributing to research with the potential to make a real impact in the world, and I am excited to continue building skills that will shape my future career.鈥�听
A Powerful Boost for Computational Science听
This momentum now extends even further, thanks to a remarkable $2 million gift from Trustee Sara Zion and Tushar Shah P鈥�26. Inspired by their daughter鈥檚 transformative journey at Scripps, they established an endowed professorship in computational science鈥攁 field that touches everything from environmental modeling to medical decision-making to artificial intelligence.听
鈥淭he Nucleus is far more than a new facility鈥攊t鈥檚 a catalyst for how science is taught, learned, and advanced at Scripps,鈥� says Weinberg Family Dean of the Department of Natural Sciences Ulysses J. “UJ” Sofia. 鈥淏y bringing together cutting-edge laboratories, collaborative spaces, and interdisciplinary programs, the Nucleus expands what鈥檚 possible for our students and faculty alike.鈥�听
A Collaboration That Strengthens Both Colleges鈥擬ade Possible by You听
The Nucleus also deepens the partnership between Scripps and Pitzer College in meaningful and exciting ways. By physically and academically bridging the campuses, the facility encourages shared classes, collaborative research, and new cross-college learning communities. It provides the infrastructure needed to meet rising enrollment in STEM programs while reinforcing both institutions鈥� reputations as leaders in innovative science education.听
This extraordinary progress would not exist without the generosity of donors who believed in the promise of The Nucleus long before its walls were built. Gifts from Scripps Trustees such as Jennifer McDonnell P鈥�18; the John Stauffer Charitable Trust; the Carolyn Lake Claremont Foundation; Sara Zion and Tushar Shah P鈥�26; and several anonymous donors provided the crucial momentum that brought the project to life.听
Looking Ahead听
The Nucleus is already shaping the next generation of scientists, researchers, and innovators.
Students from every discipline鈥攏ot just STEM鈥攁re using the space to explore big questions and build new skills. Faculty are launching research projects that push their fields forward. And the College is charting a bold path toward deeper interdisciplinary integration.
鈥淚t鈥檚 deeply energizing to walk through the building and see students and faculty working side by side,鈥� says Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Mary Hatcher-Skeers. 鈥淎t The Nucleus they test ideas, ask bold questions, and learn from one another in ways that simply weren鈥檛 possible before.鈥�听
Additional philanthropic support will ensure that The Nucleus evolves new technologies, classes, and research opportunities so Scripps students and faculty can lead lives of scientific distinction, creativity, and purpose. The center鈥檚 first year is just the beginning to learning what we can achieve together鈥攁nd a promise of the discoveries still to come.听
To support women in STEM at Scripps 听