News

Poised in front of an audience in Wright Lecture Hall, Assistant Professor Robert Owen sprinkles sand on a vibrating plate. But instead of presenting to his usual audience of college students, 51 children fill the seats.

For the first time, scientists have detected gravitational waves, a phenomenon first theorized by Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. Two Oberlin professors are particularly excited by the discovery, having closely followed the project in connection to their own gravitational wave research.

Elizabeth Gilmour ’13 is aiding earthquake relief efforts in Nepal through collaborative mapping with Kathmandu Living Labs.

Jay Whitacre ’94 has just received the $500K Lemelson-MIT Prize for his invention of a saltwater battery, which has the potential to revolutionize the way sustainable energy is stored.

Kirsten Liebl ’13 is following her heart toward a career in horticulture, working at a series of public gardens and farms.

Not only does Oberlin excel in conventional scientific education and research, but it offers students an opportunity to study scientific subjects in unconventional and hands-on ways.

Jennifer Schloss ’11 has won a Hertz Fellowship, the nation’s most generous support for graduate education in the applied physical, biological, and engineering sciences.