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STEM at Smith

Engineering student in class

Nearly half of all degrees awarded to Smith College students are in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)—compared to 42% of women graduates nationally. At the heart of Smith’s learning is active engagement, coupling innovative teaching with real opportunities for in-depth research. Journey inside the human mind, along the edges of volcanic craters or out among the stars and galaxies. Engage in the blossoming fields of statistics, operations research, biomathematics and information science.

Why Study STEM at Smith?

STEM in a Liberal Arts Setting

Students consider how STEM fields impact the whole of life, including ethical and political considerations in a global environment.

Students on computers in Young Science Library

Meaningful Research

About half of Smith’s STEM majors conduct research with Smith professors, some as early as their first year, not just observing teachers but becoming partners in discovery.

Professor Ileana Streinu with student in class

Explore Programs in STEM

An * indicates that the college offers a minor only (no major) in that particular course of study. A ** indicates a major only.

Below are research labs that provided information for listing here:

Elisabeth Armstrong (SWG) | Transnational women’s movement with an emphasis on rural women

Shannon Audley (EDC) | Understanding how schools, teachers, and students reinforce justice and injustice

Carrie Baker (AMS/SWG) | Writing, researching, and editing projects for Ms. magazine.

Michael Barresi (BIO/NSC) | Lab Website | Developmental biology, neurogenesis, neuron-glia interactions

Reid Bertone-Johnson (LSS) | Lab Website | Parks, bicycles, bikes, alternative transportation, pop-up, tactical urbanism, urban design, Northampton

Nalini Bhushan (PHI); Jay L. Garfield (PHI/LOG) | Translation of K.C. Bhattacharya’s Subject as Freedom

David Bickar (CHM/NSC/BCH) | Protein structure, neurochemistry, Parkinson’s Disease

Joshua Birk (HST) | Project-focused approach to working with medieval material

Maleka Donaldson (EDC) | How teachers and students respond to mistakes in educational contexts

Dawn Fulton (FRN) | Antiracist activism in France with a focus on social media

Leslie-Ann Giddings (CHM/BCH) | Lab Website | Natural products chemistry, biosynthesis, enzymology, metagenomics, extreme environments, bioactive secondary metabolites

Christophe Golé (MTH) | Plant math research: building models of phyllotaxis, collecting and analyzing plant data patterns, outreach

Alicia Grubb (CSC/SDS) | Personal Website | Requirements and software engineering, ethics, decision support

Andrew Guswa (EGR) | Hydrology, water, water resources, mathematical modeling

Mary Harrington (NSC/PSY) | Lab Website | Circadian rhythms, light

Virginia Hayssen (BIO/NSC) | Evolution of mammalian reproduction, pleiotropy, species descriptions

Nick Howe (CSC) | CS pageResearch | Handwriting recognition, document analysis, computer vision, machine learning, digital humanities

Laura Katz (BIO) | Lab Website | Genome evolution and biodiversity of eukaryotic microbes, bioinformatics

Leslie King (SOC) | Environmental sustainability in the corporate sector

Katherine Kinnaird (CSC/SDS) | Personal Website | Music information retrieval, machine learning, cultural analytics, data science education

McConnell Hall

Clark Science Center

Five buildings form a vibrant hub for STEM at Smith—Ford, Burton, Sabin-Reed, McConnell and Bass halls. They offer state-of-the-art equipment that meets exacting standards for modern experimentation.

About the Clark Science Center

STEM Advising & Mentoring

Generations of pioneering women have studied STEM at Smith and have gone on to rewarding careers in medicine, engineering, environmental consulting, public policy, applied research and more. A major in science, technology, engineering or mathematics at Smith opens doors to a variety of graduate school and career options. Smith faculty and advisers at the Lazarus Center for Career Development can provide guidance and resources to help you explore professional opportunities, whether you are poised to graduate or are just beginning your college experience.

Prehealth Advising

The prehealth advising team, as part of the Lazarus Center, supports students and alumnae in their exploration of the health professions.

Student doing an internship in a hospital

Contact Clark Science Center

Smith College
44 College Lane
Northampton, MA 01063

Phone: 413-585-3800

Faculty Director: Kate Queeney
413-585-3835

Administrative Director: Tom Richardson
413-585-3802

Administrative and departmental contacts