Simpson College graduate Kiersten Ruff ‘11 is a superhero. No, not the kind that wears a cape and has super strength, but she’s using her mathematics and physics degrees from Simpson to save lives.
Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computational and Systems Biology at Washington University in St Louis, Ruff’s thesis work focuses on developing models to understand the inner workings of neurodegenerative disease.
How do you fit all that Jeremy Ward, ’10, has done into a few short paragraphs? You can start by searching for the one common thread: math.
Ward enrolled at Simpson to play soccer and study math and physics after graduating from Norwalk High School. While he believes everything learned in classes is crucial to success, it’s what happens outside the classroom that matters most.
“The knowledge learned in a classroom is more productive when applied outside the classroom and has a stronger impact on the student,” he said.