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People Profiles
Nick Gislason
- 2007 Western Graduate
- Hometown: Friday Harbor, WA
- Major: Chemistry
- Minor: Physics
Why Western?
I originally came to Western for the high quality of the chemistry program. Now that I'm getting ready to graduate, I can honestly say that the level at which undergraduate chemistry research is conducted here was even higher than I would have suspected.
Research Opportunities
At primarily graduate-focused institutions, undergraduates wash lab dishes and act as helpers to the graduate students, where at WWU, undergraduates publish their own research in respected chemistry journals and fly to conferences around the country to present their work. Undergraduates are encouraged to take on a lot more responsibility in the research lab than at larger schools.
Academic Highlight
I've been to many conferences in Seattle and Portland, two in Los Angeles, one in San Francisco, and one in New Hampshire. The one in New Hampshire does not typically allow undergraduates to attend, but the research I was performing in Dr. Patrick's group was deemed of PhD caliber, so I was invited to present my work.
Favorite Memories
The excellent musicians that Western brings to campus (e.g. Brandi Carlile), learning about world issues through the Weekly World Issues Forums, the inspiring anthropology professor James Loucky, and the excellent mountain biking on Galbraith mountain.
After Western
I will be going to Napa, CA to be a winemaker's apprentice this next year. The following fall I will begin graduate studies in winemaking at U.C. Davis.