Discovery’s Edge

Reed scientists revolutionize our understanding of land, sea, space, and the human body.

December 5, 2024

Scale is everything. Some mysteries require us to look up, toward the cosmos. Others demand we look down, into microscopic worlds. Still others ask us to look around—at our changing forests, warming oceans, and dynamic bodies. The scientists featured here pursue understanding across these vast scales, finding unexpected connections between the very large and very small. Their work reveals how tree canopies, ocean spray, black holes, and brain cells alike help tell the story of our universe and our place within it.

Land

Climbing to a New World

Could old-growth forest canopies hold the secret to keeping biodiversity, and our planet, intact? Botanist Steve Sillett ’89 has been researching up in the trees to find out.

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Ghost Trees

Reed biology students have been scouring the Portland area for hybrid oak trees. Their journey could reshape the way we see our ecosystem.

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Sea

In the Classroom and Out at Sea

Susan Rickards ’90 is a science teacher by day and a marine mammal researcher in any spare moment.

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What Aerosols Can Tell Us About Climate

Trish Quinn ’82 examines sea spray, dust, and pollutants in our atmosphere to better understand their climate effects.

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The Polar Pundit

Professor, public servant, and polar expert Kelly Falkner ’83 has a lot to show for her 40-year science career, including her very own Antarctic glacier.

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