Murdock Grant Helps Attract Science Faculty

In fall 2023, Lewis & Clark welcomed three new tenure-track faculty in biology, chemistry, and physics.

LEWIS & CLARK’S NEW SCIENCE FACULTY

  • Ben Olsen Ben Olsen
  • Heidi Lier Heidi Lier
  • Jean-Phillippe Giordine Jean-Phillippe Giordine

In fall 2023, Lewis & Clark welcomed three new tenure-track faculty in biology, chemistry, and physics as a result of receiving a faculty start-up grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.

The Murdock Trust, located in Vancouver, Washington, makes these competitive grants to liberal arts colleges in the Pacific Northwest as a means of helping institutions attract candidates to tenure-track positions in the sciences. Each new L&C science faculty member will receive a two-year grant of $36,000. This funding will support their research programs, help with the purchase of new equipment and supplies, and fund student research positions over the summer. 

“Funding from the Murdock Trust helps us offer competitive start-up funding packages to our top candidates,” says David Johnson, associate vice president for foundation relations and strategic philanthropy. “It is a huge benefit to Lewis & Clark, both to the faculty who launch their careers here and the students who benefit from their teaching and research.”