From the Dean

Dear Alumni and Friends,

“Every now and then one paints a picture that seems to have opened a door and serves as a stepping stone to other things.”

This iconic quote is attributed to the famed artist Pablo Picasso, purportedly in an exchange with Henri Matisse.¹

Stepping stones aren’t unique to artists. In the ensuing pages of this issue of Discovery magazine, College of Science alumni share experiences in the classroom, the lab or with jobs that served as stepping stones on their academic, professional and personal paths. Stepping stones can serve as opportunities to discover our potential, unlocking some latent capabilities inside. As such, even failure can be a stepping stone to success.

The second theme that emerges in this issue is the success achieved by some remarkable College of Science alumnae. This past August, USU President Noelle Cockett proclaimed 2019-2020 the “Year of the Woman” at Utah State University. The proclamation was motivated by several significant voting rights anniversaries occurring in 2020, including the 150th anniversary of suffrage for Utah women, the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. USU’s Year of the Woman also celebrates the rich history of Aggie women and their impact on past, present and future generations.

I hope you will enjoy all of the stories in this issue. Thank you for your ongoing support of the College of Science.

Sincerely,

Maura E . Hagan, PhD

Dean, USU College of Science