Championing Student Success in STEM
LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering
S.W. Tina Choe, Ph.D., Dean and Professor
LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering
At the LMU Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering, we educate tomorrow’s change makers with a strong STEM foundation to pursue lives of meaning and purpose. That foundation starts from the beginning of their LMU experience through our first-year learning communities that foster community, collaboration, academic awareness and student success. Experiential learning opportunities such as faculty-mentored research, internships, international programs and other experiences where students learn by doing complement the academic curriculum. As a college of science and engineering, we also understand that society’s most pressing global issues require interdisciplinary problem solving. We are committed to strengthening our infrastructure, curriculum and programs to cultivate connections between and among fields to prepare our students to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
Commitment to diversity and inclusion in STEM is a critical area of investment for Seaver College. The college continues to recruit and hire diverse and talented teacher-scholars committed to the important work of preparing the next generation of STEM graduates. A diverse student population enriches our academic programs with new areas of expertise to engage students in innovation and discovery. Our high-impact signature programs such as LMU’s Google Computer Science Summer Institute Extension (CSSI) program and A Community Committed to Excellence in Scientific Scholarship (ACCESS) program continue to achieve great outcomes among students underrepresented in STEM fields.
Guided by the university’s mission, Seaver graduates the next generation of compassionate leaders, creative thinkers and innovative problem solvers—together creating the world we want to live in.
Google Partnership
Google Computer Science Summer Institute Extension Program (CSSI) is a three-week, on-campus summer experience, designed for first-year students studying computer science and related STEM fields. This program aims to increase diversity in the field of computing and provides opportunities for incoming students to develop skills critical for success in the field. In addition to developing new technical skills, students collaborate on a group project to create a new app, interact with Google engineers, and engage in many team-building activities including a field trip to Google's LA office.
Interdisciplinary Learning Community
The interdisciplinary Student Transition, Engagement and Mentoring (iSTEM) learning community brings together STEM students in small groups to share common academic and co-curricular experiences organized around the theme of interdisciplinary collaboration. Students have the opportunity to learn the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in tackling the world’s most pressing challenges.
Hands-on Summer Research
The Seaver Summer Opportunities for Advanced Research (SOAR) program funds Seaver College undergraduate students to participate in faculty-mentored, hands-on research that deepens their academic experience and analytical skills. In addition to honing technical skills, SOAR students experience personal growth, an increase in confidence, along with improvements in problem solving and critical thinking skills—all important skillsets that help students thrive during their time at LMU and beyond.
Coastal Research Institute
In a partnership between LMU Seaver College and The Bay Foundation, LMU Coastal Research Institute (CRI) scientists are tackling some of today’s most vexing problems along our ocean’s coasts, where two-thirds of the world’s population lives. Under the guidance of Seaver faculty and scientists from The Bay Foundation, undergraduate and graduate students advance our understanding of urban coastal resource management through internships. Through CRI, students have the opportunity to work on a range of topics ranging from water quality to healthy revitalization of coastal wildlife and vegetation.
Meet the Dean
S.W. Tina Choe, Ph.D.
S.W. Tina Choe, Ph.D., is Dean of the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering. She earned her B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles and joined the LMU community in 1995 as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She advanced to the rank of professor in 2007.
After serving as chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department from 2008-12, she continued providing leadership in the college as associate dean for Undergraduate Studies from 2012-14.
An organic chemist, Dr. Choe is interested in the development of new synthetic methods, natural product synthesis and in science education. In 2008, Dr. Choe was acknowledged for her dedication to teaching, research and the Loyola Marymount University community with the Fritz B. Burns Distinguished Teaching Award.