Luther College News

Rachel Brandwein, Luther College adjunct faculty in music, and Gregory Peterson, professor of music and college organist, will present a Faculty Artist Series recital featuring music for harp and organ at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, in the Center for Faith and Life on Luther’s campus.The recital is open to the public with no charge for admission.

Luther College is hosting a Science and Pre-Health Visit Day on Saturday, Sept. 16. The day is intended to introduce prospective students interested in biology, chemistry, computer and data science, environmental studies, nursing, physics, psychology or neuroscience to these programs at Luther.

Runestone Interactive was founded in 2011 by Brad Miller, Luther College professor of computer science. Tyler Conzett, Luther junior of Galena, Illinois, maintained and developed features for Runestone Interactive’s online webservice for his summer research project at the college.

Luther College was named one of the Sierra Club’s Cool Schools. For 2017, Luther holds the highest ranking for Iowa Private Colleges and is one of only a few ELCA schools recognized on the list.

Luther College is hosting an Anthropology, Archaeology and Museum Studies Visit Day Friday, Sept. 15. The day is designed to provide prospective students who are interested in anthropology, archaeology and museum studies with the opportunity to explore those programs at Luther.

Invasive species have the ability to spread to a degree that can cause damage to the environment, economy and human health, among other things. Shelja Thakur, Luther College senior of Satiwala, Himachal Pradesh, India, saw the first-hand effects of these invasive species during her summer research project when she participated in land stewardship projects on Luther’s natural areas to remove plants such as European buckthorn and garlic mustard.

Focusing on the conflict in Kosovo and the interactions between Albanians and Serbs following the NATO bombing in 1999, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Steinar Bryn from the Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue in Norway will show his film “Reunion” and host a discussion on peacemaking at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in Olin Building Room 102 on the Luther College campus.

The landscape surrounding Decorah is home to many springs and streams, making it a prime destination for recreation. Unfortunately, these waters are also home to high levels of bacteria such as E. coli, particularly after summer rains. Tiwonge Chirwa, Luther College junior of Lilongwe, Malawi, was selected to research antibacterial resistance of bacteria inhabiting water sources in and around Decorah.

Luther College invites alumni, parents and friends of the college to enjoy a day of food, fun, fellowship and sports at the 2017 Fall Community Day, beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, in the Regents Center on the Luther campus.

Monarch butterfly populations increase dramatically over the course of several generations each summer in Iowa, then early each fall the adults travel about 2,000 miles south to Mexico to spend the winter. This unique migratory phenomenon is threatened due to a dramatic decline in the monarch populations.  Elizabeth Glennon, Luther College junior of Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, is studying butterfly diversity in prairies and specifically the use of milkweeds by monarch butterflies as part of her summer research at the college.