Professor of Biology Leslie Saucedo has been on a mission to understand what causes unregulated cell growth in the body—a hallmark of cancer. She’ll retire this summer after sharing her passion for cellular biology with students at Puget Sound for 21 years. Her most recent book, Getting to Know Your Cells (Springer), was published in July 2023. We asked Saucedo about her career path, collaborating with an alumna on the illustrations for her book, and the benefits of studying fruit flies. 

Sports Stars

Longtime health educator and advocate Regan Nelson ’02 is the host of the Clean & Green Living podcast, which guides listeners on lifestyle changes to minimize exposure to toxic chemicals. 

Rachel Gross ’08 notices those logos on your clothing. Your Patagonia rain jacket, REI hiking pants, and Chaco sandals are more than just pieces of equipment to her. Gross, assistant professor of history at the University of Colorado, Denver, is an outdoor gear historian who studies the business and culture of brands.

GUITAR HEROES 

You recently were named to the Presidents’ Council for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. What made you decide to play a leadership role in that effort? 

Florence Nightingale was the ultimate multi-hyphenate: a nursing pioneer, visionary statistician, social reformer, researcher, author, and adventurer, all at a time when women in Victorian England had few rights of their own.