The Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing

The Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing offers undergraduate and graduate students a rigorous, integrated curriculum grounded in the founding principles of the Catholic and Benedictine tradition. These principles create an environment for study characterized by mutual respect, personal attention and open dialogue. The School emphasizes creative and logical problem solving, active learning, opportunities for research and co-curricular activities that stimulate personal growth and intellectual development which enable graduates to pursue careers in their chosen disciplines and contribute to the advancement of these fields of study.


Resultsboyer-results

Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing Outcomes  

  • Over the last five years 82% of our students who applied to medical schools (allopathic or osteopathic) were accepted.
     
  • From our 2014-15 graduating class, 97% of Boyer School Graduates who responded to a survey are employed in their fields or in graduate school.
     
  • Boyer School Graduates have been offered graduate assistantships at institutions such as Brown, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Virginia Tech, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Maryland and William and Mary. Our students have also interned in medical and animal hospitals, Supercomputing Centers, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium and pharmaceutical companies.
     
  • Students in the Boyer School are required to complete an undergraduate research project, design project or capstone course depending on their major. These experiences provide the student with the opportunities to work closely with our faculty in well-resourced, modern laboratories or in outdoor research venues such as the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve or on-campus wetlands.
     
  • We are housed in the beautiful Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion which, in the Fall of 2012, saw the completion of a $40 Million renovation. The building is LEED certified Gold and was designed with input from our faculty. Throughout the design phase one consistent theme was that of: Building Natural Science Communities a theme that emerged from Project Kaleidoscope, one of the leading advocates in the United States for what works in building and sustaining strong undergraduate programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

  • The groundbreaking for an addition to the Dupré Pavilion, the $5.3 million James F. Will Engineering and Biomedical Sciences Hall, will be constructed within the next 12 months and will further solidify our leadership in the sciences.
Our Programsboyer-programs
Our Programs
Program Major Minor Cert. Joint Prog. Career Prep Graduate Prog.
Accelerated Osteopathic Medicine check Joint Program,
Accelerated Podiatric Medicine check Joint Program,
Biochemistry check Major, check Minor,
Bioinformatics check Major,
Biology check Major, check Minor,
Biotechnology check Minor, check Certification,
Chemistry check Major, check Minor,
Computer Science check Major, check Minor,
Cybersecurity check Major, check Minor,
Dental Medicine check Joint Program, check Career Prep,
Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice check Graduate Program,
Engineering Science check Major,
Environmental Chemistry check Major, check Minor,
Environmental Science check Major, check Minor,
Global Security check Minor,
Information Technology check Major, check Minor,
Integrated Science check Major,
Mathematics check Major, check Minor,
Mathematics/Actuarial Science check Joint Program,
Mathematics/Engineering check Joint Program,
Nurse Anesthesia check Graduate Program,
Occupational Therapy check Joint Program, check Career Prep,
Pharmacy check Joint Program, check Career Prep,
Physical Therapy check Joint Program, check Career Prep,
Physician Assistant check Joint Program, check Career Prep,
Physics/Physics Education check Major, check Minor,
Pre-Law Program check Career Prep,
Pre-Med check Career Prep,
Meet the Deanboyer-dean
Meet the Dean

Dr. Stephen JodisDr. Stephen M. Jodis is Dean of the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing at Saint Vincent College.

Dr. Jodis joined the Saint Vincent College senior staff after 21 years at Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU), Savannah, Georgia, where he served most recently as Interim Dean of the College of Science and Technology and Professor of Computer Science.

A 1985 graduate of Auburn University where he earned a bachelor of computer engineering, he also earned a master of science degree and a Ph.D. from the department of computer science and engineering there.

He is a Commissioner of the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology, and is active as a program evaluator and accreditation team chair. He is also a member of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM).

A native of southern Michigan, his family moved to Alabama while he was in high school. During the trip, he says he loved the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee. When he came to the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania to visit Saint Vincent, he had the same reaction to the Chestnut Ridge and mountains to the east.

“Saint Vincent has some unique academic features that were attractive to me,” Dr. Jodis said. “The bioinformatics, environmental science and biochemistry programs are interesting collaborative efforts. The other thing that attracted me was the new Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion. When you come into this building, it just puts a smile on your face because it is so impressively well done. It is well planned and implemented in every detail. The enthusiasm of the faculty is very evident and the generous laboratory and classroom spaces result in excellent opportunities for the students.”

Dr. Jodis has been honored with membership in the Phi Kappa Phi National Honorary Society, Upsilon Pi Epsilon National Computer Science Honorary, and Epsilon Delta Pi National Computer Science Honorary. He received the AASU Distinguished Faculty Service to the University Award in 2010.

The author of numerous articles, presentations, manuals, technical reports, professional papers and encyclopedia entries, Dr. Jodis is also the author of a textbook, Computer Programming Concepts.
Dr. Herbert Boyerboyer-herb-boyer
Dr. Herbert Boyer

Dr. Herb BoyerDr. Herbert Boyer is internationally-recognized for his pioneer technological discovery of recombinant DNA or gene splicing technology which has led to numerous life-saving medical advances.

Now retired and living in California, he is Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California at San Francisco and co-founder of Genentech, Inc., the San Francisco-based biotechnology company he started with the late venture capitalist Robert Swanson in 1976, a company that has billions in assets and thousands of employees.

Born in nearby Derry, Pennsylvania, Dr. Boyer was a commuting student who earned his bachelor of science degree in biology and chemistry in 1958 from Saint Vincent College. He credits the late Fr. Joel Lieb, O.S.B. for inspiring his interest in genetics research. Dr. Boyer later earned both his master's and doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

He has received numerous prestigious awards for his work including the National Medal of Science presented at the White House by President George Bush in 1990, the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 1996 and the Albany Medical Prize in 2004. In 2004, Business Week magazine named him one of the "Greatest Innovators of the Past 75 Years" and Parade Magazine named him one of the "Ten Most Important Innovators Who Transformed the World." He was featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 1981 with a story entitled, "Shaping Life in the Lab: The Boom in Genetic Engineering, Genentech's Herb Boyer."

In 1989 Dr. Boyer and his wife, Grace, made a $1 million gift to The Campaign for Saint Vincent College that created student scholarships in memory of Mrs. Boyer's father, T.L. Hensler, and her brother, Timothy. These scholarships continue to enable many students with demonstrated academic or leadership qualities to attend Saint Vincent.
Boyer Bulletinboyer-bulletin
Previous Issues

Vol. 4 No. 2 - Spring 2013 
Vol. 4, No. 1 - November 2012  
Vol. 3, No. 2 - April 2012  
Vol. 3, No. 1 - November 2011  
Vol. 2, No. 2 - March 2011  
Vol. 2, No. 1 - September 2010  
Vol. 1, No. 3 - June 2010  
Vol. 1, No. 2 - February 2010  
Vol. 1, No. 1 - November 2009  
Advisory Councilboyer-advisory-council
Advisory Council

Mr. James F. Will, L.H.D., C'60, D'94 Chair
President Emeritus
Saint Vincent College 

Dr. William E. Amatucci, C'86
Section Head, Space Experiments Section
Plasma Physics Division, Code 6755
Naval Research Laboratory

Mr. Thomas Anderson
Co-owner
Maritom, LLC

Dr. Gregory Bisignani
Physician

Dr. Herbert W. Boyer, C'58, D'81
Co-Founder, Genentech, Inc.

Dr. Angelo DeMezza, C'69
Physician

Dr. Umberto A. DeRienzo, C'88
Physician

Dr. William A. DiCuccio, C'70
Physician

Dr. David A. Dzombak, Ph.D., P.E., DEE, C'79
Hamerschlag University Professor
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University

Dr. Thomas P. Gessner, C'64
Physician

Ms. Cheryl A. Harper, C'88
Physics and Mathematics Teacher
Greensburg Salem High School

Mr. Michael L. Keslar, C'80
Executive Vice President
BNY Mellon

Dr. Daniel Kett
Professor of Medicine
University of Miami
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Mr. Mark Joseph Pincus, C'96
Senior Research Investigator, Translational Patient Cell Models Technology Leader,  Icagen, Inc.

Dr. David M. Siwicki, C'80
Physician

Col. Thomas A. Summers, C'85  
Chief, Strategic Plans and Policy Division (A5XP)
Directorate for Operations, Plans & Requirements, USAF

Ms. Shelley D. Verdun, C'88
Global Program Manager
PPG Industrial Coatings
PPG Industries, Inc.

Mr. Stephen P. Yanek, C'68
Retired
Applied Physics Laboratory
The Johns Hopkins University
and/or
Executive Consultant, Engineering and Management Executives

Dr. Daniel J. Yaniro, C'79
Director, VoIP Program and Project
Management
AT&T Laboratories