From classes focused on evolutionary biology to college-level general chemistry, Archer offers a multitude of senior science courses, allowing students to dive deeper into topics they are passionate about. Each course is yearlong and focuses on hands-on learning and research. With less than 30% of the world’s researchers being women, these courses give students an opportunity to conduct research and engage with science.
Alexa Grant (‘26) is currently taking Advanced Study Evolutionary Biology of the Female Body, also called Eve’s Odyssey. She was first interested in the course because of her ability to connect it to a previous course she had taken.
“I really enjoyed taking biology in 11th grade,” Grant said. “I thought that evolutionary biology was really fun, and now being able to connect that to my own body and what other women go through is very interesting to learn about.”
Science teacher Casey Huff teaches sustainability, which allows students to learn about the environment and their impact on it. She hopes students will be able to take what they learn in her classes and apply it to the broader world.
“I want [students] to see that science isn’t regulated to a lab,” Huff said. “We can talk about your personal identity and science as well, because science is everywhere. You can be an artist, a musician or anything you would like, but you can still find your place within the sustainability movement.”
In addition to learning about the content of the course they are taking, students are also prompted to think about how they can apply their knowledge outside the classroom by connecting what they learn to the real world. Grant said she wants to be able to learn more about herself and others.
“This class will teach me a lot about the inner workings of my own body,” Grant said. “I want to know how to help myself and others since bodies are so different. Things that relate to one woman may not relate to another woman, and I want to learn more about that.”
Yasmine Haddad (‘26) is taking Advanced Study Physics. According to the American Physical Society, girls make up only 32% of students in advanced Physics classes, and only 25% of people in the United Kingdom and U.S. with degrees in physics are women, according to Communications Physics. She said this course could empower girls to go farther into STEM, and everyone should be able to participate in STEM.
“I think physics is a class a lot of girls may be afraid to take,” Haddad said. “Archer having a physics class can help other girls feel empowered to do physics and STEM and continue it in college, if that’s what they want to do.”
As the year progresses, Grant said she hopes her course could help change how the world views women and their impact.
“Women are often left out of research when it regards medicines and such,” Grant said. “Through learning about various issues that pertain to women, I hope it will put recognition into the world about these things.”
In her 10 years of teaching sustainability at Archer, Huff said she believes these courses are essential and groundbreaking for girls at Archer.
“I think Archer is a really special place for students,” Huff said. “I think we … sometimes … take for granted the quality of education we get here at Archer. It’s truly groundbreaking.”
