The University Club of Claremont hosts an open to the public luncheon and discussion, “The Keck Graduate Institute,” with guest speaker Sheldon M. Schuster, president of Keck Graduate Institute.

The luncheon starts at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 8 at Hughes Community Center, 1700 Danbury Rd., Claremont. A $20 meeting fee includes a buffet lunch.

Dr. Schuster became the second president of Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) in 2003, succeeding founding president Henry “Hank” Riggs. At the time, the Institute had just one academic program and approximately 50 students. Under his leadership, KGI has shown tremendous growth, with 600 students enrolled in more than a dozen programs.

Dr. Schuster earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from UC Davis and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Arizona. After graduation, he joined the Institute for Enzyme Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He transitioned to academia with professorships at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Florida, followed by administrative roles at UF in research and graduate education and as director of the school’s biotechnology program.

More information is available at universityclubofclaremont.org.