Our science departments are committed to creating and disseminating new knowledge in their fields by combining research and teaching. Our 300 faculty members — including fellows of many learned societies and academies — are engaged in research that spans a broad range, from questions about the foundations of quantum mechanics, to the development of cancer cells and the workings of the brain, to work resulting in the spin-off of high-technology companies. Faculty share their excitement about their research with their students, training them to become part of the next generation of scientists who will push the frontiers of human knowledge. Explore majors, minors, concentrations, and academic programs in the Natural Sciences.
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Gifts to the College of Arts and Sciences can help our students make the most of their college careers. To do this, CAS needs your support. Your contributions help us ensure that teaching, research, advising, mentoring, and support services are fully available to every student. Thank you!
World-Class Faculty in the Natural Sciences
Mike Hahn
Director of the Bowerman Sports Science Center, Professor of Human Physiology, and Associate Director of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance
Mike Hahn is an academic expert in sports science and biomechanics. His research interests have ranged from prevention of falls, to utilization of computational analysis tools (such as artificial neural networks, support vector machines, and genetic algorithms) for solving complex modeling and optimization tasks, to enhancing the performance of fly-casting. He lead a study seeking to identify athletes with the highest risk of developing stress fractures, which can keep athletes out of competition for multiple seasons. The project was supported by a $1.2 million grant from the Pac-12 Conference Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative.
Current research projects are focused in the areas of prosthetic engineering, treatment outcomes in ankle osteoarthritis, neural control of powered prosthetic/orthotic devices, and mechanisms of locomotor adaptation after lower limb injury. Mike also teaches courses in biomechanics and capstone research.
Tien-Tien Yu
Associate Professor of Physics, Institute for Fundamental Science
Tien-Tien is a theoretical particle physicist working at the interface of theory and experiment. She is particularly interested in understanding the nature of dark matter, whose existence is known through its gravitational effects on ordinary matter. She co-founded the SENSEI collaboration, an experiment utilizing silicon chips, much like those found in digital cameras, to search for dark matter. She was recently appointed to P5, an advisory group convened once a decade by the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation to help determine the next funded projects in particle physics.
A founding member of the group Particles for Justice, Yu is also a leader in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the physics field. In collaboration with the Comics and Cartoon Studies program, Yu created the UO Science and Comics Initiative. Read more about the initiative here.
Nick Allen
Ann Swindells Professor of Clinical Psychology, Director, Center for Digital Mental Health
Nick Allen has more than thirty years of experience in clinical psychology, social neuroscience, research and education. His research works to understand the interactions between multiple risk factors for adolescent onset mental health disorders, and to use these insights to develop innovative approaches to prevention and early intervention. As the director of the Center for Digital Mental Health and leader of the ADAPT Lab, his group holds multiple NIH funded grants for work focusing on the use of mobile and wearable technology to monitor risk for poor mental health outcomes including suicide, depression, and bipolar disorder. He is currently leading a project with Google to determine the effect that smartphone usage has on mental health.
Nick is also the co-founder and CEO of Ksana Health Inc, a company whose mission is to use research evidence and modern technology to revolutionize the delivery of mental health care through remote behavioral monitoring and adaptive, continuous behavior change support.
School of Computer and Data Sciences
The mission at SCDS is to empower a diverse population of students and faculty working to advance knowledge in computer and data science, train the next generation of scholars, and engage with the wider world to tackle interdisciplinary challenges.
To do this, we start by applying our knowledge and experience at home across the University of Oregon campus.
Research in the Natural Sciences
Natural scientists use data to understand, predict, and work with naturally occurring phenomena on earth and in the universe. From highly controlled experiments in the lab to observations collected in the field, our findings help make sense of the natural world while driving advancements in society and technology that touch everyone. By expanding the limits of human knowledge, we provide a scientific foundation for helping people live better, longer lives.
Explore Other Majors and Minors in the College of Arts and Sciences
Meet our Dean
Welcome to the natural sciences, where our top-flight researchers bring students in to experience the biological, physical, and computational sciences. Working side-by-side with faculty who are equally committed to student success and scientific discovery, students learn valuable critical thinking skills through hands-on research in the lab, field, and classroom—from studying marine biology at the Oregon Institute for Marine Biology on our beautiful campus on the coast to coding advanced systems and analyzing complex data in the School of Computer and Data Science.
The research we’re conducting at the UO makes a tangible difference in our communities, our nation, and the world. For example, our chemists are pioneering the materials and techniques that will inspire the next generation of batteries for energy storage. Our psychologists are developing and testing cutting-edge interventions to improve mental health and wellbeing. Our geologists and environmental scientists are collaborating with governments, tribes, and industry partners to protect communities from earthquakes and wildfires.
You may or may not end up in a science career, but either way these experiences will change the way you experience and interact with the world. A healthy society depends on people who know how to gather evidence and critically analyze data. No matter what field you enter, scientific thinking will help you become a more thoughtful, engaged, and critical citizen in modern society.
We’re excited to explore the natural world with you.
Elliot Berkman
Divisional Associate Dean, Natural Sciences
Happening at CAS
A new, innovative earthquake center led by the University of Oregon is receiving a five-year, $15-million grant from the National Science Foundation to understand the Cascadia subduction zone and improve earthquake resiliency in the Pacific Northwest. https://t.co/LkntO5ugTq pic.twitter.com/fhxWrNe2le
— UO College of Arts and Sciences (@uocas) September 11, 2023
6:00–12:00 a.m.
Calling all creatives or folks who want to explore their creativity! We'd love for your expression and artistry to be showcased in the form of a zine. The theme of this zine is for folks to explore their relationship to manhood and masculinitity. UO students of any gender identity are eligible to share their submissions, and submissions will be accepted between November 1-30.
Folks can submit written works (poetry, essays and short stories no longer than two typed pages) and art (both digital and physical). These will be compiled into a zine, which will be produced during winter term and will be available at the Duck Nest and the Men's Resource Center (MRC) at a to-be-determined date.
If you're interested in participating, you can bring your zine to the Duck Nest (EMU 041), MRC (EMU 211) or submit your work electronically here: https://oregon.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0CyEscCNDpXOjjM
Never heard of a zine before? Check this out: What's a Zine? - Zines! - LibGuides at University of Richmond
This zine event is a Movember collaboration between Protection Connection and the Men's Resource Center. Movember is a month dedicated to educating about and supporting men's mental health and wellness. We look forward to recieving your submissions focusing on your relationship with manhood and masculinity.
Visit: https://dos.uoregon.edu/mrc/movember to learn about more events taking place during Movember.
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If you're interested in this event, you may also be interested in Protection Connection's "Empower Your Pleasure" Art Show, taking place on February 12. This art show explores the question: what does 'empower your pleasure' mean to you?
9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
New work by Samuel Brooks
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Map to location of Foyer Gallery in Lawrence Hall
10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Experience the dynamic forces that shape Oregon’s landscapes, climate, and ecosystems. Meet giant salmon, Ice Age sloths, and other amazing animals from across the millennia. Through interactive displays and rare specimens, you’ll go deep into Oregon’s past and join a conversation about our collective future.