Natural Sciences

Two scientists discuss a topic

 

 

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. 

 


News from Natural Sciences

June 6, 2023
PSYCHOLOGY - College of Arts and Sciences students shared their research with the academic community at the 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium.
May 26, 2023
BIOLOGY - Using data science applied to plant and animal records at natural history museums, UO graduate student Jordan Rodriguez is finding new ways to study the evolution of key proteins.
May 24, 2023
NEUROSCIENCE, HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - Exposure to opioids in the womb affects the development of important circuits in the brain and spinal cord that control breathing, according to new research by University of Oregon Associate Professor Adrianne Huxtable. The findings could lead to better treatments and interventions for at-risk infants.

All news »

We Love Our Supporters

students walking and holding possessions during Unpack the quack day
Your Gift Changes Lives

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!

Give to CAS

World-Class Faculty in the Natural Sciences

Bowerman Sports Science Center director Mike Hahn smiling into camera

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 portrait

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.

Professor Nick Allen professional headshot

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.

 

 

The new School of Computer and Data Sciences will be open in fall 2023 to students throughout the UO, with the goal of serving 2,000 undergraduate majors and students in existing and new undergraduate and graduate programs.

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.

Explore the SCDS

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

In the lab, the field and the classroom, faculty in the natural sciences excel in discovery and creation of knowledge while staying equally committed to the success of our undergraduate and graduate students. Throughout our programs, research enhances teaching and students are integrated into faculty projects, giving them the chance to test and expand their knowledge.

Learning in the natural sciences also takes place beyond the Eugene campus. Students can immerse themselves in learning about the coastal zone at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology in Charleston, can study and chart the rest of the universe from the Pine Mountain Observatory in Bend, and can join the next frontier at the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health in Portland.

On campus, students can take advantage of the Human Physiology cadaver lab, the new, interdisciplinary School of Computer and Data Science, the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact and many other state-of-the-art facilities. They’ll also find a nook in the Allan Price Science Library for quiet studying.

Graduates of our programs excel in their field, whether it be industry, finance, healthcare, tech, business or continuing in graduate study. Come be a part of the next generation of scientists.

Hal Sadofsky
Divisional Dean, Natural Sciences

Hal Sadofsky

Happening at CAS

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

UO College of Arts & Sciences (@uocas) • Instagram photos and videos

Jun 9
Craft Center Visiting Artist Exhibit: Mitra Gruwell

Mitra's work is on display through Spring Term in the Erb Memorial Union (2nd Floor, just past the Adell McMillan Gallery). Please visit emu.uoregon.edu to view open...
Craft Center Visiting Artist Exhibit: Mitra Gruwell
April 18–June 9
Erb Memorial Union (EMU) Second Floor, by Adell McMillan Gallery

Mitra's work is on display through Spring Term in the Erb Memorial Union (2nd Floor, just past the Adell McMillan Gallery). Please visit emu.uoregon.edu to view open hours.

Mitra Gruwell is a community focused upcycle fashion/product designer and sewist, with 20 years experience in business management, entrepreneurship and event production. As the owner of Discard Upcycling, her mission is to make upcycling more accessible and affordable for both businesses and individual clients. Mitra is the program manager and developer for Viking Textile Maker Hub and she also teaches workshops in upcycled design and design thinking, and apprentices and mentors youth in these skills. She has bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Religious Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder and has served on the board of the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene for 8 years. Mitra is passionate about the arts and the role it plays in connecting people and keeping them happy, healthy and prosperous.

Artist Talk: April 21st, 6pm-9pm in the Lease Crutcher Lewis Room in the Erb Memorial Union. No registration required. 

Artist Workshop: Upcycled T-Shirts (Session B), May 20th, 1pm-4pm. Registration required. Please visit craftcenter.uoregon.edu. 

Jun 9
MFA Art Exhibition 2023

The University of Oregon MFA Art Exhibition 2023 culminates three years of independent research and experimentation by Lily Wai Brennan, Mary Evans, Anastasiya Gutnik,...
MFA Art Exhibition 2023
May 8–June 20
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA)

The University of Oregon MFA Art Exhibition 2023 culminates three years of independent research and experimentation by Lily Wai Brennan, Mary Evans, Anastasiya Gutnik, David Peña, and William Zeng, a cohort of five artists whose various practices engage a broad range of inquiry. This year marks the 100th year of the University’s MFA degree, making it one of the oldest programs in the country. As a marker of the program’s centennial moment, the MFA exhibition returns to the JSMA, making the work accessible to the UO and Eugene community, while celebrating the MFA graduates’ efforts in the high standard of the museum setting.

Jun 9
Industrial Design Society of America Spring Soiree 5:30 a.m.

Industrial Design Society of America is purchasing catering through an ASUO approved vendor (Pastini) for a club sanctioned event occurring on June 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the...
Industrial Design Society of America Spring Soiree
June 9
5:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA)

Industrial Design Society of America is purchasing catering through an ASUO approved vendor (Pastini) for a club sanctioned event occurring on June 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the JSMA for 75 people.

Jun 9
Explore Oregon 10:00 a.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...
Explore Oregon
January 14–December 31
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Museum of Natural and Cultural History

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.