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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World-Class Faculty in the Natural Sciences
Thien Nguyen
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Thien Nguyen is an expert in natural language processing, or the ability of artificial intelligence to understand, interpret and generate meaningful human language. He aims to enable computers to perform cognitive language-related tasks. His lab is among the first to develop deep learning algorithms for information extraction and text mining in natural language processing and data mining. His research on using natural language processing for multilingual learning earned him a Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation.
Nguyen's recent research focuses on programming computers to improve the efficiency and safety of large language models (LLMs) across human languages while extracting valuable information about events like natural disasters, cyberattacks, disease outbreaks, and protests from news articles and other sources. His work seeks to deliver useful insights from diverse data and make these technologies accessible in low-resource languages that lack adequate data sets for training AI models.
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.
On Jan. 14, 2025, Yu was one of nearly 400 scientists and engineers to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest award the US government awards to early career scientists.
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.
Santiago Jaramillo
Associate Professor of Biology, Institute of Neuroscience
Santiago Jaramillo leads a research group dedicated to understanding how the brain processes and interprets sounds. Using advanced techniques to monitor and manipulate neural activity in mice, along with computational approaches, he investigates how the brain filters, learns, and assigns meaning to sounds and how brain disorders can affect these processes. His interdisciplinary work, supported by the BRAIN Initiative of the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, includes collaborations with psychologists, bioengineers, theoretical neuroscientists, and linguists, with the long-term goal of developing neural interfaces to improve human-to-human and human-to-machine communication.
Beyond the lab, Jaramillo is deeply committed to broadening participation in STEM. He provides hands-on neuroscience experiences to middle school girls through the SPICE program, serves as an advisor for international programs engaging young minds in scientific critical thinking, and mentors college students from a wide range of backgrounds through programs such as NSF STEP-UP, SPUR, and the ESPRIT scholarship for aspiring K-12 science teachers.
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.
2024-2025 Sponsored Research in Natural Sciences
Between July 2024 and June 2025, researchers in CAS received $83 million to fund 199 research projects, including approximately $75 million in Natural Sciences. The research projects, which span divisions and fields of study, represent CAS's commitment to curiosity, discovery, and innovation.
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
4:00–5:00 p.m.
Learn more about French Immersion in Angers, an immersive study abroad offered throughout the calendar year. This program is designed for you to immerse yourself in the French language (regardless of language ability) while also learning about French culture, politics, and society. The program offers classes covering many disciplines, with coursework in history, sociology, political science, business, and French culture and civilization. You will study at the Centre International d'Études Françaises (CIDEF) of the Université Catholique de l’Ouest, taking courses with US and other international students.
4:00 p.m.
Join the Department of Geography for the Colloquium Series talk with Timothy Prestby from James Madison University on "Contextualizing Trust in Cartography: A Theoretical and Empirical Approach."
"Maps have long served not only as navigational aids but also as powerful rhetorical tools. Yet, the question of why and when people trust them has received limited attention by cartographic researchers. This talk presents recent advances in the emerging science of map trust. I begin by establishing a conceptual framework for understanding what “trust” in maps entails and how it can be measured in a systematic and reproducible way. Building on this foundation, I examine how specific cartographic design choices—such as color palettes and the representation of uncertainty—shape users’ trust judgments. I conclude by outlining promising directions for future research."
Prestby is an Assistant Professor of Applied GIS at James Madison University. Prestby studies the interplay between psychology and design to understand how people can make sense of geographic information. More specifically, his research centers on interactive map design, data storytelling, and trust in maps. Prestby is also the director for the JMU Map Lab where he directs mapping projects that engage students in handson work that serves communities at local and wider scales.
4:00–5:30 p.m.
Stories that Shape Worlds: Media Ecosystems in Latin America
This colloquium features CLLAS-funded research by faculty member Guillem Belmar Viernes (Linguistics), Omar Barahona (PhD Student, Spanish), and Giovanni Francischelli (PhD Student, Communication and Media Studies), and brings together interdisciplinary work focused on language, media, documentary practice, and cultural power across Latinx and Latin American contexts.
Highlights include:
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Indigenous language documentation and storytelling across print, audio, and digital platforms
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Documentary filmmaking and land conflict in 1960s–70s Mexico
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Contemporary online documentaries, misinformation, and political ideology on YouTube in Brazil
Each presentation will be followed by discussion and audience Q&A, and the event is free and open to the public. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are all welcome. Complimentary beverages and snacks will be available!
It should be a really engaging conversation, especially for anyone interested in topics around documentary storytelling, indigenous linguistics, and misinformation and political ideology in online spaces.
4:00–5:30 p.m.
Presented By: University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business, Finley Davis Private Wealth, RiskBridge Advisors
Thursday, February 5, 2026 4:00–5:30 PM | Main Presentation and Panel Discussion (Free and open to the public. RSVP encouraged. RSVP required for reserved seating by invitation only.) 5:30–6:30 PM | Meet-and Greet Reception (By invitation only. RSVP required.)
Location: Giustina Ballroom, Ford Alumni Center University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Overview Join leading economist Dana M. Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board, for an engaging live event exploring the next generation of business. This in-person discussion will examine how innovation, technology, and global economic forces are shaping the future of commerce and leadership.
Topics will include the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), shifts in trade and policy, trends in real estate and workforce development, and the Great Transfer of Wealth, redefining opportunity across generations.
The program will also feature a moderated panel with Peterson, RiskBridge leadership, regional business leaders, and university faculty, offering practical insight into how these trends are influencing decision-making today. About Dana M. Peterson Dana M. Peterson is the chief economist and center leader of economy, strategy and finance at The Conference Board, where she oversees global economic analysis and policy research. With more than two decades of experience in financial economics, Peterson frequently appears in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNBC, and is a trusted voice on global growth, inflation, and labor dynamics. Before joining The Conference Board, she served as a North America Economist at Citi, advising institutional clients on macroeconomic trends and investment strategy.