Natural Sciences News

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY, PHYSICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE — The annual sponsored research report highlights research projects across disciplines, from the Oregon Coast to Papua New Guinea. Get more details on the research being done in the Natural Sciences.

PHYSICS — Alum Manju Bangalore grew up in the small rural Oregon town of Tangent, population 700. This small town didn’t stop Bangalore from having big dreams at a young age. At four years old, she wanted to become an astronaut. Her parents — immigrants from South India who work in agriculture — encouraged her dream. In 2027, at 29, she will be one of the youngest South Asian women to travel to space.

MATHEMATICS - The University of Oregon Department of Mathematics is hosting the AMC 10 and AMC 8 math competitions this year. The AMC 10 (for 10th graders) will be held in November in University Hall and AMC8 planned for late January.

COMPUTER SCIENCES, EARTH SCIENCES - Three University of Oregon faculty members will take their research abroad for the 2026-2027 academic year, serving as cultural and academic ambassadors for the United States, after receiving Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards. Since 1950, the UO has produced 320 Fulbright scholars and 286 Fulbright students, while welcoming 198 international scholars and 109 international students.

PHYSICS - College of Arts and Sciences astronomer Yvette Cendes spoke with the New York Times about a recent paper that documented waves coming from what seems to be an aurora at the poles of Beta Pictoris b, a planet that circles a star more than 63 light-years from Earth.

PSYCHOLOGY — For Mara Sargent ’14 the beauty of campus, the community and the atmosphere atmosphere that reminded her of home in Berkeley, California, and all played a significant part in developing her professional career.

MARINE BIOLOGY — After studying brittle star plankton larvae at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, researchers recently published research that deepens the understanding of marine life along the Oregon coast and connection to distant regions.

MATHEMATICS - The 2025-2026 Department of Mathematics Annual Newsletter is out now! See what is happening with our faculty, students, alumni and more.

PHYSICS - In June, Professor Brian Smith’s team was awarded a two-year, $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a prototype quantum network on the UO campus. “We have our work cut out for us, but our research will transform communications, sensors and computers,” said Smith, director of the Oregon Center for Optical, Molecular and Quantum Science.

EARTH SCIENCES - On June 25-26, more than 140 earthquake scientists, emergency managers, Tribal representatives, engineers, utility operators, and community leaders gathered at the University of Oregon’s Portland campus to tackle a common question that spreads across their fields: How can science better support decisions before, during, and after the next major Cascadia earthquake?

EARTH SCIENCES - In recent years, wildfires have increasingly affected Oregon and much of western North America. Due to many factors including climate change and land management practices, wildfires are intensifying and becoming more common both within and beyond our region. At the University of Oregon, researchers across disciplines are turning wildfire science into practical tools, strategies, and partnerships that help communities prepare, respond and adapt.

EARTH SCIENCES - Hilly and mountainous landscapes have a much greater ability to store carbon in the soil than previously thought, according to a new study co-led by College of Arts and Sciences researchers. “There was a misconception that mountainous areas would not hold much carbon because they’re so rapidly eroding and there’s not much soil,” said Josh Roering, an earth scientist at the UO.

Highlights from the June 15 University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremonies at Autzen Stadium and Matthew Knight Arena.

ANTHROPOLOGY, ENGLISH, PSYCHOLOGY - Eight University of Oregon instructors across campus were celebrated for their remarkable work in the classroom. Among the winners, half are in the College of Arts and Sciences: Alison Carter, associate professor anthropology; Katelyn McDonough, assistant professor anthropology; Anne Mannering, assistant teaching professor and director in psychology; and Courtney Thorsson, associate professor of English.

BIOLOGY - The annual Tykeson Teaching Awards were granted to faculty in archaeology, biology and cinema studies. Laurel Pfeifer-Meister was honored for her work with students in a three-course series. Pfeifer-Meister is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Biology and the lead instructor for the Honors/Accelerated Biology 281, 282 and 283 laboratory sequence.