Natural Sciences News

BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY, GLOBAL STUDIES - The Incubating Interdisciplinary Initiatives (I3) awards provide up to $50,000 to seed new interdisciplinary research. This year, three awards are funded by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. Among winners are Jo Weaver (Department of Global Studies), Matthew Barber (Department of Biology and the Institute of Ecology and Evolution), Michael Harms (Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Institute of Molecular Biology) and Melanie Spero (Department of Biology and Institute of Molecular Biology).
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE, DATA SCIENCE — Appearing on an NPR-affiliate radio forum, Assistant Professor Ramón Alvarado and Senior Instructor Phil Colbert, as well as College of Law Clinical Professor Rebekah Hanley and local business owner Todd Edman, discussed AI technologies.
NEUROSCIENCE - For the first time, University of Oregon neuroscientists have recorded neural activity from the visual system of an octopus. Cristopher Niell and his team in the College of Arts and Sciences report their findings in a paper recently published in Current Biology.
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - Researchers are tracking a week in the life of hundreds of Eugene-area adolescents, including physical activity, stress levels, sleep, body image, and time on phones. The technology that makes this possible is through NatureQuant, a company cofounded by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Chris Minson, Kenneth and Kenda Singer Professor in Human Physiology.
Among the top items on the day’s docket for the new University of Oregon President Karl Scholz was sending a message to the university community, which included an invitation to a meet-and-greet social July 12 on the EMU Green from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
BIOLOGY - The University of Oregon's Environment Initiative has named six faculty fellows for the 2023-24 academic year, two of whom belong to the College of Arts and Sciences: Lauren Hallett, associate professor of environmental studies and biology, and Peter Walker, professor of geography and environmental studies.
MATHEMATICS - University of Oregon undergrad Abby Lewis published a children’s book titled The Forest of Numbers in early June that introduces elementary school-aged students to mathematical concepts.
On June 20, College of Arts and Sciences students wrapped up the final day of spring — and years of college work — with commencement ceremonies. Starting in the morning and running until early evening, CAS graduates celebrated their achievements around campus, from Autzen Stadium to the grassy lawns of Global Scholars Hall.
DATA SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS - Graduating students offer parting words and reflect on their time at the University of Oregon.
BIOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE - New research biology professor Adam Miller’s lab — published in Current Biology — illuminates the importance of neuron-to-neuron communication via direct electrical signaling, instead of the usual chemical messengers sent between cells.
PSYCHOLOGY - College of Arts and Sciences students shared their research with the academic community at the 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium.
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.
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.
PSYCHOLOGY - The language that adolescent girls use in texts and on social media reflects day-to-day changes in their moods, according to new research by a team of adolescent mental health researchers at the University of Oregon. The study was published in Clinical Psychological Science in January 2023.
CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY- In the new course titled Techno-Economic Analysis for Decarbonization, chemistry and business majors explore what it would take for the U.S. to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The class is a combination of business and science.