Three College of Arts and Sciences researchers have received the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious honor for early-career faculty members in the past year: Luca Mazzucato (biology, mathematics and physics), Brittany Erickson (computer science and earth sciences) and Julia Widom (chemistry). Known as the CAREER Awards, the organization recognizes and fosters rising stars by funding innovative research.

BIOLOGY - People are living longer, but that comes with age-related health issues, including Alzheimer’s disease, osteoarthritis and dementia. Biology Professor Patrick Phillips is spearheading a new research initiative focused on age-related diseases. The effort employs technology that will accelerate discovery and fuel new approaches to research, launched with a major gift from longtime UO donors Kenda and Kenneth Singer.

BIOLOGY - New research from Judith Eisen, a neuroscientist in the College of Arts and Sciences, describes how nerve cells and muscle cells communicate through electrical signals during development—a phenomenon known as bioelectricity. Research by Eisen and her colleagues was published in Current Biology.

BIOLOGY - This June, the UO celebrates Pride Month and the diverse identities of alumni identifying as LGBTQ+. When the UO Alumni Association asked Kevin Thomas, biology, '85, what Pride means to him, he said it’s about being his most “open, authentic, and truest self.” He reflected how his identity as a gay man has opened doors to educate others on 2SLGBTQIA3+ issues and to “change hearts and minds one person at a time.”

ANTHROPOLOGY, BIOLOGY, EARTH SCIENCES - Students in the College of Arts and Sciences have the opportunity this winter to take classes on the picturesque Oregon Coast at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.

BIOLOGY - Judith Eisen, a biology professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, received the prestigious International Zebrafish Society George Streisinger Award for 2024, which recognizes senior investigators in zebrafish research who have made critical contributions to the advancement of the field.

BIOLOGY, OREGON INSTITUTE OF MARINE BIOLOGY - Scientists at the University of Oregon have discovered that colonies of gelatinous sea animals swim through the ocean in giant corkscrew shapes using coordinated jet propulsion, an unusual kind of locomotion that could inspire new designs for efficient underwater vehicles.

BIOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE - University of Oregon neuroscientist Judith Eisen has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for her work on neuron development and how the enteric nervous system in the gut regulates and interacts with microbes in the intestine. Eisen is head of the Department of Biology and a member of the Institute of Neuroscience.

BIOLOGY - Marine biology students searched the Atlantic Ocean for rare organisms that thrive without sunlight. An upcoming IMAX film will document their journey—and, they hope, inspire a new generation of women scientists. Read more in the CAS Connection newsletter.

BIOLOGY - A UO study, recently published in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, applies the latest molecular and genetic tools to construct a step-by-step map of how colon tissue builds itself, using mice as a model organism.

BIOLOGY - University of Oregon postdoctoral fellow Caitlin Kowalski is one of five women to win the 2023 L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship for her work on the fungi genus Malassezia. Kowalski is a mentor for two UO undergraduate students.

BIOLOGY - New University of Oregon research in tiny worms is unpacking some of the ways that reproductive cells get used differently to make sperm and eggs. A team from the lab of UO biologist Diana Libuda in the College of Arts and Sciences reports their findings in a paper published Oct. 5 in the journal eLife.

EARTH SCIENCES, OREGON INSTITUTE OF MARINE BIOLOGY - While cruising the Pacific Ocean looking for deep-sea creatures to study, a UO undergraduate researcher got more than he bargained for—rare ash samples from an underwater volcanic eruption 62 miles away.

BIOLOGY, CINEMA STUDIES, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, GEOGRAPHY - From animals to adhesives to DJ food stamp, students in First-year Interest Groups follow their fascinations and create community.

BIOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES - The Hallett Lab is collecting samples to test a new, more sustainable way to farm hazelnuts. Steve Haring, a postdoctoral researcher in the Hallett Lab, is studying what happens when cover crops, such as native wildflowers, are used as beds around the trees.