News

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.

PSYCHOLOGY - Getting research published is a necessary step for academics. But faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences aim to do more. Among the faculty who presented at the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation's Week of Research and Innovation, Ann Swindells Professor of Clinical Psychology Nick Allen spoke about why he took his research to a startup company.

PHYSICS - Fascinated by the unexplored corners of the universe since childhood, physicist Tien-Tien Yu has made dark matter the pillar of her research career. In her quest to understand, she’s co-founded a major experiment in collaboration with physicists at other institutions, all of whom are trying try to bring light to the dark.

PSYCHOLOGY - A new study led by researchers at the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences in collaboration with Google Research found little evidence linking smartphone use with mental well-being in adults. Researchers analyzed more than 250,000 days of smartphone usage from more than 10,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and up.

PSYCHOLOGY - Adolescence isn’t a time of dysfunction; it’s a peak period of brain development, adaptability, and growth. Jennifer Pfeifer, a psychology professor at the College of Arts and Sciences, discusses at the 2025 TEDxPortland that it’s time to flip the script and recognize that young people are acting exactly as they’re wired to, and are capable of far more than we’ve been led to believe.

Different mental health disorders can present drastically different symptoms, but many share a common thread: disruptions to episodic memory, or the ability to recall personal experiences. Students, faculty and staff in the Department of Psychology explored the role of episodic memory in mental health disorders during a recent workshop on “Episodic Memory as a Window to Understand Psychopathology.

PSYCHOLOGY - Two of the Psychology department’s newest faculty members, assistant professors Lauren Forrest and Tina Gupta, were recognized as Association for Psychological Science Rising Stars, an award presented to early-career researchers who are advancing the field. The organization also named Psychology department head Sara Hodges an APS fellow.

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY - Our health is affected by factors that take root in early childhood and follow us our entire lives. Explore CAS research on a range of health issues, from how sleep affects infant development to what causes age-related memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Read more in the Annual Research Report, out now!

PSYCHOLOGY - Since earning his PhD from the Department of Psychology in 1996 under the joint supervision of professors emeriti Douglas Hintzman and Michael Posner, Levitin has become one of the most prominent figures in cognitive science. During a recent visit to campus to donate his papers to the UO Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives, Levitin delivered a guest lecture about his new book to students.

PSYCHOLOGY - Brice Kuhl is the first faculty member awarded the Dr. Michael Posner Psychology Professorship in Cognition and Neuroscience. This brand-new professorship, awarded in honor of the Department of Psychology’s groundbreaking researcher Michael Posner, will help support Kuhl’s teaching, research and professional development.

NEUROSCIENCE, PSYCHOLOGY - Neuroscience instructor Nicole Dudukovic has a unique insight into her students’ brains, at least when it comes to how they remember what they learn in class. She was recognized for her distinguished teaching with a Herman Faculty Achievement Award, which is presented to faculty who have made significant contributions to student learning at the University of Oregon.

PSYCHOLOGY - Lauren Lanning knew she wanted to study psychology when she came to the UO, but was surprised when she also developed a passion for communications during her second year. She now works for the Center of Science Communication Research on the Eugene campus, where she merges her interests to share the most recent scientific discoveries with the public.

PSYCHOLOGY - The College of Arts and Sciences is investing in its Latinx studies courses by hiring nine new tenure-track faculty members. Meet Blanche Wright—a new hire in the Department of Psychology—wants to change that by inspiring Latinx students in the classroom and through mentorship to hopefully become professors.

PSYCHOLOGY - Jennifer M. Gómez, an assistant professor in the Clinical Practice department at Boston University School of Social Work (PhD, '17), was recently awarded the 2024 International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Frank W. Putnam Outstanding Book Award for her new book, The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women and Girls: A Black Feminist Approach to Healing from Sexual Abuse.

PSYCHOLOGY - University of Oregon researchers are making it easier to include diverse and understudied populations in psychology research by designing a new approach to bring social interaction studies online, allowing scientists and participants to conduct studies remotely.