The natural sciences seek to satisfy our limitless curiosity about the world we live in, from the smallest constituents of matter to the structure of the universe itself. From the earliest times of human development, this broad and intense investigation has not only satisfied people’s basic desires for knowledge and understanding but has also yielded a myriad of practical benefits. The impact on modern society can hardly be overstated; health care and disease control, power generation, transportation, communication, civil engineering, and space exploration as we know it would not be possible without the enormous advances in the natural sciences over the last few hundred years. Much of this success can be credited to research universities - one of the engines of discovery. At the University of Oregon the natural science departments have a long tradition of attracting top scientists who bring their expertise and enthusiasm into the classroom. They train their students, both in the classroom and in the research laboratory, to become part of the ongoing exploration adventure that will help ensure the intellectual and material prosperity of our society.
