Living in a Material World
The world is on the cusp of a new technological era. And today's students have an opportunity to shape how society will go beyond the "Silicon Age," according to Kayla Nguyen, assistant professor physics in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Materials sciences is a a new, cutting-edge CAS major, preparing students to drive technological change through high-demand careers in fields such as semiconductor manufacturing and energy and sustainable materials development.
"We’re not stopping at silicon," Nguyen said. "There is a whole entire periodic table and a large number of combinations we can use to make new materials with different properties. Students who learn how to do this could be at the forefront of a revolution to bring in the next materials age.”
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We Love Our Supporters
Gifts to the College of Arts and Sciences can help our students make the most of their college careers. To do this, CAS needs your support. Your contributions help us ensure that teaching, research, advising, mentoring, and support services are fully available to every student. Thank you!
What’s Happening in CAS?
How can you rethink goals, whether it's for personal achievement, success in the classroom or in everyday work life? CAS Psychology Professor and Natural Sciences Divisional Associate Dean Elliot Berkman offers a way to rethink the "why" behind your goals.
Also in the January CAS Connection issue, find out what new CAS major is equipping students to drive change, how squatting in three US cities influenced housing policies, an alum who leveraged his Spanish degree to a U.S. Department of State job—and more.
Undergraduate Studies
Wherever your academic goals eventually take you at the UO, all Ducks begin their journey with foundational courses in CAS. More than 60 percent of students go on to pursue a major in a CAS department or program. With more than 50 departments and programs, there’s an intellectual home for almost any interest, talent, or career aspiration.
Graduate Studies
The College of Arts and Sciences offers more than 30 master's programs and more than 20 doctoral programs across a diverse range of disciplines. Both as contributors to research teams and through their own scholarship and teaching, our CAS graduate students are indispensable to the vitality of the UO academic mission.
Student Support Services
We provide our students with a variety of resources to help you thrive inside and outside the classroom. Through Tykeson Advising, we provide comprehensive academic and career advising from the start of your journey at the University of Oregon. Learn about career preparation and get assistance in selecting the very best classes. Connect with labs, libraries, IT and tutoring. Find your community on campus.
World-Class Faculty
The College of Arts and Sciences faculty members are a driving force of the high-output, high-impact research activity that has earned the UO membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). Our world-class faculty members are inspiring teachers.
Among them are five members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, four members of the National Academy of Sciences. They are committed to helping students discover their academic passion. Every day, they work to expand students’ intellectual horizons, preparing them for life after college with real-world knowledge and skills.
Meet our Dean
In the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), we are committed to excellence in research and teaching, student success, and diversity, equity, and belonging.
A liberal arts education—one that offers a breadth of intellectual approaches and perspectives and depth in a major discipline—is the foundation to a purposeful life as a life-long learner, engaged citizen, and leader. The skills you will learn here—from written and verbal communication to analytical and quantitative reasoning, to compassion and understanding—are those that employers seek and will open the door to a wealth of opportunities.
You will find more than 50 majors and a multitude of minors within CAS, and seemingly endless opportunities for personal exploration and discovery. Whether you are an incoming first-year student, a grad student or a transfer student, you can map an exciting future and be part of a fun, warm, engaged liberal arts community here. Come join us. And go Ducks!
The College of Arts and Sciences includes:
Happening at CAS
4:00–5:00 p.m.
Learn more about French Immersion in Angers, an immersive study abroad offered throughout the calendar year. This program is designed for you to immerse yourself in the French language (regardless of language ability) while also learning about French culture, politics, and society. The program offers classes covering many disciplines, with coursework in history, sociology, political science, business, and French culture and civilization. You will study at the Centre International d'Études Françaises (CIDEF) of the Université Catholique de l’Ouest, taking courses with US and other international students.
4:00 p.m.
Join the Department of Geography for the Colloquium Series talk with Timothy Prestby from James Madison University on "Contextualizing Trust in Cartography: A Theoretical and Empirical Approach."
"Maps have long served not only as navigational aids but also as powerful rhetorical tools. Yet, the question of why and when people trust them has received limited attention by cartographic researchers. This talk presents recent advances in the emerging science of map trust. I begin by establishing a conceptual framework for understanding what “trust” in maps entails and how it can be measured in a systematic and reproducible way. Building on this foundation, I examine how specific cartographic design choices—such as color palettes and the representation of uncertainty—shape users’ trust judgments. I conclude by outlining promising directions for future research."
Prestby is an Assistant Professor of Applied GIS at James Madison University. Prestby studies the interplay between psychology and design to understand how people can make sense of geographic information. More specifically, his research centers on interactive map design, data storytelling, and trust in maps. Prestby is also the director for the JMU Map Lab where he directs mapping projects that engage students in handson work that serves communities at local and wider scales.
4:00–5:30 p.m.
Stories that Shape Worlds: Media Ecosystems in Latin America
This colloquium features CLLAS-funded research by faculty member Guillem Belmar Viernes (Linguistics), Omar Barahona (PhD Student, Spanish), and Giovanni Francischelli (PhD Student, Communication and Media Studies), and brings together interdisciplinary work focused on language, media, documentary practice, and cultural power across Latinx and Latin American contexts.
Highlights include:
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Indigenous language documentation and storytelling across print, audio, and digital platforms
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Documentary filmmaking and land conflict in 1960s–70s Mexico
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Contemporary online documentaries, misinformation, and political ideology on YouTube in Brazil
Each presentation will be followed by discussion and audience Q&A, and the event is free and open to the public. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are all welcome. Complimentary beverages and snacks will be available!
It should be a really engaging conversation, especially for anyone interested in topics around documentary storytelling, indigenous linguistics, and misinformation and political ideology in online spaces.
4:00–5:30 p.m.
Presented By: University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business, Finley Davis Private Wealth, RiskBridge Advisors
Thursday, February 5, 2026 4:00–5:30 PM | Main Presentation and Panel Discussion (Free and open to the public. RSVP encouraged. RSVP required for reserved seating by invitation only.) 5:30–6:30 PM | Meet-and Greet Reception (By invitation only. RSVP required.)
Location: Giustina Ballroom, Ford Alumni Center University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Overview Join leading economist Dana M. Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board, for an engaging live event exploring the next generation of business. This in-person discussion will examine how innovation, technology, and global economic forces are shaping the future of commerce and leadership.
Topics will include the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), shifts in trade and policy, trends in real estate and workforce development, and the Great Transfer of Wealth, redefining opportunity across generations.
The program will also feature a moderated panel with Peterson, RiskBridge leadership, regional business leaders, and university faculty, offering practical insight into how these trends are influencing decision-making today. About Dana M. Peterson Dana M. Peterson is the chief economist and center leader of economy, strategy and finance at The Conference Board, where she oversees global economic analysis and policy research. With more than two decades of experience in financial economics, Peterson frequently appears in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNBC, and is a trusted voice on global growth, inflation, and labor dynamics. Before joining The Conference Board, she served as a North America Economist at Citi, advising institutional clients on macroeconomic trends and investment strategy.