Schnitzer School News

GLOBAL STUDIES AND LANGUAGES, LINGUISTICS, SPANISH - U.S. Latinx students studying Spanish while studying abroad can encounter discrimination and condescending attitudes from their instructors. For students who grew up speaking Spanish, known as heritage speakers, this can lead to missed learning opportunities, according to Devin Grammon and Sergio Loza, both assistant professors of Spanish sociolinguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences.

From microscopic creatures to planets orbiting distant stars, undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences focused their lenses on some of the world’s unanswered questions, both large and small, during the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium.

GLOBAL STUDIES, SOCIOLOGY - Nearly 15 years ago, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, leading to a tsunami and nuclear meltdown at Fukushima. The aftermath of this triple disaster led to massive protests in Japan, calling for a transition from nuclear energy to more renewable projects. That shift never happened due to the influence of the nuclear industry on the government, according to two researchers in CAS.

Staff and faculty members came together for the inaugural College of Arts and Sciences Awards and Hallmark Achievement Reception, which celebrated some of the achievements of faculty and staff. In addition to celebrating some of the college’s faculty members who have received accolades outside of the university, the ceremony featured the college’s first-ever awards that recognize the work of faculty and staff.

During the past six months, College of Arts and Sciences stakeholders have built a roadmap to guide the college over the next five years. Our new strategy was born from feedback and support from the college's community—including alumni, campus leaders, faculty, staff, and undergrad and graduate students. Read more how members of the CAS community had the chance to help shape the strategy during two CAS Community Conversations in April 2024.

High school students from all over Oregon traveled in flocks to the University of Oregon for Foreign Language and International Studies Day. The annual celebration, held in May, provides approximately 1,000 students with an immersive experience in cultures and languages of the world, and a chance to learn more about the university’s foreign language department

COMPUTER SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, SPANISH - Two College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate students—Ethan Dinh and Alex Staben—win first and second place at the Clark Honors College's Three Minute Thesis.

GLOBAL HEALTH, GLOBAL STUDIES - Associate Professor Jo Weaver published research in the December 2023 issue of SSM-Mental Health that examines the mental health needs of women in India. Because of the gaps in mental health care that emerge from cultural mismatch, Weaver and her research team urge health workers to prioritize culturally informed methods of distress management and address the social and structural causes of suffering rather than delivering standardized clinical mental healthcare.

JAPANESE, LATINX STUDIES, LINGUISTICS, SPANISH - The Latinx Studies Experiential Learning Program offers funding for a limited number of undergraduates to conduct research or pursue creative projects under the supervision of a faculty member. At a Feb. 13 forum, four undergrads showcased their research, which includes language revitalization, preservation and environmental justice radio reporting.

For 50 years, faculty at the University of Oregon Center for the Study of Women in Society have researched the complexity of women’s lives and the intersecting nature of gender identities and inequalities. In celebration of the center’s fiftieth anniversary, Oregon Quarterly featured five faculty — three of whom are in the College of Arts and Sciences.

ECONOMICS, INDIGENOUS, RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES, GENERAL SOCIAL SCIENCES, PSYCHOLOGY, SPANISH - For Latinx History Month, read about some of the alumni from the College of Arts and Sciences and how they're making an impact in their community.

The 2023-24 academic year began its ascent Tuesday as the second-largest class in school history hit the UO campuses. A total of 5,057 first-year students began their first day of classes; only last year’s class of 5,338 students was larger. The total included a record 38 percent who identify as domestic minority students.

ENGLISH, SOCIOLOGY, SPANISH, THEATRE ARTS - The Distinguished Teaching Awards recognize exceptional teaching that is inclusive, engaged and research-informed. This year’s winners are Jocelyn Hollander, Faith Barter, Alex Zunterstein, Kirby Brown, Robin Hopkins, Tannaz Farsi, Patricia Rodley and Michael Moffitt.

Six faculty members in CAS were among this year’s 2023 Distinguished Teaching Awards. They include Jocelyn Hollander, professor of sociology; Faith Barter, assistant professor in English; Alex Zunterstein, senior instructor in Spanish; Kirby Brown, associate professor of Native American literatures; Robin Hopkins, senior instructor of human physiology; and Tricia Rodley, senior instructor in theatre arts.

BIOLOGY, FRENCH, GEOGRAPHY, GLOBAL STUDIES, HISTORY - Read the stories of six alumni whose work in international affairs is making a global impact.