ECONOMICS - People are living longer and birth rates are declining, and that could hamper growth of the U.S. gross domestic product, the monetary sum of goods and services, according to an April 2023 paper published in American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics. University of Oregon Associate Professor and Petrone Chair of Economics Kathleen Mullen is a co-author of the study.

By mid June, the smiling faces of nearly 60 UO faculty members will soon be flying on banners on campus and into town, highlighting outstanding teaching and scholarship. Each of the 59 banners will feature a portrait of a faculty member, a quote, and the reason the person is being featured, such as excellence in teaching, research, mentorship or leadership.

For the winter term, 4,556 University of Oregon students made the Dean' List. To qualify, a student must be an admitted undergraduate and complete at least 12 credits with a letter grade and with a grade-point average of at least 3.75.

GEOGRAPHY - In her debut novel, 'The Ice Sings Back,' alumna M Jackson (Geography, 2017), tells the stories of four women and their struggles, against the backdrop of the Oregon Cascades. “We—glacier scientists broadly—have done a really good job at studying ice,” Jackson said. “What we don’t have is the business of you and me connecting to a glacier.”

The Mother’s Day Powwow is back in full swing this year with traditional dances, ceremonies and a salmon bake. The 55th annual celebration is a designated Oregon Heritage Event and the oldest documented powwow in the state. The powwow, which runs May 12-14, is intended to honor and celebrate native educators, mothers and graduating seniors.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the University of Oregon has several mental health resources for students, including anonymous mental health screening, peer connection services, group and individual short-term therapy — and more.

The University of Oregon’s Prison Education Program will host a Zoom talk by Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man Walking,” on Thursday, May 11, at 7 p.m. in Room 282, Lillis Hall. She'll be speaking from Oklahoma, where she is meeting with Richard Glossip before his scheduled May 18 execution.

The University of Oregon is making significant strides towards becoming a designated Hispanic-serving institution with the release of a comprehensive report and the recent appointment of a special adviser — Laura Pulido, professor of indigenous, race and ethnic studies — to lead the initiative.