Natural Sciences News

PHYSICS - A research team that includes two UO physicists have outlined new techniques for controlling the building blocks of quantum computing, a potentially significant step toward making such computers more accurate and useful. Physicists David Allcock and David Wineland are founders of the new Oregon Ions Laboratory.
PSYCHOLOGY, BIOLOGY, THEATRE ARTS - The Center for Undergraduate Research and Engagement honored four faculty members this spring for excellence in mentoring students as they ask questions and seek answers.
Ten University of Oregon undergraduates had the chance to spend part of the summer honing their research skills through programs that offered a chance to pursue their own scholarly projects. The students were chosen for one of two types of research grants.
Twenty outstanding faculty members, the most since 2007, have been selected for the sought-after Fund for Faculty Excellence Awards for the 2021-22 academic year. The fund is designed to reward, recognize and retain world-class teaching and research at the UO.
COMPUTER SCIENCE - The University of Oregon’s annual Cyber Resilience Summit will bring in expertise from federal investigators as well as leaders from the private sector to discuss cyberthreats and share skills to combat them. The one-day online summit will be preceded by a new UO-hosted statewide cyber competition.
PSYCHOLOGY - Six grants totaling more than $92,000 will allow several University of Oregon researchers to study a range of topics aimed at helping protect consumers. The research funding came about through a 2014 jury trial involving the oil giant BP.
BIOLOGY - Craig Young was leading a research trip off the Oregon coast near Newport Aug. 28 when he said he had the “strong impression” the ship should change course to collect samples in a new area. It may have inadvertently been a lifesaving decision.
PHYSICS - Ant mandibles, spider fangs and scorpion sting tips are made of special materials that deliver sharpness for penetrating prey that the limited forces of their small muscles won’t otherwise allow, according to new University of Oregon research. That knowledge may be useful for designing new precision cutting tools.
PSYCHOLOGY - A trio of UO faculty members are part of a group that just released a new report on anti-Black racism and inequity during adolescence. The new publication from the National Scientific Council on Adolescence shares research on how racism can affect adolescent development.
PSYCHOLOGY - People who are antagonistic, exploitative and generally disagreeable are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, according to recent study from UO researcher Cameron Kay, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology.
PSYCHOLOGY - Polished white rice is a staple of diets in Southeast Asia, which poses a serious public health problem because the grain has been stripped of its vitamins and minerals during processing, according to new research by UO scientists.
A specially designed outdoor classroom opens this fall: Tykeson Hall’s west terrace. The updated open space, constructed specifically to serve as an informal learning area, has tiered bench seating that is wired with electrical outlets so students can plug in.
PSYCHOLOGY - Elliot Berkman, a psychology professor and associate managing director of the Center for Translational Neuroscience at the UO, wants to find out if a new technique, one that asks smokers to focus on the big picture, may help with smoking cessation.
BIOLOGY - Gabriel Luna-Arvizu, a doctoral student in the lab of UO biology professor Dan Grimes and the Institute of Molecular Biology, has received a Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study. The highly competitive national fellowship is awarded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - The Human Performance Alliance weaves together three synergistic scientific programs to accelerate high-impact advances in human performance: scientific moonshots, innovation hubs, and agility projects.