CAS News

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.
ANTHROPOLOGY, LINGUISTICS, SOCIOLOGY - A new UO study, which was recently shared with the U.S. secretary of labor, shows that COVID-19 has caused long-term economic, social, physical and mental health challenges for farmworkers in Oregon.
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.
ANTHROPOLOGY - In January 2020, a prestigious scientific journal published a paper that revived a long-discredited theory that a group of marauding cannibals from South America descended on islands of the Caribbean circa A.D. 800, terrorizing local populations.
GEOGRAPHY - The UO has partnered with the state to build a web-based platform that directs Oregon coastal communities to evacuation routes in the event of a tsunami. The UO InfoGraphics Lab and Location Innovation Lab have been working to develop the platform.
LINGUISTICS - The Northwest Indian Language Institute and the University of Oregon recently hosted the 2021 National Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages workshop in partnership with the Myaamia Center at Miami University of Ohio.
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.
GLOBAL STUDIES AND LANGUAGES - Many of the greatest challenges confronting today’s world recognize no borders. With this in mind, the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oregon is taking a bold and exciting step toward a more globally integrated future.
GLOBAL STUDIES AND LANGUAGES - Two longstanding cultural bedrocks at the UO are joining the recently launched School of Global Studies and Languages. The Northwest Indian Languages Institute, known on campus as NILI, and the Yamada Language Center will become part of the College of Arts and Sciences’ newest school.
INDIGENOUS, RACE, AND ETHNIC STUDIES - Many were shocked by U.S. gymnast Simone Biles’ decision this week to withdraw from a premier event at the Tokyo Olympics to focus on mental health, a reaction that could be rooted in unrealistic expectations society places on athletes to be “superhuman,” UO experts said.
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.
ANTHROPOLOGY - A toddler who was found dead in Oregon 58 years ago has finally been identified, thanks to a concerted effort involving local, state and national law enforcement, genetic genealogists and UO scientist Jeanne McLaughlin, an osteologist and forensic anthropologist.