Students in Cahoots with CAHOOTS

Data science undergrads use their analytical skills for public good in a research-based course piloted last spring.

Sprinting Toward Innovation

Student coders put their creativity to the test at QuackHacks, a 24-hour hackathon organized by computer science students.

Serenade for La La Land

Cinema studies students gain show business experience working behind the scenes in LA on the set of a CAS professor’s upcoming feature film, La Serenata.

Strange New Worlds

Could life exist elsewhere in the Milky Way galaxy? A group of undergraduate planet hunters are helping NASA discover unknown worlds beyond our solar system.

Learn Today, Change Tomorrow

Discover what Dean Chris Poulsen has to say about how experiential learning propelled him toward a career as a climate scientist.

Up, Up and Away

Are flying robots taking over? Not in this geography class, where students learn how to control the drones that will help map our future.

Blowing Minds

Have you ever held a human brain in your hand? Or watched in fascination as zebrafish neurons make connections in real time? Or helped develop a potential brain implant? These are just a few of our students' mind-blowing highlights from the growing Neuroscience Program.

Hacking the Job Market

Millions of cyberattacks each year put our sensitive information at risk. A new hands-on major prepares students to become front-line defenders of consumer privacy within the dynamic and growing cybersecurity field.

Little Larvae to Hit the Big Screen

Students from the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology delved into the Atlantic Ocean in search of rare organisms that thrive without sunlight. An upcoming IMAX film will document their journey—and, they hope, inspire a new generation of women scientists.

Student Unearths Explosive Evidence

While cruising the Pacific Ocean looking for deep-sea creatures to study, a UO undergraduate researcher got more than he bargained for—rare ash samples from an underwater volcanic eruption 62 miles away.

Green Chemistry for a Green Future

As the deadline to curb carbon emissions nears, CAS chemists are hard at work developing a new generation of sustainable tech.

The Cost of a Changing Climate

How will Oregonians feel the crunch from climate change? These economists dug through the data.

On the Origins of Research Universities

Ever wonder how research universities like UO evolved? It all comes down to one man, according to history prof Vera Keller.

What's in a (Scientific) Name?

A PhD candidate’s award-winning essay reveals the role of women in 17th-century scientific research—and what it sometimes cost them.

Before the Shaking Starts

An earthquake early-warning alert can buy you life-saving seconds to drop and take cover—and CAS researchers want to help you make the most of them

A Journey to Jupiter’s Moon

Is there a habitable environment beneath the moon Europa’s icy crust? CAS Professor Carol Paty is helping NASA find out.

Tiny Invisible Universes

In UO’s materials characterization labs, researchers are pushing the boundaries of what can be observed through a microscope.

‘Fighting Mad’ Tackles Reproductive Justice

The overturning of the nearly 50-year-old constitutional right to abortion in the US sparked a wave of responses across the nation. Explore the impact of this momentous decision through a collection of voices and perspectives in Sociology Associate Professor Krystale Littlejohn’s latest book.

A Supercomputer Scavenger Hunt for Energy Storage

The discovery of a material that can efficiently store and deliver electrochemical energy could be a game changer in the transition to clean power. Christopher Hendon and his chemistry research group are searching for it—not in the ground, but in the circuits of a supercomputer.

‘Understanding Imperiled Earth' Digs into Climate History

When Paris’s Notre Dame burned in 2019, experts quickly realized there weren’t enough large trees in Europe to accurately reconstruct the cathedral’s roof.

That was the moment anthropology alum Todd Braje realized how humanity’s history is connected to climate change.

Pushing Human Limits: Meet Brad Wilkins

Working with some of the world’s top marathon runners at Nike, human physiologist Brad Wilkins led the charge to break the 2-hour marathon barrier—an attempt that led to the National Geographic documentary Breaking2. Now head of the new Oregon Performance Research Laboratory, he’s using science to help athletes push past their perceived limitations and achieve new heights.

‘Pacific Arts Aotearoa’ Celebrates New Zealand History

After a three-year labor of love and a long-standing desire to give a voice to Pacific artists, Associate Professor Lana Lopesi offers a mosaic of narratives that delve into the complex and unique history of Aotearoa New Zealand in Pacific Arts Aotearoa.

More than just a compilation, the book serves as a celebration of resilience and a testament to cultural diversity while calling for more inclusivity of Pacific voices in art and literature.

How 50 Years of Hip Hop Have Shaped the English Language: A Conversation with Rachel Weissler

Over the past 50 years, hip hop has grown from a popular music genre to a cultural revolution that spans the globe, affecting everything from fashion to language. Linguistics Professor Rachel Weissler explores the profound influence of hip hop on the English language.

‘The Sisterhood’ Celebrates Black Feminist Writing

In 2004, Courtney Thorsson, an English associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, first learned about a photo of a group of Black women that would take her nearly 20 years to investigate. Gathered in a prewar New York apartment, the black-and-white photo included writers Toni Morrison, June Jordan and Alice Walker. Thorsson’s new book, The Sisterhood: How a Network of Black Women Writers Changed American Culture, brings together documents, close readings and interviews to show readers the transformational activities that occurred at those gatherings. 

'Red Leviathan' Explores the History of Soviet Whaling

While conducting research on the Russian fur trade, Department of History Professor Ryan Tucker Jones kept encountering whales, both in literature and in real life. Upon learning that the Soviet Union had conducted a massive illegal whaling campaign in the 20th century, he knew he had something important to write about. His resulting book, Red Leviathan: The Secret History of Soviet Whaling, was shortlisted in June for the prestigious Pushkin House Book Prize and won the John Lyman Book Award from the North American Society for Oceanic History in 2022.

Finding Home Again

It’s one thing to rebuild homes after a wildfire. Rebuilding communities is a different matter, discovered sociology graduate student Haisu Huang.

Uncovering Hidden Figures

History students are working to reveal hidden histories in Lane County, starting with stories of Jewish residents and Mexican, Mexican American migrants.

Plumbing the Ocean's Depths

What began as a humble outpost on the coast has evolved into a thriving research hub. A century after its inception, the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology continues to innovate and grow.

Reweaving Cultural Threads

Indigenous communities around the globe are reawakening endangered languages that have been dormant for decades. Linguistics scholars at UO are leading the charge to help these communities revive cultures unraveled by oppression.

Putting History into Action

From debating the removal of public monuments to writing amicus briefs for the US Supreme Court, historians in the College of Arts and Sciences are putting their expertise to work by helping communities engage with history.

CAS Earth Scientists Prepare for the Big One

What will happen if a massive earthquake reduces the Pacific Northwest to rubble? The nation’s first subduction zone earthquake hazards center, CRESCENT, brings together researchers and policymakers to help build resilience against the inevitable temblor—and increase diversity in the Earth sciences.

Giving Peace a Chance

The UO is one of the top 25 higher ed institutions in the US for producing Peace Corps volunteers. For these two CAS students, the Peace Corps is about joining a global community and using their liberal arts degree in a meaningful, life-changing way.

Up, Up and Away

Are flying robots taking over? Not in this geography class, where students learn how to control the drones that will help map our future.

Meeting Students Where They Are

What’s the best way to leverage your degree into a successful career path? Find out how CAS advisors help students flourish both in college and beyond.

Blowing Minds

Have you ever held a human brain in your hand? Or watched in fascination as zebrafish neurons make connections in real time? Or helped develop a potential brain implant? These are just a few of our students' mind-blowing highlights from the growing Neuroscience Program.

Hacking the Job Market

Millions of cyberattacks each year put our sensitive information at risk. A new hands-on major prepares students to become front-line defenders of consumer privacy within the dynamic and growing cybersecurity field.

Environmentalism or Ecofascism?

Students explore how environmentalist ideas can be weaponized in pursuit of a fascist political agenda.

New Global Perspectives

Six new faculty members  bring their unique perspectives and expertise to the School of Global Studies and Languages.

Committed to the Classroom

Teachers usually frown on disruptions during class. But when a group of deans and colleagues barged into these three classrooms, they gave the instructors something to smile about: a Tykeson Teaching Award to honor their excellence.

Rethinking Russian Studies

As Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine, UO faculty are joining a global effort to decolonize Russian and Slavic studies. By shining a spotlight on Ukraine and other former colonies, they're celebrating the resilience of the human spirit. 

An Education Without Borders

The School of Global Studies and Languages is preparing today’s students to go out and serve the world tomorrow.

Taking Liberal Arts to the Next Level

Are liberal arts degrees becoming obsolete? Far from it, say CAS faculty who are evolving liberal arts education to prepare students for jobs that don’t exist yet.

Creating a Future Forward CAS

How will CAS tackle the major challenges higher education faces? Dean Chris Poulsen has a strategic plan to establish the college as a leader and innovator.

Meeting Students Where They Are

What’s the best way to leverage your degree into a successful career path? Find out how CAS advisors help students flourish both in college and beyond.

Exploring Identity in CAS

Students who come to CAS seeking a degree often find something even greater: themselves. Discover how an identity-focused major or minor can lead to a fulfilling career.

Interrogating AI

Artificial intelligence can detect art forgeries and take scientific research in new directions. But its impact on the classroom raises as many questions as answers. Can AI help students learn what they need to succeed in a rapidly changing workplace—and at what cost?

Making Sense of Climate Change

Today’s students have been handed the bleakest future of any generation since World War II. Here’s how they’re dealing with it.

Mentorship at the Core of Research Training Program

PREP Bio offers transformative experiences for aspiring graduate researchers
from minoritized backgrounds.

Get Your Winter Binge On

Need something to watch? Check out our list of movies and TV shows featuring CAS faculty and alumni.

The Power of Pre: One Scholar’s Explanation

While running cross country in high school, Daniel Wojcik had the opportunity to run with UO track legend Steve Prefontaine. Now an English and folklore studies professor, he explores the enduring lore and traditions surrounding the record-breaking athlete who helped establish Eugene as Track Town USA.

How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

Want to make New Year’s resolutions you’ll actually keep this year? Psychology doctoral student Deanna Strayer offers research-backed tips for successful goal setting to help you stick to your resolutions throughout the coming year.

Free Your Mind—and Peace Will Follow

Mindfulness is a theme of one of the most popular elective courses at the UO, taught by David McCormick, director of the Institute of Neuroscience. Discover how a mindfulness routine can help you—and how you can get started.

Economics for a Healthier Planet

Econ PhD graduate Emmett Reynier uses economics research to inspire environmental policy changes

Building Hazard Resistance

Installing wildfire cameras and seismic sensors for OHAZ became a full-time gig for Earth sciences alum Sydney Whiting.

Capturing Brain Waves

How does a brain with Parkinson’s disease compare to a healthy brain? Ask undergraduate researcher Cinthia Muñiz Sanchez.

A Brain on Music

Acclaimed cognitive psychologist and UO alum Daniel Levitin gets people excited about the neuroscience of music.

Dumpster Diving in Ancient Rome

An ancient Roman’s trash is treasure to Associate Professor Kevin Dicus, who has spent the past 20 years digging in the ashes of Pompeii.

A Road Less Traveled

After decades in the professional world, this sociology major has finally found his path—and he’s helping other students find theirs.

Breaking the Rules of Reality

Bestselling author Karen Thompson Walker has found success as a writer—and as a creative writing associate professor—by asking 'what if?'

Unlocking Memory

Brice Kuhl’s use of fMRI technology to investigate how the brain encodes and decodes memories has earned him the newest endowed professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Growing Global Connections

Kaley McCarty’s experiences as an environmental studies major catapulted her into a job in higher ed. Now she’s paying it forward by taking groups of students to the world’s biggest climate change conference.

Engineering the Future

Could engineered bacteria be the answer to antibiotic resistance? Undergrad researcher Favour Foday is working on it.

Learning from Aliens

Professor Phil Scher uses science fiction and alien cultures to teach anthropology—and to challenge assumptions about humanity.

Meet Your New Latinx Studies Professors

Want to explore Latinx studies from a variety of perspectives? These nine new faculty members are bringing their valuable their expertise in Latinx studies-related issues to CAS.

Democracy at the Ground Level

Take a peek behind the scenes at the Democratic National Convention with Chandler James, assistant professor of political science, who attended the convention as one of Oregon's delegates.

A Student's Life in the Fast Lane

Heptathlete and Rhodes Scholarship finalist Colleen Uzoekwe is committed to excellence both on and off the track. Watch a video about how she balances athletics with scientific research.

Stepping into the Future

Where can a liberal arts degree take you? These College of Arts and Sciences seniors are charting their own course as they pursue careers in the specialty coffee industry, particle physics and public service.

Battling to Learn

Robotics champion and international women's education advocate Saghar Salehi escaped certain death in Afghanistan to pursue her dream of becoming a software engineer in the US. Now the 19-year-old continues to fight for Afghan women’s rights as a computer science major at UO.

Fighting Feminine Genocide

With gender-based violence against women spreading across Mexico, philosophy Professor Cintia Martínez Velasco recently urged Mexican consulates around the world to recognize feminine genocide as a federal crime.

From Eugene to the Santa Fe Opera

Taking a class in theater production opened up a new world for Grigorii Malakhov, an international student from Poland. He started out sewing costumes for University Theatre and ended up as an apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera.

Elevating Women Scholars Around the World

Fulbright Scholar Alisa Freedman is chronicling the rise of women’s scholarship in Vietnam while helping women professors find their footing in the academic publishing world. During a five-month trip, she’ll record and share the women’s personal stories.

Finding Strength in Community

As an Indigenous person growing up in predominantly white schools, Tiera Garrety often felt isolated. Now a leader within the UO Native community, the NAIS senior is working to improve the academic lives of future generations.

Turning Pain into Power: Meet Ernesto Javier Martínez

Growing up in a violent neighborhood, Ernesto Javier Martínez experienced the bullying that often robs queer Latinx youth of the ability to make sense of their lives. The award-winning author and filmmaker now uses storytelling to transform his own pain into healing for the students and communities he serves.

Liberal Arts Without Borders

These College of Arts and Sciences students took their education to new frontiers, from podcasting about marine plankton, to sipping iced espresso in a small Italian town, to discussing literature with authors in Berlin.