CAS Connection - Feb 2025 Issue

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An Education Without Borders

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

By Henry Houston

Experiential Learning  |  Research & Innovation  |  Community Impact  |  Career Preparation  |  Teaching Excellence  |  21st Century Liberal Arts  |  Building Community  |  Good Vibes  |  CAS Spotlights  |  All Stories  |  Past Issues
 

A man being helped out of an ambulance by two paramedics

Experiential Learning

Students in Cahoots
with CAHOOTS

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

By Nicole Krueger 

Professor Kevin Dicus excavating an ancient site

CAS Spotlights

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.

By Jenny Brooks

Daniel Levitin teaching conducting a lecture

CAS Spotlights

A Brain
on Music

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

By Leo Brown

Brian Hubbell

CAS Spotlights

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.

By Grace Olson and Grace Connolly  

Group of students participating in a hackathon

Experiential Learning

Sprinting Toward Innovation

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

By Evan Ney

CAS Spotlights

Karen Thompson Walker

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?'

By Kendall Baldwin 

 

Humanities Take Center Stage

All the world’s a stage for CAS students, whether they’re on the screen, in the classroom, in the lab or beyond. Hear from Dean Chris Poulsen about how humanities programs like theatre arts and cinema studies build valuable skills—and how storytelling fosters an understanding of what it means to be human. And if you’re in the Eugene area, make sure you buy your tickets for the University Theatre production of POTUS, which runs Feb. 7-23. 

 

CAS News

an illustration of a black hole
CAS physicist finds a black hole spewing more energy than Death Star
PHYSICS - A supermassive black hole with a case of cosmic indigestion has been burping out the remains of a shredded star for four years — and it’s still going strong, new research led by University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences astrophysicist Yvette Cendes. Cendes and her team published findings about this one-of-kind black hole in the Feb. 5 issue of Astrophysical Journal Astrophysicists.
a person sits on a couch in front of a red wall
A researcher takes on one of the unsolved mysteries of the universe
PHYSICS - Fascinated by the unexplored corners of the universe since childhood, physicist Tien-Tien Yu has made dark matter the pillar of her research career. In her quest to understand, she’s co-founded a major experiment in collaboration with physicists at other institutions, all of whom are trying try to bring light to the dark.
people gathered laughing at a meeting
Alumni volunteers connect back to Oregon at the UO Board Summit
ANTHROPOLOGY, POLITICAL SCIENCE - College of Arts and Sciences alumni were among the 200 alumni who gathered for the 10th annual UO Board Summit. The alumni that attended included Natalie Poole, BA '80 (political science) who is a senior vice president at Wells Fargo Capital Finance and triple Duck David Lewis, PhD, '09 (anthropology) who serves as an assistant professor at Oregon State University.

All news »

From the Media

a mosque in Pakistan
‘Shrines influence daily life, shaping social ties’
Pakistan-based publication Business Recorder reported on a lecture conducted by Anita Weiss, professor emerita in global studies. According to Weiss, shrines in Pakistan are not just places of worship but also powerful centers that shape everyday life.
an illustration of a person skiing
Lindsey Vonn, the ski champion who will not quit
With the Winter Olympics underway, Financial Times spoke with College of Arts and Sciences human physiologist Mike Hahn explains the biomechanics required for alpine skiing and ACL-tear recovery process in elite athletes. And he talked about skiing star Lindsey Vonn overcoming an ACL tear: “We shouldn't be surprised any more by Lindsey.”
an illustration of a black hole burping out matter
Black hole continues to belch years after chewing up a star
Retuers reported on research observing the behavior of a supermassive black hole, quoting one of the study's co-authors, College of Arts and Sciences astrophysicist Yvette Cendes. "The exponential rise in the luminosity of this source is unprecedented. It's now about 50 times brighter than when it was first discovered, and is now incredibly bright for an object in radio waves. This has been going on for years now, and no sign of stopping. That is super unusual," Cendes told Reuters.

All media news »

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CAS Connection is produced by the CAS Communications Department and edited by Nicole Krueger.

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