CAS Connection - June 2025 Issue

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Jordan Schnitzer posing with the Oregon Duck mascot

Expanding Our Global Reach

Philanthropist and alum Jordan Schnitzer shares his thoughts on living in an ever-globalizing world—and his hopes for the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages.

By Jenny Brooks and 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
 

3 people from graduating class of 2025

CAS Spotlights

Ready to Take on the World

Equipped with a liberal arts degree, these graduating seniors are prepared to forge their own path.

By Grace Connolly

Group of students posing together standing in a street

Community Impact

Turning College Inside Out

A class inside Oregon’s prisons helps students find meaning—and, for some, transformation.

By Henry Houston

Ocean floor with a sediment probe floating above it

Research & Innovation

Exploring Volcanic Fallout

A student’s discovery of ash from an underwater volcano will shape scientific research for years to come.

By Leo Brown

Comic book cover with the Joker character

CAS Spotlights

Villainy Is No Laughing Matter

Professor explores why the Joker is a beloved character despite—or because of—the mayhem he sows.

By Jenny Brooks

Illustration of an old theater

Research & Innovation

The Show Must Go On

A groundbreaking digital humanities project brings theater history to the public, despite federal funding cuts.

By Jenny Brooks

Evan Vickers

CAS Spotlights

A Window to the Brain

A postdoctoral neuroscientist is expanding our ability to study how the brain responds to different types of stimulation.

By Nicole Krueger

A classroom fille dwith students and a projector screen at front

Career Preparation

Peeking Behind the Curtain

Visiting filmmaker series helps cinema studies majors connect with mentors in the movie industry—and learn how films really get made.

By Jenny Brooks

Laborers from Mexico work on a farm in Salinas Valley, California, as part of a temporary labor initiative between the United States and Mexico.

Research & Innovation

Life as a Migrant Worker

A historian’s research on temporary migrant work policies is one of many projects around the country to lose NEH funding.

By Henry Houston

Message from the Dean

You’re Making an Impact

Thinking critically, speaking out and engaging with the world is more critical now than ever. As CAS graduates prepare to step into their new role as global citizens, Dean Chris Poulsen offers advice on the power of giving back.

CAS News

three people dressed in Shakespearean costumes
Shakespeare’s beloved comedy opens winter season at University Theatre
THEATRE ARTS — Love, mischief and mistaken intentions take center stage this winter as University Theatre presents “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare. Directed by Jerry Ferraccio, the production marks the grand reopening of Robinson Theatre and runs Feb. 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and March 1.
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.

All news »

From the Media

a photo scan of two children playing, one in a wheelchair and the other pushing him
My twin brother was disabled, but I don't consider myself a 'glass child'
March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and Developmental Disability Awareness Month. For WBUR in Boston, Massachusetts, College of Arts and Sciences Disability Studies Program Director Brian Trapp wrote an essay about his experiences with his twin brother, who had severe cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities.
a person holding a sign at a protest
Political implications of 'No Kings'
What are the political implications of "No Kings" rallies? Portland-area TV news outlet KGW interviewed College of Arts and Sciences political scientist Chandler James. According to James, politicians on the 2026 midterm ballot are paying attention to what's happening at the rallies held across the country.
an illustration of a food plate and meat
The dogma of meat
From Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s food pyramid to online influencers, beef has become more than just a source of protein. The New York Times included insight about the history of meat in the US from Hannah Cutting-Jones, a global studies assistant professor at the College of Arts and Sciences Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages.

All media news »

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