CAS Connection - March 2025 Issue

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From Curiosity to Impact

Our faculty are investigating solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues, 
from AI to Alzheimer's to ice sheet loss in Greenland. Find out about the grant-funded research projects CAS researchers are working on.

 

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

Vera Keller

Research & Innovation

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.

By Codi Farmer

A student studying a manuscript with a magnifying glass

Research & Innovation

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.

By Henry Houston

A researcher applying gel to and electrode cap used in tests

CAS Spotlights

Capturing Brain Waves

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

By Bailey Meyers

Collage of new faculty members

Teaching Excellence

New Global Perspectives

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

By Henry Houston

Kids ducking under table for earthquake drill

Research & Innovation

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.

By Nicole Krueger

 

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.

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

an illustration of a person skiing downhill with pro union signs
The Outdoor Industry Needs Workers, And Workers Need Unions
The online media outlet The Defector spoke with Steven Beda, history associate professor, about organized labor in the outdoors tourism industry. “Workers organizing unions today face a much more challenging legal landscape,” Beda said.
a teenager sleeping on a bed beside a sunny window
Attention, Parents of Bedrotters: Sleeping in Is Actually Good for Teens’ Mental Health
Good Housekeeping reported on a new study by College of Arts and Sciences and SUNY Upstate Medical University researchers on why sleeping in helps teen mental health. The article features study co-author Melynda Casement, associate professor of psychology.
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.

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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