CAS Connection - May 2025 Issue

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A park with tents set up for health screenings

Health without Home

CAS students are conducting interdisciplinary research with a social impact, all while finding their career and academic trajectory.

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
 

Students partner with industry in computer science capstone class

Experiential Learning

Yes, video games can get you a job

In a new computer science capstone course, students contributed to a video game and helped Intel figure out how to limit its carbon emissions.

By Evan Ney

a group of receipients of the CAS awards

Teaching Excellence

Hats off to CAS award winners

From teachers so beloved they’ve built a cult-like following to innovative researchers who are raking in patents, meet the recipients of the 2025 CAS Awards.

By Henry Houston

The political divide began to affect people's opinions of the medical profession, and their own doctors, around 2020 as the pandemic was spreading.

Research & Innovation

Political beliefs affect patient trust

New research by CAS political science assistant professor Neil O'Brian suggests that political beliefs affect patients’ trust in doctors.

By Sheri Buri McDonald

Thoreau sign

CAS Spotlights

How AI Helps You Read Literature

This UO philosophy PhD alum co-founded an AI-driven website that allows you to read classic books alongside literary experts, including Walden by Henry David Thoreau.

By Grace Connolly

photo upload from the 1970s of a baby and his grandfather on a couch

CAS Spotlights

Rediscovering Indigenous storytelling

Associate Professor Kirby Brown explores Indigenous storytelling to narrate family and cultural histories — and emphasize storytelling as a collective process.

By Kendall Baldwin

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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