CAS Connection - March

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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

a person sitting in a chair with a laptop
Large national study finds minimal link between smartphone use and well-being in adults
PSYCHOLOGY - A new study led by researchers at the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences in collaboration with Google Research found little evidence linking smartphone use with mental well-being in adults. Researchers analyzed more than 250,000 days of smartphone usage from more than 10,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and up.
a person sitting at a desk
How particle physics is helping unravel the mysteries of our universe
PHYSICS - Far from home, Eric Torrence, a physics professor at the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences, will spend the next year and a half being the ATLAS Run Coordinator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). After being elected to the position fall 2024, Torrence ensures the largest particle accelerator in the world continuously produces usable data from May 2025 to July 2026.
an illustration that says This is Oregon Podcast
Biologist shares ideas for making hazelnuts more climate resistant
BIOLOGY - Lauren Hallett, biology associate professor at the College of Arts and Sciences discusses her ongoing work to enhance the climate resiliency of Oregon’s hazelnut farms, which account for 99% of the country's hazelnut production. With the support of a $2 million federal award, Hallett and her lab have designed an agricultural practice using native cover crops and basalt dust amendments to set a new standard for sustainable hazelnut farming.

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From the Media

zebras in a field
The scientists making the case for nature’s rights
A growing number of scientists are backing laws recognizing that nature has inherent rights and intrinsic value. That includes political science professor Craig Kauffman. Kauffman founded the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor in 2022 to track rights of nature developments. Analyzing more than 450 examples worldwide, he tells Inside Climate News that he found a major commonality: They all treat nature, whether a river, forest or individual species, as part of a larger web of life.
stock photo of a person's back of their head staring at a wall
6 signs your memory isn’t normal
In a Buzzfeed article, College of Arts and Sciences professor Ulrich Mayr offers insight into some of the “red flags” of memory loss in old age. “One really telltale sign might be getting lost in your hometown, just not finding your way,” said Mayr, a professor of neuroscience.
a woman presenting at a conference
The one thing that defines WNBA players
As WNBA players negotiate their labor contract, the commissioner of the women’s basketball league is under scrutiny. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation spoke with Courtney M. Cox, an associate professor in the Department of Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies, about the negotiations. “Officiating is connected to labor, to shared governance of this league and speaks to what is important for multiple unions,” she said. “The frustration is not isolated but rather compounded by a sense of stagnation on several key issues.”

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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