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CAS Spotlights
Physicist earns innovation award
The award recognizes Kayla Nguyen’s exceptional achievement by a woman physicist early in her career.
Professor’s film expands the landscape of Indigenous filmmaking
Cinema studies professor Masami Kawai is set to begin production on her first feature film, “Valley of the Tall Grass,” in Eugene in summer 2026. It is both a personal journey and a community-centered story.
Alum’s joy fuels her career
For political science alum Sara Koski, breaking from the expected path after graduation helped her discover what she really wanted to do: help people feel seen and heard, and to make real change in the unhoused community.
Professor links the world’s data
Yu Wang’s research moves us toward a world where accurate information for every problem is easily found.
Computer science alum weaves together ambition and generosity to kickstart his career
When Fedi Aniefuna arrived at the UO, he still hadn’t decided whether he wanted to major in political science and go to law school, or study computer science and head straight into the workforce. Five years later, he’s beginning his second year as an engineer with Amazon Web Services after choosing math and computer science.
How race shapes everyday life
A new book by Professor Jessica Vasquez-Tokos uncovers how race influences personal experiences.
CAS Alum Merges Interests for a Career with Impact
The path from the University of Oregon to Airlink has been unconventional, but it brings together lifelong passions for writing, activism, and service.
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.
Ready to Take on the World
Equipped with a liberal arts degree, these graduating seniors are prepared to forge their own path.
Villainy Is No Laughing Matter
Professor explores why the Joker is a beloved character despite—or because of—the mayhem he sows.
A Window to the Brain
A postdoctoral neuroscientist is expanding our ability to study how the brain responds to different types of stimulation.
Economics for a Healthier Planet
Econ PhD graduate Emmett Reynier uses economics research to inspire environmental policy changes
Building Hazard Resistance
Installing wildfire cameras and seismic sensors for OHAZ became a full-time gig for Earth sciences alum Sydney Whiting.
Capturing Brain Waves
How does a brain with Parkinson’s disease compare to a healthy brain? Ask undergraduate researcher Cinthia Muñiz Sanchez.
A Brain on Music
Acclaimed cognitive psychologist and UO alum Daniel Levitin gets people excited about the neuroscience of music.
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.
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.
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?'
Unlocking Memory
Brice Kuhl’s use of fMRI technology to investigate how the brain encodes and decodes memories has earned him the newest endowed professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Growing Global Connections
Kaley McCarty’s experiences as an environmental studies major catapulted her into a job in higher ed. Now she’s paying it forward by taking groups of students to the world’s biggest climate change conference.
Engineering the Future
Could engineered bacteria be the answer to antibiotic resistance? Undergrad researcher Favour Foday is working on it.
Learning from Aliens
Professor Phil Scher uses science fiction and alien cultures to teach anthropology—and to challenge assumptions about humanity.
Meet Your New Latinx Studies Professors
Want to explore Latinx studies from a variety of perspectives? These nine new faculty members are bringing their valuable their expertise in Latinx studies-related issues to CAS.
Democracy at the Ground Level
Take a peek behind the scenes at the Democratic National Convention with Chandler James, assistant professor of political science, who attended the convention as one of Oregon's delegates.
A Student's Life in the Fast Lane
Heptathlete and Rhodes Scholarship finalist Colleen Uzoekwe is committed to excellence both on and off the track. Watch a video about how she balances athletics with scientific research.
Stepping into the Future
Where can a liberal arts degree take you? These College of Arts and Sciences seniors are charting their own course as they pursue careers in the specialty coffee industry, particle physics and public service.
Battling to Learn
Robotics champion and international women's education advocate Saghar Salehi escaped certain death in Afghanistan to pursue her dream of becoming a software engineer in the US. Now the 19-year-old continues to fight for Afghan women’s rights as a computer science major at UO.
Fighting Feminine Genocide
With gender-based violence against women spreading across Mexico, philosophy Professor Cintia Martínez Velasco recently urged Mexican consulates around the world to recognize feminine genocide as a federal crime.
From Eugene to the Santa Fe Opera
Taking a class in theater production opened up a new world for Grigorii Malakhov, an international student from Poland. He started out sewing costumes for University Theatre and ended up as an apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera.
Elevating Women Scholars Around the World
Fulbright Scholar Alisa Freedman is chronicling the rise of women’s scholarship in Vietnam while helping women professors find their footing in the academic publishing world. During a five-month trip, she’ll record and share the women’s personal stories.
Finding Strength in Community
As an Indigenous person growing up in predominantly white schools, Tiera Garrety often felt isolated. Now a leader within the UO Native community, the NAIS senior is working to improve the academic lives of future generations.
Turning Pain into Power: Meet Ernesto Javier Martínez
Growing up in a violent neighborhood, Ernesto Javier Martínez experienced the bullying that often robs queer Latinx youth of the ability to make sense of their lives. The award-winning author and filmmaker now uses storytelling to transform his own pain into healing for the students and communities he serves.
Liberal Arts Without Borders
These College of Arts and Sciences students took their education to new frontiers, from podcasting about marine plankton, to sipping iced espresso in a small Italian town, to discussing literature with authors in Berlin.