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CAS Spotlights

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.