CAS News

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Outstanding Research Awards, which highlight notable research activities taking place at the University of Oregon.

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES — As higher education faces pressure to improve affordability, shorten time to graduation and increase student retention, the College of Arts and Sciences is revising its core education offerings. Because CAS is responsible for more than 85% of core ed at the University of Oregon, it has an opportunity to drive meaningful change for students.

MARINE BIOLOGY — After an immersive education experience on the coast, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) alum Annie Pollard BS ’03 (biology), MS ’05 (marine biology) changed her career plans from becoming a veterinarian to becoming a marine biologist. Her passion was coastal bird nesting habits. Her new passion is brewing beer, still on the Oregon Coast.

SCHNITZER SCHOOL — Around the world, scholars are confronting how authoritarian power reshapes higher education. The “Global Futures of Higher Education: Autonomy in the Crosshairs” conference brought together 32 speakers to examine this challenge.

ARCHAEOLOGY, BIOLOGY, CINEMA STUDIES — Alison Carter, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology Laurel Pfeifer-Meister, associate teaching professor in the Department of Biology and Colin Williamson, assistant professor in the Department of Cinema Studies are this year’s College of Arts and Sciences Tykeson Teaching Award recipients.

EALL, HISTORY — A century after its first surge in popularity in the United States, the game Mahjong is once again having a cultural moment. At the University of Oregon, faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are using this renewed interest as an opportunity to help students explore history, culture and identity through hands-on experience.

MATHEMATICS - The Department of Mathematics hosts Victor Reiner for its 2026 Moursund Lectures. Reiner is a Distinguished McKnight Professor in Mathematics at the University of Minnesota. The series of three lectures is 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, at 128 Chiles Hall, 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, at 125 McKenzie Hall and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursday, June 4 at 245 Straub Hall.

THEATRE ARTS — The College of Arts and Sciences Department of Theatre Arts is expanding opportunities for students to gain hands-on experiences and learn about different career paths. The most recent example is the student-run production of “Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons” recently staged in the Pocket Playhouse and supported by a new student-director pilot program.

BIOCHEMISTRY, CHEMISTRY — Romila Mascarenhas, assistant professor of biochemistry, is starting a lab that investigates how gut bacteria recognize, transport and use vitamin B12, a molecule that plays a huge role in shaping microbial communities in the human gut. She anticipates her research will lead to collaboration with fellow CAS researchers across disciplines and attract a new generation of STEM students.

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES — When the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation recently hosted a Week of Research and Innovation, Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship in the College of Arts and Sciences Jennifer Pfeifer organized a panel session as part of the week’s events to showcase the breadth of the societal impact CAS researchers have.

SCHNITZER SCHOOL — Over 675 Oregon high school students — from Pendleton to Medford — attended the 2026 Foreign Language & International Studies (FLIS) Day at the University of Oregon on May 1. It’s a celebration and exploration of language and culture featuring more than 65 language and culture-related presentations, workshops and hands-on activities.

ECONOMICS - CAS economist Laura Bakkensen published research about the damages flooding could have on the US housing market. "The housing market is a massive market in the US," said Bakkensen. "It's worth trillions of dollars. That value means we need to think about some of these natural disaster risks and how they're affecting some of our financial systems."

ANTHROPOLOGY - University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences researcher Lynn Stephen was elected in April to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, with 250 other leaders in academia, industry, the arts and more. Stephen is an anthropologist whose research on immigration and asylum, gender-based violence, race, and Indigenous communities in Mexico, Guatemala and the diaspora in California and the Northwest.

NEUROSCIENCE, PHYSICS - PhD candidate Saumya Keremane's research, conducted in the labs of Richard Taylor, a professor and head of the Department of Physics, and Dr. Bala Ambati, an ophthalmologist and research professor in the Department of Bioengineering, focuses on understanding and preventing neuron degradation to treat inherited blindness.

MATHEMATICS - Tyler Jarvis, Brigham Young University professor, will be visiting the UO Math Department on May 13 and 14 and giving two talks as part of the Niven Lectures.