From microscopic creatures to planets orbiting distant stars, undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences focused their lenses on some of the world’s unanswered questions, both large and small, during the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium.

INDIGENOUS, RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES, PHILOSOPHY - Sensors collect data on all sorts of information, including gait consistency, body temperature, heart rate, and more. But where is the ethical line between using sensor data to help an athlete improve their performance—and even avoid injury—and that same data being used to sideline them or used as surveillance of behavior?

GLOBAL STUDIES, SOCIOLOGY - Nearly 15 years ago, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, leading to a tsunami and nuclear meltdown at Fukushima. The aftermath of this triple disaster led to massive protests in Japan, calling for a transition from nuclear energy to more renewable projects. That shift never happened due to the influence of the nuclear industry on the government, according to two researchers in CAS.

From pushing sports performance to the physiological benefits of ice plunge baths, College of Arts and Sciences researchers are working to transform athletes into champions. Learn more about the impact that our researchers make in recreational and sports performance.

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY - Heat will only become a bigger issue for summer sports, such as track and field. Outside Magazine's Alex Hutchinson tries out the heat adaptation protocol created by Chris Minson and John Halliwill, both of whom run the Exercise & Environmental Physiology Lab at the Bowerman Sports Science Center.

Staff and faculty members came together for the inaugural College of Arts and Sciences Awards and Hallmark Achievement Reception, which celebrated some of the achievements of faculty and staff. In addition to celebrating some of the college’s faculty members who have received accolades outside of the university, the ceremony featured the college’s first-ever awards that recognize the work of faculty and staff.

Over two days, the College of Arts and Sciences celebrated this year's graduates. Congratulations to the Class of 2024! All 2,365 undergraduates and 296 graduate students dealt with adversity, but all that hard work and perseverance has paid off.

PHYSICS - A team led by College of Arts and Sciences professor Richard Taylor has developed an artificial intelligence tool that can help authenticate Jackson Pollock’s paintings with 98.9% accuracy, giving art experts a new, science-backed method for detecting forgeries.

This June, we celebrate Pride Month and the diverse identities of alumni identifying as LGBTQ+. Three College of Arts and Sciences alumni — Whitney Donielson, English, '11; Kevin Thomas, biology, '85; and Morgan Thomas, creative writing, '16— are featured in the UO Alumni Association's Shout publication.

During the past six months, College of Arts and Sciences stakeholders have built a roadmap to guide the college over the next five years. Our new strategy was born from feedback and support from the college's community—including alumni, campus leaders, faculty, staff, and undergrad and graduate students. Read more how members of the CAS community had the chance to help shape the strategy during two CAS Community Conversations in April 2024.

PSYCHOLOGY - University of Oregon researchers are making it easier to include diverse and understudied populations in psychology research by designing a new approach to bring social interaction studies online, allowing scientists and participants to conduct studies remotely.

GLOBAL HEALTH, GLOBAL STUDIES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE, PHYSICS - 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.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, GEOGRAPHY - Damp weather in the winter and spring doesn’t necessarily protect against wildfires later in the year, according to University of Oregon researchers. Instead, increased moisture can act to increase the threat of fire as summer heat bakes the landscape.

ENGLISH, FOLKLORE AND PUBLIC CULTURE - While running cross country in high school, Daniel Wojcik had the opportunity to run with UO track legend Steve Prefontaine. Now an English and folklore studies professor, he explores the enduring lore and traditions surrounding the record-breaking athlete who helped establish Eugene as Track Town USA.

EARTH SCIENCES - Twelve back-to-back explosions at Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano back in 2018 may be proof of a different kind of eruption. The explosions were driven by sudden pressure increases as the ground collapsed, which blasted plumes of rock fragments and hot gas into the air, much like a classic stomp-rocket toy, according to researchers at the University of Oregon collaborated with the US Geological Survey and China’s Sichuan University. The findings were published in Nature Geoscience on May 27.