In the College of Arts and Sciences, research takes many forms, whether it’s published in a book, acted out on stage, shared in a community forum, or announced in a peer-reviewed article. Our faculty drives the high-impact research and creative activity that’s earned the UO membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). In their roles as both inspired teachers and dedicated researchers, our world-class faculty members are committed to leading discovery, expanding students’ intellectual horizons, and producing diverse thought and knowledge that makes the world a better place.
Available Grants
The College of Arts and Sciences offers funding to support faculty members, including assistance for event programming, travel, and book purchases.
The Science of Running
The University of Oregon calls TrackTown, USA, home. When you're in "Track Capital of the World," you'll find elite and recreational runners on the same path. And researchers in the College of Arts and Sciences are working to find ways to maximize athletic performance for athletes and runners of all abilities.
Located in CAS, the human physiology researchers in the Oregon Performance Research Laboratory are working to to drive significant advancements in human performance and redefine the human capacity by taking the guesswork out of training in place of a more data-driven approach.
Leaders in Ongoing Research
How will climate change affect Oregon? Keaton Miller, an associate professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences, led a group of economists to develop a report to estimate how climate change could hit Oregonians over time.
The group of economists, under the moniker of FORCE (Forum on Oregon Climate Economics), worked to communicate how climate change-related issues like wildfire and flooding could cost households, jobs and communities. For Miller, this work is an opportunity for him to apply his expertise with the aim of making a social impact in understanding climate change.
Working on the report was an opportunity for Miller to apply his economics expertise to an uncertain future. It might not appear in an academic journal, but it could have an impact on the state’s ability to make sense of what lies ahead.
"There’s a lot of doomerism in climate change,” Miller says. “I have a practical attitude toward these things, and I try to focus on the big picture of what’s coming. I don’t think we’re talking about the end of our species. We’re talking about major changes that we’ll have to learn to live with.”
For more than a century, dark matter has confounded scientists. Visible matter — from the tiniest particles of dust to stars — only makes up a small sliver of the universe. About 85% of the universe is made up of dark matter. But scientists are still exploring what dark matter is.
College of Arts and Sciences physicist Tien-Tien Yu has been collaborating with a group of theoretical and experimental physicists to bring light to the dark. Called SENSEI, the experiment adopts a novel approach in dark matter. It uses highly sensitive detectors similar to those found in digital cameras to look for dark matter candidates and interactions.
“One reason why I find dark matter so exciting is because if you didn't have dark matter, you wouldn't be able to form stars or galaxy clusters — where stars are born — and since we come from stardust, dark matter is fundamental to our existence,” Yu said. “So if you want to think about big, existential questions — like why are we here? What are we doing here? What is our role in the universe? — dark matter plays a really important part.”
Exceptional Sponsored Research
Tenure-related faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences actively engage in research and scholarship and are leaders in their fields. Across the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, the research activity—and reputation—of the CAS faculty are the basis of the UO’s status as a Carnegie Research I institution and a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).
Each year, we handpick research projects from across our three divisions to be featured in story form. Explore our latest research highlights, and browse the full list of sponsored research for the year.
The faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences includes:
Help ensure that teaching, research, advising, mentoring, and support services are robust and fully available to every student.
Affiliated Research Centers, Institutes, and Special Facilities
Many of our faculty collaborate across disciplines in the two dozen research institutes and centers affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. Within our network of centers, institutes, and research facilities, faculty, students, and supporting staff expand the boundaries of inquiry and develop innovative solutions to global challenges.
Hear From Faculty Experts Across CAS
Mark Carey, Department of Geography
Climate Change, Natural Disasters, Glaciers, Environmental History, Water Management
Lauren Ponisio, Department of Biology
Ecology, Conservation, Pollinators, Data Science, Food Studies, Bees
Diana Garvin, Department of Romance Languages
Fascism, Neo-Fascism, Food and Politics, Gender and Sexuality Under Far-Right Regimes, Reproductive Health Care, Abortion Rights, Italian Politics
Research Opportunities
What sets CAS apart from other higher education experiences is that we believe research is something students can actively connect with during their first years of college. It's how our students can find their passion and prepare them for careers and advanced education opportunities.
Many graduate employees in CAS are work as teachers or administrative capacities. Of course, research activity in the form of personal scholarship is integral to all our master’s and doctoral programs.
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