CAS Connection

Trump executive order will make Oregon elections ‘less safe,’ Secretary of State says

After President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that would reshape elections, the Oregon secretary of state is warning those policies would make Oregon elections “less safe.” Political scientist Chandler James—from CAS—said, “There are some things that will definitely be challenged in courts... The Constitution is pretty clear that U.S. elections should be run by the states and state law.

Are You in a Therapy Rut?

A therapy rut can feel disheartening, but it doesn’t have to end your pursuit of better mental health. The New York Times asked psychologists how to identify whether you’ve reached a sticking point and what to do about it. “It’s unfortunately not uncommon to occasionally have a therapy session that feels like a dud,” said Alayna Park, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences.

Politics in Perspective: Elon Musk, Trump's Gaza Proclamation

Chandler James, political science assistant professor, spoke with NBC 16's Zach Bruhl about the Trump administration, Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump's Gaza proclamation. NBC 16 is joined every Wednesday by Dr. James, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Oregon, to discuss political current events, from the US Capitol to the Oregon Capitol and local government.

So You Reached Your Goal. Now What?

The comedown after an accomplishment is normal. What to do next? CAS Psychology Professor and Natural Science Divisional Dean Elliot Berkman is quoted in the New York Times, saying it’s important to ask yourself what drove you to set a particular goal. If your ambitions are rooted in your values, there’s a greater chance you’ll stay motivated, he added.

Common Herbicide Linked to Low Birth Weights in Rural Areas

Newsweek featured work by CAS economics doctoral student Emmett Reynier. "We had heard some pretty broad claims about the effects of pesticides on health that seemed to be based more on correlations than on causal effects," Emmett Reynier—an author of the paper and a doctoral candidate at the University of Oregon, supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—said in a statement.

‘Good boy!’ Truffle-sniffing dogs are helping uncover hidden underground ecosystems

Research by Heather Dawson, a biology PhD student at the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences, and her sister Hilary Dawson, a postdoctoral researcher at Australian National University, found what are likely many undescribed species of Genea in different types of forests, hinting at the hidden diversity of overlooked truffles. Dawson was featured in Science Magazine.