IMPACT

McKenna Crise graduated from Oregon State in winter term with a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and a minor in chemistry. She is now beginning her career at CCRM Fertility in Denver, where she hopes to make the world of genetics less intimidating and more approachable for patients and families.

Whether mentoring cohorts of students or studying cancer, Jessica Chavez Chairez has excelled on Team Science.

In the 2025-2026 academic year, graduate students in the College of Science received notable recognition through a variety of competitive fellowships, scholarships and professional development awards. These honors support students at critical stages of their graduate education, helping fund research, conference travel, tuition and other opportunities that contribute to academic and professional growth.

The College of Science and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Oregon State University have received a $450K award from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to establish the Partners in Science program on the Corvallis campus.

From inspiring graduate and undergraduate classrooms to transformative academic advising, this year’s awardees exemplify the very best of the College of Science. Their passion, rigor and commitment to student success continue to shape an inclusive, high-impact learning community.

This year’s honorees are advancing inclusive excellence, strengthening research infrastructure and shaping policy and programs that impact thousands of students and faculty. Their leadership and sustained service are transforming systems across the college, from the classroom to statewide collaboration.

Hannah Stuwe, a Ph.D. candidate in biochemistry and biophysics, will explore that question in the 2026 Inclusive Excellence Lecture, which will feature live music by local artists.

This award is one of the state’s highest honors and recognizes scientific achievement, leadership, mentorship and contributions that advance science in Oregon and beyond. The recognition comes as Barbar is also leading a new $1.3 million NIH-funded training program to prepare the next generation of molecular biophysicists.

Giulia Wood has been named one of 43 Marshall Scholars in 2026, a prestigious scholarship offered by the United Kingdom to a select group of Americans to study at graduate level in a UK institution of their choice for up to three years.

See how OSU's Honors College gives science majors added access to research, mentorship and a tight-knit academic community.

Meet the six 2025 Alumni Award recipients who made important discoveries, dedicated their time to others and improved the world through science.

After decades of researching membrane protein folding as a physician scientist, Dr. William (Bill) Skach joined an industry-leading foundation to help hundreds of labs and companies worldwide develop treatments for rare mutations of cystic fibrosis.