IMPACT

Madagascar provides a unique window into extinct ecosystems and the roles humans play in biodiversity loss, said study co-leader Sean Hixon, a postdoctoral researcher in associate professor Rebecca Terry’s integrative biology lab.

At the university’s 2026 University Day celebration, faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars were recognized for exceptional teaching, mentorship, research and service.

The predators in the study were inanimate but lifelike facsimiles placed on platforms a few meters from the nests of blackbirds, known to be aggressive nest defenders.

The study of American robins led by Jamie Cornelius is one of the few to examine how wildfire smoke, an increasingly common phenomenon as annual fire seasons become longer and more intense, affects animal behavior.

The StoryCorps recordings highlight how Oregon State researchers built a statewide partnership that helped communities track COVID-19 and make informed public health decisions through innovative data and wastewater surveillance.

The first day of Oregon State's AI Showcase featured researchers using artificial intelligence to investigate everything from protein behavior and animal decision-making to ecosystem change and drug discovery.

The biology senior will spend nine months in Chile investigating how ocean currents shape krill distribution and support the predators that depend on them across the Southern Ocean.

Maria Ruiz Cortes thought she wanted to be a dermatologist. But after she landed a two-week shadow experience offered by the MedStaircase program, everything changed when she stepped foot in the operating room.

Sophia Jones went to New Zealand and came back with a favorite parrot, a love for solo travel and a completely different vision for her future.

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.

Kasey Ingram, a third-year marine biology student, was named a Udall Scholar in the tribal policy category for her work in ocean conservation. As a member of the Navajo tribe, Ingram is building a future career that connects her work to the people and cultures that have taught her what it means to be a steward of the land.

Stevan J. Arnold, emeritus professor of integrative biology at Oregon State University, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors in science.