Before starting her Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in fall 2026, alumna Hannah Dempsey spent four weeks participating in a rigorous mathematics residency program.
AI entrepreneur Scott Clark (‘08) makes the case for putting AI in research’s “mechanical middle,” with scientists at the frontier of discovery. On Monday, Oct. 5, Clark will return to the College of Science to share how that partnership could work.
The second day of Oregon State's AI Showcase highlighted new approaches to scientific discovery, with faculty demonstrating how machine learning is reshaping research across the College of Science.
Warren Johnson is a husband, father and a transfer student from Linn-Benton Community College, already working on his accelerated master’s degree. He is also a top scorer in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, one of the most difficult undergraduate math exams in North America.
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.
For Dale Comstock, mathematics opened doors far beyond the classroom, leading to research collaborations, government service and teaching opportunities across the world. Now, he is helping encourage future Oregon State researchers through a new endowed dissertation award for doctoral students in mathematics.
The Department of Mathematics invites you to the 41st Lonseth Lecture on Thursday, May 28, with guest lecturer Laura P. Schaposnik. In her lecture, titled "Geometry of Hidden & Broken Symmetries," Schaposnik will break symmetry on purpose to see what drives reality.
Erica Baird (’05, M.A. mathematics ’09, Ph.D. mathematics and statistics ’13) didn’t set out to become an actuary. In fact, when she first heard about the career as an undergraduate mathematics student at Oregon State University, she was skeptical.
"Math circles are for kids who like math and for kids who want to like math, so it's possible that they just don't like the math they're doing in classes, and they'll enjoy this more,” said founder Nathan Gibson.
The Wei Family Private Foundation supports Oregon State students working on complex problems across disciplines – from tracking PFAS in urban environments and studying Alzheimer’s disease at the molecular level to modeling vaccine protection and developing new battery materials – advancing work that addresses global challenges in health, the environment and energy.
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.
