The world’s most urgent challenges are no longer held back by a shortage of data. They’re limited by our capacity to understand the mountains of information we generate every day. From climate modeling and environmental policy to biomedical research and artificial intelligence, data now underpins nearly every scientific and societal challenge. Preparing students for today’s careers, no matter the field, now requires fluency in data. It requires graduates who can move confidently between disciplines, translate complex analysis into clear decisions and understand the ethical responsibility that comes with influence.
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.
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 research honorees are advancing knowledge at the frontiers of statistics, microbiome science and astrophysics, with discoveries that shape public health, global policy and our understanding of the universe. Their scholarship reflects both international impact and a deep commitment to mentoring, collaboration and research excellence at Oregon State.
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.
From coastal field stations to a pharmaceutical oncology lab, Isabel Planken followed their curiosity across disciplines and continents. Each experience expanded their confidence and sense of possibility.
After being mentored by an orthopedic surgeon and witnessing her first joint reconstruction in the operating room, Kennedy Duff's preceptorship at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center left a life-changing impression.
Less than two years after OSU scientists led the publication of a landmark marine protected area guide in Science, the United Nations in June 2023 adopted the text of the treaty.
A research team including members of the College of Science has discovered a previously unknown chemical mechanism that may explain why harmful algal blooms are so persistent in nutrient-polluted lakes and reservoirs.
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.
In the inaugural Val Nereo Lecture, presented by the Dept. of Statistics, UCSB professor Annie Qu discusses the challenges associated with multi-modal datasets, proposing a a novel Representation Retrieval (R2) framework.
On Thursday, January 15, the lecture, “A chemist’s journey: Unlocking new battery chemistries for a sustainable future,” will showcase his pioneering work developing safer, lower-cost, high-energy batteries by uncovering new chemistry principles. He will also share how he went from a small town in northeast China to Canada and then leading breakthroughs on a global scale.
