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Students

Goldwater scholar modernizes shark research with digital art

Natalie Donato, a third-year honors biology student, is submerged in the thrilling world of sharks. On a typical day at Oregon State University, this nationally recognized Goldwater scholar can be found creating 3D models of shark heads in a research lab and recently designed Oregon’s new shark license plate.

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Chemistry

Shedding light on molecular mysteries: Physical chemist wins CAREER Award

Light is more than just illumination – it’s the energy that makes life possible. Physical chemist Tim Zuehlsdorff is using his coveted National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award to study what happens when molecules interact with light in dynamic environments, such as solvents or proteins.

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Events

Celebrating excellence in research: 2025 College of Science Awards

The College of Science gathered on Feb. 26 to recognize and celebrate our high achieving faculty and staff at the 2025 Combined Awards Ceremony. The evening celebrated the very best in the College, from teaching, advising and research to inclusive excellence, administration and service. The following faculty and staff received awards in research.

A blue background with the year 2025
Events

Celebrating inclusive excellence, administration, service and performance: 2025 College of Science Awards

The College of Science gathered on Feb. 26 to recognize and celebrate our high achieving faculty and staff at the 2025 Combined Awards Ceremony. The evening celebrated the very best in the College, from teaching, advising and research to inclusive excellence, administration and service. The following faculty and staff received awards in Inclusive Excellence, Administration, Service and Performance. Congratulations to all the awardees!

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Mathematics

Mathematician Axel Saenz Rodriguez earns competitive Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship

Axel Saenz Rodriguez, an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, has been awarded the prestigious Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship for his groundbreaking work at the intersection of probability theory and mathematical physics.

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Mathematics

Advances in mathematics education net Elise Lockwood the presidential award

Elise Lockwood, a professor in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Science, has been honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government to outstanding early-career scientists and engineers.

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Faculty and Staff

OSU astrophysicist Xavier Siemens wins coveted Bruno Rossi Prize for gravitational wave discovery

Xavier Siemens, a renowned astrophysicist and professor at Oregon State’s College of Science, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Bruno Rossi Prize, one of the highest international honors in high-energy astrophysics, for his groundbreaking work uncovering evidence of binary supermassive black holes.

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Diversity in Science

Inclusive Excellence Lecture: ‘The wider story of IE@OSU’

The transformative potential of inclusive excellence in STEM education lies in its capacity to identify barriers to student success and create pathways to overcome them. Through the Inclusive Excellence (IE@OSU) program, faculty and administrators are empowered to foster equitable learning environments and create meaningful change in science and society.

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Graduate students

College of Science graduate students earn prestigious awards in 2023-24

Graduate students in the College of Science earned notable recognition during the 2023-24 academic year, receiving a range of awards which highlight their achievements and contributions to Oregon State.

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Students

Perseverance and photovoltaics: Goldwater Scholar paves future in nanoscience

Physics senior Madalyn Gragg was named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar, the nation's top STEM award for undergraduates. Being recognized from more than 5,000 applicants, she hopes her success inspires others to break down their own barriers into science.

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Physics

NANOGrav paper named one of 2024's 'Most-Cited in Astronomy'

Two College of Science physics faculty members were instrumental in a groundbreaking study honored by IOP Publishing as one of 2024’s most-cited articles in astronomy. Xavier

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Alumni and Friends

Alumni Awards celebrates in impactful legacies and achievements

The College of Science community recently gathered to celebrate this year's Alumni Award recipients. These individuals have enriched many lives through their professional achievements, impact and service. They embody our vision to extend the reach and impact of science by improving life for the people of Oregon and beyond.