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.

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.

How statistics students can land jobs at top companies like AbbVie — the power of conferences at Oregon State University. Alumna Chenyang Duan (Ph.D. Statistics, ‘23) landed a full-time position as senior statistician at AbbVie, one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world.

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.

Science communication is a raging passion for Heather Kitada Smalley. From interactive statistics and data science workshops to impressive research related to archeology, she demonstrates the impact of data in the real world and inspires students of all ages.

When she returned to college, senior zoology student Cierra Freese never expected she would feed a nocturnal kiwi chick in New Zealand or a barred owl in northern Michigan.

Scott Clark (08) wants artificial intelligence to be powerful — and trustworthy.

Broaden your network at the Health Professions Fair, Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

In a career spanning forensics and pathology, alumna Lia Murty now facilitates innovation as a senior regulatory consultant.

Eleanor Ford (’62, Microbiology) was six feet tall. Not literally, but when she shared her passion for laboratory safety, her personality could fill a room. Despite being only four feet, eleven inches, and a woman in a male-dominated field in the 1960s, when she talked, people listened.

Jon Francis (statistics, ‘96) has built a career working for some of the biggest names in business, including Amazon, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Nike, T-Mobile, Starbucks, PayPal and currently General Motors. What education has allowed him to shift seamlessly from coffee to cars? A master’s degree in statistics from Oregon State University.