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Two women in a laboratory look at a microscope.
Chemistry

Chemists design molecules for next-generation semiconductors

In the College of Science, materials scientist May Nyman and doctoral student Esther Julius are designing molecules that could help push the limits of traditional semiconductor manufacturing.

Giovannoni lab performs research off of a boat
Climate and Oceans

Microbiologist receives $1.2M award to study microbes in a changing ocean

Microbiologist Stephen Giovannoni received a 5-year $1.2 million award to continue studying the microbiology of the Sargasso Sea, an ocean gyre that is representative of ocean regions with extremely low productivity that are expanding globally due to the warming of the ocean’s surface.

With green evergreen trees behind him, Skach smiles at the camera.
Alumni and Friends

Distinguished Alumni Award winner changes lives for cystic fibrosis and cancer patients

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.

Smalley smiles at the company in front of green trees.
Alumni and Friends

Leader in data science curricula development wins Early Career Alumni Award

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.

A man sits in front of a white indoor wall, on which mounted panes of glass refract bright, colorful streaks of light as an art installation.
Graduate students

Modeling the molecular: Martin O’Neill fellow shines in spectroscopy

With the fellowship's support, Luke Allan will continue his discoveries into light-molecule interactions during the final year of his Ph.D.

Headshot of Lan Xue outside Kidder Hall
Statistics

From human health to AI: Oregon State statistician shapes the future of data science

As the head of the Department of Statistics, Lan Xue is steering a major expansion with the department’s first undergraduate degree, while also prioritizing mentorship and research.

A man in lab coat and gloves uses a pipet.
Biochemistry & Biophysics

Turning personal experience into purpose through undergraduate cancer research

For Jordan Indrawan, SURE meant channeling his own battle with cancer into studying the proteins linked to the disease.

Diver underwater.
Research

Internal funding boosts research in AI-powered ecology and immune system regulation

This round of funding supports biologist Mark Novak and biochemist Adrian Gombart, whose work addresses urgent global questions from climate-driven shifts in marine food webs to the genetic underpinnings of immune system function.

Kidder Hall with a rainbow in the background.
News

Two from Team Science named Fulbright U.S. Student Program recipients

A College of Science alumna and a Ph.D. student have been awarded 2025–26 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants to conduct research abroad. They join 17 College of Science students and alumni who have earned Fulbright honors over the past decade.

A man stands on a boat in a safety suit.
Microbiology

Microbiology graduate student awarded prestigious U.S. DOE educational award

Kelly Shannon, a Ph.D. student in the College of Science’s Department of Microbiology, was awarded a transformative educational award from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Two women in lab coats work with a sample in a tube in a laboratory.
Microbiology

Microbiome scientist uses AI to redefine the gut-brain axis and deep-sea ecosystems

Maude David’s research sits at the crossroads of microbiology, neuroscience and artificial intelligence — an intersection that may hold the key to understanding some of the most complex disorders affecting the human brain and unlocking the secrets of deep-sea ecosystems.

A woman holds a shark and shines a flashlight into it in a laboratory.
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.