Juliana Betancourt has been using chemistry to dive into the secrets of nanoplastics, taking part in crucial research well before she finishes her undergraduate studies.
The novel sensor, which also has potential applications in health care and environmental monitoring, is based on the design principle of engineered interfacial chemistry. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the study by scientists at Oregon State and researchers in Taiwan was published in Applied Nano Materials, a journal of the American Chemical Society.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
