IMPACT

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.

Audrey Bivens combined lab work, language immersion, and cultural exploration in Spain, gaining hands-on experience in crystallography while building confidence and career skills.

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.

For statistics students at Oregon State University, it's not unheard of to land a job after attending a conference. That’s how Oregon State 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.

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.

When it comes to healing cats and dogs in a sunny California beach town, emergency veterinarian Karianna Crowder ‘17 is up to the task.

“I was drawn to the sciences and less so to agriculture my whole life. When it comes to wanting to be a small animal veterinarian, I wanted to focus more on the science behind it,” Crowder said.

Carley Beeman’s resume is impressive. Studying Honors chemistry with a focus on advanced biochemistry and a minor in biology, she has been a consistent figure on the Oregon State University Honor Roll. In January, she was announced the chemistry undergraduate of the quarter.

In the intricate languages of mathematics and biology, alumna Rachel Sousa, ‘20, is multilingual. Since graduating from Oregon State, she has bridged the disciplines through several prestigious research experiences and credits her success to seizing opportunities no matter the odds.

After landing a coveted internship spot reserved for Honors College students, biology fourth-year Varsha Karthikeyan explored the nuanced intersection between research and medicine.

Actinide chemistry is defined by its cutting-edge research, which graduate student Jenna Bustos has a passion for pursuing. From becoming a member of the Nyman Research Group at Oregon State to interning at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Bustos is well-versed in the field and eager to see what it brings next for her.

Wanting to spend more time with his partner and one-year-old son, Angulo Barba applied for the Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM) Fellowship, a national program that promotes the participation of underrepresented groups in post-graduate science and engineering education and the technical workforce.