Words from the Dean

April 2026

Words from the Dean

April 2026

Dear College of Science colleagues,

The pace of change just keeps accelerating at OSU, doesn’t it? The amazing, incredible, inspiring side of that is that we are always getting better — doing better for our students and doing research that is cooler and/or more impactful. The hard part is that all that change is WORK. We all need to pace ourselves, identify efficiencies and priorities, and find our own happy places in the churn. What inspires you the most? What do you want to be spending your time on at work? Do you have ideas for ways to reduce the effort that goes into the less-fun parts? (And if you have ideas that pertain to more than just yourself, I’d love to hear them!)

Here are just a few of the things going on (in case you missed anything).

I just came back from a visit to Michigan State University (MSU) with a team of OSU folks. MSU has the same admission rate as OSU, but 10 percentage points higher retention and graduation rates. We went to learn from colleagues (and vice versa). We learned about a number of interesting things they are doing, from free summer courses for entering students to coaching students around “credit momentum” (taking enough credits to stay on a strong path to graduation). We also talked about common challenges, from budget cuts to course scheduling to communications. I’ll be looking for ways to bring some of these ideas to OSU as we continue to work on improving student success and retention.

OSU’s new student support texting platform, Beaverly, has launched. Students will receive periodic check-ins at key points in the term, with responses to common questions and connections to the right resources when needed. I am hoping that this will provide easy support to students for simple questions and will also give us a way to do quick surveys on important topics (something we saw at MSU).

We are getting organized for next fall’s Transitions course, building on last year’s successes. Gabs James will be coordinating the efforts, taking over from Devon Quick. Curriculum is being revised to focus more on interaction and community-building, decrease busywork for both faculty and students, and tweak our approach for transfer students who come in with a wider range of life experiences.

The Strategic Resource Renewal (SRR) initiative is moving into full gear. Roy Haggerty’s email today lists ways to get involved — town halls next week, and a website to submit suggestions. And as I said last month, if you’re feeling out of the loop, check out the faculty senate meetings, which have had very robust and transparent discussions.

The Research Computing Office is starting to put out information on what resources will be available when and how access will work. Announced in December, this new central office is part of the effort to coordinate research computing, including high-performance computing, data storage and AI, and the NVIDIA supercomputer in the Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex. Look for similar communication about other shared research resources soon too.

We’ve seen leadership changes in the Huang Complex, HR, Cascades, Honors College, Enrollment Management, and other key areas just in the past few weeks. I’m especially excited about having our new Huang Complex director, Ruben Rathnasingham, on board. I’ll be meeting with him and Belinda Batten, senior advisor to the provost, shortly after he gets to campus to start conversations about College of Science participation in Huang Complex programs and spaces. And look out next week for public forums for the incredibly important role of Vice Provost for Academic Affairs as Alix Gitelman concludes her tenure.

I find great joy in working at OSU and on all of the “wicked problems” we are addressing. Finding the time to do everything that seems so important is challenging, more so now than at any time since I arrived here. Thankfully, we are moving toward worthy goals — things we care deeply about. Reaching these ambitious goals takes incredible work. My hope for all of us is that we can be self-aware and super-intentional about setting priorities, focusing on what has the most impact, and attending to our own mental health. You do so much. Thank you.

Eleanor Feingold
Dean, College of Science

All the news that’s fit to print.

Please submit news, honors and awards, discoveries, events, research funding, student news, alumni updates and more. Just send us a quick email by the end of the month.

Research Updates

The Nyman Lab uses metal oxide clusters, tiny molecular structures that can act as chemical scaffolding, as the building blocks of electronically active patterns needed in semiconductor chips.

Highlights

From molecular design in chemistry to organic materials in physics, College of Science research is advancing approaches that could make semiconductor technologies smaller, more efficient and easier to manufacture. This work contributes to Oregon State’s role in the Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology (FAST) initiative, one of 15 finalists in the NSF Regional Innovation Engine competition. If selected, FAST could bring up to $160 million in federal investment to help strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem in Oregon and beyond.

Ph.D. student Esther Julius, with support from Intel, is exploring the molecular-level processes behind metal oxide photolithography. She and materials scientist May Nyman are creating tiny molecular scaffolds that could enable the next generation of faster, smaller and more powerful microchips. By guiding how circuits are built at the nanometer scale, their work is helping chemistry lay the foundation for the electronics of the future. Discover why chemistry plays a vital role in the manufacturing process.
A pigment from fungi. Electronics that bend. Information that moves without electricity. These ideas are all connected in physicist Oksana Ostroverkhova’s lab, where carbon-based organic materials are being explored for use in the semiconductor industry. Unlike traditional inorganic materials, these materials can be printed on a variety of surfaces, bent or stretched and manufactured at low temperatures. Learn how a pigment found on church ceilings could help modern technology.

From tea to coffee to chocolate milk, testing what’s in everyday drinks could soon be faster, cheaper and more sustainable. Led by materials chemist Mas Subramanian, a new electrochemical sensor uses nanoscale chemistry to detect theobromine with high sensitivity, opening the door to greener, more portable testing for food, health and environmental applications. Read how this innovation could reshape food safety.

Funding

Adam Chouinard received $211K from the NSF for his project, “Promoting graduate teaching assistant teaching professional development through a structured, cohort-based program.”

Myriam Cotten received $200K from the NSF for her project, “Collaborative research: Structure and function of direct delivery peptides.”

Claudia Maier received $408K from the NIH for her project, “New ionization source technology for single-cell multi-omics.”

Jessica Siegel received $450K from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust for her project, “Partners in science at Oregon State University: Innovative research collaboration for science teachers and scientists.”

Heidi Schellman received $33K from the Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC, for her project, “Data management operations for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).”

Honors and Awards

Partnering with community teachers

The College of Science and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics has been awarded $450K from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to host the Partners in Science program at Oregon State. Led by Jessica Siegel, associate professor of biochemistry and biophysics and associate dean for academic and student affairs in the College of Science, in partnership with the College of Education, the program will support multi-year research experiences for secondary science teachers.

Teachers will work alongside OSU faculty on active research projects over two summers, gaining firsthand experience in how scientific knowledge is developed and tested. They will bring those insights back to their classrooms, strengthening inquiry-based science instruction. Hosted by the College of Science and College of Education, the program connects university research with K-12 classrooms, extending the reach of OSU science across Oregon. Learn who the mentors are here.

Getting chemistry out there

Three Oregon State chemistry graduate students presented their research at the 2026 Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy:

Ayantika Dan shared work on a saliva-based diagnostic platform for early detection and monitoring of metabolic diseases.
Sachindee Samararathne shared research on healthier dental materials aimed at improving oral health outcomes.
Sneha George highlighted a micro-gap model to track real-time interactions between dental materials and bacteria.

Chemistry graduate student Genevieve “Jennie” Sheehan presented at the American Chemical Society Spring 2026 meeting in Atlanta on nanoparticles for early glaucoma detection, aiming to identify retinal damage sooner than current methods.

Do you have good news to share?

We’d love to celebrate it! Send submissions or links to your department Impact stories to ashtonh@oregonstate.edu by the 10th of each month. Please include “For DNL” in the subject line.

Increasing Visibility

Image: These peeling layers on a tree trunk reveal spalting (wood coloration) by wood-consuming fungi. The pigment that causes blue spalting, xylindein, shows promise as an organic semiconductor.

A College of Science story on fungi-based semiconductors is reaching a broader international audience. New Electronics, an online publication serving Australia and New Zealand, recently featured Oksana Ostroverkhova’s research on organic and carbon-based materials, including pigments derived from fungi, that could enable flexible, low-temperature electronics. See the full feature in New Electronics.

Oregon State University Alzheimer’s research is gaining local media attention for new real-time insights into disease processes. Elkhorn Media Group, which serves communities across northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington, recently featured materials chemist Marilyn Rampersad Mackiewicz and her undergraduate research team, who observed how metals can promote amyloid-beta protein clumping and how certain molecules, known as chelators, may disrupt or reverse that process. The work offers new insight into interactions that could help inform future drug design. Read the article on Elkhorn Media Group’s website.

College news

The OSU Honors College highlighted its long-running chemistry sequence, which gives first-year students hands-on lab experience, faculty mentorship and a strong learning community over three terms. Students progress into research-style projects like metal-organic framework synthesis and often connect directly with College of Science labs and faculty. Read more about how the series is shaping early science experiences.

The Wei Family Science legacy continues at Oregon State through a long-standing scholarship program that supports undergraduate research across disciplines. Established in honor of OSU’s first woman Ph.D. graduate, Chung Kwai Lui, the Wei Family Private Foundation Scholarship helps students pursue work in areas ranging from health and environmental science to energy and data science. A recent showcase brought together Wei Scholars to share their research — read more about the Wei Family’s continued science legacy.

Getting Dam Ready

Dam Proud Day, OSU’s biggest giving day of the year, is happening April 29! Join Beaver Believers from around the world to rally in support of student success: Your gift will fund experiential learning opportunities for the future scientists you support and train every day. This year’s donations will make paid research opportunities possible, fund hands-on physics kits for all learners, provide graduate students with vital travel opportunities, build a gear library for budding biologists and ensure science is better here. Check out these giving pages and consider joining in to support Team Science on April 29!

Team Science is raising support for these funds:

Experiential Learning: There’s no better way to study science than to do it. So, we lead the state in offering the most undergraduate research opportunities, paired with myriad hands-on learning opportunities. Support of this fund goes directly to making those experiences possible for students across the college, equipping them with foundational skills and informing their career goals.
Statistics Student Travel: Contribute to the student travel fund and assist statistics and data analytics graduate students with attending professional workshops and conferences throughout the year — shaping a smarter, data-driven future.
Biochemistry Undergraduate Research and Outreach Opportunities: Your participation can provide the next generation of scientists, educators, health professionals and advocates for science with valuable research, outreach and leadership experiences that equip them to solve real-world problems.
Integrative Biology Experiential Learning: Help equip Integrative Biology’s gear lending library, where students have access to all the equipment they need to be successful in IB’s immersive learning programs. Last year, you helped provide boots. This year, you’ll equip students for birding with binoculars, spotting scopes, headlamps and all-weather notebooks.
Chemistry Student Travel: Contribute to the student travel fund and assist chemistry graduate students in attending professional workshops and conferences throughout the year, providing critical professional growth opportunities and career networking.
Math Circles: Faculty members and OSU students are leading several weekly Math Circle meetings for Benton County public school students — spreading the word that math is fun for all! Your gift contributes to supplies and curricula for these K-8 extracurricular math activities and leadership opportunities for OSU students.
Physics Demos Upgrade: Help the physics department improve the accessibility of interactive lecture demonstrations! Currently, the department’s demonstration room and catalogue of demos have limited accessibility, particularly for hard-of-hearing and visually impaired students. Your support means more accessible demo kits that will work for all learners, including those with disabilities.

Upcoming Events

Dam Proud Day
Wednesday, April 29

Enjoy the street fair, catch Dam Proud Day Live on YouTube and follow along as challenge gifts are unlocked that support student success during this day-long giving event. There will be a cash cab (ok, golf cart) offering students rides on campus while they win prizes for correctly answering OSU trivia questions — encourage students to hop in and tag us on social media @osuscience!

Robert M. Storm Distinguished Lecture
Thursday, May 7

5:30 p.m. – Reception, Cordley Courtyard
6:30 p.m. – Lecture, Cordley 1316

This year’s lecture features David Pfennig, professor of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Pfennig will discuss phenotypic plasticity — how organisms change their traits, behaviors or physiology in response to environmental conditions. His work examines how these adaptive responses help organisms navigate changing environments and shape broader biological patterns. Pfennig is widely recognized for advancing understanding of how environmental pressures influence development and diversification.

A reception in the Cordley Courtyard will precede the lecture, offering an opportunity to connect with colleagues and community members. Please RSVP in advance.

Milne Lecture
Monday, May 11
4 to 5 p.m., Johnson 102

The Department of Statistics hosts this year’s Milne Lecture. Data science underpins modern AI and many advances in healthcare. Yet human judgment permeates every stage of the data science life cycle, introducing hidden uncertainties that go well beyond sampling variability and drive many of the risks associated with AI. At this year’s Milne Lecture, learn how Bin Yu and her research group are addressing those uncertainties, using veridical science grounded in three fundamental principles — predictability, computability and stability — to help improve the way AI is leveraged in healing patients.

2026 Graduate Research Showcase
Monday, May 11
Noon to 3 p.m., Memorial Union Ballroom

The College of Science is organizing the 2026 Graduate Research Showcase to present the research of Graduate Students to the College of Science community and for students, faculty and staff to develop connections and build community across the different units in the college.

The program will feature a keynote from Carrie A. Manore, Ph.D., an OSU alumna and group leader at Los Alamos National Laboratory, whose work models complex systems and infectious disease across human, environmental and engineered systems.

The showcase will also include a series of five-minute lightning talks, one from each department, offering a quick look at the range of research across the College. Please register to join the College of Science community for a catered lunch and the showcase program.

Berg Lecture
Thursday, May 21
5:15 p.m., Reception to follow
LaSells Stewart Center, Construction & Engineering Hall

The Department of Microbiology will host the Berg Lecture this spring. The speaker will be Vincent Racaniello, professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University. His research focuses on poliovirus and viral pathogenesis. Racaniello is a recipient of honors from the American Society for Microbiology recognizing his contributions to virology and science communication. More details to follow.

Lonseth Lecture
Thursday, May 28
3:30 p.m. – Department awards ceremony, LaSells, Construction & Engineering Hall.
4 to 5 p.m. – Lecture, reception to follow in Myrtle Tree Alcove

The Department of Mathematics will host its 41st annual Lonseth Lecture this spring. The speaker will be Laura P. Schaposnik, professor of mathematics at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research sits at the intersection of geometry, topology and mathematical physics. Schaposnik is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, as well as NSF CAREER, Simons and Humboldt fellowships. More details to follow.

2026 College of Science Graduation Ceremonies
Friday, June 12
Valley Library Quad/Kidder Lawn

12:00 p.m., Microbiology and BioHealth Sciences
1:30 p.m., Chemistry, Math, Physics, Statistics and Data Analytics
3:00 p.m., Biochemistry & Biophysics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
4:30 and 5:30 p.m. (two ceremonies), Biology, Zoology and Integrative Biology

Celebrate your students! Join us for the College of Science graduation ceremonies in the Valley Library Quad in front of Kidder Hall. Learn more and encourage your graduating students to register on our Graduation 2026 page.

For faculty who are participating “on stage” during your ceremony: We recommend more formal-than-usual attire, and especially regalia if you can! We’ve heard from graduates that they enjoy seeing their professors and instructors celebrating this accomplishment alongside them, especially when faculty choose to wear regalia. If you don’t own regalia, it can be rented through the Beaver Store. Place your order here by April 24.