Dear colleagues,

As we head into Summer 2023, I hope you are all able to rejuvenate and take a well-deserved break. I want to express my gratitude for all you have done this year to advance knowledge and transform lives to create a thriving Science community. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead our College throughout this academic year.

I also want to take a moment to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the 20 College of Science faculty members who have been promoted and/or received tenure this year (see below). This represents significant milestones in your academic careers, and we are immensely proud of your accomplishments and look forward to your continued success. Thank you also to all of the committee members who served on the College of Science Promotions and Tenure Committee this year as well as the members of unit Promotions and Tenure committees who served diligently at the unit level. Moving our colleagues forward in their careers is one of our most important community efforts. Their success is our collective success. Please read on in this newsletter and in Impact-Faculty excellence to learn more about them.

During this transition year, Our College has achieved significant milestones together. I have been inspired by the tremendous care and investment that each one of you demonstrates in the College. Your dedication to our mission, our students and one another is remarkable, and it has been a privilege to witness how well this team works together.

This year, I charged Associate Deans Jessica Siegel and Virginia Weis, Director of Equity, Access and Inclusion Kameron Kadooka, and Project & Events Manager Tze-Yiu Yong, to jointly lead the initiative, Moving Science Forward. This initiative is a joint implementation of the College of Science’s two strategic plans developed over two years 2020-2022; Embedding Equity, Access and Inclusion and Extending the Reach and Impact of Science. I am very proud of these plans. They capture our commitments to our community and provide a roadmap for transformation in the college. You can view our progress in the new implementation reporting tool that our marketing and communication team has developed this year for transparent communication of our progress. Moving forward, let us collectively commit to continue to work on these plans together.

I’d like to also note the significant strides we’ve taken in our faculty recruitment process, creating best practices that reflect our values and help in recruiting a pool of strong and diverse candidates to our college. We have also strengthened other processes, such as implementing fair, transparent and just rubrics for awards to improve inclusivity and help ensure opportunities for all to engage in science. Our processes for hiring and dual hires have also seen notable improvements, and we are committed to further enhancing them. You can read about additional progress embedding equity, access and inclusion in our work here.

Working to create more financial stability and transparency in budgeting has also been a high priority for us this year, and we are taking steps to help ensure the fiscal health of the College. As I shared in the last newsletter, we are in the process of hiring a financial planning manager who will play a crucial role in achieving this. I invite you to read our FY23 Strategic Financial Report for detailed budget information, and to learn more about our new hires aimed to strengthen the College. 

Regarding the selection of a new permanent dean, we look to the Provost’s Office for updates. In his June 7 email to our College, Provost Ed Feser shared that “we are making progress, and I’ll send another update when there is substantive news to share.”

Once again, thank you for all your hard work throughout this year. It’s been a joy working with you as we harness Team Science for a healthier, more sustainable future. Wishing you a summer filled with adventure, relaxation and joy!

Warm regards,

Vrushali Bokil
Interim Dean, College of Science

Research Highlights

Microscopic algae that corals need for survival harbors a common and possibly disease-causing virus in their genetic material. Kalia Bistolas, a postdoctoral scholar in microbiology, along with Emile F. Pernot Distinguished Professor in Microbiology Rebecca Vega Thurber, co-led the study. Their work sheds light on the threats faced by coral reefs, particularly as the climate continues to change. Findings were published in Communications Biology.

Research Funding

Malgo Peszynska received $388K from the National Science Foundation Computation Mathematics Program for her project entitled, “Computational Mathematics of Arctic Processes.”

Kyriakos Stylianou received $50K from the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon for his project entitled, “Iron(III) Chelates Assembled into Hierarchical Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles with pH-dependent Theranostic Activity.”

Sarah Gravem received $33K from The Ocean Foundation for her project entitled, “Subtidal and aerial surveys of Oregon’s kelp forests to inform a status report and kelp forest recovery/management plan.”

Colin Johnson received two grants for his project entitled, “Characterization of the deafness associated hair cell protein otoferlin.” He received $50K from the American Hearing Research Foundation and $50K from the Medical Research Foundation of Oregon.

Research Proposal Support

You can find funding opportunities on ECOS. To access a suite of tools and resources available to faculty, visit the College of Science Proposal Support webpage.

Congratulations, promoted faculty!

Chemistry Department

• Marilyn Mackiewicz will be promoted to Associate Professor of Chemistry and granted indefinite tenure, effective September 16, 2023.

Integrative Biology Department

• Carmen Harjoe will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Integrative Biology, effective July 1, 2023.
• Lindsay Biga will be promoted to Senior Instructor II of Integrative Biology, effective July 1, 2023.

Mathematics Department

• Amanda Blaisdell will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Clayton Petsche will be promoted to Professor of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Chris Orum will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• David Wing will be promoted to Senior Instructor II of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Elise Lockwood will be promoted to Professor of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Johnner Barrett will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Liz Jones will be promoted to Senior Instructor II of Educational Opportunities Program and Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Mary Beisiegel will be promoted to Professor of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Michael Gilliam will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Sara Clark will be promoted to Senior Instructor II of Mathematics, effective September 16, 2023.

Microbiology Department

• Shawn Massoni will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Microbiology, effective July 1, 2023.

Physics Department

• Evan Thatcher will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Physics, effective September 16, 2023.
• Paul Emigh will be promoted to Senior Instructor I of Physics, effective September 16, 2023.

Statistics Department

• Katherine McLaughlin will be promoted to Associate Professor of Statistics and granted indefinite tenure, effective September 16, 2023.

Technology Networks shared Kalia Bistolas and Emile F. Pernot Distinguished Professor in Microbiology Rebecca Vega Thurber’s research into the dangers lurking within microscopic algae that corals need for survival.

We are proud of our graduates!

Congratulations to the College of Science Class of 2023. This year’s graduating class includes 667 undergraduate students receiving baccalaureate degrees, including 91 Honors graduates.

Meet nine fabulous seniors across our majors below, and those who submitted their profiles.

They are leaving Oregon State University as tomorrow’s young scientists and mathematicians –– bringing hope of a healthier, more sustainable, equitable and inclusive future.

Senior profiles

Amelia Noall’s earliest memories of loving science includes lice! The microbiology senior went from looking at bugs through a microscope to being fascinated by microbes. Utilizing her minor in French, Noall will be part of the Teaching Assistant Program in France next year, teaching English classes while abroad.

Jessica Etter graduated high school at 16 years old and started her journey at Oregon State at the age of 17. She originally wanted to become a forensic scientist but has since found her passion for research and will be starting a Ph.D. at Oregon State this fall. Etter is currently working on a project looking at how to quantify signs of Parkinson’s disease in a person’s blood.

Biology senior Catherine Raffin has spent most of her time in an entomology lab on campus. Her lab aimed to create new pest management tools utilizing substances already in the bodies of the insects they’re aiming to suppress. Beyond the classroom and lab, she has spent time working with the Pride Center and Women’s Center. As a member of the transgender community she helped create a trans sex education class to bring awareness to subjects typically overlooked in such classes.

Ebunoluwa Morakinyo is a senior honors biochemistry and molecular biology student. She is also a home chef, writer, director and actress. Being a Beaver has stretched her to develop her passions inside and outside of the lab. She will be taking a gap year before pursuing a career as a physician-scientist. In the upcoming year, she will be working with Dr. Carsten Bonnemann in his National Institutes of Health (NIH) lab under the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The Bonnemann lab investigates childhood neuromuscular and neurogenic disorders, developing cutting-edge gene therapies for these diseases.

Jessica Lopez, who will be graduating with a bachelor’s in biohealth sciences, spent the worst of the pandemic watching hundreds of people die. Raised by a single mom who fled El Salvador during the civil war, Lopez has always loved medicine and helping others. She is interested in possibly becoming a physician assistant, attending medical school, becoming a medical laboratory scientist or pursuing a master’s degree in medical lab science.

Biochemistry and molecular biology student Alyssa Pratt loves science and outreach. Her mentor is Dave Hendrix, who she met when she was touring Oregon State during her senior year of high school. She got back in touch with him when she joined the Beaver family and she has worked in his lab for the last four years.

Kendra Yasui will be graduating with a degree in biohealth sciences with a minor in chemistry and a degree in Spanish. She is interested in providing healthcare services in Spanish, possibly through emergency medicine. During the pandemic she started working with the Oregon Health Authority and OSU Center for Health Innovation Surge Bench Team. She worked on multiple projects including the COVID Feedback Team, where she answered people’s COVID questions.

Physics and mathematics senior Sullivan “Sully” Bailey-Darland will be attending graduate school at Cornell University. He received the Physics Undergraduate Thesis award for his research into “sloppy models.” During his time on campus he was a part of the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, & the Arts (URSA) Engage program; undergraduate research with Professor Chong Fang; and research with Professor Kevin Brown. Outside of school, he plays oboe in the Corvallis-OSU Symphony and enjoys running and biking.

Honors mathematics senior Madison Collins wants to help students see mathematics is possible for everyone. She visited different sections of MTH 252 Integral Calculus for her honors thesis, “Analysis of calculus curriculum implementation.” Using her observations, she developed a framework for analysis to find the most effective ways to implement the curriculum. She plans to go into teaching and help students have their own “lightbulb moment.”

Upcoming Events

College of Science Commencement Celebration
Friday, June 16, 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Outside of Kidder Hall

Faculty and staff and invited to attend a celebration with graduating College of Science students, their families and friends. 

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2023 Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, June 17
Reser Stadium

Gates open at 9 a.m., Ceremony begins at 11 a.m. following the procession.

Recent Events

Gilfillan Lecture, May 18
Physicist Heidi Schellman presented the annual Gilfillan Lecture. Schellman shared her personal journey as a scientist and her fascination with neutrinos – mysterious subatomic particles. She discussed her work with the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and how Oregon State is building tools to deal with massive amounts of data. In case you missed it, the lecture is now on YouTube!

Mathematics Department 38th Annual Lonseth Lecture, May 25
Professor Corina Constantinescu (Ph.D., ’06) presented the annual Lonseth Lecture, entitled, “Mathematics of Inclusive Insurance.” She explored the benefits of partnerships between governments and private insurers in the context of inclusive insurance (also referred to as microinsurance), as powerful and cost-effective tools for achieving poverty reduction. Constantinescu is a professor of mathematics and director of the Institute for Financial and Actuarial Mathematics at the University of Liverpool.

College of Science Town Hall: FY22 Financial Plan and UIT, May 31
Interim Dean Vrushali Bokil led a college-wide informational meeting detailing the College’s budget. Mark Johnson, interim financial planning manager, presented the state of College budget and Andrew Wheeler, UIT director of customer experience addressed critical IT concerns. You can view the 2023 Financial Plan and previous budgets here.