Dear colleagues,

I am incredibly proud to be a part of the College of Science. Every day, I’m inspired by the remarkable, outward-looking people in our College who continually work for the greater good in their research, teaching and service.

After a year of community-wide engagement, I am delighted to share the College of Science Strategic Plan 2022-2027: Extending the Impact and Reach of Science, which launched on October 6.

This community plan reflects the priorities and values of our College of Science community – undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni – and strategic partners, board members and alumni who deliberated over the 2021-22 academic year.

On behalf of our college’s Strategic Planning Committee, I would like to say that we deeply appreciate your engagement in its development, and we are proud of the results of your input.

Your input, along with Oregon State’s SP4.0 commitments and our diversity action plan, shaped the strategic plan’s bold vision to extend the reach and impact of science.

Please review the plan online or pick up a printed plan in your department office. I also encourage you to look at the internal strategic planning website to learn about our collaborative process and the extensive, behind-the-scenes work of the committee.

Aligned with Oregon State University’s mission to develop leadership among land grant universities, this plan will guide the College of Science over the next five years in our aims to lead in inclusive scientific research, education and engagement in Oregon and globally.

Importantly, I want to emphasize that this new plan is integrated with our diversity action plan, “Embedding Equity, Access and Inclusion.” We heard from all of you that we need to nurture the next generation of science leaders – and that we need to do this by paying attention to EAI in all aspects of our work and investments in people, resources and infrastructure.

These goals will guide our efforts:

• Goal 1: Develop the next generation of science leaders, mentors and culture shapers.
• Goal 2: Lead in fundamental, use-inspired and transdisciplinary scientific research, scholarship and innovation.
• Goal 3: Deliver a 21st century high-quality, innovative science education that is equitable, accessible and inclusive of all learners.
• Goal 4: Achieve critical and visible impact locally, nationally and globally.

Stay tuned as we create a roadmap for the implementation of the plan. We will announce the implementation committee in the coming month. 

Another exciting and related development includes the University’s new capital campaign. Last week, the OSU Foundation launched Believe It: The Campaign for Oregon State University. This fundraising and engagement campaign supports the Collaborative Innovation Complex (CIC), a research and education center that will harness one of the nation’s most powerful supercomputers and team-based research to solve global challenges in areas such as climate science, oceanography, sustainability and water resources. We are already halfway to the campaign goal of $200 million for the center. Learn more at OSUBelieveIt.org.

The CIC ties directly into our Strategic Plan goals 2 and 3, and our Strengths in 2030. The College of Science has been heavily involved in the CIC, and this research and education center will be key in our aim to become “an inclusive global leader in conducting research, creating knowledge and fostering innovations that address critical societal challenges” and to develop the next generation of science leaders.

I’m excited to work with all of you to help the College of Science realize Our Strengths in 2030. And I’m so proud to belong to a college known widely for its collaborative spirit and dedication to student success. 

Vrushali Bokil
Interim Dean, College of Science

Research Highlights

Microbiologist Ryan Mueller discovered that oyster larvae survival rates, growth, metamorphosis and settlement were significantly boosted by treating them with specific combinations of probiotics. The findings could be a major boon to oyster farms where pathogens can kill off a whole season’s worth of larvae and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Marine biologist Sarah Gravem was part of a study published in Ecological Applications that found that the most promising disease management strategies in marine species were proactive rather than reactive.

Research Funding

Microbiologist Stephen Atkinson received $49K from the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation for a grant entitled “Disrupting the signal: Characterization and inhibition of host-parasite sensing apparatus.”

Integrative Biology Senior Instructor Adam Chouinard is part of a multi-institution research team to receive a $2.88M grant from the National Science Foundation for a project aimed at shifting the landscape of biology education on a national scale through graduate teaching professional development.

Biologist Jamie Cornelius received $99K from the National Geographic Society for a grant entitled “Acute impacts of fire and smoke on bird behavior, physiology and survival.”

Chemist David Ji received $750K for a three-year grant from the Department of Energy for a grant entitled “Understanding the interfaces for high-energy batteries using anions as charge carriers.”

Biologist David Lytle received $25K from the USDA Forest Service for a grant entitled “Wilderness canyon ecosystems: From streamflow to bugs to birds.”

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.

Distinguished Alumni

On October 21, the College of Science will honor five distinguished alumni and friends for their exemplary contributions to science and society that bring honor to the College and to Oregon State University.

Tari Tan (’08) will receive the Young Alumni Award for her achievements since earning her Ph.D. in neurobiology from Harvard University in 2016.

Emeritus Professor of physics Kenneth Krane and his wife, Paula, are recipients of this year’s Distinguished Service Award for the many scholarships and endowments the couples have made to support students across the university.

Román Hernández (’92) will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award for his exceptional work to increase the diversity of the legal profession in Oregon and beyond.

Distinguished Professor Douglas Keszler will receive the Lifetime Achievement in Science Award to honor his significant history of promoting and advancing science.

Welcome to the College!

The College of Science welcomes eight new faculty members this fall. They bring diverse expertise in gravitational wave astronomy, applied topology, cancer treatment, age-dependent diseases and more. 

Catherine Lanier has been appointed interim director of Oregon Space Grant Consortium (OSGC), which was moved from the Research Office to the College of Science this past summer. Lanier has served as associate director of OSGC since 2013.

Kendra Mingo has joined the Dean’s Office as research and development coordinator, a new position that will add capacity to the Research Development Unit led by Bettye Maddux. Mingo has 20 years of experience in research administration and development.

Rachel Palmer has rejoined the College of Science as the new assistant director of career development. In this role, she will build on her previous experience as an advisor in the integrative biology department to be an advocate for students as they navigate their journey from college to career.

Latinx and Hispanic Heritage month

Did you see the College’s Latinx and Hispanic Heritage celebration on social media? This past month, we highlighted the scientific contributions of students, faculty and alumni as well as local resources from and for the Hispanic and Latinx community.

Read the beautiful posts written to celebrate and highlight members of the College of Science community and resources during Latinx and Hispanic Heritage month, including features on:

• Lineth Trujillo Morales, a senior biology major who is aspires to be a veterinarian and is currently studying abroad in New Zealand
• The Centro Cultural César Chávez, which has been a part of OSU since 1972
• Attorney Román Hernández, 2022 College of Science Distinguished Service Award recipient
• Family physician and alumna Eva Galvez, an advocate for reducing health disparities and improving the health of Latino and other vulnerable communities
• OSU Juntos, a program to connect Latinx middle and high school students with higher education institutes

Strategic Plan

After a full year of community-wide engagement, the College of Science celebrated the launch of our next five-year strategic plan, “Extending the Impact and Reach of Science,” on October 6.

This community plan reflects the priorities and values of our College of Science community – undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni – and strategic partners, board members and alumni. This plan will guide the College over the next five years in our aims to lead in inclusive scientific research, education and engagement in Oregon and globally. Stay tuned to learn about the implementation process.

Welcome to the class of 2026!

This fall, the College of Science welcomed 1,093 new students at our Corvallis and Cascades campuses and through Ecampus. This includes 300 transfer students, 95 first-generation college students and 155 underrepresented minorities. 72% of the incoming class identify as women, and 150 of them are in the Honors College.

Resources and Tools

Need to update your College of Science directory profile with your latest publications and awards? Simply scroll to the bottom of your profile page and click the “Log In” button. From there, you will see an “edit” button at the top of the page and can make changes from there. You may also send your requested changes to Cari Longman in the College marketing department.

Upcoming Events

College of Science Alumni Awards
October 21, 2022
This annual event recognizes distinguished alumni and friends for their professional and personal accomplishments and contributions to science and society.

Integrative Biology lecture featuring Ann Hamilton
Monday, October 24, 4 – 5 p.m., MU Horizon Room
Come to this seminar to hear from Ann Hamilton, MacArthur Fellow, National Medal of the Arts recipient and internationally acclaimed artist. She is recognized for large-scale, multimedia installations, performance pieces and public projects, and was commissioned to create a permanent artwork for the renovation of Cordley Hall.

Celebration of Life for Alden Bradley
Tuesday, October 25, 4 – 6 p.m.
LaSells Stewart Center, Agricultural Science Room
Join members of the physics department and the College to remember Alden Bradley, who passed away in July. Bradley joined OSU as a physics graduate student in 20107 and was working toward a Ph.D. under the supervision of Matt Graham and Yun-Shik Lee. All are welcome to this service.

SACNAS Conference
October 27 – 29, San Juan, Puerto Rico
This annual conference is the largest multicultural STEM diversity event in the country and an excellent means to recruiting diverse students to our College. We will have a booth at the conference and are sponsoring six students this year. 

Discovery Days
November 1 – 2, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the LaSells Stewart Center
Twice a year, more than 1,000 elementary and middle school students flock to Oregon State’s campus to be immersed in the diverse world of science. This event is sponsored by the College of Science and is primarily run by student club volunteers who engage kids in hands-on experiments to ignite their interest in STEM.

Graduate Student Appreciation Night
November 3, 2022
This second annual event recognizes and celebrates our graduate students in the College of Science and all they contribute to our research and teaching efforts. We hope you will join us for an evening of festivities to show how much we value our graduate students! Faculty are encouraged to attend! Register by October 27.

Microbiology seminar featuring Thomas Sharpton
November 8, Noon in ALS 4000
Join members of the microbiology department and Oregon State for their monthly seminar series. In November, hear from College of Science colleague Thomas Sharpton as he gives a talk entitled “Defining the microbiome’s role in health and evolution.”

Meet-and-greet with OSU President Jayathi Murthy
Tuesday, November 29, 4 – 5 p.m.
Join us to meet Oregon State’s new president and to hear a bit about her vision for the university. This event will include a Q&A. More information to come.

Recent Events

Microbiology seminar featuring Isabela Rauch
On October 18, the microbiology department and Oregon State hosted Isabela Rauch, assistant professor at OHSU, for their monthly seminar series. Rauch’s talk was “Host pathogen interactions at barrier surfaces.”

Microbiology seminar featuring Robert Morris
Last month, the microbiology department hosted Robert Morris, associate professor at the University of Washington, for their monthly lecture series. Morris gave a lecture on marine microbiology.

Strategic Plan Launch
On October 6, more than 100 members and friends of the College of Science gathered to celebrate the launch of and hear more about our next five-year strategic plan, “Extending the Impact and Reach of Science.”