What News and Research Updates Are Featured on the UO Natural Sciences Website?

The UO Natural Sciences site highlights recent research discoveries, faculty grants, and alumni stories through a "News from Natural Sciences" section that links to a full news archive. The featured items span multiple departments—marine biology, physics, and psychology—and mix research breakthroughs with career-focused alumni profiles.

What the News Section Covers

The news feed on the Natural Sciences homepage pulls together stories about faculty research, student and alumni experiences, and major funding awards. Based on the current listings, the section covers:

• Research discoveries by CAS faculty and research teams
• Grant awards that fund new scientific infrastructure and experiments
• Alumni profiles focused on career development and professional advice
• Department-level news from fields like marine biology, physics, and psychology

Each item includes a date, a department tag, and a short summary, with an "All news »" link that leads to the complete archive.

Examples of Featured Research Updates

Marine Biology: New Plankton Discovery

A story dated September 16, 2026 describes CAS marine biologists discovering new plankton off the Oregon coast. The research involved studying brittle star plankton larvae at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. According to the summary, the published findings deepen understanding of marine life along the Oregon coast and its connection to distant regions.

Physics: Quantum Networking Grant

A July 20, 2026 item reports that a UO-led research team received a two-year, $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a prototype quantum network on the UO campus. Professor Brian Smith, director of the Oregon Center for Optical, Molecular and Quantum Science, is quoted saying the research "will transform communications, sensors and computers."

Psychology: Alumni Career Advice

A September 16, 2026 psychology story profiles Mara Sargent '14, who stresses the importance of trying new things. The piece connects her campus experience—including the beauty of campus, the community, and an atmosphere that reminded her of home in Berkeley, California—to her professional career development.

How to Find More News

The homepage news section is a preview. The "All news »" link takes you to the full news archive, where you can browse additional stories by department or date. The site also maintains a separate section for graduate programs and affiliated centers and institutes if you want to go deeper into specific research areas.

Why This Matters for Prospective Students and Researchers

The news section functions as a live view of what the college's 300 faculty members are working on—from quantum mechanics foundations to cancer cell development and brain function. For prospective students, the mix of research updates and alumni stories shows both the research environment and where graduates end up. For researchers, the grant and discovery announcements signal active areas of funding and collaboration.