The College of Science celebrated research and administrative excellence at its 2018 Fall Faculty and Staff Awards ceremony and reception on October 11.

Dean Roy Haggerty delivered welcome remarks, sharing his priorities for the upcoming year in the areas of research and innovation development, student recruitment and retention, revenue growth for the College and diversity, inclusion and justice.

In keeping with the College of Science’s key objective to spur research and innovation, Dean Haggerty announced three new awards to support fundamental discoveries and collaborative scientific projects with the potential for substantial social impact. The Science Research and Innovation Seed Program (SciRis) provides funding in three stages for high impact collaborative proposals that build teams, pursue fundamental discoveries and create societal impact. The awards range from $10,000 to $125,000 for various stages of the proposal.

SciRis-II Award will provide up to $10,000 for an individual faculty who seeks to establish or augment research relationships with external partners, either inside or outside of Oregon State University, in academia, industry, or other organizations inside and outside of the United States.

The Betty Wang Discovery Fund, recently established by a generous endowment of $750K from the estate of Samuel Wang, will grant one or more awards to maintain state-of-the-art laboratories to advance fundamental discoveries in the basic sciences.

Hearty congratulations to these award-winning faculty and staff who were recognized for their outstanding achievements:

Students in the College of Science had another rewarding summer of research, thanks to the financial support from SURE Science scholarships. In 2018, 38 students received $5,500 each for a total of $209K. This is a substantial increase from previous years, thanks to a generous contribution to the 2018 SURE Science program, which is supported by generous science alumni and friends.

SURE Science is a competitive program designed to support undergraduate summer research opportunities for College of Science students, which can be invaluable for student success. Besides the hands-on learning experience, students build connections with world-class scientists and are able to actively participate in groundbreaking research. The award is most appreciated by students who already have jobs working in labs during the school year, and use the scholarship to be able to stay and work in Corvallis when they could not otherwise.

Beginning last year, students were able to participate in an information session geared to help them make the most of the research opportunities available on campus. Additionally, they will participate in three valuable professional development workshops:

• Team dynamics
• Scientific writing and presentations
• Informal scientific communication

What makes these workshops so important is that they provide a critical link between the knowledge learned in the classroom and the work they are conducting on a professional level. This prepares students for graduate school or a professional job upon graduation.

As always, students gain valuable experience by presenting their work in a professional setting. For example, several SURE Science scholars presented their research posters at the College’s Fall Faculty and Staff Awards this month.

While SURE Science is only open to undergraduate majors in the College of Science, several SURE Science scholars have faculty mentors from departments in the Colleges of Public Health and Agricultural Sciences.

Congratulations to these impressive SURE Science Scholars!

2018 SURE Science Scholars

This fall, Oregon State University launched an exciting new pilot program to develop stronger relationships between faculty and students, with the overarching goal of improving student retention and graduation rates. The College of Science played a lead role in developing the program.

Currently, the Faculty-Student Mentor program is only being tested on a sample of underrepresented minority students, first generation and Pell-eligible students who are in their first year at OSU (both traditional and transfer students. However, OSU is hopeful that these two preliminary years will see the success required to expand the program to the entire university. There is reason to be optimistic; data from other universities show faculty-student mentor programs can reduce dropout rates by as much as half.

OSU currently has a first-year retention rate of about five percent lower than its goal of 90 percent retention. This rate is even lower for Pell-eligible, first-generation and underrepresented students. While an OSU study showed many undergraduates feel isolated from faculty, nearly 96 percent of students say they have at least one professor who makes them excited to learn. Therefore, the urgent need is to facilitate access and foster substantive faculty-student relationships to enhance student engagement and increase retention and graduation rates.

In order to help the university do a better job in supporting students in their first year at OSU, the pilot program will focus on establishing a relationship between mentors and students rather than advising or conveying discipline-specific knowledge. This approach will help mentors place special focus on issues of student transition and adjustment to college life.

Students selected for OSU’s Faculty-Student Mentor program are put in groups consisting of five students, a peer mentor who is a junior or a senior, and a faculty member. Students will meet with their mentors for one hour every other week during fall, winter and spring terms throughout their first year at OSU.

The new mentoring program is supported by several senior professors and upper-level administrators. The program is led by College of Science Dean Roy Haggerty and Dan Larson, interim vice provost for student affairs. In addition to Dean Haggerty, faculty volunteers for the program include College of Science Associate Deans Henri Jansen, Doug Keszler, Matt Andrews; Math Department Head Bill Bogley; statistics professor Alix Gitelman; Microbiology Department Head Jerri Bartholomew; Provost Ed Feser, Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Susan Capalbo and other university leaders and faculty.

Strategies to improve student retention are particularly relevant in STEM fields. From universities all across the United States, studies indicate that fewer than half students who start out in these programs succeed in graduating with a degree in the field. This rate is considerably higher for students from underrepresented groups, with only a quarter of those who enrolled receiving a STEM degree.

Studies dating back to the 1990s have hypothesized that the lack of positive mentorship is often a significant factor in this disparity of graduation rates. Many first-generation and underrepresented students struggle to find their feet in a field that no one in their personal life has even encouraged, let alone shown them it’s possible. For some of these students, the greatest benefit of a mentor program is the positive role models it provides, helping students form a stronger self-identity as scholars, and realize their full potential for success in challenging fields at the university.

This research has been backed by numerous National Science Foundation (NSF) programs that support expanding representation in STEM fields through structured mentorship. In 2015, the NSF EFRI Research Experience and Mentoring Program cited a study by the Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy at the National Academies, which describes how “mentorship is of even greater value for underrepresented populations in STEM.”

The Faculty-Student Mentor Program is part of OSU’s Student Success Initiative whose mission is to bolster student success through expanded student support services and changes in learning models. The program was renamed Beaver Connect in early 2020 and expanded to students across the university.

The College of Science is proud to announce that science faculty were among this year’s recipients of OSU’s most prestigious annual awards for scholarship, teamwork, mentoring and service. A total of eight faculty were recognized for their distinguished accomplishments at OSU's 2018 University Day on Tuesday, September 11, including chemist Xiulei (David) Ji who nabbed two awards.

“I am extremely proud to see the outstanding accomplishments of our faculty recognized at the university level,” said Roy Haggerty, dean of the College of Science. “I commend them for their scholarship, teaching and mentoring and the collaborative spirit to connect their efforts to a broader community.”

Congratulations to these faculty for their perseverance, dedication and exemplary achievements.

A distinguished career

With dual appointments in the Colleges of Science and Veterinary Medicine, Professor of Microbiology Michael Kent received the OSU Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award for his superior academic performance, professional renown and service to the University and to the public. Award criteria include exceptional scholarly achievements and publications, strong teaching in terms of reputation and quality, active participation in University affairs and visibility and recognition in Oregon, the nation and the world.

Kent’s research is focused on two major research areas: diseases of zebrafish in research facilities and the impacts of pathogens on wild salmonid fishes. Specifically, he studies chronic infectious diseases. Kent’s work has been supported continuously by the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) since he arrived at OSU in 1999. He is also a co-PI at the Zebrafish International Resource Center, where he assists with health studies and their diagnostic service.

Note: this article is part of a yearlong series on the distinguished tradition of scientific research pertaining to Oregon State’s 150th anniversary and its four land-grant designations. From our fall 2017 issue: 150 years of science for sea and space(Introduction), On the shoulders of giants, Oregon State Science: The many "firsts" in 150 years. From our spring 2018 issue: The significance of OSU's sea-, space-, sun- and land-grant designations, "Milestones: Oregon State Science at the helm for 150 years."

While the College of Science at Oregon State University was formally established in 1932, science programs and departments have been instrumental in shaping the evolution of research and education at the university since its 1868 land grant designation.

In fact, long before OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences came into existence, the new agricultural curriculum was first taught in the Department of Chemistry in 1870 paving the way for the scientific study of agriculture for the first time in the Pacific Northwest. Such pioneering science programs since the earliest days of the institution were responsible for OSU’s land grant designation making it one of three land-grant colleges in the country at that time (The other two were the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of California at Berkeley).

The first professors of engineering at OSU in the 1890s were also professors of mathematics. Some of the university’s earliest engineering disciplines would not have flourished if it were not for the fundamental sciences. A four-year mining engineering curriculum was established in the Department of Chemistry in 1900 that led to the consolidation of early engineering programs in metallurgy.

The chemistry department was also the home of the first geology courses. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the natural and physical sciences at OSU have shaped and guided the growth of the world-class research and education that takes place across all STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields in the university today.

OSU land grant: From plows to touch screens

Science has played a founding role in carrying out Oregon State’s Land Grant mission from its origins in the Morrill Act of 1862, whose focus was to teach agriculture, military tactics and “mechanical arts” or engineering. Chemistry was hailed, for example, as “the cornerstone of Scientific Agriculture” in the 1869-70 course catalog. And in 1899, today’s microbiology department arguably began with a single course in bacteriology, to help understand and eliminate bacterial diseases of crops. Mathematics and physics courses were a core part of the mechanical arts curriculum and the fledgling department of mechanical engineering, formed in 1889.

In the 20^th century, the University’s land-grant mission expanded to adapt to the changing social and economic needs, including a new forestry program in response to Oregon’s growing timber industry and a growing emphasis on engineering after World War II. As the scope of the land-grant mission widened, science continued to be front and center. The chemistry department was home to new four-year programs in pharmacy (1898), mining (1900) and forestry (1906). By 1912, bacteriology was driving innovation across various industries and considered essential training for “any student properly equipped in Dairying, Agriculture, Agronomy, Pharmacy, Domestic Science, etc.”

In the 21^st century, Oregon State under President Ray’s leadership aims to be among the top 10 land grant institutions in America, with a focus on three signature areas: the Science of Sustainable Earth Ecosystems, Human Health and Wellness, and Economic Growth and Social Progress. The College of Science is a key contributor with pioneering programs and research in biohealth, the life sciences, marine and environmental sciences and, increasingly, statistics, as students and researchers across a wide variety of fields learn to interpret and gain often revolutionary insights from big data.

An integral part of OSU’s land-grant mission is also to foster public outreach and engagement, and science has long been at the heart of its various agricultural experiment stations and Cooperative Extension Service. Through evidence-based programs designed to make Oregon farms more sustainable, to teach gardeners how to raise bees, reduce pesticides or compost; or encourage children to pursue STEM careers through its engaging, hands-on 4-H programs — science provides both a body of evidence and a mode of inquiry that supports both backyard sleuths and future astrophysicists.

Science also contributes to economic growth with a constant stream of research-inspired innovation, producing 48 new inventions and securing 18 U.S. patents since 2011 alone. Local, state and global industries have profited from sustainable materials that began as lab experiments in Gilbert Hall, from more efficient batteries and greener touch screens, to a new heat-resistant paint using YImMn blue, the new pigment discovered by chemist Mas Subramanian.

Lastly, the College’s current investment in student diversity and success continues a long and proud tradition of opening STEM fields to all, science being a necessary part of the “liberal and practical education” for the “industrial classes” since the passage of the 1862 Morrill Act. As the University’s land-grant mission continues to evolve, science will remain at the heart – and the edge – of discovery and innovation.

Sun: Harnessing natural resources for a healthy planet

For nearly 150 years, the natural sciences at OSU have been at the forefront of research and innovation bridging the biological sciences and the physical sciences (physics and chemistry) for environmental sustainability, renewable energy and a healthy planet.

Chemist David Ji has pioneered the invention of new long-lasting and high-performance energy materials in the form of batteries for the purposes of sustainable energy storage. By employing carbon-based materials and hydrocarbon solids, Ji has designed new battery devices such as the world’s first hydronium-ion battery, potassium-ion battery, dual-ion battery and sodium-ion battery which can easily and cheaply store energy from the wind and sun. Ji’s innovations in the area of energy storage have ushered in a new era of renewable and sustainable batteries.

Materials physicist Janet Tate is a key player in the field of renewable energy technologies that includes development of transparent conductors and photovoltaic materials. Tate is a principal investigator at the prestigious Center for Next Generation of Materials Design—an Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

By integrating the talent and expertise of leading scientists such as Tate, the EFRC aims to “accelerate transformative discovery” and innovate new materials on the atomic and molecular scale to enhance energy security and protect the global environment. At the Center for Next Generation of Materials Design, Tate studies metastable alloys to design inorganic semiconductors for optoelectronic applications (electronic devices that source, detect and control light).

The OSU Sun Grant program is supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy aimed at the creation of biofuels and other environmentally sustainable green technologies to meet growing energy demands and promote opportunities for bio-based economic growth in rural communities.

One of the key sun grant projects on genetic modification of poplar trees to produce plant-based plastics will be extended in new, innovative directions with the added expertise of statistical methods. In collaboration with College of Forestry Professor Steven Strauss, statistician Yuan Jiang is investigating better methods of mapping the genes that control the process of regeneration and transformation needed for genetic engineering by using DNA sequence databases, imaging and computations.

This five-year, $4 million project is funded by the National Science Foundation and is an important advance in developing genetically engineered crop species in ways that help meet our present challenges without unintended environmental effects.

At the annual Health Professions Fair, students can connect with professional schools and programs with specializations in the healthcare industry. The Fair is a wonderful opportunity to learn about graduate education and careers in health care. Admissions representatives from more than 50 health professions schools in Oregon and across the country will be on campus to answer your questions. The Health Professions Fair will take place on April 21, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

These schools represent health professions programs in medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, pharmacy, chiropractic medicine, nursing, physical therapy, public health, health management and administration, medical physics, biomedical sciences and several others. Last year, more than 500 students attended the Health Professions Fair.

Students are welcome to stop by anytime during the health fair, which is free and open to all majors. Volunteers will be available to hand out a list of participating schools and a map of their table locations. Students can visit a school’s table and pick up information materials and speak with admission representatives.

Something for everyone

The health fair is open to all undergraduates and alumni.

First and second year students can explore health profession options, build networks and get tips from admission representatives on undergraduate preparation and co-curricular activities.

Juniors, seniors and alumni will have an opportunity:

• to learn about specific programs from admissions representatives of various universities
• collect application materials and obtain financial aid information,
• get tips on writing a personal statement, the application process, and letters of reference.

Preparing for the Fair

Students can interact with representatives of graduate health programs from schools such as Oregon Health and Science University, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, University of Utah College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, Keck Graduate Institute of Claremont, California and many more. See a list of participating schools.

Students are encouraged to prioritize their list of schools to make effective use of their time at the Fair. They can brainstorm questions they might ask admissions representatives. Here are a few ideas to get started:

• What is unique about program X at your university?
• What types of courses would I take in program X?
• What experiential components does program X offer (internships, rotations, etc.)?
• What does your admissions committee look for in an applicant?
• I read about XYZ on your website. Can you tell me more about that?

According to U.S. News and other surveys, healthcare is one of the fastest growing industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment growth in this sector will be much quicker than the average for all jobs by 2026.

For more information, please visit: http://www.science.oregonstate.edu/health-professions-fair

Note: this article is part of a series on the distinguished tradition of scientific research pertaining to ocean and space to mark the occasion of Oregon State’s 150th anniversary. Read more: 150 years of science for sea and space (Introduction), On the shoulders of giants, The significance of OSU’s sea-, space-, sun- and land-grant designations.

Mathematics and science have been at the heart of Oregon State University since its designation as a land-grant college in 1868. For example, early records show that a liberal arts curriculum at OSU (then Corvallis College) included three years of mathematics along with a rigorous course of study in Latin and Greek. Mathematician Joseph Emery was one of three faculty in the first decade of the College’s founding. From its earliest days, science at OSU has supported gender equality and wider access to education. In 1890, Corvallis College was one of just three land-grant institutions in the nation to offer scientific courses to women.

Today, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and other fundamental sciences form the basis for some of OSU’s most innovative and advanced research and academic programs. The sphere of influence that fundamental science wields at the university is vast. It permeates and shapes 
every discipline from agriculture to oceanography, atmospheric sciences, business, art, history and engineering while creating an intricate blueprint for the future.

The College of Science is proud to have pioneered many “firsts” in its 150-year history:

1868: Science starred in the land-grant college’s first collegiate-level curriculum, with a general “Scientific Course,” “Geology of Oregon,” and courses in chemistry considered “the cornerstone of Scientific Agriculture.”

1870: Corvallis College’s first class of three, one woman and two men, all graduated with bachelor of science degrees, the first granted by a state-assisted college in the western United States. One of them, Robert M. Veatch, gave the College’s first valedictory address titled “Utility of Science.”

1922: First radio transmitter on campus was built by physics professor Jacob Jordan.

1935 Three of the four first Ph.D. recipients at OSU were in science: Herbert L. Jones in physics, Alfred Taylor in zoology and Karl Klemm in chemistry.

1941: First woman to receive a Ph.D. at OSU was Chung Kwai Lui, who emigrated from China to earn a doctorate in physics. She was involved in the top-secret Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bomb. Her legacy lives on through the Wei Family Foundation Scholarships.

1957: Math professor Arvid Lonseth was instrumental in bringing the first electronic computer to campus, the giant, room-sized Alwac III-e, used for research in mathematics and science. He inspired his student Judith Allen to become the first and only woman in the first computer programming class on campus. She became a pioneer in the 1960s computer industry, driving around Oregon in a bread truck converted into a computer lab, building and selling computers.

1957: Chemistry professor Wendell Slabaugh, a popular teacher who broadcast his chemistry class on TV, could lay claim to being OSU’s first long-distance educator.

1972: Harold J. Evans, professor of plant physiology and biochemistry, was the first OSU faculty member elected to the National Academy of Science (NAS). Two of the three NAS members at OSU today are in the College of Science.

1984: Alumnus Milton Harris (’26) established the first endowed faculty chair at OSU: the Milton Harris Chair of Materials Science.

1987: Microbiology alumnus Knute Buehler (’86) became OSU’s first Rhodes Scholar.

1993: The First MacArthur Fellowship at OSU was awarded to marine biologist Jane Lubchenco for her foundational contributions to marine conservation biology, environmental research and policy.

2009: Chemist Mas Subramanian discovered the first inorganic blue pigment in more than 200 years.

2017: The first-ever 3-D virtual microscope developed and launched by biologist Andrew Bouwma, Ecampus and others won three national awards recognizing innovation in educational technology and bringing the lab experience to online students.

Read more:

Science at OSU has always been a trailblazer, continuing a tradition of outstanding ocean and space research.

The College of Science shines a light on some of the giants who have made ground-breaking contributions to the scientific enterprise.

Find out what it means for OSU to have Land-,Sea-, Space- and Sun-Grant designations.

The eagerly awaited Discovery Days arrived on campus October 31 and November 1. Nearly 800 students from 20 schools flocked to Oregon State University to participate in Discovery Days, an outreach program held twice annually that immerses students in the rich and diverse world of science.

The students were largely from neighboring elementary schools, representing schools in Corvallis, Albany, Sweet Home as well as Toledo. There were also a significant number of homeschooled students in attendance with their families.

The Discovery Days events were held in LaSells Stewart Center on Oregon State's campus.

College of Science Dean Roy Haggerty stopped by to visit with many of the students, encouraging their interest in science.

Students participated in a wide variety of hands-on learning exercises that included extracting strawberry DNA, measuring nuclear waves with a Geiger counter, examining bird and mammal teeth, and learning about snakes, lizards, bearded dragons and the natural history collection on campus with the aid of live specimens and much more. The exhibits were on display in a variety of stations that showcase toxicology, biochemistry and biophysics, botany, zoology, microbiology, physics as well as the engineering sciences.

Sponsored by the Colleges of Science, Agricultural Sciences and Engineering, Discovery Days strives to inspire future generations of doctors, scientists, engineers, mathematicians, physicists and other growing STEM careers. The program relies on volunteers to run stations showcasing science and engineering. The volunteers are mostly Oregon State science and engineering students eager to pass along their love of science to young students.

Participating organizations included the Departments of Botany and Plant Pathology, Chemistry, Fisheries and Wildlife, Microbiology, Nuclear Engineering, Physics and Geosciences as well as Brad’s World Reptiles and Sigma Delta Omega.

More than a decade old, Discovery Days has a rich legacy. It has helped thousands of students from Linn and Benton counties to discover, enjoy and love science through the years. Gabs James, special assistant in the College of Science, is the coordinator of Discovery Days.

Experts concur that STEM education starts long before a child reaches high school. Research shows that elementary-age students love hands-on and interactive STEM activities and are more likely to deem science relevant to their future education plans as they progress through school if they are exposed to STEM early.

Discovery Days is an important program in Oregon that piques the interest of young learners and engages them in science through deep and frequent exposure.

Discovery Days will return in the spring May 1-2, 2018.

The College of Science is delighted to have two doctoral students among the 24 young scientists and engineers selected as 2017 ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation Oregon scholars. A microbiology doctoral student from the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences was also selected for an ARCS award this year.

ARCS Foundation supports exceptional doctoral students in STEM fields at Oregon Health & Science University, OSU and the University of Oregon. The Oregon chapter annually supports 22-25 new scholars through proceeds from endowed funds, donors and chapter fundraising.

Overall, 14 Oregon State graduate students received scholarships from the ARCS Foundation Oregon this year. OSU mathematics alumna Sue McGrath ('70) will lead the organization as co-President this coming year.

Through its partnership with the ARCS Foundation, the College is able to recruit top Ph.D. students in biochemistry and biophysics, chemistry, mathematics, microbiology, statistics and integrative biology. The ARCS award provides doctoral students with $18,000, payable over three years at $6,000 per year.

Kudos to these first-year Ph.D. students, our 2017 ARCS Scholars!

Sean Boulanger, a chemistry graduate of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, is currently investigating the protein matrix in the green fluorescent protein chromophore through femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) techniques that offer "real-time structural snapshots of molecules in motion."

In recent years, the College of Science has enhanced support for underrepresented minority students and first-generation students and increased enrollment of high achieving students (with a GPA of 3.5 and higher). The demographics of the class of 2021 show impressive gains in all these areas.

This fall, the College welcomed 696 new students, a huge increase of 31 percent from last year's incoming class. Twenty-five percent, or 173 first-year students, indicated they are first in their family to attend college and 23 percent are underrepresented minorities. The College is thrilled to welcome the highest ever number of high achieving students in its incoming class: 37.6 percent!

More than half of first-year science students, or 570, receive scholarship support. While this financial support has no doubt helped to attract and inspire top science students, the numerous opportunities and support for undergraduate research in labs across and beyond OSU have also attracted many talented students to the College.

Students sometimes start conducting research in their first year of college itself, supported by awards such as the SURE Science scholarship program. The latter offers students financial support for summer research across campus that can foster meaningful, scholarly connections early in their academic careers and help define their professional career path.

The increase in student diversity points to the strength of campus-wide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs such as LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation), OSU STEM Leaders and SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science), which help to connect and fuel students interest in science through workshops, peer mentoring and research experiences helping them succeed both on campus and in their future professions.

"I am delighted to welcome the class of 2021 to the College of Science at OSU. I hope they take every opportunity to expand their professional and intellectual horizons in science. Our faculty and advisors are dedicated to student success," said Roy Haggerty, dean of the College of Science.

Overall fall term 2017 enrollment at OSU (which includes the main Corvallis campus, Ecampus and OSU-Cascades in Bend) grew 1.9 percent from last year, while enrollment at OSU's main campus in Corvallis continued to be stable. University-wide the number of high-achieving, minority and first-generation students have also risen in varying numbers. The most impressive enrollment figure is a 6.3 percent increase in minority students over a year ago.

A look at demographics: Women rule

The majority of the 696 students in the class of 2021—67%—identified as female, which constitutes the highest number of first-year women students in science since 2013. At 467, the total number of new women students this year constitutes a 51.6 percent increase over fall 2016.