IMPACT

Margie Haak, a senior instructor in Oregon State University’s Department of Chemistry, has received the 2026 Outstanding Educator – Higher Education Award from the Oregon Academy of Science, recognizing more than three decades of dedication to teaching, mentorship and science outreach.

Both of the 2026 publications involve fluorescent proteins and their “core” chromophores that were first discovered in marine organisms such as jellyfish and coral. The earlier work focused on novel red-emitting graphene-sheet-based carbon dots engineered by the Cheng lab at College of Engineering.

The researchers used a molecule measuring technique to observe in a laboratory setting how certain metals can promote the protein clumping that leads to the blocked neural pathways associated with Alzheimer’s.

The CPR training came from a collaboration between our department and Oregon State University Emergency Preparedness.

This year’s honorees are advancing inclusive excellence, strengthening research infrastructure and shaping policy and programs that impact thousands of students and faculty. Their leadership and sustained service are transforming systems across the college, from the classroom to statewide collaboration.

On Thursday, January 15, the lecture, “A chemist’s journey: Unlocking new battery chemistries for a sustainable future,” will showcase his pioneering work developing safer, lower-cost, high-energy batteries by uncovering new chemistry principles. He will also share how he went from a small town in northeast China to Canada and then leading breakthroughs on a global scale.

See how OSU's Honors College gives science majors added access to research, mentorship and a tight-knit academic community.

Four College of Science research teams have been awarded funding through SciRIS Stage 2 and Stage 3 categories. Their projects span quantum materials, nanotechnology, spectroscopy, and cell-based computing — exploring spin waves for future computing, tracking nanoplastics in living systems, developing single-pixel spectrometers, and advancing cell-based artificial intelligence.

Oregon State’s 2025 Faculty Innovator Award celebrates Carter’s efforts to strengthen university innovation as his company, Valliscor, launches a major expansion in the Willamette Valley.

Meet a new member of the Department of Chemistry whose lab explores stimuli-responsive molecules for applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering and biomimicry.

Meet the six 2025 Alumni Award recipients who made important discoveries, dedicated their time to others and improved the world through science.

Scientists in the College of Science have filed a patent on a design for a new magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent with the potential to outperform current agents while being less toxic to patients and more environmentally friendly.

From being at the forefront of innovation in spectroscopy to inspiring the researchers of tomorrow, Nibler has made a lasting impact in science.

With the fellowship's support, Luke Allan will continue his discoveries into light-molecule interactions during the final year of his Ph.D.

This year, the College of Science stood out across multiple categories, with honorees recognized for advancing student success, championing affordability, sparking innovation and driving world-class discovery.

The work centers around crystalline, porous materials known as metal organic frameworks, often abbreviated as MOFs, and points toward next-generation materials that may end reliance on rare earth metals.

A team of scientists led by chemist Chong Fang has discovered a new way to visualize and track chloride ions in living systems, opening the door to accelerated research on diseases like cystic fibrosis, epilepsy and certain cancers.

Mas Subramanian and his team found a way to transform an old Norwegian mineral and common metals into vivid pigments that resist fading and heat while offering new sustainable uses.

A College of Science alumna and a Ph.D. student have been awarded 2025–26 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants to conduct research abroad. They join 17 College of Science students and alumni who have earned Fulbright honors over the past decade.

The College of Science is using research-backed pedagogy, interactive labs, and virtual kits to let students worldwide master science courses like chemistry, physics, and anatomy with the same rigor as in-person classes.

Check out our interview with Department of Chemistry instructor John Terhorst!

In the 2024-2025 academic year, graduate students in the College of Science received notable recognition through a variety of competitive fellowships, scholarships and professional development awards. These honors support students at critical stages of their graduate education, helping fund research, conference travel, tuition and other opportunities that contribute to academic and professional growth.

The College of Science is proud to announce that Alison Bain, assistant professor of chemistry, has been named one of the “Talented Twelve” by Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society. The honor celebrates early-career researchers who are making the world a better place through chemistry.

With a meaningful summer abroad and years of undergraduate research under his belt, chemistry senior Mitchell Kenny is heading into his Ph.D. with a strong foundation from Oregon State.