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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
