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Mathematics

Roan Luikart, Class of ’25: Mathematics major finds the equation for success

At Oregon State, Roan Luikart was able to bring his passion for math to life. He studied abroad in England, conducted two undergraduate research projects, served as a resident assistant and helped grow the Math Club.

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Events

Milne Lecture: "From bits to bots: a mathematical perspective on generative AI"

Artificial intelligence is transforming the world—but how did we get here, and where are we going next? Join us to hear Rachel Ward, an applied mathematician known for her work on machine learning, optimization and signal processing from the University of Texas at Austin, share a talk titled, “From bits to bots: a mathematical perspective on generative AI.” Whether you're studying STEM, already immersed in the field, curious about AI, or passionate about the future of technology, this lecture offers a compelling look at the science and mathematical principles behind the algorithms—and the opportunities ahead.

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Alumni and Friends

Meet Scott Clark, an OSU science alum who built a $30M AI startup

Scott Clark (08) wants artificial intelligence to be powerful — and trustworthy.

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Mathematics

‘Impossibility Results in Mathematics’: Lonseth Lecture 2025

At this year’s Lonseth Lecture, Distinguished Professor Matthew Foreman explains what it means when certain tasks are mathematically impossible, and discusses varying notions of impossibility.

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Events

Celebrating graduate research at the College of Science

The College of Science will host its inaugural Graduate Research Showcase from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025 in the Memorial Union Horizon Room.

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Research

Transforming river health, ecology, seaweed, and pest control: Revolutionary SciRIS research

Founded in 2018, SciRIS funds interdisciplinary research projects that aim to create meaningful societal impact. This year, biologist David Lytle’s project focuses on understanding the complex interactions between multiple biotic components, including food base, disease landscape and microbiome in the lower Colorado River, including the Grand Canyon.

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Events

Celebrating inclusive excellence, administration, service and performance: 2025 College of Science Awards

The College of Science gathered on Feb. 26 to recognize and celebrate our high achieving faculty and staff at the 2025 Combined Awards Ceremony. The evening celebrated the very best in the College, from teaching, advising and research to inclusive excellence, administration and service. The following faculty and staff received awards in Inclusive Excellence, Administration, Service and Performance. Congratulations to all the awardees!

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Mathematics

Mathematician Axel Saenz Rodriguez earns competitive Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship

Axel Saenz Rodriguez, an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, has been awarded the prestigious Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship for his groundbreaking work at the intersection of probability theory and mathematical physics.

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Mathematics

Advances in mathematics education net Elise Lockwood the presidential award

Elise Lockwood, a professor in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Science, has been honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government to outstanding early-career scientists and engineers.

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Graduate students

College of Science graduate students earn prestigious awards in 2023-24

Graduate students in the College of Science earned notable recognition during the 2023-24 academic year, receiving a range of awards which highlight their achievements and contributions to Oregon State.

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College of Science

Empowering communities: Highlights from the College of Science’s 2023-24 outreach

Whether fostering curiosity in local classrooms, providing resources for underserved communities or translating cutting-edge discoveries for the general public, our outreach bridges the gap between science and society, elevating both. Here are some examples from across our departments during 2023-2024.

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Mathematics

A Mathematical Journey through Segregation and Hidden Figures: Fall 2024 Mathematics Lecture

Join us on October 15 for a special public lecture by Nathaniel Whitaker, a distinguished professor and head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at UMass Amherst.

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Faculty and Staff

Celebrating a legacy of excellence: An endowed scholarship for future mathematicians

The mathematics department has created an endowed scholarship in honor of Professor Thomas Dick for his lifelong dedication to educating and mentoring students.

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Physics

Edtech-inspired physics and mathematics senior lands a spot at top-tier university

A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away — in Lake Oswego, Oregon — Joey Takach ordered a bunch of soundboards, accelerometers and other metal parts online.

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Mathematics

College of Science alumnus to be presented with honorary doctorate

College of Science alumnus Michael S. Waterman (Mathematics '64, '66) will be presented with an honorary doctorate at this year's university-wide commencement ceremony in Corvallis.

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Students

Turning a talent for numbers into a career in finance

Ryan Holzschuh liked math as a teenager. He was even one of the top mathematics students at Cleveland High School in inner southeast Portland and took a year's worth of college-level math classes during his senior year in 2022. However, it took going to Oregon State University for Holzschuh to truly fall in love with numbers.

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Events

College of Science hosts Inaugural Research Showcase

The College of Science is hosting the inaugural research showcase on Tuesday, May 21, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oregon State Memorial Union Room 13.

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Mathematics

'Inverse problems and Harry Potter's Cloak': Lonseth Lecture 2024

Esteemed mathematician Gunther Uhlmann will present the 39th Lonseth Lecture on Tuesday, May 14. In his talk, he will explore various inverse problems encountered across scientific disciplines.

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Mathematics

Malgorzata Peszynska named a University Distinguished Professor

As a nationally and internationally recognized leader in mathematical and computational modeling of complex processes, Malgorzata Peszyńska is newly honored as a University Distinguished Professor at Oregon State University. With expertise that spans disciplines, Peszynska primarily works to mathematically solve problems related to environment and, recently, climate change.

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Alumni and Friends

What do mathematicians do? This mathematics grad began a technical writing career at Amazon

Mathematics alumna Megan Tucker navigated clouds with a pen. After jumpstarting her technical writing career at Amazon Web Services, she's found her voice answering the unspoken questions.

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Research

Innovation in cancer treatment and mathematics: SciRIS awardees lead the way

Collaborative science has the power to change the world. The 2024 College of Science Research and Innovation Seed (SciRIS) award recipients aim to use that power to develop better treatments for cancer and unlock the mysteries of complex mathematical equations.

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Alumni and Friends

Mathematics graduate thrives with simple philosophy: ‘Why not?’

In the intricate languages of mathematics and biology, alumna Rachel Sousa, ‘20, is multilingual. Since graduating from Oregon State, she has bridged the disciplines through several prestigious research experiences and credits her success to seizing opportunities no matter the odds.

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Mathematics

Precision Problem Solving: Topological Data Analysis Driving Advances in Medicine and Biology

Chad Giusti is an assistant professor of mathematics at Oregon State University. He works in pure and applied topology, with applications principally in neuroscience and complex systems. Here, we learn about the fascinating work Chad has done in applying the tools of topological data analysis to problems in medicine and biology.

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Mathematics

Classroom puzzles to cosmic insights: Students and professor demystify mathematical theorem

More than 150 years ago, Joseph Bertrand stated a mathematical theorem. Proving why this theorem is true hasn’t been a simple endeavor. Two College of Science alumni, along with professor Patrick De Leenheer, recently published a paper in the SIAM Review pulling back the curtain on Bertrand’s Theorem. Together, they wrote a proof that is accessible to undergraduate mathematics or physics students.

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Faculty and Staff

New Faculty Hires 2023-2024

The math department welcomes three new faculty hires

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Graduate students

New Graduate Students 2023-2024

The Mathematics department welcomes 15 new graduate students this fall.

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College of Science

College of Science faculty break down barriers in STEM education through Inclusive Excellence grant

Teaching faculty in the College of Science working to increase access, equity and inclusion in STEM education can create change by collaborating with a supportive community. The the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Inclusive Excellence grant creates a resource for enhancing STEM pedagogy.

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Mathematics

College of Science welcomes new Hartmann Faculty Scholar as incoming Department Head of Mathematics

The College of Science is excited to announce Professor Jonathan Kujawa as Department Head of Mathematics following a competitive national search, effective January 1, 2024. Kujawa brings expertise in departmental leadership as associate chair of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Oklahoma, as well as extensive research experience and undergraduate, graduate student and postdoctoral mentorship.

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College of Science

Building bridges: College of Science outreach fosters science literacy and inclusion

The College of Science is dedicated to enriching our community and promoting science literacy. Our recently launched Strategic Plan emphasizes making meaningful contributions on local, national, and global scales.

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Faculty and Staff

Oregon State names new College of Science dean

Eleanor Feingold, a statistical geneticist and associate dean with nearly 20 years of leadership experience at the University of Pittsburgh, has been named dean of Oregon State University’s College of Science. She will start Oct. 31.

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Alumni and Friends

How Peggy Cherng used her analytical know-how to help build a restaurant empire

The three years Peggy Cherng, ’71, spent in Corvallis powering through a four-year program in applied mathematics are a bit of a blur. A rainy, green blur.

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Students

A ‘limitless degree’: Physics senior pushes the boundaries of his field

How does DNA move? How do cells communicate with each other? When it comes to these questions, it’s easy to think of molecular biologists behind the words. But as physics and mathematics senior Sullivan “Sully” Bailey-Darland knows, there are many more voices asking.

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Students

Mathematics senior finds effective teaching strategies on her path to a graduate degree

Even though 1+2 will always be equal to 3, Madison Collins strives to teach math differently so that students can learn better and discover something new along the way.

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Graduate students

New Graduate Students 2022-2023

The Mathematics department welcomed 13 new graduate students this fall.