2026 Student Impact

C ON T E N T S

Team Science ’26 Edition Senior Editor Tamara Cissna

Managing Editor and Designer Sharon Betterton

Writers Hannah Ashton Erica Martin Elana Roldan Kaitlyn Hornbuckle Emily Osborne

College of Science

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From the Dean

Where is Team Science from?

Scientists can always benefit from looking beyond their scientific pursuits.

We look at the data.

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More Than a Major

Seeing Sharks Differently

See all the different ways science students learn and make an impact at Oregon State (and beyond).

Honors biology major Natalie Donato uses art to bring discovery to life.

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Lab Coats On

Helping Beavs Achieve

For those that seek them, research experiences have made profound impacts on their journeys.

Learning assistants bring the personal touch to large classes.

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Community Connection

Busy as a Beav

Eleanor Feingold, Dean

Publisher College of Science 128 Kidder Hall Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331

Read these stories and more at Impact online

Each of our departments connect with communities in Oregon and beyond in unique ways.

Hear what our students have been up to over the last year.

From the Dean Congratulations on beginning your science journey at Oregon State University. Throughout this issue, you will see how students pursue a wide range of opportunities that build on their scientific interests and prepare them to contribute to their communities in Oregon and beyond.

“Whatever activity nourishes you, carve out space for it. It matters.”

In this issue, you’ll meet incredible students who have participated in research, studied abroad, volunteered at medical clinics and supported their fellow students as learning assistants. You’ll also learn about their faculty mentors, who engage in powerful research topics like using mathematics to improve medicine, studying fish reproduction to improve aquaculture sustainability, crafting custom molecules to combat the effects of climate change and finding immunity insights in fruit flies.

The College of Science at Oregon State University trains students and supports faculty to contribute to every aspect of scientific progress. I hope you take advantage of as many of these opportunities as you can here.

I also want to encourage you to think beyond your classes.

It can be easy to devalue “extracurricular” activities that keep us grounded, make life more interesting and prepare you for your career in ways you might not expect. When I was in college and grad school, my list of extracurriculars included water polo, crew, political activism, community outreach and music. The experiences and responsibilities I took on in my “extras” were just as useful for my first job as what I learned in class.

While I don’t do water polo drills much these days, I still play weekly with the Corvallis-OSU Symphony and spend a lot of time outdoors. Lately I’ve been reading a lot of memoirs, including “All God’s Dangers,” an oral history of an African American tenant farmer in the mid-20th century, and “Fierce Attachments,” Vivian Gornick’s story of her relationship with her mother growing up in an immigrant community in the Bronx.

Whatever activity nourishes you, carve out space for it.

It matters. Make the most of your time here, both within your major and beyond it. We are excited to support you as you grow and explore.

Eleanor Feingold

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OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

Zoo Basel in BASEL, SWITZERLAND, is renowned for its conservation breeding, and has produced the most Indian rhinos in captivity in the world.

SINGAPORE is the 21st smallest country in the WORLD at 284 square miles and the third most dense by population.

KADUNA, NIGERIA, gets about the same rainfall as CORVALLIS, OREGON, but its rainy season is in the summer instead of the winter.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, is not just the most southern origin of our students, but also the world’s southernmost large city (>1M).

WHERE IS

Team Science from?

Created with Datawrapper by Sharon Betterton (M.S. Chemistry ’12) and Jen Olarra (M.S. Soil Sciences ’12) Fun facts compiled by Sharon Betterton and Emily Osborne (Biology ’25)

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Our northernmost students travel to us from FAIRBANKS, AK.

OLIVER, B.C., once claimed to be a “dog’s paradise” because its dogs had no fleas.

Betty James, namer and cofounder of the Slinky was born in ALTOONA, PA. The Slinky is an excellent model for Hooke’s Law.

The HAWAIIAN island of MAUI contains Big Bog, one of the wettest places on earth with ~400 in. of rain a year.

One third of all Peruvians live in LIMA, PERU, a culturally rich city known as the Gastronomical Capital of the Americas.

OLINDA, BRAZIL, hosts Bonecos Gigantes, 10 ft. tall papier-mâché puppets of public figures and cultural icons used in carnival season.

The town of Blodgett, OR is so small that nearly 5% of its population is in the College of Science right now.

We’ve got nine students from San Francisco, CA but only one each from Frisco, CO and Frisco, TX. Corvallis is in the heart of Willamette Valley. Happy Valley, OR; Castro Valley, Jurupa Valley, Mill Valley, Moreno Valley, Penn Valley, Scotts Valley, Simi Valley and Spring Valley, CA; and Maple Valley and Spokane Valley, WA.

Two students join us from the U.S.’s Big Apple, New York City, NY — only one more than joins us from another Big Apple, Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Over 500 science students hail from Portland, OR. Other Team Science hot spots that want to keep their cities weird: Austin, TX; Santa Cruz, CA; Louisville, KY and Boulder, CO. Big thanks to Jupiter, FL; Lake Orion, MI; Star, ID; Aurora (OR, CO and IL) and Corona, CA for adding star quality.

181 international science students come to us from 41 countries on six continents like India, China and South Korea in Asia; Nigeria and Ghana in Africa; Germany, Sweden and Austria in Europe; Canada, Panama and Dominica in North America; and Brazil and Peru in South America.

139 science students originate here in Benton County. Other Bentons across the country that our students call home: Benton, AR; Benton, TN and Benton City, WA.

More Than a Major

Small-Town Small Town Space-Time Kyle Gourlie PHYSICS

There’s the store, the gas station and fields that stretch to the hills. Describing his home in Scio, Oregon, alumnus Kyle Gourlie (Physics ’25) emphasizes its small-town lifestyle. Getting access to science in his rural community proved to be a challenge, but by seeking out opportunities at community college and making the transition to OSU, he has since carved a path for himself.

From early on Kyle was captivated by astronomy. With encouragement from his older sister and through dualenrollment at Linn-Benton Community College, he discovered his fascination could become his profession.

for Inclusion in Science, a group focused on equity and outreach in STEM. “Historically, science has not been very inclusive at all. It’s been predominantly white males,” he said. “After coming to an actual university and understanding how real that is, I want to fix that.”

On the research front, Kyle has worked with pulsar timing data to detect gravitational waves as part of a complex coding-based project with NANOGrav. His summer was made possible by a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience grant, letting him discover his future in physics.

Transitioning to Oregon State brought new challenges: large lectures, heavier coursework and an hour-long commute from Scio. But he leaned into the community, especially after meeting Assistant Professor Jeff Hazboun whose work with gravitational waves at the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves inspired Kyle’s own research.

“I knew this is definitely what I wanted to do with my Ph.D.,” he said. “I would not have been able to do that without the SURE grant.”

Kyle didn’t stop there. As a first-year student he joined the Society of Physics Students where he served as president in his senior year. He supported undergraduates academically as a learning assistant in physics courses and was also active in Physicists

“I really want to be an advocate for pursuing STEM, especially right now,” he said. “We have a moral obligation to not keep our science locked up. I feel like it is our responsibility to not only communicate with the public what we’re doing, but to also give back.”

As he works toward a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Kyle hopes to continue his exciting astrophysics research and champion access to STEM for underserved communities.

Yep, it’s important. But every scientist is a whole person.

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Sequencing Smoke Emily Kaneshiro

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Emily Kaneshiro (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ʼ25) discovered a passion for fermentation science that transformed her career goals. Growing up surrounded by vineyards and hops farms in the Willamette Valley, she learned the art and science behind brewing culture early. Her mother worked in a tasting room, her stepfather made his own beer, and family friends ran their own breweries. That background set the stage for her interests.

Originally, Emily thought she would pursue medicine. But after experiencing the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic and gaining hands-on plant science experience as a research assistant in the OSU Hops Breeding Program, she realized biochemistry could lead to opportunities beyond human health and into food and wine science. Eager to expand her horizons, she studied abroad at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands.

“Being able to get that support I’ve received, whether that’s from parents, peers, friends or professors, has been vital to my success,” she said. During her time abroad, she immersed herself in food microbiology, genomics, enzymology and gene technology courses, gaining a new perspective on what it means to work as a scientist.

Those experiences and a six-week internship at a French winery kindled a fascination with the chemistry of wine, especially the challenge of how wildfire smoke affects grape and wine quality. Back at OSU, she joined the Curtin Lab where she worked on a paid independent research project to tackle smoke taint in wine.

Grapes can absorb smoke compounds which create an unpleasant smoke flavor in wine. Her approach: genetically engineer yeast with plasmids, or DNA particles, to express a pathway that

degrades smoke-derived compounds during fermentation. If successful, the wine could be drinkable without the undesirable smoke taste.

“It’s really rewarding watching the project evolve,” she said, especially because it blended her biochemical training with real-world problems in wine and agriculture.

Now past graduation, Emily has enrolled in the Vinifera Euromaster, a coalition of renowned wine science schools across Europe. There, she continues to build on the experience she began at Oregon State.

“Getting experience in a lab will really let you know where you want to work.

It gives you a lot of skills and more understanding of what working as a scientist really is,” she said. “I think it was really instrumental for me when choosing my career path.”

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OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

Making mom proud Ella Bailey

HONORS CHEMISTRY Ella Bailey (BioHealth Sciences ’25) spent her years at Oregon State gaining a wealth of clinical experience, community involvement and service that strengthened her path toward dentistry.

Raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, she came to OSU on a Western Undergraduate Exchange scholarship, driven by a desire to expand access to oral health care.

Her journey wasn’t an easy one. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Ella nearly paused her education.

“Seeing your mom sick is really hard … I was going to drop out and take time off but my mom said I can’t, I have to go to school,” she said.

Her mother’s encouragement and the community she found at OSU helped her stay on track. Ella became an active

presence in student organizations across campus that celebrate and uplift Black culture. She helped organize the Black Women’s Brunch and worked at the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center. She also joined the Society of Scholarly Sistas, where she volunteered in service efforts like collecting and delivering supplies for people experiencing homelessness in Eugene.

breaks she returned to Alaska to work in an orthodontic office. She began as a sterilization technician, then gained experience assisting with appointments, taking impressions and x-rays. She credits Dr. Wentz and his wife Natalie for guiding her development.

“Because I worked at that office, I was introduced to a number of orthodontists who have all been amazing to work with and learn from,” she said.

Her most impactful work came from volunteering in a mobile dental clinic housed in an RV. “It’s very eye-opening because they are really appreciative of us doing extractions or just putting a BandAid on where we can,” she said.

Reflecting on her journey, she said, “Everyone’s path looks different. Do not judge your path compared to people around you … Take pride in where you’re at and what you’re doing.”

Looking ahead, Ella plans to attend dental school, then return to Alaska and open both a practice and free clinics to serve underserved communities.

Outside academics, Ella gained extensive hands-on experience. She shadowed Dr. Martin Lindner and Dr. Charles Eric Jones at Timberhill Dental in Corvallis, and during school

She emphasizes focusing on your journey in science without comparing it to others. “Take pride in where you’re at and what you’re doing,” she said. “You deserve to be here.”

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Honors alumnus Roan Luikart (’25), who double majored in mathematics and physics, saw mathematics as more than just a subject. Through it he discovered a foundation for logic, understanding and creativity.

“There’s a logical rigor and clarity in mathematics that is comforting,” he said. “It’s not subjective. Either something is logically consistent or it isn’t. In a world with a lot of uncertainty, mathematics is grounding.”

His passion for math took root early.

In eighth grade, after being placed in the wrong track and facing a backlog of make-up work, he nonetheless tackled the challenge and found a sense of satisfaction in grappling with mathematical problems. “Through that experience, I formed a greater appreciation for it and fell in love with

math,” he recalled. By high school, he was committed enough to envision a career built around it.

At Oregon State, he seized the opportunities available. He completed two research projects, one during the academic year and another through a summer program funded by the National Science Foundation. He worked under his mentor Nicholas Marshall, whose research blends analysis geometry and probability.

Together they co-authored a paper in the SIAM Journal on Matrix Analysis and Applications, improving a numerical algorithm by adding a “momentum” term to speed convergence, relevant for areas like medical imaging and computer tomography.

Beyond research, Roan had an active role in the campus community. He

Σ Success Roan Luikart HONORS MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS

joined the Math Club his first year and became president in his senior year, helping revive it after a pandemic-era decline. “It has been a huge part of my time here,” he said. He also served as a resident assistant for three years.

Roan also took advantage of the study abroad programs available through OSU GO. He spent a term at Lancaster University in England, an experience that was a highlight of his undergraduate years.

Now, Roan has started his mathematics Ph.D. journey at the University of Virginia. Though he hopes to become a professor, he said his drive goes deeper: “Even if I don’t end up becoming a professor, having that further mathematical understanding is something I desire. Right now, I know just the tip of the iceberg.”

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A Kiwi A Day Cierra Freese ECAMPUS ZOOLOGY

When Cierra Freese (Zoology ’25) returned to college at age 27, she never imagined feeding a nocturnal kiwi chick in New Zealand or caring for a local barred owl. An Ecampus alumna from Battle Creek, Michigan, her path to wildlife conservation was anything but traditional.

After graduating high school in 2012, Cierra initially pursued marketing and business but found the coursework uninspiring. She left college early and spent nearly a decade working in retail.

Yet her lifelong passion for animals — sparked by childhood days outdoors with her grandmother and cemented by watching the animated film “Balto” — never faded.

“I’ve always come back to animals,” she said. “Helping them and teaching others

about them felt natural. Zoology just made sense.”

In 2020, during the pandemic, Cierra decided to return to school. Oregon State’s Ecampus offered the flexibility she needed to study remotely while living in northern Michigan with her partner and their six pets: two huskies, two cats and two guinea pigs.

Balancing coursework with a full-time job at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources was challenging, but the online format made it possible.

“There was a gap between the last time I was in school and now, and I had a completely different background,” she recalled. “But there were great professors who made it feel like a regular college class. I felt included.”

Her studies opened doors to hands-on experiences, including an internship at Kiwi North in Whangārei, New Zealand, where she cared for native species and deepened her understanding of global conservation efforts.

Today, Cierra applies her education to meaningful work educating the public, supporting conservation initiatives and pursuing her dream of protecting wolves in the wild.

Cierra’s journey reflects adaptability and a deep commitment to wildlife.

From retail to research, she proves that it’s never too late to follow your calling.

“Not only did I gain knowledge, but I also grew as a person,” she said. “I want to make a difference for animals and inspire others to do the same.”

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From coast to court Vivian Light BIOLOGY

Vivian Light (Biology ’25) balanced rigorous scientific research with a demanding athletic career on the volleyball court. While studying biology and ecology, she spent time working in a lab at the Hatfield Marine Science Center counting annuli on otoliths — rings on fish ear bones — to estimate specimen ages. The delicate counting task fed into a larger project on the reproductive rates of species and when it’s safe to catch them without harming populations.

“There are so many benefits to doing research. It was a hands-on experience where I learned if I was OK with dissecting stuff. And I learned that I really enjoy working with fish,” Vivian said.

Even though she lived in Corvallis for volleyball training, Vivian drove frequently to the coast to assist in that lab work, determined to find her place in science. The lab welcomed her after she sent one simple email, and she took advantage of the chance.

Originally from California, she decided on Oregon State partly because of its strong science departments and the chance to play collegiate volleyball. She comes from a large family with both scientists and athletes, which helped shape her dual interests.

Balancing Division I athletics with biology wasn’t easy.

Volleyball demands year-round practice, daily training sessions and weight room work. Yet Vivian sees the difficulty as part of the reward.

“It can be hard, but if I am truly doing it, biology is not supposed to be easy. Studying something hard and doing other hard things with it, is an honor. I get to be that person on my team and set an academic standard,” she said.

During the 2024 season she made a strong athletic impact: she was third on her team in kills and led her team with 37 service aces, which ranked sixth in her conference.

Now with graduate school in mind, Vivian plans to focus on freshwater fish conservation. Her time in lab and on the court taught her that dedication and teamwork are invaluable — whether dissecting fish or spiking a volleyball.

X(ray) Marks the Spot Audrey Bivens BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Audrey Bivens (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) transformed her academic journey when she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. She joined a STEM research program focused on crystallography, gaining hands-on experience in advanced lab techniques while immersing herself in a new culture.

Awarded an IE3 Global Scholarship, Audrey worked alongside experts and even had the rare opportunity to use an X-ray Free-Electron Laser at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, a milestone for any undergraduate scientist.

“I’m grateful to have received a scholarship that helped fund my time abroad and gave me the chance to experience life in Spain,” she said.

The internship offered individualized placements at hospitals, universities and research institutions, tailored to students’ interests and goals. For Audrey, this meant learning scientific processes entirely new to her while navigating life in a different culture.

Beyond the lab, she embraced Spanish traditions, improved her language skills and explored the country’s vibrant heritage. She attended Real Madrid games during the UEFA Champions League, traveled on weekend trips and even visited Lisbon, Portugal.

Reflecting on her experience, Audrey called studying abroad “one of the most meaningful experiences of my college career and something I’ll carry with me forever.” She credits the program for helping her grow personally and professionally.

“Not only did I grow so much, but I also gained confidence and learned how to appreciate living in the moment. I’d recommend studying abroad to anyone who’s even a little curious,” she said.

Hear from Audrey Audrey is one of our science ambassadors, which means you might have already met her on a campus tour! Check out this video where she shares what studying abroad was like for her.

Global education has transformative power. By combining rigorous scientific research with cultural immersion, Audrey expanded her academic horizons and developed skills that will serve her well in any future endeavor. For her, science thrives in diverse environments where curiosity meets opportunity.

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Turning Points Mitchell Kenny CHEMISTRY

Mitchell Kenny (Chemistry ’25) turned casual interest into a global journey in chemical research and a clear path toward a Ph.D. Before college, science was never a career possibility in his mind. His experience at an arts-focused middle school and a technical high school sparked interests in drama and computer science, but with college on the horizon, neither called to him.

That changed after he took a chemistry class. Drawn to discovery, Mitchell joined the URSA Engage Program at Oregon State and began working in Kyriakos Stylianou’s lab.

His experience there forging metalorganic frameworks, crystalline porous materials that can be fine-tuned for different functions, opened him to the world of possibilities in science.

“You don’t need knowledge to do research and you don’t need to be smart.

You just have to be persistent,” he said.

Wanting more experience, he later applied to an international exchange program supported by the American Chemical Society and the German Academic Exchange Service and spent a summer in Kiel, Germany, working full time on MOF research.

Back at OSU, he returned to the lab and began an independent project with potential applications in catalysis and gas storage. He learned to grow crystals, analyze their structure and soon began mentoring other undergrads. His work produced notable results — especially with palladium porphyrin MOFs, where he identified four distinct structures, an unusually high number for a single system.

“I was essentially a master’s student for those three months, working somewhat independently on a project for 40 hours a week, living life in Germany,” he said.

Since graduating, Mitchell has begun his Ph.D. at Northwestern University, committed to pushing the limits of chemical knowledge.

That summer abroad was another turning point. The experience reinforced his love of research and solidified his decision to pursue graduate school.

“That’s what research is — you are making new knowledge,” he said. “I’ll have the most freedom to make that new knowledge with a Ph.D.”

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OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

For Kaitlyn Kim (’25), mentorship and community defined her Oregon State University experience. Coming from Ashland, Oregon, Kaitlyn sought opportunities to combine science and service. She majored in biochemistry and molecular biology, added minors in chemistry and music performance, and quickly discovered a passion for supporting peers in rigorous STEM fields.

Over three years, Kaitlyn served as a Learning Assistant in the Principles of Biology series, fostering agile thinking and belonging in foundational courses. She also worked as an Academic Learning Assistant for two years, planning academic events and offering residence hall support, and later became an undergraduate Teaching Assistant for genetic biochemistry.

These positions gave her “an active role in students’ lives through peer mentorship,” helping others realize their potential.

Her commitment extended to research. From her first year, Kaitlyn worked in Kathy Magnusson’s lab at the Linus Pauling Institute, contributing to multiple projects and presenting at the Society for Neuroscience. Her Honors thesis, “Heterozygous 5xFAD Mice Exhibited Increased Fragmented Sleep at an Early Age,” explored early sleep disruptions in an Alzheimer’s disease model — work that reflects her interest in preventive approaches to medicine.

Beyond academics, Kaitlyn co-founded the Students for Health Humanities Club, an interdisciplinary group focused on the human side of medicine and improving health care access. The club hosted art projects, policy discussions and community engagement to spark dialogue across perspectives.

“I wanted this club to be an evolving space to talk with people who think differently,” she said.

Her leadership and scholarship earned her the 2024 Joe Hendricks Honors College Scholarship for Academic Excellence and recognition as a runner-up in 2025. Kaitlyn credits mentors like Tebeau Hall Resident Director Shelley Griffiths for supporting her advocacy efforts beyond academics.

After graduation, Kaitlyn will pursue a Master of Science at Stanford University while applying to medical school. Reflecting on her time at OSU, she said, “I’ve realized that nothing gets accomplished alone. With community, I’ve been able to take on challenges, mentor others and create something lasting and meaningful.”

A Medic’s Ethic Kaitlyn Kim HONORS BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Moving Mountains Auria Lee HONORS BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Auria Lee (Honors Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ’25) built an ambitious undergraduate resume in preparation for a career in medicine. She co-founded the local chapter of a medical humanities group, interned in cardiovascular research, taught paramedics in India, climbed a mountain and completed the Accelerated Master’s Platform in public health — all while finishing her degree.

"I always had a sense that I was going to be a doctor, even though I didn't have any doctors in my family or around me," she said. "Medicine aligns with who I am.

You have the ability to significantly affect patients' lives and play a leadership role in their care, and health care is something that everybody in the world needs."

Lee traces her interest in medicine to an early desire to understand how the body works. That curiosity also led to a BMB degree, as the major provided an indepth understanding of the body, how it

interacts with the environment and how medications impact it.

Supplementing her studies at OSU, Lee participated in outdoor leadership training. A Wilderness First Aid and mountaineering course drew her to the Adventure Leadership Institute, through which she earned a certificate in Adventure Leadership. She credits the experience for her personal growth and for giving her the tools needed for risk management, empathy and presence — qualities she sees as valuable to future patients. She even climbed to the summit of Mount Hood.

“I was scared and so much was unfamiliar, but learning to navigate that made me a lot more resilient,” she said.

Lee’s global experiences include a 2023 stint at Ramaiah Medical College in Bengaluru, India, where she observed and taught paramedics, instructing in

English, anatomy and CPR. She described the work as eye-opening: learning to communicate across language and cultural barriers and witnessing the value of community-based care.

Back on campus, Lee co-founded the OSU chapter of Students for Health Humanities. The group worked with local nonprofits, hosted speakers and explored the humanistic side of medicine. Meanwhile she returned to research at Michigan Medicine where she interned in cardiovascular research and contributed to a registry-based study on non-surgical management of acute aortic dissection.

With plans for medical school in her near future, Lee is grateful for the experiences she had as an undergraduate and the strong foundation they provided.

“Every step along the way, OSU has had so many opportunities for me,” she said.

Natalie Donato takes pictures of a blue shark specimen at different angles. Her images illuminate the shark’s unique pattern of electroreceptor pores.

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To Natalie Donato, a third-year Honors biology student, sharks are more than just big fish. On a typical day at Oregon State, this Udall and Goldwater scholar can be found creating 3D models of shark heads in a research lab, where she developed new “fin-tastic” electroreceptor pore-mapping methods.

She also recently designed Oregon’s new shark license plate and used artwork to raise money for groundbreaking projects at the Chapple Big Fish Lab, the first dedicated shark research program in Oregon. By blending art and science as a career, Natalie is on a mission to communicate scientific research to the public more effectively, starting with seeing sharks differently.

“The ocean is this underwater forest that’s shrouded under waves; it’s an alien world we don’t get to experience as often as on land,” she said.

Sinking teeth into undergraduate research These pores on the blue shark’s snout and head help sharks find prey, navigate and even sense each other.

They are sensitive enough to detect faint electrical fields given off by muscle contractions and heartbeats.

Seeing Sharks Differently Art brings discovery to life Art by Natalie Donato Photography by Aiden Burgess Written by Kaitlyn Hornbuckle

During her first term at Oregon State, Natalie applied to the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and the Arts program (URSA). The award landed her a research internship with the Chapple Big Fish Lab, based at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. That’s when she started to make waves.

“Sharks are more than just apex predators,” she said. “Across the entire globe, sharks participate in every level of the ecosystem. They are the cogs in the whole ‘machine’ that make it run.”

With research associate Kyle Newton, Natalie annotated video-recorded movements of two local species of skates, which are an egg-laying species similar to rays. Skates and rays are evolutionarily related to sharks and share a key trait: Their skeletons are made of cartilage instead of bone.

If skates potentially navigate the waters by sensing Earth’s magnetic field, then results from this type of research help scientists understand how electromagnetic field sources, like underwater cables from offshore energy production, may impact their behaviors.

When that project ended, Natalie was eager for more adventures.

Thanks to the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program, and the mentorship of assistant professor Taylor Chapple, Natalie launched her own research project. She wanted to digitally “unpeel” a shark skin, instead of dissecting a real one, to map its electroreceptor pores.

To set the example, she created realistic 3D models of different types of shark heads by taking pictures of them from multiple angles and using photogrammetry software called RealityCapture.

Each shark species has a unique electroreceptor pore pattern. By understanding where the pores sit, scientists can link that to their habitats, ecology, head shape, evolutionary lineage and how they capture prey.

“The ocean is this underwater forest that’s shrouded under waves; it’s an alien world we don’t get to experience as often as on land.”

Natalie Donato is the College of Science’s 29th Goldwater Scholar. Since 1991, OSU has celebrated 52 honorees.

There are more than 500 species of sharks worldwide, according to NOAA Fisheries. This means there is a lot to discover about what makes sharks unique, and building 3D models is just the beginning of understanding them at a deeper level.

“The variation in sharks makes them incredibly fascinating to study.

Wobbegongs call the seafloor home, camouflaging across the ground and waiting to ambush their prey. But there are also basking sharks, which consume microscopic plankton in the water by filter feeding.”

Making a splash in science communication

Like the sharks, Natalie is a bit different.

She isn’t just a scientist, but an artist too. By embracing her creativity, she’s managed to communicate the science of sharks to others using graphic design and illustration.

Recently, she designed a new Oregon shark license plate featuring the salmon shark, thresher shark and blue shark, which often call the Oregon coast home.

Plate vouchers from each sale support shark research, training, outreach and education for the Big Fish Lab at OSU.

IMPACT SPECIAL EDITION 2026

Using art, she continues to educate others on how these big fish benefit their ecosystems. With Oregon Sea Grant, she’s collaborating with local researchers to create educational posters featuring illustrations of all 15 Oregon shark species.

For Natalie, her imagination is the pen and paper itself.

“I have aphantasia, which means I can’t visualize images in my head,” she said. “You don’t have to have an imagination to be an artist.”

Last year, she hosted a “How to Draw a Shark” workshop at Finside Out, a public event she organized as vice president of Integrative Biology Club in collaboration with Ocean 11. On the big screen, she taught eager attendees how to draw the external anatomy of a blue shark.

“As I’m climbing the ladder in academia, I want to help other people behind me so that when I reach the top, I’m standing there with a bunch of friends,” Natalie said. “My best advice is to take the unexpected opportunities and make the most of them. You just have to start with one, and the connections and opportunities will follow.”

Her work can be found on Insta @nataliedonato.art.

Discovering research for the first time

While volunteering to protect tidepools and nesting seabirds at Cannon Beach with the Haystack Rock Awareness Program in Oregon, Natalie applied to Oregon State in 2021. She received an acceptance letter within three weeks. Despite being more than eight hours away from her home in California, she took the leap.

“I saw that there were so many programs for students to get involved in research at Oregon State,” Natalie said. “When it came to choosing the best school for me, I realized what truly matters is access to hands-on experiences, and Oregon State offered exactly that.”

Three weeks into her first biology course, Natalie followed a tip from biology professor Nathan Kirk and teaching assistant Megan Davis to the Menge Lubchenco Lab, where she met John Dickens, the faculty research assistant.

Dickens quickly hired her as a volunteer research assistant. “I started by counting tiny juvenile mussels under microscopes,” Natalie said. “These mussels were collected from over decades of Bruce Menge’s work.

And the fact that I was sitting inside a lab, working with other researchers, kept me coming back week after week.

Then, they mentioned an opportunity called URSA.” This opportunity reeled her into the Big Fish Lab, and the rest is history. Shark history.

Natalie inspects a hammerhead shark (above) and a Pacific spiny dogfish (right) in the Chapple Big Fish Lab. Her love of sharks landed her design on one of Oregon’s newest license plates (below).

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OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

Studies in slime

During fall term, Thandiwe Venema, a marine biology major at Oregon State, dashed across campus to collect a leopard slug — the start of an innovative research experience. Through OSU’s course-based undergraduate research experiences, students conduct authentic research in introductory biology courses, connecting directly with faculty labs. Launched in 2021, the BI22x series engages over 1,000 students in projects like studying nematodes in slugs and coral-algal symbiosis. Unlike national programs, OSU’s CUREs tie into campus research, building skills and confidence while making science accessible.

For Thandi, the experience opened doors. She later joined a faculty lab, turning classroom curiosity into realworld science. “The CURE classes are exciting. You have the freedom to go even further and really answer, ‘Why did this happen?’” she said.

Empowered in the lab

Biochemistry and molecular biology major Ashley Tran found an unexpected sense of belonging she had never experienced before in a lab at OSU’s Linus Pauling Institute. Surrounded by accomplished women and mentored by Institute Director Emily Ho, an Asian American principal investigator, Ashley felt her vision of the future reshaping.

“It really shows that there’s a place for everyone,” Ashley said. “It’s empowering to work in that environment.”

Through the STEM Leaders Program and SURE, Ashley contributed to a clinical trial studying how walnuts affect memory and gut health in older adults. She processed human samples, overcame initial fears and built confidence through mentorship. Though her future lies in medicine, the skills and perspectives she gained from research will support her career path.

What else do undergrads research?

Bacterial-viral binding, cloning sea anemones, marine sediment cores from Greenland, machine learning applications in astrophysics, interactions of climate variability and the spatial distribution of krill, batteries that use water as a key component, the potential relationship between solar irradiance and anemone abundance in the low intertidal zone, hybridization in woodrats, novel drug screens and cell media development, targeting molecules and their effect on levels of antibody expression, interactions between bacteriophages and their bacteria, and much more.

Lab Coats On

Well, not all of them wear lab coats, but these undergrads still share something in common: research opportunities that revealed what really mattered.

“Take note of opportunities.

Even if you are scared, do it.”

—Ashley Tran Top left: Thandi holds a crab over a bed of mussels at the Oregon coast.

Top right: Ashley Tran pipettes plasma samples after centrifuging the blood from a participant in a study on walnuts.

Bottom left: In the Johnson Lab, Jordan studies a family of proteins called Ferlins, which play a role in cell communication, growth and repair.

Bottom right: Matthew monitors the development of spheroids, clusters of breast cancer cells used to study tumors.

IMPACT SPECIAL EDITION 2026

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Fighting with fruit flies

Estifanos Berhe, a biochemistry and bioresource double major, balances a schedule filled with classes, lab work and leadership. After immigrating from Ethiopia to Oregon at 12, he is profoundly driven to make the most of the opportunities his family sacrificed for.

“Knowing that this wasn’t written for me, given where I’m from, and that receiving this level of education isn’t typical: it makes me strive harder,” he said.

Autoimmune diseases, which occur when immune cells mistakenly attack healthy tissue, stand at the center of his investigations. Through the undergrad research program URSA Engage, Estifanos used fruit flies to explore how immune cell communication malfunctions.

He then founded the Alliance of Undergraduate Researchers in Academia to support his peers. His mission is clear: to create community and pursue biomedical research that could one day help thousands.

In pursuit of a cure

For Jordan Indrawan, the College of Science’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience turned a personal battle into purpose. At 16, Jordan survived a germ cell tumor and vowed to help find a cure.

“That experience was life-changing and made me realize that I want to contribute in some way,” he said.

Over the summer, SURE funding allowed him to join Colin Johnson’s lab studying ferlins, proteins linked to cancer and other diseases. Jordan mastered techniques like protein purification and anisotropy experiments — and even earned authorship on a scientific paper.

“Seeing my name felt unreal and rewarding,” he said. His goal for the future is advancing cancer research so others can also find treatment.

Confidence at the bench

A year ago, Matthew Hines never imagined himself doing research. The biohealth sciences and bioresource research double major gained confidence through Oregon State’s STEM Leaders Program and the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

“SURE gave me the chance to fully commit to the lab and prove to myself that I could do difficult things,” he said.

Working in Bo Sun’s physics lab, Matthew studied breast cancer cell invasion, learning wet lab techniques, imaging with confocal microscopy and even coding for data analysis.

The experience taught him resilience and creativity, sparked a passion for research and confirmed his commitment to healthcare.

Does undergrad research really matter?

Check out this video where renowned coral reef biologist Virginia Weis explains why Oregon State is such a great place to learn how to become a scientist.

Helping Beavs Achieve How do Learning Assistants keep big classes personal?

Learn more about the program and how it helps both students and learning assistants themselves in this video.

IMPACT SPECIAL EDITION 2026

In a sea of students, individual experiences can be hard to track.

Someone in the crowd is their family’s first to attend college. Someone else is groggy from last night’s closing shift.

Creating personal, effective experiences at this scale takes a team. That’s why the College of Science launched the Learning Assistant Program a decade ago — to make large STEM courses more personal, inclusive and effective. The program recruits undergraduates onto teaching teams for courses they have successfully completed, training them to support learning through individualized guidance.

This evidence-based, peer-to-peer mentoring model is one of only two programs of its kind implemented at such a large scale across a U.S. university — and the results speak for themselves. In OSU’s introductory biology series, the drop, fail, withdrawal rates fell to just 7%, well below the national average of 20-30%. In one year alone, learning assistants supported 25,000 enrollments across campus.

“Students connect with students,” said Jay Baran-Kamoura (Physics ’25), who was an LA for three years. “The LA program creates a sense of community and trust. So in the end, it’s not just that knowledge was beamed into students’ heads. It’s a friend helping them through a class.”

Ten years ago, Professor of Teaching Devon Quick wanted her classes to

engage in active learning. Alongside Lori Kayes and Dennis Bennett, Quick integrated the LA Program into College of Science courses to facilitate this change.

“ The LA program creates a sense of community and trust. It’s a friend helping them through a class.”

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LAs do more than facilitate, however.

Their one-on-one experiences let them see how a class is doing at the ground level. If a topic has been especially challenging, they can communicate that to the instructor. If they hear other courses have upcoming exams when assignments are due, they can voice that issue to the teaching team.

Aside from the direct advantages of having instructional assistance, undergraduate LAs help students see themselves succeeding in science.

“We have a vast array of backgrounds among us, so that allows us to connect to a vast array of students,” said BaranKamoura. “Me not being white, growing up abroad and maybe even just being raised by a single mother allows me to “Active learning is when students connect to people who aren’t part of the construct their own knowledge by interacting with the learning materials and majority. Because people in minority groups often have a hard time getting often with other students, or in our case, with learning assistants,” Quick explained. help, having many minority groups represented by LAs allows us to facilitate “The LA model takes power from the a larger room for learning and growth.” podium in the front of the room and redistributes it back among students.”

As the program continues to expand and evolve, each of its strengths reach How an LA supports active learning more of the OSU community. Whether varies based on their course’s structure. taking a course or helping to guide it as In the 21X physics series, Senior an LA, students across campus prosper Instructor Paul Emigh has both lectures from its impact. “The program lifts and studio sections. The latter places everybody up,” said Emigh. “It creates students in table groups to work better learning outcomes, which leads to collaboratively on physics problems. people getting their degrees and being Teams of LAs are able to get to know successful. And that’s ultimately why and assist these smaller groups more we’re here at the university.” effectively than a single instructor.

Learning assistants widen the reach of a course’s teaching team, able to engage students one-on-one and in groups during class. The LAs themselves strengthen their interpersonal skills and grasp of the material.

Community Connection Taking science out beyond the classroom

“Keeping the next generation excited about science and what they could do, and that they can do it, is important for society.”

Margie Haak (Chemistry ’83)

Chemistry and chemical engineering volunteers oversee elementary school students as they learn to pipette and filter sodium alginate beads from solution.

IMPACT SPECIAL EDITION 2026

We give a dam

Did you know OSU has earned the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification three times? This honor recognizes university-wide dedication to serving local, national and international communities. From research and scholarship to outreach and engagement, making a difference goes right to the core of being a Beav.

Science’s next generation

Since the early 2000s, Family Science and Engineering Nights have brought handson STEM experiences to elementary schools across western Oregon. With bubbling beakers, cryogenic demos and gooey gel beads, these free events make science fun and accessible for families — thanks to longtime co-organizer Margie Haak, senior instructor II in the department of chemistry.

Getting your hooves dirty

There’s a big difference between reading about farm animal injuries and treating a horse’s wound in real time. To bridge that gap, Oregon State faculty created a study abroad program in Mexico where preveterinary students in and outside the College of Science work alongside licensed veterinarians.

Last June, students partnered with veterinarians from Mexican nongovernmental organization TSIIMIN and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México to provide free care for working farm animals. Over six clinic days, they treated more than 600 animals, performing procedures like deworming, hoof care and spay/neuter surgeries for small animals. They also

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educated owners on topics such as proper tack fit to prevent injuries.

The program, led by José Uscanga Aguirre and Assistant Professor Kelsey Jurek, offers students handson experience and a realistic view of veterinary practice while fostering cultural exchange. It also highlights the need for rural veterinary care both in Mexico and the U.S. “Not only are we offering them this cool opportunity to do a study abroad with field days to get hands-on experience and work for the betterment of the community and their animals, but it’s also an opportunity for pre-vet students to work hand in hand with current veterinary students,” Jurek said.

Each year, about 20 schools host the program, reaching more than 50 families per event, many from rural and underresourced communities. Oregon State undergraduates, graduate students and faculty volunteer to lead experiments designed to spark curiosity and show kids that college and science are within reach.

“I think it’s important because this is one of the next generations of scientists and engineers,” Haak said. “Keeping them excited about science and what they could do, and that they can do it, is important for society.”

The program began as part of a National Science Foundation grant and has grown steadily, with schools requesting repeat visits. Volunteers are key to meeting demand. “The most amazing thing to me is that our students take time out of their busy schedules because they believe it’s important to connect with younger generations,” Haak said.

In the end, Family Science and Engineering Nights are about more than one night of fun experiments. They’re about building connections that last.

“Hopefully we are encouraging everyone, the student volunteers and participants, to find ways to get involved and volunteer their love of science,” Haak said.

Top left: Honors biology senior Jared McClure takes care of a horse’s wound during a field clinic. Top right: Dr. Kelsey Jurek prepares a donkey for a medical procedure. Bottom: Prevet biology student Bella Campbell checks a donkey’s heart and lungs with a stethoscope.

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OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

“In Integrative Biology Club I have led activities for students, including a conservationist career panel with professionals from the Bureau of Land Management, a county commissioner, land trusts, and public lands management. I have worked as a learning assistant as well as an ambassador in the College of Science.

Outside of OSU, I did an internship in wildlife rehabilitation.” Zoe, Zoology “I’ve served as treasurer and now vice president for the Pre-dental Society club, worked three years as a resident assistant, been a learning assistant for a biochemistry course, and have recently started meeting with a professor to join their dentistry-related research.”

Daniel, BioHealth Sciences “At OSU in the last year, I have been working in Dr. Maude David’s research lab which investigates the connection between gut microbiome and brain communication. From this experience I’ve gained valuable laboratory skills, critical thinking skills, and deepened my understandings of microbiomes in general.” Connor, Microbiology “I was elected event coordinator for OSU’s chapter of the National Marrow Donor Program. I have had the opportunity to plan stem cell drives on campus to find matches for people who have blood disorders or cancer.

This experience has been an incredible way for me to connect with people on campus while adding more donors to the stem cell registry.” Lillian, Biology

“I spent the summer in a full-time, paid research position in which I got to sample and study marine sediment cores from Greenland. We also had the amazing opportunity to sail on a transit cruise aboard the R/V Sally Ride for the last week and deploy ARGO floats along the way.” Samuel, Physics “One of my favorite experiences at Oregon State was going rock climbing on campus with a peer from my math class. We got belay certified while also working through a challenging problem together. It showed me how learning can extend beyond the classroom and become part of building friendships.”

Jackson, Physics and Mathematics “I had the opportunity to travel with other students for an educational experience with Community Engagement & Leadership. We all spent spring break in Yakima, Washington doing service work and learning about the communities that live there.” Abigail, Chemistry “I recently studied abroad in Mexico!

The class is called Veterinary Medicine in Mexico, and we provided community service by sterilizing over 600 cats and dogs, as well as treating 600 horses.”

Tessa, Biology “The highlight of my time at OSU is research on plants at the Cascade campus. I was able to collaborate with other lab members to study the correlations in road verges and plant biodiversity.” Ze Xuan, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

“My first college summer featured a month of hard hiking in the North Cascades to collect lynx and coyote scat. Sophomore year, I have had the opportunity to volunteer with intertidal projects with the Menge Lab, as well as snorkeling adventures to collect juvenile fish with the Plankton Ecology Lab. I have also had the wonderful opportunity of being part of the Hatfield Visitor Center Staff, helping to greet and educate visitors. Working at the place that cemented OSU as my home is hard to beat.” Vanner, Marine Biology “I am assisting an entomologist in his research on pear psylla phenology models in my hometown. Although the subject content is far outside of my discipline, it is my first experience in a research lab, and I am enjoying it thoroughly. Most days I am counting insects under the microscope, setting traps in the orchard, or entering data.”

Agatha, Physics “I did URSA over my winter and spring terms and am currently participating in CURE. I will work as a ceramics instructor in the fall, as well as continuing research.”

Anika, Biochemistry and Biophysics “I was able to lead weekly group study tables for chemistry students, allowing me to learn numerous facilitation and communication skills. I have been able to support and connect with many students throughout their academics through this opportunity, which has been very rewarding.” Adrienne, Biology

We asked our students: “What are some experiences you’ve had at Oregon State?”

IMPACT SPECIAL EDITION 2026

“I am a transfer student, and at my previous school, math students were not social. At OSU I have made some lifelong connections with fellow math majors.

I have also really enjoyed building great relationships with my professors.

Through my class in mathematical modeling I obtained a summer internship in which I am helping model water quality in the Boysen Reservoir in Wyoming.” Sage, Mathematics “Last year, I was able to study trees in the McDonald-Dunn Research Forest, cruise upriver on the R/V Elakha, and stand in the freezer of the Marine and Geology Repository. This year, I caught salamanders with my classmates, toured the Oregon State Arthropod Collection, and explored the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest.

Attending Oregon State has created so many opportunities to connect with faculty and fellow students and go on exciting scientific adventures.”

Matoska, Biology (Ecology) “One of my favorite highlights has been being a leader of the Ocean11 club. I have built genuine friendships, grown into myself as a leader, and had a fun time! As head of the field trip committee, I have gotten the chance to plan trips out to the coast for other members of the club. The joy I see from people on these trips reminds me of the joy I felt as a shy freshman when I first started at OSU, the same joy that drew me into the club in the first place and why I continue to be a leader for it.”

Elliot, Biology (Pre-Vet) “I first applied to the STEM Leaders Program and joined a lab focused on wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2, flu, and RSV, where I helped collect data by pipetting samples into plates for analysis. In the summer, I participated in the REEU Big Data internship, where I learned to work with large datasets and visualize them using RStudio and Python.

After these experiences, I wanted to learn more about experimental design, so I joined the Continuous Flow Processing Lab. These are all skills I hope to continue building as I prepare for a future career in healthcare.” Jing, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

“I became a learning assistant in the general physics with calculus lecture in Spring 2025 and attended the Conference for undergraduate women and gender minorities in physics through APS, making connections with my peers. I joined the astronomy club and participated in many of their events.”

Maddy, Physics and Mathematics “One of the most rewarding parts of my experience at Oregon State University has been tutoring my peers. Watching classmates go from uncertainty to confidence is incredibly fulfilling, and it has deepened my belief that education thrives in a collaborative, supportive environment.” Isabella, Biology “My research project examined the potential relationship between solar irradiance and anemone abundance in the low intertidal zone. It was a great experience! It helped me understand my passion better and lock in my postgraduation goals.” Eleanor, Biology “I’ve had the chance to get involved in research and serve as a peer mentor and student leader. These experiences have been invaluable for my personal and academic growth, helping me build confidence, develop new skills, and connect with a supportive community.”

Qiying, BioHealth Sciences “During the previous school year, I had become the treasurer for the Integrative Biology Club. Through this role, I am learning how to manage club funding and to utilize resources that help support the activities and events our club holds.

This position is helping me to develop my skills in leadership, communication, and professionalism.” Archer, Biology “Through a PAC course, I fell in love with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which has become something I now practice regularly in my free time and truly enjoy. I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to build meaningful mentor–mentee relationships with professors whose guidance has opened doors. As a leader in the Bug Club, I’ve found a community of friends who share my excitement about the fascinating world of tiny creatures.” Athena, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

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“Some highlights of my experience at Oregon State University so far have been through the CAMP and LSAMP EOP programs. Thanks to the CAMP Program, I had the opportunity to attend the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute Conference in Chicago, Illinois, connect with Hispanic leaders across the country and explore a city I had never been to before.” Yoshigei, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology “One valuable development opportunity I’ve had at Oregon State is working at the university’s dairy center. This handson experience has helped me develop practical animal care skills, deepen my understanding of animal behavior and biology, and gain insight into the daily operations of a working agricultural facility. ” Aiden, Zoology “I participated in a research project through URSA Engage at the Everson Lab. Through this project, I studied hybridization in woodrats in Oregon.

A woodrat individual was collected in central Oregon that appeared to be a hybrid between two species. We extracted and sequenced DNA from several different specimens. It turned out that the individual was not a hybrid, but was a singular species that had slightly different characteristics than previously seen. This was an amazing experience that taught me a lot about lab work and allowed me to make many connections in the field.” Kyla, Biology “One opportunity I’ve had is helping to start the medical sciences club on campus. A group of pre-health students and I worked together our freshman year to start the medical sciences club and we now have around 300 members.

Additionally, I assist a graduate student on their research in milk bioactivites.

Both of these opportunities have been amazing in expanding my knowledge and experience.” Amelie, Biology “I have had the opportunity to be a part of the DEJAI committee in the math department. We created and presented a talk to the department, as well as had a time slot at the Oregon Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference.” Aracele, Mathematics

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