Welcome to OSU Today
Your daily news source about all things Oregon State.
OSU Today is published by University Relations and Marketing and is the university’s primary internal communications publication. Submit events, lectures and other activities via the OSU Main Calendar. To submit story ideas and general announcements, email us at [email protected]. Fill out the form here to subscribe to the twice-weekly digest.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025! Join us for Commencement on June 14, to celebrate student accomplishments and future endeavors.
On OPB this week
- Oregon State University, where kids are learning how to train cats with positive reinforcement in an Extension study.
- OSU, where a team is looking at how dam removal on the Klamath will impact communities in the Basin.
Photo of the Day
Full moon rising: Full moon photo from Randy Hopson, retired from the College of Agricultural Sciences. We are accepting photo submissions at [email protected]. To view past submissions, visit us on Instagram at @osutoday1.
Take Note
NEW! Timely Teaching Tips: Developing or updating a Summer ’25 course syllabus? Check the OSU syllabus requirements and templates for various types of courses. The Center for Teaching and Learning encourages you to develop and share a course-level AI policy statement in your syllabus. Ecampus also provides sample syllabus statements about AI tool use.
Book an Outdoor Trip or Challenge Course Program for your OSU Group: The Adventure Leadership Institute offers team building programs through our Challenge Course and our outdoor trips program. Looking for an opportunity for your group to try something new, work on team building goals, and have fun? Check out our offerings and fill out a request form. Challenge Course programs range in length from 2-4 hours, and our outdoor trips range from hiking to floating to whitewater rafting. Questions? Reach out to Emily Abrams at [email protected].
Spooky campus tales wanted: Do you know a good ghost story or spooky lore that involves the Oregon State University campus? The Special Collections & Archives Research Center (SCARC) would love to hear it! Email [email protected] to help us update our campus ghost tour.
Timely Teaching Tips: Congratulations to the Oregon State University Class of 2025! The Center for Teaching and Learning and UIT-Academic Technologies offer heartfelt thanks to faculty, GTAs, learning assistants, advisors and all student support services for your deep dedication and tireless work to skillfully teach, nurture, guide and mentor OSU students throughout their academic journeys. Well done!
Search Advocate training: Looking for a meaningful way to advance equity and inclusion at OSU? Become a Search Advocate—a trained, content-neutral process advisor who helps search committees enhance equity, validity, and inclusive excellence throughout the hiring process. The nationally recognized Search Advocate Foundations workshop is your first step. We’ve just added six new series between July 7 and Oct. 9 with a variety of scheduling options to fit your needs. Check the workshop schedule or go directly to registration. Questions? Contact Anne Gillies at [email protected]
Volunteer pilots wanted: OSU Robotics' group HMT Lab is looking for pilots to participate in a 2-hour evaluation on-campus at Oregon State which looks at uncrewed aerial systems supervision performance. Participants will receive a $75 Amazon gift card as a thank-you for your time. Sign-up at this link.
Online preparedness training: From the comfort of your desk, increase your emergency preparedness knowledge through OSU’s Bridge training management system. We offer short training sessions on many topics: active shooter response, earthquake/tsunami, fire preparedness and more. Take a few minutes to view the videos and join the DAM Ready movement.
Impact the future of online education through research: Each year, the OSU Ecampus Research Unit funds projects — up to $25,000 each — to support the research, development and scholarship efforts of faculty in online education. Many OSU colleagues have had transformative experiences in the Ecampus Research Fellows Program. Recent fellows studies highlight the ways in which these projects have advanced research in online/hybrid education. Ecampus Research Unit staff is available to help you develop the scope of your research project proposal. Contact Naomi Aguiar, associate director of research, with questions.
25 Year Club: On April 21, 53 new members were inducted into the 25 Year Club at OSU. You can read more about their time at OSU and others inducted into the club by clicking here. We will be highlighting inductees throughout May and June: Peter Willard Argyres, instructor with the Department of Mathematics; Yanyun Zhao, professor, College of Agricultural Sciences; Steven Zielke, professor, School of Visual, Performing and Design Arts.
Chile in Winter Term: From the Andes to the Sea: Study and Intern in Patagonia, Chile in Winter Term 2026. Explore Chile’s stunning Patagonia through hands-on fieldwork, cultural exchange, and a customized internship. Join OSU and Chilean students to compare forests and ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest and South America, guided by expert faculty. Study in Aysén & Los Lagos regions, hike the Andes, visit glacial lakes, and meet local communities while earning OSU credit. Open to all undergraduate students, and financial aid can be applied. Apply before July 1 and make sure to review more details here. For specific questions please contact [email protected]
Monthly Emergency Preparedness Topic: Wildfires: What would you do if a wildfire was near your home? Many will begin without warning, and being ready-to-go may save your life during a wildfire. English and Spanish versions of this bulletin can be found here.
Protecting OSU Data at U.S. Border Entry Points: OSU encourages international travelers to review resources and obtain guidance on how to protect OSU data while traveling internationally and on re-entry to the U.S. Personal devices may hold OSU data and be subject to inspection at borders, including when returning from personal travel. Additional information and resources are available on the International Travel Homepage.
Spring News from the Division of Finance and Administration:—Want to be an insider? Find out what Division of Finance and Administration units have been doing to advance OSU’s Prosperity Widely Shared goals in this recent update to DFA employees. Each quarter, we round up project milestones, unit news, highlights, updates and coming events from across the division. You can find monthly bulletins, quarterly updates and annual reports at our new SharePoint site (ONID login required).
Calendar
Around Campus
OSU in the News
Bridging academia and industry: The semiconductor revolution at OSU (Techlandia)
In this episode of Techlandia, Skip Newberry hosts Tom Weller to discuss groundbreaking developments in the semiconductor industry spearheaded by Oregon State University. OSU's key projects, such as the Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub and the FAST engine, stand out as innovative solutions that combine research and industry needs.
2 Oregon universities back up Harvard in lawsuit against the Trump administration (Oregonian)
Oregon State University and the University of Oregon this week joined 22 higher education institutions seeking to support Harvard University in its lawsuit against the Trump administration over funding cuts and freezes. (see also KOIN)
Hiring leaders equitably and effectively (Inside Higher Ed)
At least one person—the search chair, hiring official or search firm representative—should take responsibility for equitable search design. (At Oregon State University, we use a trained search advocate to support this goal.)
‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems (The Guardian)
However, a new study by the UK’s Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), the Washington-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Oregon State University’s Co-operative Institute for Marine Resources Studies found that ocean acidification’s “boundary” was also reached about five years ago.
What is loud budgeting? (WalletHub)
Kayleen Salchenberg, accredited financial counselor, program manager and instructor with the Center for Advancing Financial Education at Oregon State University, is interviewed in this piece.
Needs of dryland growers addressed at OSU/ARS field day (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
Francisco Calderon, Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center Director, noted a majority of the questions they address during this annual field day come from stakeholders
50th anniversary of ‘Jaws’: How the film impacted the public perception of sharks (Good Morning America)
"It villainized sharks and people became absolutely terrified of any species that was in the ocean," James Sulikowski, director of the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station at Oregon State University, told ABC News. (see also ABC)
How a super tiny crustacean makes life work in the southern ocean (National Geographic)
National Geographic Explorer Kim Bernard (OSU) was stirring her Earl Grey tea in the galley of a research ship off the coast of Antarctica, preparing for a long night of observing a remotely operated vehicle as it surveyed the seafloor. When the marine ecologist looked up to a monitor showing a live video feed sent by the ROV from a depth of more than 3,000 feet in the Southern Ocean’s murky waters, something caught her attention. (for a PDF of this article email [email protected])
New technologies help wood-burning stoves burn more efficiently, produce less smoke (TechXplore)
Oregon State University researchers are gaining a more detailed understanding of emissions from wood-burning stoves and developing technologies that allow stoves to operate much more cleanly and safely, potentially limiting particulate matter pollution by 95%.
Oregon State University builds new computer chip to cut AI energy costs in half (KGW)
But researchers at Oregon State University may have a promising solution. Engineers at OSU’s College of Engineering have developed a new computer chip that cuts one major aspect of AI’s energy use in half — potentially marking a big step toward more sustainable AI systems.
Who gives a s#!t about cursing robots? We studied robots with dirty mouths, and what we discovered surprised us (IEEE Spectrum)
A piece by Naomi Fitter, associate professor in the Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute at Oregon State University.
Research cuts conflict with MAHA’s stated goals (NPR)
STONE: Brander is an ecotoxicologist at Oregon State University, and she knew that figure. SUSANNE BRANDER: It was definitely our study. STONE: Done by Portland State University and her lab. Her next reaction? BRANDER: Baffling - I was baffled and incredibly frustrated.
Oregon State researchers train AI to better identify animal species in trail camera photos (KATU)
Oregon State University scientists have improved artificial intelligence's ability to identify wild animals in camera trail photos. The study uses wildlife image analysis that’s more accurate and also more cost-effective.
Daylong expedition to sea gives Waldport High School students a taste of scientific research and ship life (Lincoln Chronicle)
The ocean-going field trip last week aboard the Oregon State University research vessel is made possible through Oregon Sea Grant’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) at Sea program, which provides hands-on research experiences to inspire students to pursue marine-related careers.
Conference explores positive impact, ethical use of A.I. in Southern Oregon (KOBI)
Victor Villegas from Oregon State University said there is a need for AI education to help individuals and communities understand both the benefits and limitations of AI, “We’re at crossroads where everything is changing drastically, and it’s very important for Oregonians to know about these technologies that are coming up hard and fast.”
Scientists reveal the most complete cannabis genome yet (Earth)
Now, scientists from the Salk Institute, in collaboration with Oregon CBD, Oregon State University, and the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, have created the most detailed genetic atlas of cannabis to date. The findings open the door to new possibilities in agriculture, medicine, and industry.
This overlooked Oregon ecosystem is a carbon storing powerhouse (MSN)
They could play a big role in broader climate mitigation efforts if conservation is scaled up, according to research from the Pacific Northwest Blue Carbon Working Group, which includes scientists from Oregon State University.
Psychedelic yoga? Stuart Sarbacker (Ancient Futures)
Do yogic practices and psychoactive substances lead somewhere similar? Stuart Sarbacker (OSU) is a scholar and practitioner of yoga based in Oregon, where adult use of psilocybin – the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms – was recently legalised (though some places opt out).
Is it AI or just good writing? The em dash debate explained (Straight Arrow News)
Gallagher said it’s more about context, not style. Others, including Oregon State University instructor J.T. Bushnell, agreed.
One year after cuts, Josephine County may restore 4-H, extension service (Jefferson Public Radio)
Commissioners serving on Josephine County’s budget committee voted Monday to restore the remaining funds and to resume collecting taxes for the district. Commissioner Ron Smith said previous commissioners made a mistake when they defunded the district last year. “It’s time for the community to come together and support this organization," he said. "It was a travesty that it was undone. I think we should make it right as a board.”
Loss of OSU-Cascades grant leaves future school counselors in limbo (Bend Bulletin)
Von Hurst, who lives in Prineville and is entering her second year in the program this summer, is one of several local students trying to figure out how to finish their degrees after a $3.9 million federal grant was unexpectedly not renewed.
Traffic and Maintenance
Dixon: Due to construction and roofing work happening at Dixon Recreation Center, the ADA accessible path that runs along the north and east sides of Dixon will be closed starting on Monday, March 24. This will be a long-term closure which is scheduled to end on Friday, Oct. 10. Bike parking on the east side of Dixon will be closed for the duration of this project. All bikes must be removed from the bike racks before Monday, March 24. Any remaining bikes will be removed by the OSU Department of Public Safety. The east entrance to Dixon Rec Center will be closed.
Use extra caution & avoid construction zones on Washington Way: Infrastructure along SW Washington Way is currently undergoing improvements and the area around SW Washington Way and SW 17th St. is an active construction site. For your safety, please detour around work zones (marked with barriers). We recommend allowing more time to travel around campus as this project continues. For more information about construction work on SW Washington Way and the current closure schedule, click here. If you require accommodations or assistance crossing the SW Washington Way construction zone, please contact [email protected].