The College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University is Oregon's principal source of knowledge relating to agricultural and food systems, and a major source of knowledge regarding environmental quality, natural resources, life sciences, and rural economies and communities worldwide. The College provides undergraduate and graduate education leading to baccalaureate and graduate degrees, and extended education programs throughout Oregon and beyond. Its research programs create knowledge to solve problems and to build a knowledge base for the future. It is a source of information and expertise in integrating and applying knowledge with benefits that are felt in domestic and international settings.
Spring 2023
Volume XIV, Issue 2
Commencement 2023
Students who graduated or will graduate between summer 2022 and summer 2023 are invited to participate in the 2023 Commencement ceremony. The ceremony is on Saturday, June 17 at Reser Stadium. The deadline to RSVP is Sunday, June 4.
Eight from OSU Selected for the 2023-2024 Fulbright US Student Program
Bridget Price is graduating in 2023 with an Honors bachelor of science degree in Chemical Engineering and Bioresource Research and a minor in Chemistry. In collaboration with Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands, Bridget will study the utilization of microalgae in wastewater treatment systems and how to optimize wastewater purification using photogranules, aggregates of algae and other microorganisms, with the goal to improve nutrient recovery and harvesting. Upon return, Bridget plans to complete a PhD in chemical engineering and work as a research scientist in the jet biofuels industry where she hopes to do her part to mitigate climate change by providing accessible alternatives to fossil fuels.
Celebrating Excellence
The five winners of CAS student awards recognized at the Celebrating Excellence event on May 15th are as follows:
Mireia Roig-Paul – Bioresource Research and Crop & Soil Science majors - Burlingham Undergraduate of Excellence Award
Nolan Carson – Environmental Economics & Policy major - CAS Outstanding Senior Award
Olivia Boisen – Fisheries Science major - Savery Outstanding Master’s Student Award
Marie Tosa – Wildlife Science major - Savery Outstanding Doctoral Student Award
Charlotte Epps – Bioresource Research major – CAS Student Diversity Commitment Award
NW Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy
The Marine Mammal Institute’s (MMI) graduate students hosted the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) on May 6th at the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building, Newport, OR. The student chapter holds a one-day conference every year for graduate students in the Pacific Northwest to share their research on marine mammals and connect with other students and professionals in the region. Each year the meeting is hosted by a different institution in the region, and OSU’s MMI was fortunate to host the first hybrid NWSSMM meeting since the beginning of the pandemic!
The event was an overwhelming success – nearly 60 students and professionals attended the meeting in Newport and an additional 20 attendees on zoom. Student attendance represented several institutions in the region, including the University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Western Washington University, University of Washington, and the University of Alaska. MMI Director Dr. Lisa Ballance kicked off the day with her inspiring keynote presentation on 40 years of lessons learned in her own career and advice for the students of NWSSMM. The day was full of student presentations ranging from topics on behavior and foraging ecology, applied conservation and management, and bioenergetics, and on a variety of taxa including large whales, delphinids (killer whales, dolphins), sea otters, and seals and sea lions. The afternoon networking event, “career conversation bingo”, sparked a plethora of engaging discussions on career pathways initiated through tall tales and fun field stories, such as “getting thrown out of a boat by a sperm whale” and “having a hydrophone stolen by a sea lion.” The event finished off on Sunday morning with a dolphin necropsy led by MMI Stranding Coordinator, Jim Rice. Overall, the event provided an invaluable opportunity for students to share their own research and develop lasting professional relationships with their peers.
The two conference chairs (Clara Bird and Michaela Kratofil).
The 2023 NWSSMM study body.