Skip to main content
Cancer cells
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.

Rachel Sousa stands before a vast body of water at the base of tall, sweeping mountains in Ireland.
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.

A series of colored circles on a blue background.
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.

Sullivan Bailey-Darland in front of an urban backdrop.
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.

Madison Collins stands in front of a grey background.
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.

An aerial shot of the Valley Library during sunset.
Research

New grants to support breakthrough discoveries

Four-dimensional tissue self-assembly, integrated river health and ultra-tiny spectrometers: The 2022 College of Science Research and Innovation Seed (SciRIS) award recipients will use collaboration to fill critical knowledge gaps across numerous scientific disciplines to drive real-world impact.

Ben Dalziel
Research

Preparing for the next pandemic: $1M grant to create interdisciplinary research center

A team of Oregon State University researchers have received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to identify, model, predict, track and mitigate the effects of future pandemics.

Oregon waterfall cascading down a cliffside surrounded by lush green trees.
Research

A sustainable future: Unravelling the data

Mathematics and statistics are two of the quickest-growing fields in the country, and it's not hard to guess why. In part three of this series, we examine some of the data-driven research that is helping usher in a new era of climate policy and action.

DNA strands.
Faculty and Staff

Research grants to seed the next great idea

Seed funding from the College of Science Research and Innovation Seed (SciRIS) program continues to bolster ambitious and expansive research projects across biomedical science, fluid dynamics, quantum mechanics and more.

Kendra Jackson working in lab.
Students

How undergraduate research drives student success at OSU

Oregon State funds more high-impact undergraduate research experiences than any other university in the state.

Oregon State mathematicians Axel Saenz Rodriguez and Swati Patel
Faculty and Staff

Welcoming new mathematicians to Oregon State

The College of Science welcomes Swati Patel and Axel Saenz Rodriguez who joined the Department of Mathematics as tenure-track assistant professors in September.

Holly Swisher standing in a backyard.
Faculty and Staff

New NSF award to support 'rich and intricate discoveries' in mathematics

Professor of mathematics Holly Swisher was awarded a NSF grant to investigate a number of problems that relate to modular and automorphic forms, which have played a central role in many major problems in number theory over the last century.

Goldwater Scholarship
Elisar Barbar
Women in Science

Women scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19

In recognition of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, held on February 11, we acknowledge the women faculty, students and alumnae of the OSU College of Science.

Malgorzata Peszysnka standing in front of a tree.
Faculty and Staff

Applied mathematician elected 2020 AAAS Fellow

Malgorzata Peszynska, elected in the section on Mathematics, is the 18th faculty member in the College of Science to be elected as AAAS Fellow.

Portrait photo of Mary Beisiegel.
Faculty and Staff

Mary Beisiegel awarded new NSF grants

Congratulations to Mary Beisiegel who has been awarded two new National Science Foundation grants!

Depiction of a magnetic field with text that reads "NSF Computational Mathematics grant award."
Research

Computational Mathematics grant awarded to Bokil and Gibson

Congratulations to Vrushali Bokil and Nathan Gibson, who were awarded $225K funding from NSF’s Computational Mathematics program for their project "Computational and Multi-Scale Methods for Nonlinear Electromagnetic Models in Plasmas and Nanocomposites".

Three Sisters covered in snow.
Events

Cascade RAIN 2020

The Department of Mathematics at Oregon State University (OSU) recently hosted the seventh annual Cascade Regional Applied Interdisciplinary and Numerical Mathematics (RAIN) Meeting.

Choah Shin
Graduate students

Graduate science fellowship supports interdisciplinary mathematics and energy research

The 2019-2020 Larry Martin and Joyce B. O’Neill Fellowship was awarded to fifth-year mathematics Ph.D. student Choah Shin for high achievement in computational modeling.

Kim Halsey with graduate student taking samples from a river
Research

New grants to advance science that benefits humankind

How are devastating plant diseases spread? Is there a better way to predict HIV prevalence in a city? How can we detect toxic algae blooms before they occur? And which of the thousands of metal-organic frameworks can be used for storing and separating gases, like CO2 from industrial plants? Four faculty members received College of Science Research and Innovation Seed (SciRIS-II) awards this February to pursue answers to these questions over the course of the next year.

Juan Restrepo sitting on ledge in front of shrubbery
Mathematics

Mathematician elected Fellow of American Physical Society for advancing understanding of climate change

Mathematics Professor Juan Restrepo has been elected a 2019 Fellow of the American Physical Society.

Elise Lockwood in front of shrubbery
Faculty and Staff

Mathematics professor receives Google award to improve K-12 computer science education in Oregon

Mathematician is part of a $141K, one-year grant from Google to enhance and increase integration between computer science education and mathematics teacher education.

Ryan Tollefsen in front of Kidder Hall
Students

Goldwater scholar is “a physicist to his fingertips”

Honors physics and mathematics student Ryan Tollefsen received a 2019 Goldwater award. He was one of four OSU students selected for the prestigious award.

Ph.D. students Naveen Somasunderam and Sarah Hagen.
Graduate students

Graduate student leadership in innovative teaching, outreach, and research garners awards

Ph.D. students Naveen Somasunderam and Sarah Hagen recently received top Mathematics Department awards.

Isabella Karabinas in front of shrubbery
Students

Physics, mathematics and biochemistry students named Goldwater Scholars

College of Science launches three of four OSU winners of the prestigious 2019 Goldwater Scholarship.

Mai Gehrke in front of blue painted backdrop
Mathematics

Mathematician to discuss computational models for studying algorithmic complexity

Mathematician Mai Gehrke from the Université Côte d’Azur in Nice, France, will present the 34th annual Lonseth Lecture on April 19.

Portrait photo of Mai Gehrke.
Events

Using abstract mathematical structures to study algorithmic complexity questions: The 34th Annual Lonseth Lecture

The 34th Annual Lonseth Lecture : The Department of Mathematics is pleased to announce that Professor Mai Gehrke from the Laboratoire Jean Alexandre Dieudonné at the Université Côte d’Azur in Nice, France, will deliver our 34th annual Lonseth Lecture.

Elise Lockwood in front of Kidder Hall
Faculty and Staff

Mathematician awarded Fulbright grant for research in Norway

A Fulbright research scholarship will take mathematician Elise Lockwood to Norway to investigate the role computing plays in students’ learning of mathematics.

Word cloud in the shape of Pi
Careers

Summer Graduate Internships and Research Experiences

Jobs in Business (B), Industry (I) and Government (G) are consistently rated among the highest areas for job satisfaction, and mathematicians are in demand for their skills. For many students a summer internship can be their first and formative experience in a BIG job.

Nancy Scherich mid performance flipping with other dancers
Mathematics

Communicating math through aerial acrobatics

Mathematics alumna Nancy Scherich (M.S., ’13) has bridged the worlds of art and math to great acclaim.

Spiral icon above lit-up cityscape
Biomedical Science

Synergies unleashed to tackle human health and disease

OSU scientists take an interdisciplinary approach to human health, working across the life, physical and mathematical sciences to spur fresh thinking and innovations.

Christine Escher outside
Faculty and Staff

Algebraic topology and differential geometry

Professor Christine Escher’s research falls into two major areas of mathematics: algebraic topology and differential geometry. Her current research emphasizes algebraic topology to explore an important link with differential geometry.

David Koslicki in front of brick wall
Faculty and Staff

Metagenomics with Compressive Sensing

Assistant Professor David Koslicki is a researcher developing the techniques necessary to understand the world around us through the use of data.