Breakthroughs in Science

The College of Science is proud of the dedicated students here at Oregon State.  On May 23rd, the 168 scholarship recipients in the College of Science were honored for their hard work.  Celebrated Scholarships were comprised of private donor supported scholarships as well as national awards.  The mission of the College of Science is to build the next generation of science leaders and advance this generation of research innovators.  The new class of scholarship recipients is a shining example of the future of science at Oregon State University.

Each year talented students challenge each other, making Science scholarships more competitive. Recipients are not only high achieving students, but researchers in campus labs as well as volunteers in their communities.

Currently in his sophomore year, Jacob Huegel is involved with the Oregon State Pre-medical Society as well as the Biochemistry and Biophysics Club.  The BB Club works in concert with his coursework and helps him to build relationships within the department.  He enjoys the speakers that the Pre-med society brings to campus and is thankful for the guidance of the group as he prepares himself for medical school after graduating from OSU.  To gain beneficial experience, Jacob works as a lab assistant in Dr. Colin Johnson’s lab whose research focuses on a family of proteins known as the ferlins, which help regulate membrane trafficking events and have been linked to several human pathologies.

Taylor Thompson, who will be a senior next fall, is also a star College of Science pre-medical student majoring in Biology.   Like Jacob, she is also a member of the pre-medical society and has been volunteering with their blood drive since her freshman year.  Taylor exhibits strong academic prowess as a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, a national honors society that recognizes students who have succeeded in maintaining a 3.5 or higher GPA.  The society has also helped her to volunteer in her community and she has worked on science projects with first graders at Gilham Elementary School in Eugene.

In her junior year as a Zoology major, Elizabeth Graham-Williams is highly involved in research, sports, community philanthropy, and Oregon State activities.  Off campus, she works with Chintimini Wildlife Center acquiring hands-on experience with several species of birds, squirrels, raccoons, and even a beaver. With a minor in Spanish and a desire to study abroad, Elizabeth understands the importance of being a citizen of the world by deepening her understanding of global communities.  Being a well-rounded student and building valuable skill sets outside of the classroom will be beneficial in applying for and succeeding in Veterinary School.

Jessica Flesher, who will be a senior next fall, is also a star College of Science student in Biology.  Not only is she musically talented as a member of the Oregon State Marching, Pep and Symphonic Bands, but she also works to build valuable lab skills under the supervision of Dr. Virginia Weis who studies developmental and cell biology in of algae and their sea anemone hosts.  After graduation from Oregon State, Jessica plans to obtain her Ph.D. in Marine Biology and study cetaceans. She intends on sharing the knowledge she gains to inform students and the public in a way that makes the information accessible without losing the integrity of the science involved.

Dr. Ethan Minot, a recipient of a CAREER award for new faculty members that supports early career development activities of academic leaders of the future, is working with carbon nanotube cloning and amplification. Physics major and College of Science Ambassador, Rodney Snyder, is a member of Dr. Minot’s research group as an undergraduate researcher.  Having hands on experience as an undergrad is an affirmation that they have chosen the right path.

That is only a small sampling of the wonderful crop of students in the College of Science working diligently to make their presence known in the scientific world.  We at the College look forward to watching them grow.