The College of Science gathered on Feb. 26 to recognize and celebrate our high achieving faculty and staff at the 2025 Combined Awards Ceremony. The evening celebrated the very best in the College, from teaching, advising and research to inclusive excellence, administration and service. The following faculty and staff received awards in research.
Physicist and computation materials scientist Prineha Narang will present the 40th annual Yunker Lecture, “Driving quantum matter out of equilibrium,” focused on the dynamic interplay of quantum systems far from equilibrium.
Xavier Siemens, a renowned astrophysicist and professor at Oregon State’s College of Science, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Bruno Rossi Prize, one of the highest international honors in high-energy astrophysics, for his groundbreaking work uncovering evidence of binary supermassive black holes.
Graduate students in the College of Science earned notable recognition during the 2023-24 academic year, receiving a range of awards which highlight their achievements and contributions to Oregon State.
Physics senior Madalyn Gragg was named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar, the nation's top STEM award for undergraduates. Being recognized from more than 5,000 applicants, she hopes her success inspires others to break down their own barriers into science.
Whether fostering curiosity in local classrooms, providing resources for underserved communities or translating cutting-edge discoveries for the general public, our outreach bridges the gap between science and society, elevating both. Here are some examples from across our departments during 2023-2024.
Two College of Science physics faculty members were instrumental in a groundbreaking study honored by IOP Publishing as one of 2024’s most-cited articles in astronomy. Xavier
The College of Science community recently gathered to celebrate this year's Alumni Award recipients. These individuals have enriched many lives through their professional achievements, impact and service. They embody our vision to extend the reach and impact of science by improving life for the people of Oregon and beyond.
Although time is an enemy for some, Janet Tate used it to leave a lasting mark on physics curriculum, students, and the field of thin-film semiconductors, earning her the 2024 Lifetime Achievement in Science Award from the College of Science.
An international collaboration that includes a College of Science astrophysicist has identified a phenomenon, likened to the quick-footed movements of an iconic cartoon predator, that proves a 19-year-old theory regarding how solar flares are created.
The College of Science honors the extraordinary legacy of Warren Washington (’58, ’60), a pioneering climate scientist and one of the university's most distinguished alumni. Washington, who passed away on October 18, 2025, earned degrees in physics and meteorology from Oregon State, laying the foundation for his groundbreaking career.
The College of Science is proud to announce that Xavier Siemens, a distinguished astrophysicist and renowned leader in the field of gravitational wave research, has been elected a 2024 Fellow of the American Physical Society.
