Four University of Oregon researchers have received the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious honor for early-career faculty members in the past year. Of the winners is Brittany Erickson, assistant professor of computer science and earth sciences, who studies why some faults slip suddenly and cause big earthquakes, while others move steadily or produce smaller, more frequent tremors.

COMPUTER SCIENCE, DATA SCIENCE - Artificial intelligence can predict disasters and detect fine art forgeries. But can it help students learn what they need to succeed in a rapidly changing workplace—and at what cost?

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Ethan Dinh, a computer science major, gave the winning presentation on his CHC thesis topic, “Proteomic Signatures of Tibial Bone Stress Reinjury.” Using a conversational tone and a quick wit, he was able to convey a complete understanding to the audience about his study of fractured leg bones in recreational women athletes.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Robotics champion and international women's education advocate Saghar Salehi escaped a certain death in Afghanistan to continue her fight for Afghan women’s rights as a computer science major at the UO College of Arts and Sciences.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Cybersecurity jobs to protect users and companies from hackers are in growing demand, and a new undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences is training students to fill that role. Launched in the fall of 2023, the cybersecurity major combines rigorous courses and hands-on fieldwork with the aim of preparing students to hit the ground running in a cybersecurity career.

COMPUTER SCIENCE and CYBERSECURITY - Cybersecurity experts from the state’s three largest research universities — University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Portland State — have joined together to launch the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, with the goal of improving Oregon’s resilience to cyberattacks. It was created by the passage of House Bill 2049, which was signed into law by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek in July.

BIOLOGY, DATA SCIENCE - University of Oregon ecologist Lauren Ponisio has been awarded a fellowship from the Ecological Society of America for research and outreach that has proven her an exceptional leader.

The Board of Trustees of the University of Oregon today named John Karl Scholz — a distinguished economist, professor, and current provost at University of Wisconsin-Madison — as the university’s 19th president. He will begin his appointment on July 1, 2023.