IMPACT

This award is one of the state’s highest honors and recognizes scientific achievement, leadership, mentorship and contributions that advance science in Oregon and beyond. The recognition comes as Barbar is also leading a new $1.3 million NIH-funded training program to prepare the next generation of molecular biophysicists.

Meet the six 2025 Alumni Award recipients who made important discoveries, dedicated their time to others and improved the world through science.

After decades of researching membrane protein folding as a physician scientist, Dr. William (Bill) Skach joined an industry-leading foundation to help hundreds of labs and companies worldwide develop treatments for rare mutations of cystic fibrosis.

Every summer, Oregon State’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) in the College of Science empowers students to turn curiosity into discovery, and in many cases, personal experiences into purpose. For Ashley Tran, it was finding a sense of belonging in a lab led by women of color.

The findings open the door to designing novel compounds for killing disease-causing organisms that have become resistant to antibiotics.

This round of funding supports biologist Mark Novak and biochemist Adrian Gombart, whose work addresses urgent global questions from climate-driven shifts in marine food webs to the genetic underpinnings of immune system function.

From lab bench to student outreach, Kaitlyn Kim built bridges — fusing curiosity with care to uplift others in every space she touched.

A College of Science alumna and a Ph.D. student have been awarded 2025–26 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants to conduct research abroad. They join 17 College of Science students and alumni who have earned Fulbright honors over the past decade.

A research team in the College of Science has revealed how cells move lipids — essential fats — between membranes, a process fundamental to brain health, metabolism and immunity.

Join us for the 2025 F.A. Gilfillan Memorial Lecture, featuring Dr. Elisar Barbar, a pioneering researcher challenging traditional views of protein structure.

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.

College of Science researchers received $18.5 million in research grants to support groundbreaking science between July 2023 and June 2024.