News

HUMANITIES, NATURAL SCIENCES — These four graduating seniors may have all graduated with different degrees, but they all chose their majors based on their explorations of the liberal arts.

PHILOSOPHY - Getting research published is a necessary step for academics. But faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences aim to do more. Among the faculty who presented at the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation's Week of Research and Innovation were Ramón Alvarado, an associate professor whose expertise is on AI and ethics and Sarah Wald, associate professor who focuses on environmental justice in Asian American and Latinx literature and culture in the 20th and 21st century.

SCHNITZER SCHOOL, FOREIGN LANGUAGES — Over 675 Oregon high school students — from Pendleton to Medford — attended the 2026 Foreign Language & International Studies (FLIS) Day at the University of Oregon on May 1. It’s a celebration and exploration of language and culture featuring more than 65 language and culture-related presentations, workshops and hands-on activities.

THEATRE ARTS — The College of Arts and Sciences Department of Theatre Arts is expanding opportunities for students to gain hands-on experiences and learn about different career paths. The most recent example is the student-run production of “Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons” recently staged in the Pocket Playhouse and supported by a new student-director pilot program.

THEATRE ARTS — Love, family and immigration are just a few of the complex subjects that take center stage in “Los Dreamers,” University Theatre’s latest production. The play, featuring a cast of current students and alumni, opens May 22 and runs through June 7 in the Robinson Theatre.

THEATRE ARTS — The dark side of scientific progress takes center stage at the University Theatre’s spring production, “Radium Girls” by D.W. Gregory. Under the direction of guest artist Willow Jade Norton Zolan , the play opens on April 17 and runs through May 3 in the Hope Theatre.

EALL, LINGUISTICS - For Graduate-Professional Student Appreciation Week in 2026, CAS gradate students share their experiences of what makes their experience special at CAS. CAS is home to 1,295 graduate students: 307 master’s and 959 PhD. With April 6-10 Graduate-Professional Student Appreciation Week, CAS reached out to some of its graduate students to hear how about their experiences at the college.

DISABILITY STUDIES — Brian Trapp, the director of disability studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, is the author of the novel "Range of Motion" and essays found in Longreads, Kenyon Review, Southern Review and Brevity. This essay is about his experience growing up as a twin whose brother had cerebral palsy.

GERMAN AND SCANDINAVIAN, FOLKLORE — How does an oral Yiddish folk story become what is perhaps the most famous of all modern Jewish literary fantasies? Associate Professor of Scandinavian Gantt Gurley's research on this very question about the legend of golem is illuminating.

CINEMA STUDIES — Alexi Pappas, MA '12 (interdisciplinary), is coming back to the Department of Cinema Studies to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her film, "Tracktown." The celebration includes a special public screening and live Q&A on April 23. In this story, Pappas answers questions about her inspiration and what she's learned since graduating.

CREATIVE WRITING — For Morgan Thomas MFA ’16 (fiction), a future in writing was not always the plan. Their journey from curious storyteller to nationally recognized author demonstrates how creativity can grow through hard work and community.

FRENCH, ITALIAN, CHINESE — Three professors in the College of Arts and Sciences received Oregon Humanities Center Fellowships for 2026–27 to do just that. The professors — all members of the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages — include Roy Chan, Fabienne Moore and Eleanor Paynter.

FOLKLORE AND PUBLIC CULTURE — Alix Roederer-Morin, winter ’26, chose the folklore and public culture master's program at the University of Oregon because it’s one of the rare places in North America to offer an academic program in the field. It often leads students to unexpected areas of interest, such as analyzing car culture and creating a documentary about lowrider culture.

LINGUISTICS, EALL — Three faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences were inducted as Fellows into the premiere linguistics organization and a doctoral student receive an exclusive award for her research paper.

THEATRE ARTS — Mary Jungels Goodyear, MFA ’05, may be a new theatre arts professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, but her skills and interests go well beyond her role in teaching scenic design.