Two CLAS faculty honored with Research Awards

Two faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are being recognized for their excellence in research and mentoring as part of Portland State's annual Research Awards.

Andrew Rice, associate professor and chair of physics, was honored with PSU's 2025 Undergraduate Mentoring Excellence Award for his extraordinary dedication to undergraduate student mentorship. Ashley Streig, associate professor of geology, was named the college's 2025 Researcher of the Year for her outstanding research achievements. This year's college award honored a faculty member in the natural sciences.

Both will be celebrated during PSU's Research Awards ceremony on May 9.

Andrew Rice

Undergraduate Mentoring Excellence Award

Rice's dedication to undergraduate mentoring is evident both inside and outside the classroom and lab. Since joining PSU's faculty in 2005, he has mentored 35 undergraduate students, serving as a faculty advisor for EXITO scholars and the Center for Climate and Aerosol Research's summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). He took over leadership of the REU in 2020 and has worked to recruit diverse cohorts and provide them with support.

"Even if the students do not continue to pursue research opportunities after these experiences, the confidence they build while being mentored by Dr. Rice translates broadly," said Paul Loikith, an associate professor of geography who serves as co-PI for the REU program. "Perhaps more than anything, he shows students what they can do, that they belong, and that they have the potential to innovate, problem solve, and communicate their findings at a professional level."

Heejun Chang, associate dean of research and graduate programs, said Rice shows an "unwavering support for undergraduate students' learning through research experiences and quality teaching." Rice teaches large introductory courses like General Physics to non-major students with consistently high teaching evaluations, and won the college's teaching award three times.

Kairos Scoleri, a physics major, started volunteering in Rice's lab last year and participated in the REU. They credit Rice's encouragement and mentorship with solidifying their decision to switch majors and pursue further research.

"Thanks to his guidance, I have developed technical skills, as well as conceptual troubleshooting skills that I will use in future research projects for the rest of my physics career," Scoleri said. "Dr. Rice is an amazing mentor — not only is he deeply invested in his students’ academic and professional development, but he also cares about creating a supportive environment for all students to thrive in."

Rice said he's honored and humbled by the award.

"I feel lucky to be part of an amazing community of learners who share their curiosity to understand the world around them and to endeavor to find solutions to its most pressing problems," he said. "And most importantly, what I love most about my job as faculty is working with some truly inspiring PSU students and getting them started in their journeys as lifelong researchers."

Ashley Streig

CLAS Researcher of the Year (Natural Sciences)

Streig's passion for earthquake geology comes through in her research, teaching and outreach. In the last three years, she has secured three large grants from the National Science Foundation.

In 2022, she received a five-year CAREER grant — one of the agency's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty — to study inland crustal faults in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest that are not well-understood but have significant potential to damage infrastructure.

In 2023, she became a co-PI on a $14.5 million grant to establish the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center (CRESCENT). Streig is leading the Community Fault Model group, which is compiling a database of the active faults that exist in the region to help communities better prepare for the hazards.

In 2024, she joined 11 PSU faculty on a $2 million Research Traineeship grant that will train graduate students in applying a transdisciplinary approach to disaster management and community resilience.

"Dr. Streig's exceptional success in procuring external grants is a direct reflection of the immense value of her research to the scientific community," said John Bershaw, associate professor and chair of geology. "Dr. Streig has been so successful because she consistently demonstrates authentic concern and scholastic productivity related to the hazard earthquakes pose to our region, and is deeply engaged with the community of researchers working on these problems. She integrates these topics into her science communication efforts, both at PSU and externally."

Adam Booth, associate professor of geology, called Streig "a creative and astute scientist," praising her for both her collaborative work and her mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students in her research group.

"I've had several of her students in class, and they really shine on field and term projects," he said. "Not to discredit the students, but the pattern suggests that no small part of their classroom research skills have come from Ashley's mentorship on their thesis work."

Streig said she's honored to be named the 2025 CLAS Researcher of the Year.

"I believe my research successes are a function of the wonderful people I collaborate with, my hardworking students, my science community, and my incredibly supportive family — an award for all of them," she said.