Research & Scholarship

Breadth and Depth of Expertise

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences brings together the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences in pursuit of a better understanding of the world. Our faculty and scholars examine issues central to the human experience through historical, philosophical and creative lenses. They help improve how individuals and societies live through a more nuanced understanding of how we behave and interact. And they question the physical universe and test laws, principles and practices to create new knowledge.

Our college also embraces interdisciplinary research, and our six research clusters integrate perspectives and expertise from several disciplines to address complex problems and innovate creative solutions.

Portland skyline with Mt. Hood in background

Community Resilience

Exploring environmental and geopolitical risks, stressors and responses, including climate migration and adaption, preservation and livable communities.

Man with laptop standing in front of supercomputer

Complexity Sciences

Exploring computation and complex systems, and integrated systems analysis and modeling.

Environmental Extremes

Identifying the impacts, characterizing the adaptions, communicating about, and designing solutions to manage and cope with environmental extremes.

Teacher reading to young students seated on carpet

Social Justice

Investigating social determinants of health, education, social movements, cultural systems, environment, and workplace — all with a lens of social justice.

Crowd of people, many with umbrellas, walking on large crosswalk

Migration Studies

Studying the causes and processes of human movement across borders, the impacts of migration, and the ethical and socio-political dimensions of migration.

Students conversing in science lab classroom

STEM Education

Focusing on the learning and teaching of undergraduate STEM, including learning pathways and progressions and the effects of pedagogical and curricular approaches.

Research Stats

Fiscal Year 2023

115

Grad students sponsored by research

142

Proposals submitted

$22.8M

External funding

34%

Increase from the previous year

144

Active external grants

Early Career Awards

Alida Cantor, Geography
U.S. EPA STAR Program

Ashley Streig, Geology
NSF CAREER Award

Larry Martinez, Psychology
NSF CAREER Award

Dara Shrifer, Sociology
NSF CAREER Award

Fulbright Scholars Program

Tami Lasseter Clare, Chemistry
Spain-Greece Joint Research and Teaching Scholar

Grad Student Scholarships & Fellowships

Michael Krochta, Earth, Environment and Society
NSF Graduate Research Fellowships Program

Rebecca Bryant, Mathematical Sciences
Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program

Axcelle Campana, Earth, Environment and Society
Bullitt Environmental Prize

Ashlynn Crisp, Mathematical Sciences
U.S. DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship

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PDXSCHOLAR

PDXScholar makes the research, scholarship, and creative works of our faculty, staff, and students easily discoverable and available to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Explore Research on PDXScholar

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Undergrad Research

Dig deep into your major, grow your research skills and address real-world issues as an undergraduate at PSU. Whether in the lab, field or archives, you can work with world-class faculty mentors on projects. You'll find undergraduate research and learning opportunities in every field, for every student.

Explore Undergrad Research

Research Series

TAG, WE'RE IT

BRINGING TOGETHER DIVERSE VOICES

In this series, five faculty researchers share their unique perspectives on an important issue of our time. Topics range from climate change to immigration.

Watch Tag, We're It

Portland panoramic with downtown to left, Willamette River to right

@ THIS MOMENT

Timely, Relevant Research

This series, born out of COVID-19, provides space for our researchers to share the relevance of their work "at this moment."

Watch @ This Moment

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Centers and Institutes

Man putting air quality instrument on car window

Close up of U.S. map with pins on Oregon

Man in traditional Japanese robe playing drum

Man standing with laptop next to supercomputer

CENTER FOR CLIMATE AND AEROSOL RESEARCH

We conduct research that is relevant both nationally and regionally on the reciprocal effects between atmospheric aerosol particles and global/regional climate.

CLIMATE AND AEROSOL RESEARCH

CENTER FOR GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION IN OREGON

We're dedicated to increasing public awareness of the importance of geographic education, increasing emphasis on geography in grades pre-K through 12 and improving geographic teaching methods and materials.

GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION IN OREGON

CENTER FOR JAPANESE STUDIES

We work to facilitate understanding of Japan as well as the Japanese-American experience among students, faculty and the greater Portland community through a variety of curricular and outreach programs.

CENTER FOR JAPANESE STUDIES

CENTER FOR LAKES AND RESERVOIRS

Established by the Oregon Legislature, we develop management plans and conduct research on limnological and invasive species biology in freshwater and marine systems.

LAKES AND RESERVOIRS

CENTER FOR LIFE IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

Our research advances our understanding of the boundaries of life and provides insight into future climate conditions and human survival in planetary extremes.

LIFE IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

CENTER FOR SPATIAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH

We serve researchers and organizations in the greater Portland area for projects involving four broad areas of expertise: cartography, geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and education.

SPATIAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH

HERBARIUM

The second largest herbarium in Oregon and a regional resource focused on the changing flora of the rapidly urbanizing Portland-Vancouver metro area, we are home to about 29,000 specimens of vascular plants, mosses and lichens.

HERBARIUM

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Our museum is both a teaching lab and a collection of vertebrate and invertebrate specimens, including more than 3,500 mammal specimens, 1,400 bird specimens and 3,300 amphibian and reptile specimens.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

PORTLAND INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTATIONAL RESEARCH

Founded on the belief that mathematical computing has and will continue to expand scientific horizons, we're dedicated to fostering research in computational sciences in and around the Portland metro region.

COMPUTATIONAL RESEARCH

RAE SELLING BERRY SEED BANK

Our seed bank, believed to be the first in the U.S. dedicated to rare and endangered species, holds more than 23,000 accessions representing over 350 of our region's rarest and most vulnerable plants.

SEED BANK