JSM's innovative networking and career tool in action: Career Service Portal

Conferences open doors to job opportunities in industry, research collaborations in academia, mentorships, and even future grant panel members, which are extremely valuable after completing graduate school. When it comes to attending JSM, there’s an additional benefit.

By using JSM’s online Career Service portal, students can click a button that sends their resume to every company attending the conference. Even better, interviews with recruiters can be scheduled in advance. Students can find these invitations by routinely checking the portal’s inbox. For Duan, she received 12 interview requests.

Thanks to these interviews, students have a chance to shine. “The interviews are pretty short, so make sure to remember the details on your resume and clearly explain the purpose, motivation, challenges and results of your research to help the hiring managers better understand your work,” Duan said. “That’s how I found my job!”

This streamlined process helps students focus on expressing themselves through public speaking rather than worrying about handing out as many resume copies as possible.

Duan’s advice for students wanting to connect with professionals? Find something in common. It can be as simple as asking to chat over dinner because you graduated from the same university. “Most people are very willing to speak with alumni, and they might introduce you to more people, so that’s a great way to make connections at conferences,” she said. “You can also invite hiring managers to attend your presentation and speak with them there.”

How conferences boost career prospects

In statistics and data science, there is a vibrant community full of opportunities for passionate learners. “Going to conferences helps you do better research, look for better jobs and have a better outcome, no matter what career you choose to have,” said Yuan Jiang, statistics associate professor and co-director of graduate studies.

Jiang co-organized the New Researchers Conference (NRC), which is always held shortly before JSM. Last year, students could attend both conferences in the same summer, meaning a chance to make double the connections without traveling far from home.

Other annual conferences like the Eastern North American Region (ENAR) and the Western North American Region (WNAR) of the International Biometric Society are other options for professional networking and developing, especially in biostatistics.

“There are two ways to look for a job. You can apply by yourself to as many companies as possible or have an internal referral. I would say that if you are being recommended by someone, the success rate of landing a job is probably much higher,” Jiang said.

The College of Science offers various resources to help students expand their network both locally and around the world, even if they’ve never been to a conference before. The College of Science Student Travel Award is available for both undergraduate and graduate students. The Department of Statistics offers professional travel awards up to $1000 each academic year for graduate students who travel to regional, national or international conferences to present a paper or poster.

“Different people have different personalities. But no matter what, networking is important,” Jiang said. “Going to conferences is an integral tool to get to know people, whether you want to go to industry or academia. When people can know you in person, that gives them a more direct impression about who you are.”

Graduate students at the College of Science are conducting crucial research that addresses critical challenges and benefits both local communities and the broader world.

To celebrate their accomplishments, the College will be hosting the inaugural Graduate Science Research Showcase from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025 in the Memorial Union Horizon Room.

Click here to RSVP!

This event offers a glimpse into the future of science featuring graduate research presentations, a poster session and a keynote address from renowned alumnus Jonathan Gallion, vice president of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for OmniScience.

Gallion, recipient of the College's 2024 Early Career Award, earned dual Honors bachelor's degrees in biochemistry and biophysics, and microbiology in 2012. His career began with an internship at SIGA Technologies, where he programmed robots to screen chemical compounds for antiviral medicines. At OmniScience, Gallion and his team utilize large language models to enhance clinical trial outcomes and improve human health. Their work accelerates decision-making and transforms data analysis in biotech, medtech, pharmaceutical and preclinical innovation. Rather than replace human expertise, their AI tools are designed to compliment it.

Schedule of Events

12 p.m.

Lunch

12:20 p.m.

Welcome from Executive Associate Dean Vrushali Bokil and Dean's Remarks from College of Science Dean Eleanor Feingold.

12:30 p.m.

Keynote speech from alumnus Jonathan Gallion, V.P. of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for OmniScience.

Keynote Talk Title - Beyond Automation: Agentic AI and the New Frontier of Life Science Innovation

Abstract: Artificial intelligence in the life sciences is moving beyond automation into a new frontier defined by agentic systems—AI tools capable of reasoning, planning, and autonomous action. As these AI agents continue to evolve from tools to collaborators, life scientists will need to rethink how we generate hypotheses, design experiments, interpret data, and generate insights. This keynote will examine how agentic AI is already transforming decision-making and accelerating innovation within clinical trial development and offer a perspective on how domain experts can adapt and lead at the intersection of scientific expertise and intelligent automation through AI.

1 - 2:30 p.m.

Five minute research presentations and dessert, followed by a poster session, showcasing the diverse research conducted across the seven departments in the College of Science. The session will highlight how Science graduate students are participating and contributing to this valuable research.

Presenters include:

Oluwasen Adu (Integrative Biology)
Advisor: Michael Blouin
Talk title: Genome Wide Association Study of Biomphalaria glabrata snail and its Schistosome Parasite

Vera Alenicheva (Chemistry)
Advisor: Vincent Remcho
Talk title: A Microfluidic Paper-Based Assay for the Quantification of CBD and THC

Lucas Allan (Chemistry)
Advisor: Tim Zuehlsdorff
Talk title: FC2DES: Modeling 2D Electronic Spectroscopy for Harmonic Hamiltonians

Hallee Boyd (Chemistry)
Advisor: May Nyman
Talk title: Characterization of Trivalent Lanthanide Keggin Phosphomolybdate Sandwich Clusters

Daniel Malone Buoy (Statistics)
Advisor: Claudio Fuentes / Sarah Emerson
Talk title: Representative Sampling Methods for K-Fold Cross Validation

Olivia Burleigh (Integrative Biology)
Advisor: Virginia Weis
Talk title: Transcription Factor-targeted ChIP-Seq for Smad3-mediated TGF-β Signaling in Heat-stressed Aiptasia

Jun Cai (Integrative Biology)
Advisor: Virginia Weis
Talk title: Effect of Sphingolipid Metabolic Pathway Inhibition and Knockdown on Cnidarian-Algal Symbiosis

Giovanni Crestani (Integrative Biology, Ph.D.)
Advisor: Molly Burke
Talk title: Genomics of experimentally-evolved postponed reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster

Ushasi Datta (Chemistry)
Advisor: Marilyn Mackiewicz
Talk title: Unveiling the Hidden Properties: How Nanomaterial Surface Chemistry and Biomimetic Systems Shape Reflectance and Contrast

Konstantin Drallios (Chemistry)
Advisor: Thomas Osborn Popp
Talk title: 3D Printable Radiofrequency Coils

Rudranil Dutta (Chemistry)
Advisor: Claudia Maier
Talk title: Identification and Quantitation of Bioactive Alkaloids in Withania Somnifera

Arpa Ebrahimi (Chemistry)
Advisor: Claudia Maier
Talk title: Characterizing the Lipidomic and Proteomic Profile of the 5xFAD Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model: A Comparative Study Using MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry

Jessica Etter (Chemistry)
Advisor: Claudia Maier
Talk title: LC-QTOF and LC-TIMS-qQTOF MS Analysis of Fecal Inoculum Biotransformation Products and LC-MRM-MS Analysis of Human Withanolide Pharmacokinetics of an Ashwagandha Supplement

Caroline Hernandez (Microbiology)
Advisor: Maude David
Talk title: Whole-Cell Crosslinking Reveals Direct Lactobacillaceae and Rhizobiaceae Interactions with Host Duodenal Neuropods

Esteban Hernandez (Chemistry)
Advisor: Jennifer Field
Talk title: Experimental pKa Values of Substituted and Unsubstituted Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonamides via 19F NMR

Lucas Kolanz (Physics)
Advisor: Davide Lazzati
Talk title: Cosmic dust bunnies

Weiqi ‘Grace’ Li (Statistics)
Advisor: Yuan Jiang
Talk title: Reframing spatial transcriptomics prediction: From regression to classification

Sarah Louie (Biochemistry & Biophysics)
Advisor: Richard Cooley / Ryan Mehl
Talk title: Optimizing genetic code expansion technology to access post-translationally modified proteins

Praveeni Mathangadeera (Mathematics)
Advisor: Małgorzata Peszyńska
Talk title: Computational Modeling of the Nonlinear Heat Equation in Frozen Soil and Snow

Anshika Nagar (Chemistry)
Advisor: Marilyn Mackiewicz
Talk title: Shielded Nanoparticles: Advancing X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy with Oxidant-Resistant Nickel and Cobalt

Luke Nearhood (Physics)
Advisor: Patti Hamerski
Talk title: Computing the Tension

Joline Nguyen (Biochemistry & Biophysics)
Advisor: Sarah Clark
Talk title: Isolation of Scarce Membrane Protein Complexes from C. elegans

Victory Chiamaka Obieke (Mathematics)
Advisor: Vrushali Bokil
Talk title: Compatible Energy Preserving Discretizations for Nonlinear Optical Wave Propagation: The Maxwell-Duffing Approach

Emily Palmer (Statistics)
Advisor: Yuan Jiang
Talk title: A Group Penalization Framework for Detecting Time-Lagged Microbiota-Host Associations

Madison Phelps (Mathematics)
Advisor: Małgorzata Peszyńska
Talk title: Nonlinear Solvers in Permafrost applications

Kevin Rice (Microbiology)
Advisor: Maude David / Kenton Hokanson
Talk title: Electrical Characterization of Primary Enteroendocrine Cells: Developing Tools to Screen Novel Microbial Neuroactive Compounds

Casey Rummelhart (Chemistry)
Advisor: Addison Desnoyer
Talk title: Frustrated Lewis Pairs Ligand for the Transformation of Carbon Dioxide to Chemical Feedstocks

Pavel Sengupta (Chemistry)
Advisor: Dipankar Koley
Talk title: Quantifying Dissolved Oxygen in Biofilms with Non-invasive Flexible Amperometric Oxygen Sensors

Michael Sieler (Microbiology)
Advisor: Thomas Sharpton
Talk title: Modeling the zebrafish gut microbiome’s resistance and sensitivity to climate change and parasite infection

Gavin Tovar (Statistics)
Advisor: Robert Trangucci / Sarah Emerson
Talk title: Sequential Approach to K-Fold Cross-validation---Computational Reduction Technique

Hao Yue (Chemistry)
Advisor: Marilyn Mackiewicz
Talk title: Targeted X-ray Imaging Agents for Visualizing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Sima Ziyaee (Chemistry)
Advisor: Claudia Maier
Talk title: Exploring Cellular Heterogeneity through Single-cell Proteomics

Join us to celebrate the future of science — and the graduate students who are making it happen.

College of Science Inclusive Excellence Award

Hannah Stuwe, graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, received the Inclusive Excellence Award.

Department Head Elisar Barbar, who nominated Stuwe, said she has engaged in a wide-ranging set of service, outreach and training that is truly impressive. First, Stuwe conducted a GFP protein purification activity for middle and high school students from the Chemawa Indian School, Jewell High School (Seaside), and visited groups of black and Latinx students from the Portland area.

She planned, wrote and edited a handbook of science experiments geared towards middle school aged students, their parents, and teachers to fill the void of not having a BB summer camp. This handbook now serves as a free and open access resource for community members.

Stuwe is the founder of the non-profit organization Corvallis Music Collective. They have engaged in community service and activism by providing live music for events and rallies. Recent events include the Basic Needs Center Fall Welcome Party, the Disabled Students Union Disability Justice Rally and Jackson Street Youth Services National Runaway Prevention Month “Skate Park After Dark” Show.

Gladys Valley Award for Exemplary Administrative Support

Amy Timshel, assistant head to the department head in the Department of Microbiology, received the Gladys Valley Award for Exemplary Administrative Support.

Her colleagues describe her as proactive, always seeking ways to improve processes and deeply committed to making the department a better place for everyone. She is highly regarded by students, faculty and staff for her professionalism, broad knowledge and ability to get things done. In fact, Department Head Anne Dunn noted that when she polled faculty on department strengths during strategic planning exercises, Timshel's critical role in the department was consistently highlighted.

She has a deep understanding of university policies and constantly looks for ways to improve them. She listens, advocates for students and colleagues, and takes initiative to make the department more inclusive and equitable. For example, her work on the Core Values Committee led to the addition of gender-neutral restrooms in Nash Hall and improvements to scholarship and travel fund policies.

Beyond her administrative role, Timshel actively fosters a sense of community within the department. She organizes fundraisers and charity events and regularly attends student events to show her support.

Distinguished Service Award

Elaine Cozzi, assistant head and associate professor in the Department of Mathematics, received the Distinguished Service Award for her impactful service to her department, the College and the broader mathematics community.

Cozzi served as interim associate dean of academic and student affairs for the College in Spring of 2024, managing various projects, including the university’s revision of its undergraduate advising system, assessing teaching resources and addressing countless student issues. She was overwhelmingly generous with her time in responding to the many challenges and the needs of her colleagues.

Before and after serving as associate dean, Cozzi served as assistant department head for mathematics, responsible for scheduling upper-level courses and ensuring adequate staffing for the Department’s teaching mission. This affects the hiring of instructors, graduate students, and undergraduate graders.

Jon Kujawa, Department of Mathematics head and Cozzi’s nominator, noted, “It is hard to overestimate the impact of Elaine’s planning on the smooth operation of the teaching side of the department. And she readily pivots when unexpected events disrupt the plans.” Additionally, Elaine led the assessment of the Mathematics undergraduate program for several years, playing a crucial role in student success, he shared.

Cozzi also contributes significantly to the mathematics profession as Associate Editor for the American Mathematical Monthly – the most widely read mathematics journal in the world. She is also an active member of SIAM, a professional society for applied mathematics, where she helps organize meetings and contributes to administrative efforts and regularly serves as a grant evaluator for the NSF and the Simons Foundation, helping to shape the future of mathematical research.

Virginia Lesser, Department of Statistics Head, received the Champion of Science award for her significant contributions to the field of statistics and to Oregon State University throughout her distinguished career. After earning her PhD in Biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she joined OSU’s Department of Statistics in 1992.

A year later, she became Director of the Survey Research Center, a role she held until her retirement in December 2024. Lesser's expertise in probability sampling, survey design, and data collection methods ensured that the center upheld the highest standards. Under her leadership, the center became a premier institution, offering expertise in survey methodology, sampling and data analysis – supporting projects that inform policy, environmental monitoring, economic studies and public opinion research. Its work has helped agencies such as the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Oregon State Marine Board, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife make data-driven decisions, not to mention numerous initiatives within the University.

Lesser's groundbreaking research in survey methodology, environmental statistics, applied statistics and ecological monitoring has advanced the field and influenced practice. She has authored over 55 journal articles and conference proceedings, earning national and international recognition – including being named a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and an elected member of the International Statistical Institute.

Lesser's leadership also transformed the statistics department and elevated Oregon State University’s role in the field as department head from 2011 to 2018.

Lesser has also been a dedicated mentor and advocate for students and colleagues. Over the course of her career, she guided more than 220 graduate students and fostered a welcoming, supportive community within the department. Her colleagues regard her as an exceptional mentor and an inspiring leader, someone who consistently goes above and beyond – whether leading major academic initiatives or simply making sure the department potluck had a home-cooked turkey.

Distilling data for strong decision-making

As our ability to collect information explodes, having people who know how to process and interpret data is more important than ever. From environmental solutions and healthcare to engineering and product development, being able to collect and translate data pays off across the board.

Research biologists like Wolf work both in the field and at computers, reviewing existing studies on the species and deciding what model will allow them to best address and communicate what they need to know next.

“I really like being able to provide wildlife managers with study results that can help them make the best decisions possible,” said Wolf of his work at ODFW. “Making sure that the science input that they get is well-done and answers the questions they need is pretty important and satisfying.”

Centrally located in Roseburg, OR, Wolf works on a wide array of studies. One project is focused on deer fawn survival, looking at the first six months of life when fawns are most vulnerable to predators. He also works in the Archie Creek fire area in southwest Oregon, monitoring what species are still in the burned area, what comes back, and how long it takes for them to come back. Finally, a camera study just north of Crater Lake monitors occupancy of martens and other mid-sized carnivores.

Translating data into action

Managing wildlife involves balancing the needs of many different stakeholders. All species are affected to some degree by human activity, natural disasters and climate change, and data analytics is crucial to understanding those effects and how to mitigate them. Oregon State’s Ecampus program trains students to translate data into terms the public can understand.

“We need to be able to effectively communicate what we are finding, why it is important, and why people should care,” Wolf said.

A love for animals and the scientific process motivates Wolf to work towards a better world. “I think that we should always be pushing forward with new studies to answer new questions,” he said.

A solid support system can go a long way to rewriting the story for students who struggle. "It is very important to find mentors and people that you connect with to talk to about your career, the decisions you’re making, what you want to do and how to achieve that,” Dickinson said.

For women in STEM, “there’s still not equal representation,” she said, and getting plugged into a community is particularly vital. Part of Dickinson’s role at HP includes mentoring interns and new hires. These programs are a “great tool for building relationships” and making sure team members from all backgrounds are supported and welcomed.

Mapping her future through Oregon State

Dickinson recently accepted a job transfer at HP to Washington D.C. From central Oregon, she said that leaving the West Coast is bittersweet. Reflecting on her time at Oregon State for both her degrees, “I really found that Corvallis and Oregon State has been a home for me,” she said.

Dickinson’s story is also a reminder of how flexible and interdisciplinary a career in STEM can be. Although initially an engineer, more time on the job brought nuance to her perspective, and she was able to layer Oregon State’s Data Analytics master's on top of her engineering degree to achieve a weightier position at HP.

Sometimes a career path can take unexpected turns, but in the end, “you really do get what you put into things,” she said. “Getting more involved at OSU in my undergrad days really led to some of the internships I ended up doing, and the job I ended up taking.”

Her advice for future students is to take advantage of all the resources Oregon State has to offer. “OSU has all the tools and the people to help students be successful and to really create that community,” she said. “Find the professors that you feel are strongly influential for you, or if you find a group interesting, get to know them!”

Dr. SreyRam Kuy (Microbiology '00) was honored with a 2020 Alumni Fellows Award (as an OSU Honors College nominee) at the OSU Alumni Association’s awards virtual ceremony on October 20, 2020. The award recognizes eminent alumni who have distinguished themselves in their professions and communities. Kuy is a practicing general surgeon, healthcare executive and quality improvement researcher. She currently serves as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas and is a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine.

As the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, Kuy developed a Covid-19 Preparation Tool to help healthcare facilities, businesses and communities rapidly gauge their preparedness for the outbreak, identify areas of weakness and strategically target resources for their greatest impact. She partnered with industry to deploy the free tool widely.

"I had such amazing support at OSU. My teachers and advisers took genuine interest in me and helped and encouraged me. It was a pivotal point in my life that helped me get into medical school and become a doctor,” — SreyRam Kuy

Elisar Barbar, professor and head of the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, has received a two-year $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to pursue research on the SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19. The research project is aimed at understanding how the N-protein of the SARS-CoV-2 performs its essential functions in viral infection and transmission.

The award was made by the NSF EAGER (Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research) program, which supports new, exploratory and potentially transformative research ideas or approaches that involve the application of new expertise and novel disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspectives.

“My lab is one of the few labs in the world that works on disordered proteins in viruses using NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy). This is an opportunity for us to lead and make an impact. We cannot afford to be spectators." — Elisar Barbar

Dr. Eva Galvez (Biology ’99), a family physician at the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, was honored with the 2020 Alumni Fellows Award

The daughter of immigrants, Galvez and her twin sister, Olivia, graduated from the College of Science’s biology program and went on to pursue careers in medicine. Galvez regularly speaks on panels to educate the public around health disparities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Galvez has become a vocal advocate for mitigating health risks for Oregon’s seasonal farm workers and has addressed the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in the House of Representatives.

"Much of our society has this belief that health is something that we have control over — that if we as individuals can just eat the right food and exercise the right amount and take the right medications you will be healthy. ... The reality is only about 20% of our health is determined by healthcare and our individual choice. And the rest is shaped by social factors, otherwise known as social determinants of health, and those include cultural beliefs and your values.” — Eva Galvez

Mathematics alumna Carrie Manore (Ph.D. ’11) is at Los Alamos National Laboratory working as part of the Covid-19 modeling team. Manore is a mathematical epidemiologist in the Information Systems and Modeling Group at LANL since 2013. Her work focuses on modeling mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, chikungunya, dengue and West Nile virus. The LANL Covid-19 forecasts are part of the modeling New Mexico Department of Health officials have been using since April to prepare for and tackle the Covid-19 outbreak.

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has placed mathematical models in the spotlight as they have become central to public health interventions, planning, resource allocation and forecasts. OSU mathematics alumni have made important contributions to Covid-19 modeling and research at both national and regional levels.

"I got a really strong background in math at OSU, which not only helped me acquire mathematical skills, but also a way of thinking. It prepared me to work on real problems in the world like I am doing now.” — Carrie Manore

Rachael Aber, Integrative Biology graduate student, has been involved in the TRACE-COVID project that involves door-to-door community surveillance to gather the information that is essential to slowing the spread and minimizing the impact of the disease. She recently spoke at the ARCS Foundation Virtual Event - Science is the Solution about her experiences. She talked about the importance of scientists interacting with the public. Aber received the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter Scholar Award.

She was drawn to the Department of Integrative Biology because of its strong tradition of support for interdisciplinary approaches to urgent research questions. She hopes to focus her doctoral research on investigating issues at the intersection of disease ecology and population biology in the lab of Benjamin Dalziel.

“Working in a lab that employs methods from various fields of study will be invaluable to my progress as a science professional.” — Rachael Aber

Recent microbiology master’s program graduate Elizanette ‘Nette’ Lopez (Microbiology, M.S. '20) was selected to participate in the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellowship program. Lopez was offered a position at the Center for Disease and Control (CDC) Biorepository in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Her graduate studies were partly funded by a diversity grant from the NIH. During her time at OSU, Lopez advocated for underrepresented minorities and was an active member of the Microbiology Graduate Student Association, Ethnic Minorities United in STEM and a founding member of the Women of Color Caucus. Toward the end of her graduate studies, the COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions globally. However, the crisis also provided an opportunity for Lopez to gain experience in public health microbiology as a volunteer for the TRACE-COVID-19 project.

As a volunteer, Lopez helped process thousands of swab samples collected from participants in the field. As an ORISE Fellowship recipient, Lopez will soon process SARS-CoV-2 samples and help organize other collections in the biorepository in Atlanta, Georgia.

Katie McLaughlin is an assistant professor of statistics and co-Principal Investigator of the TRACE-COVID-19 project. McLaughlin is an applied statistician specializing in sampling methodology and social network analysis, particularly for hidden populations at high risk for infectious diseases. The pandemic has led to volumes of data which require statistical interpretation. The data gathered and analyzed by TRACE researchers provide important guidance for local and state officials deciding which public health actions make the most sense in protecting their communities.

“Thanks to all of the support we continue to receive, and thanks to Oregon State’s overarching spirit of collaboration and service, we’re able to play a key role in helping communities stay safe.” — Katie McLaughlin

In addition to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science this month, the International Women’s Day is on March 8, 2021. The UN announced the theme for 2021 is “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, which is aligned with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, and calls for the full participation of women, gender equality, elimination of violence against and empowerment for all women and girls. Activities planned around this event will be announced.