IMPACT

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

Science communication is a raging passion for Heather Kitada Smalley. From interactive statistics and data science workshops to impressive research related to archeology, she demonstrates the impact of data in the real world and inspires students of all ages.

With years of philanthropy under their belt, Eileen and Norbert Hartmann are committed to a life of giving back.

For statistics students at Oregon State University, it's not unheard of to land a job after attending a conference. That’s how Oregon State alumna Chenyang Duan (Ph.D. Statistics, ‘23) landed a full-time position as senior statistician at AbbVie, one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Jon Francis (statistics, ‘96) has built a career working for some of the biggest names in business, including Amazon, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Nike, T-Mobile, Starbucks, PayPal and currently General Motors. What education has allowed him to shift seamlessly from coffee to cars? A master’s degree in statistics from Oregon State University.

Statistics alumnus Steve Stehman honors his roots by giving back to Oregon State. His contributions recognize the invaluable education he received and pay tribute to one very special faculty member.

Research statistician emerita and alumna Manuela Huso (M.S., 88’) received the highest honorary recognition an employee can receive within the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Math alumnus James Hansen jumpstarted his career as an actuary, completing half his degree while still in high school.

Alumnus Ben Lyons (Ph.D. ’97) has taken his passion for biostatistics far, carving out a successful career in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry.

The College of Science is proud to have many significant milestones in the last 150 years.

The College of Science and OSU Library present a new exhibit, “Beautiful Science, Useful Art,” exploring the evolution of graphics and data visualization through six centuries.

From humble beginnings to becoming an internationally celebrated mathematician and biologist, Alumnus Michael Waterman has shattered all expectations.