Academics | Jasper's posts | Science & technology | Writers

Ava Howard Teaches Research Skills with BI409 Practicum

Posted on February 15, 2022 6466 views 1 comment
Dr. Ava Howard is a Biology professor at Western Oregon University who recently taught a field research practicum course over the summer. She has been teaching plant biology and ecology at WOU for 13 years. In addition to teaching, she is also involved in creating scholarship and research opportunities for students, which she is very [more…]
Academics | Jasper's posts | Science & technology | Writers

Forensic Anthropology Professors Host Podcast

Posted on November 26, 2021 3468 views
Title card for Cabin Femur: Forensic Anthropology in the Age of Quarantine
Dr. Misty Weitzel and Jerielle Cartales teach forensic anthropology here at WOU who have started a podcast together titled Cabin Femur: Forensic Anthropology in the Age of Quarantine. The following is a curated version of my interview with them about the podcast and forensic anthropology in general.  Jasper: Okay, why don’t we just hit the [more…]
Academics | Arts & culture | Campus & community | Jasper's posts | Science & technology | Student life | Writers

New Destination Western Program Succeeds in Preparing Students

Posted on November 22, 2021 1862 views
Destination Western Participants
Destination Western (DW) is an all-new two-week residential program that wrapped up prior to the start of the 2021-22 academic year. I had the dual pleasure of not only participating in the program itself, but also interviewing some of the brilliant minds behind it. Megan Habermann is the director of new student and family programs [more…]
Class of 2021 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Karen Silva

Posted on June 28, 2021 374 views
Karen Silva is a 2021 graduate from Rigby, Idaho. She is a Biology major with a Pre-Professional focus.   How has being a Dreamer impacted your journey to and within college?  Being a Dreamer at times made it challenging to go through college, being a first-gen student and trying to figure a couple things out [more…]
Class of 2021 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Nick Cabacungan

Posted on June 19, 2021 1068 views
Nick Cabacungan is a 2021 graduate from Honolulu, Hawaii. He is a Biology major with a concentration in Pre-Professional Studies, plus a minor in Chemistry.    What has been your most memorable class?  The most memorable class has to be Physics with Dr. Schoenfeld. Although his class was tough, he has taught me how to [more…]
Class of 2021 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Antonia Scholerman

Posted on June 18, 2021 1201 views
Antonia Scholerman is a 2021 graduate from Bend, Ore. She is a History major with a minor in Art History. Antonia is also an award winner from WOU’s Leadership Recognition Month, where she was recognized with a Distinguished Student Leader award.   What has been your favorite annual event at WOU?  The Holiday Tree Lighting [more…]
Academics | Science & technology

WOU Secures Grant to Advance Computer Science Education

Posted on January 26, 2021 2830 views
WOU’s Dr. Lucas Cordova, assistant professor of Computer Science, has acquired a phenomenal grant that benefits WOU employees and students. The grant, a Tier 2 NSF grant that runs to October 2023, is titled “Collaborative Research: Testing Tutor – An Inquiry-Based Pedagogy and Supporting Tool to Improve Student Learning of Software Testing Concepts.” The grant’s [more…]
Academics | Science & technology

New Criminal Justice Major in 2021: Cybersecurity

Posted on December 16, 2020 2695 views
Beginning fall term 2021, WOU’s Criminal Justice Sciences Division will have a new major, a Bachelor of Science in Cybercrime Investigation and Enforcement, also known as Cybersecurity. The major will require 72 total credits, which are broken down into four main groups: criminal justice, cybercrime investigation and enforcement, information systems, and electives. The mission of this [more…]
Science & technology

Alumni Profile: Francisco Aranda

Posted on August 18, 2020 2116 views
Francisco Aranda graduated from WOU in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Business and a minor in Spanish. In 2015, Aranda graduated from WOU with a master’s degree in Management and Information Systems, and now works as a product analyst at Nike.   Why did you choose WOU? In my sophomore year of high school, [more…]
Class of 2020 | Science & technology | test

Grad Profile: Jonny Watt

Posted on June 14, 2020 2155 views
Jonathon “Jonny” Watt is an Elementary/Middle School Education major with a concentration in Middle School Mathematics. He is a Kansas City, Kansas. As an outstanding 2020 graduate, we interviewed Watt on his favorite aspects of WOU and his future plans for after graduation.   Why did you choose WOU?  I chose WOU because I was [more…]
Class of 2020 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Kelly Soto

Posted on June 14, 2020 1665 views
Kelly Soto is a graduating nursing student from Ontario, California. She transferred to WOU from Chemeketa Community College, where she completed her nursing prerequisites and obtained her Associate Arts of Oregon Transfer degree. As an outstanding WOU 2020 graduate, we interviewed Soto about her college experience and future plans.   What has your experience been [more…]
Class of 2020 | Science & technology

Mario and Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching: Kristin Latham-Scott

Posted on June 10, 2020 1811 views
Professor dressed for graduation
Western Oregon University Biology Professor Kristin Latham-Scott hopes she engages her students with mind-expanding topics while also providing them the skills to tackle the challenges.  Her dedication, creativity and enthusiasm to create student-centered learning spaces has earned Latham-Scott this year’s Mario and Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching.  “I hope my students take with them [more…]
Class of 2020 | Education | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Danel Camacho

Posted on June 7, 2020 1981 views
Danel Camacho is a Community Health Education major and a Human Biology minor from Roseville, Calif. As a 2020 graduate, we interviewed Camacho about her experience being a transfer student, as well as her fondest memories from being a student-athlete and interacting with our WOU community as a whole.   Are you a transfer student? [more…]
Class of 2020 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: April Bradley

Posted on June 6, 2020 2183 views 1 comment
WOU grad April Bradley smiles in front of her computer. She is wearing glasses and a dark blue shirt.
April Bradley is a graduating student from Aumsville, Ore., and she is completing a degree in Information Systems. While at WOU, Bradley has served as the family housing apartment manager for Alderview.   Are you a transfer student? If so, where did you transfer from and what has the experience been like? Yes, however I [more…]
Class of 2020 | Education | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Susiele Koga Truong

Posted on June 4, 2020 2334 views 1 comment
WOU graduate Susiele Koga Truong smiles in front of a railing.She is wearing a blue striped jumpsuit and a light wash denim jacket. She is holding an iced coffee and there is lush greenery behind her.
Susiele Koga Truong is a first-generation graduating student from Wailuku, Maui. She is a Community Health Education major, with a minor in Human Biology.   Are you a first-generation student? What has your experience been like? Yes, I’m a first-generation student and my experience through college has been eye opening and not only an experience [more…]
Class of 2020 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Salvador Garcia Lopez

Posted on June 3, 2020 2127 views
Person sitting in a red graduation cap and gown, smiling
Salvador Garcia Lopez is an Earth Science major with a minor in Biology. He is from Portland, Ore. As a 2020 graduate, we interviewed Lopez on his favorite experiences from WOU and his plans for after graduation.   Where did you transfer from and what has the experience been like? In the fall of 2017, [more…]
Class of 2020 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Natalie Legras

Posted on June 3, 2020 1889 views
WOU graduate Natalie Legras smiles in front of a brick wall with green plants below. She is wearing a striped shirt, blue jeans, and a WOU graduation cap.
Natalie Legras is a graduating student who is completing a double major in Information Systems and Humanities, with a minor in Business. She is from Scio, Ore., and has participated in the Honors program while at WOU.    Are you a first-generation student? What has your experience been like? Neither of my parents graduated from [more…]
Academics | Science & technology

WOU Assistant Professor Defends the Shepherd of the Ecosystem

Posted on May 31, 2020 1900 views
A cougar
Western Oregon University Biology Instructor John Laundré advocates for an animal too often viewed as bloodthirsty and dangerous. A world-class ecologist, Laundré is a cougar biologist who is devoted to defending an animal he believes is misunderstood. “Cougars are the shepherds of ecosystems, keeping herbivores in their ecological place. Time after time, it has been [more…]
Arts & culture | Class of 2020 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Eva Batenhorst

Posted on May 26, 2020 2284 views
WOU student Eva Batenhorst poses for a photograph outside, against a weathered white wall. She is wearing a cream colored sweater.
Eva Batenhorst will be graduating this spring, with a double major in Biology and Dance, and a minor in Physical Science. Eva is from Eugene, Oregon, and has participated in many extracurriculars during her time at WOU, including the Honors program, RHA, and PLUS team. Are you an honors student? What has your experience been [more…]
Class of 2020 | Science & technology

Grad Profile: Heidi Benham

Posted on May 18, 2020 2765 views 3 comments
WOU student Heidi Benham smiles in front of a wooden wall. She is wearing a gray shirt, red lipstick, and glasses, and there is a green flower in her hair.
Heidi Benham is a graduating student from Dayton, Ore. She is completing a degree in Mathematics, with a minor in Linguistics. After graduation, Heidi is headed to the University of Connecticut. Are you a transfer student? What has the experience been like? I transferred from the Yamhill Valley Campus of Chemeketa Community College. The faculty [more…]
Academics | Science & technology

WOU Professor Creates Code-Breaking Competition

Posted on April 28, 2020 2027 views
A coffee mug
An unscrupulous blackjack dealer helping a ring of hustlers. A race to discover the whereabouts of a deadly virus. A group suspected of hacking into a government website to steal U.S. Census data. The fictional plots in the Kryptos Challenge were created by Western Oregon University Math Professor Cheryl Beaver and Central Washington University Math [more…]
Class of 2017 | Science & technology

Delmer Dewey Award: Connor Thompson

Posted on June 16, 2017 1725 views
Connor Thompson
Connor Thompson, the 2017 Delmer Dewey Award honoree, has an incredible résumé. The chemistry major interned for NASA, researched nanotechnology and worked on a computational chemistry project involving cartridge cases from the Battle of the Little Bighorn. But in discussing the most influential experience he’s had while on the Western Oregon University campus, the hyper-organized [more…]
Class of 2016 | Science & technology

Maria & Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching: Cheryl Beaver

Posted on June 11, 2016 1755 views
Cheryl Beaver
Dr. Cheryl Beaver has found a way to balance her academic interests at Western Oregon University: mathematics and education. This year’s Mario and Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching recipient, she has flourished as a math educator. She and her husband, Dr. Scott Beaver, joined WOU in 2005. Prior to becoming a collegiate educator, [more…]
Class of 2016 | Science & technology

Grad profile: Kaylee Church

Posted on June 10, 2016 1820 views
Name:  Kaylee Church Age: 21 Major/Minor: Mathematics/psychology Hometown: Damascus, Ore. Favorite campus event: New Student Week/Wind Down Wednesday Best study spot: Study room in Math building Advice to incoming freshman: “Don’t doubt yourself, go with what you like in your activities and studies.” Affordability is what put WOU on Church’s radar when she began searching for colleges. Out-of-state tuition deterred her from [more…]
Science & technology

GIS Speaker Series: An Overview

Posted on May 16, 2016 1556 views
Globe
There’s still one more event in the GIS Speaker series on May 17 at 12pm in the Education Building room 105. This event is presented by Phil Smith from the Oregon Department of Transportation and will discuss how GIS can relate to and help with the transportation process. The talk is free and open to [more…]
Alumni | Science & technology | WOU in the news

WOU in the news: Hess takes over a program that is in great shape

Posted on July 13, 2015 1503 views
Greg Hess
Story published in the Clackamas Review By John Denny Hess, 45, had assisted Thomas in coaching Gladstone’s girls soccer team since 2003, and he’s been the head boys track coach at Gladstone High School since 2010. “This program is in good shape,” Hess said. “Steve did a tremendous job of building the program up over [more…]
Science & technology

WOU in the news: Western’s Campus To Go Tobacco-Free

Posted on July 8, 2015 1470 views
Story published in the Polk County Itemizer-Observer By Emily Mentzer MONMOUTH — Stephanie Delker wanted to improve campus health at Western Oregon University. Delker, a senior in community health, tackled a project with teachers and fellow students to make WOU’s campus tobacco-free by fall 2015. The tobacco-free policy was signed by then President Mark Weiss [more…]
Science & technology

Dr. Shirley Heying, Visiting Anthropology Professor

Posted on May 31, 2015 1670 views
Dr. Shirley Heying, a visiting assistant professor in anthropology, has been teaching at Western Oregon University since Fall 2014. She is an enthusiastic researcher and teacher, eager to instill in her students her passion for studying anthropology. She has already created two new courses for the anthropology department, and she is planning a public presentation [more…]
Campus & community | Science & technology

Kids with autism see big benefits from massage, study says

Posted on March 26, 2015 1455 views
A massage treatment developed for children who have autism can lessen its severity by a third in the first five months after diagnosis, making the treatment an effective early intervention, according to a newly published report. The treatment, developed by Dr. Louisa Silva, founder of the Oregon-based Qigong Sensory Training Institute and a visiting professor [more…]
Science & technology

Western Oregon Autism Study Enrollment Open for Kids Ages 6-11

Posted on July 24, 2014 1454 views
Salem-News.com by Kevin Hays July 23, 2014 Families enrolled in the study receive all services for free, including training, treatment and assessments. (MONMOUTH, Ore. ) – The Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University and Louisa Silva, M.D., M.P.H. are announcing a first time opportunity for parents with children between the ages of 6 and [more…]
Campus & community | Science & technology

WOU fights back to defeat cancer

Posted on April 8, 2014 1338 views
Polk County Itemizer-Observer By Emily Mentzer April 8th, 2014   MONMOUTH — Rebecca Philippi, chairwoman for Western Oregon University’s Relay For Life, lost a good friend to leukemia on Valentine’s Day 2012. “She is one of the main reasons that I got involved in this cause,” she said — but not the only reason. Her [more…]
Education | Science & technology

More good news for WOU program

Posted on October 17, 2013 1330 views
Photo by Aaron Newton Jay Gense is the director for the National Center on Deaf-Blindness at Western Oregon University.   Polk County Itemizer-Observer By Aaron Newton October 15th, 2013   MONMOUTH — The National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB), one of seven centers that make up the Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University, was awarded [more…]
Campus & community | Science & technology

WOU unveils science center

Posted on October 4, 2013 1446 views
Photo by Aaron Newton // Sophomores Ty Lewis and Chloe Olson tour one of DeVolder Family Science Center’s six labs during the building’s grand opening on the Western Oregon campus Sept 24. October 1st, 2013 By Aaron Newton Polk County Itemizer-Observer MONMOUTH — The largest single gift to Western Oregon University in its 157-year history [more…]
Science & technology

New program offered to WOU medical students

Posted on August 6, 2013 1325 views
Starting in September, Western Oregon University medical program students will get a one-of-a-kind opportunity. Through a partnership with Rosetta Stone and Livemocha.com, students in the Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing at Western will be offered self-paced medical terminology interpreting classes. These classes are designed to prepare students for Oregon state requirements that [more…]
Science & technology

FDA Panel Says “No” to Experimental Diet Pill

Posted on September 15, 2010 1279 views
CBSNews Healthwatch (AP) Federal health experts rejected a highly anticipated weight loss pill Thursday that was thought to offer a safer way to shed pounds than older medications linked to dangerous side effects. The Food and Drug Administration’s panel of experts voted 9-5 against Arena Pharmaceuticals’ drug lorcaserin, saying a series of unresolved safety questions [more…]