Alumni Successes

Our alumni started out just like you. They looked at the world around them and were driven by a curiosity to understand how it all works. They saw something that could be better. They struggled to find their place and gain the experiences that would help them make an impact in the world.

Now they are working in meaningful jobs at NASA, the Ocean Exploration Trust, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to name a few. Many others work in healthcare facilities, materials science, data science, education, media, business and more.

An Oregon State science education opened doors to many opportunities to protect the planet and improve society. They sought out experiences, career training and connections that would help them prepare for a rewarding job and a meaningful future.

Below are just some of our alumni accomplishments.

Our alumni bring science to the world

Young Alumni Award: Excellence in neuroscience education

One question changed the course of Tari Tan’s (Biochemistry & Biophysics, ‘08) professional career.

Alumni Awards: Raising the bar for diversity in the legal profession

Only 1.7% of attorneys in Oregon identified as Hispanic or Latino/a in 2020.

College of Science alumni Román Hernández (‘92) is not only part of that 1.7%, but he has dedicated his time to making sure that number grows.

Math alum uses disease modeling to help keep OSU community safe

Peter Banwarth (M.S. ’12) is an epidemiologist and public health data scientist with the Benton County Health Department in Oregon. He has developed models to guide county health policies on testing, safety and health measures for employees and the public to minimize infections and deaths in Corvallis and nearby areas.

Biology alumna at the forefront of migrant healthcare in Oregon during the Covid-19 pandemic

Dr. Eva Galvez’s (Biology ’99) family background and passion for holistic care have led her into migrant labor camps, radio stations, mobile clinics, and the world of public policy.

Oregon State alum plays integral role in Perseverance landing

2005 physics alumna and planetary geologist Briony Horgan's research was key to determining the location on Mars for the Perseverance rover to explore. Explaining the challenge her team faced, she said, "“If we had to choose just one spot on Earth to gather all the data about the entire history of the planet — well, where would you go?”

Marine biology alumna develops tool to improve care for the giant Pacific octopus

Meghan Holst, a 2014 marine biology graduate and a biologist at the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco, co-developed a tool to help aquarists make end-of-life decisions for the giant Pacific octopus, a popular species in aquariums across the U.S.