Research Centers and Institutes

The university’s interdisciplinary centers and institutes provide opportunities for graduate training and research. Members hold faculty positions in related academic departments. Students who want to work in one of the institutes as part of thesis or dissertation research must satisfy the graduate degree requirements of the related department through which they earn their degree.

Students who want to work in any of these fields may obtain information about the programs and financial aid from institute and center directors as well as online.

Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy

Jun Li, Director
541-346-4424
ccsp.uoregon.edu

The Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy conducts a variety of research projects and educational efforts focusing on the security of computer networks and systems. The center brings together faculty members working in multiple departments and schools, including the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Philosophy, the Charles H. Lundquist College of Business, the School of Law, and Information Services, among others.

Center for the Study of Women in Society

Michelle McKinley, Director
541-346-5015
csws.uoregon.edu

This multidisciplinary research center generates, supports, and disseminates research on gender and all aspects of women’s lives. A member of the National Council for Research on Women, the center is one of 95 women’s research and policy centers in the United States and among 300 such centers in more than 80 countries.

Committee on the Advancement of Women Chemists

Geri Richmond, Director
coach.uoregon.edu/

The committee is a grassroots organization working to increase the number and career success of women scientists and engineers. In addition to providing avenues for networking and mentoring of scientists and engineers at all levels, it works closely in an advisory capacity with many institutions, government organizations, and departments to create a professional workplace that provides an equal opportunity for discovery.

Institute for Fundamental Science

Graham Kribs, Director
ifs.uoregon.edu/

The Institute for Fundamental Science (IFS) is the home at the University of Oregon for research whose primary aim is to understand, explore, and extend the fundamental laws of nature, with an emphasis on the consequences for observable phenomena.  The IFS brings together the UO's investigations in experimental and theoretical high energy particle physics, astrophysics and astronomy, and is complemented by a variety of inquiries into other foundational topics.

Institute for a Sustainable Environment

Heidi Huber-Stearns, Director
541-346-0675
sustainable.uoregon.edu

The institute performs interdisciplinary research at the nexus of ecological, economic, and social sustainability, resolving complex problems and enabling communities to sustain economies and environmental systems through investigation and analysis of natural resource management, land use, climate change, rural development, transportation, renewable energy, natural hazards, and environmental education.

Institute of Ecology and Evolution

Matt Streisfeld, Director
541-346-4532
ie2.uoregon.edu

The Institute of Ecology and Evolution, established in 2002 as the Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, promotes and facilitates research and graduate education in ecology and evolutionary biology. The institute encourages scientific interactions among its members and between members and the wider academic community.

Institute of Molecular Biology

Alice Barkan, Director
541-346-5145
molbio.uoregon.edu

The University of Oregon offers a wide variety of research and training opportunities in contemporary molecular, structural, cellular, and developmental biology. The institute fosters research and training in contemporary biology at the molecular level by bringing scientists from biology, chemistry, and physics into a common intellectual and physical space.

Institute of Neuroscience

David McCormick, Director
541-346-4556
ion.uoregon.edu/

The Institute of Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary research group of scientists, with faculty members and students drawn from the Departments of Biology, Human Physiology, and Psychology. Its laboratories offer graduate and postdoctoral training in the neurosciences with projects that address the development of the nervous system and human cognitive processes.

Materials Science Institute

Darren Johnson, Director
541-346-6442
materialscience.uoregon.edu

The purpose of the Materials Science Institute is to study the structure and properties of materials, to educate in the sciences of materials, and to serve Oregon as a resource in these sciences. Since 1985, the institute has more than tripled the size of its research program, developed four new graduate programs in materials, and contributed to the state’s prosperity through collaboration with more than 25 Oregon companies.

Oregon Advanced Computing Institute for Science and Society

Allen D. Malony, Director
541-346-0534
www.nic.uoregon.edu

The center researches the application of computer science and numerical computation to problems with brain modeling and imaging. High-performance computing plays a significant role in the research at the center.

Oregon Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science

Steven van Enk, Director
541-346-4528
oco.uoregon.edu

The center encompasses research in basic and applied aspects of optics in physics and physical chemistry. Members of the center are instructors in physics and chemistry; associate members are from these departments as well as from institutions outside the university; students—undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral—are involved in all aspects of research at the center.

Oregon Humanities Center

Paul Peppis, Director
541-346-3934
ohc.uoregon.edu

The center is the sole interdisciplinary umbrella organization for the humanities at the University of Oregon. It seeks to promote and strengthen the humanities both on campus and in the broader community by supporting faculty research and teaching, fostering collaboration among the disciplines, and sponsoring a wide variety of public programs.

Oregon Institute of Marine Biology

Craig M. Young, Director
541-888-2581
https://oimb.uoregon.edu/

Founded in 1930, the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology is the third-oldest marine laboratory on the Pacific Coast. The 130-acre campus, located about two hours from Eugene, maintains housing and research facilities for visiting investigators and students from other institutions. Members of the resident faculty are from the UO Department of Biology, conducting research on the development, ecology, evolution, and physiology of marine organisms worldwide from the intertidal zone to the deep sea.

Prevention Science Institute

Elizabeth A. Stormshak, Director
541-346-9396
psi.uoregon.edu

The Prevention Science Institute is a multidisciplinary institute focused on understanding human development, preventing behavioral health problems, and implementing effective interventions in community settings, engaging in research on social and emotional processes among children, adolescents, and families to improve their lives and well-being throughout their lifespan. The institute also provides vital professional and research training for graduate and undergraduate students.