CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY - UO chemist Geraldine Richmond has been confirmed as the new undersecretary of science and energy for the federal Department of Energy following a voice vote by the U.S. Senate.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES - Skylights are an aesthetically pleasing design choice, but they’re also an underappreciated source of sustainable heat energy for buildings, according to a new study from UO researchers.

In Glasgow, Scotland, 20,000 delegates from 196 nations have converged to hear the latest science, negotiate commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions, secure financing for developing nations, and debate progress on fulfilling climate pledges. UO faculty experts in law, geography, planning and politics weigh in.

ENGLISH - Ben Saunders, a UO professor of comic studies, is working with Marvel Comics on a new collaboration series with publisher Penguin Classics. The first three books published in the series will be “Black Panther,” “Captain America” and “The Amazing Spider-Man,” with Saunders serving as the series editor and author of the scholarly introductions for the latter two.

ECONOMICS - Eric Zou, an assistant professor in the UO economics department, found that companies and in some cases government agencies will do what they can to help their communities’ air pollution levels meet federal standards, which he documented in a paper published earlier this year: “Unwatched Pollution: The Effect of Intermittent Monitoring on Air Quality.”

POLITICAL SCIENCE - This article is republished as it appears in The Conversation, an independent news publisher that works with academics worldwide to disseminate research-based articles and commentary. The University of Oregon partners with The Conversation to bring the expertise and views of its faculty members to a wide audience.

LINGUISTICS - The UO Department of Linguistics has received a federal COVID-19 relief grant to support curriculum, outreach and student employees in the Northwest Indian Language Institute and National Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Ram Durairajan wants to future-proof the Internet, and three new grants will help him do so. The UO computer scientist has scored more than $2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and $200,000 from the Internet Society Foundation.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES - An environmental symposium featuring Black and Indigenous activists and scholars will bring together students, faculty, staff and community members to discuss significant efforts being made on local and national levels.

HISTORY, FOOD STUDIES - This article is republished as it appears in The Conversation, an independent news publisher that works with academics worldwide to disseminate research-based articles and commentary. The University of Oregon partners with The Conversation to bring the expertise and views of its faculty members to a wide audience.