6 OSU Faculty are Promoted to Senior Research Associate I/II
As Oregon's land grant university, Oregon State University is committed to educating, both on and off-campus, the citizens of Oregon, the nation, and the international community, and in expanding and applying knowledge. Candidates for promotion are evaluated objectively for evidence of distinction in their performance of assigned duties and in their scholarship or creative activity. The excellence of our faculty is paramount and we are very proud of the faculty recently promoted to the rank of Senior Research Associate I/II.
Ford Evans Senior Research Associate I | Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences
Dr. Evans is a Senior Research Associate I in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University (OSU). He earned a bachelor's degree from Pitzer College in Biology, a master's degree from Auburn University in Aquaculture, and a Ph.D. from OSU in Fisheries Science. Dr. Evans' research focuses on sustainable aquaculture of low-trophic marine species, including abalone, oysters, sea urchins, and seaweed. Dr. Evans teaches a graduate-level aquaculture course at OSU and has served as a content expert developing educational material for K-12 students. Dr. Evans has also worked in international development, supporting the use of aquaculture to improve food security in developing countries.
William Thomas Senior Research Associate I | Botany and Plant Pathology
Dr. William Thomas joined the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology as a Research Associate in 2015. He earned a B.S. in Microbiology from Arizona State University and worked in industry for several years before returning to graduate school and earning a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Oregon State University. William’s postdoctoral research has focused on detecting and identifying pathogens that impact agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. His current research focuses on identifying disease pressures affecting hops and hemp in the Pacific Northwest, developing an understanding of how environmental factors and agricultural practices influence those pressures, and communicating these findings to stakeholders.
Ruying Wang Senior Research Associate I | Horticulture
Dr. Ruying Wang joined the OSU Department of Horticulture as a Postdoctoral Scholar in 2019. She has broad research interests and experience in turfgrass science and management. She developed a highly productive, impactful, and innovative research program, and has authored 27 peer-reviewed articles. Her research projects focus on improving the resilience and sustainability of turfgrass including drought tolerance, irrigation alternatives, utilizing fungal endophytes to improve turfgrass health, and identifying best management practices for carbon sequestration.
Scott Durski Senior Research Associate II | Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences
Dr. Scott Durski is a Senior Research Associate II in the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. His research focuses on sea ice, coupled ice-ocean and atmosphere-ocean regional systems primarily studied through the application of computational models. Recent projects have included developing a discrete element model for sea ice failure, assessing shelf-basin salinity exchange in the Bering Sea through the application of satellites and models as part of the NASA ocean salinity science team, and partnering with NOAA on the development of an ocean-ice forecast system for the Alaska region. Scott holds a PhD in physical oceanography from Rutgers University.
Sukhyun Joo Senior Research Associate I | Forest Engineering, Resources and Management
Dr. Sukhyun Joo is a Senior Research Associate I at Oregon State University’s Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, where he has supported the Center for Intensive Planted-forest Silviculture (CIPS) since 2019. He specializes in statistical analysis, model development, and programming, particularly with growth models ORGANON and CIPSANON, which are vital for forest management in the Pacific Northwest. Joo has secured over $600,000 in research funding, developed the CIPSR R package for forest growth predictions, and contributed significantly to genetic improvement research for species like Douglas-fir and western hemlock. In addition to his research, Joo has authored several journal papers, delivered 50+ presentations, and modernized forestry courses at OSU, improving student learning through new web-based tools. He actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within CIPS, ensuring research findings are accessible to a broad audience. Through his work, Joo continues to enhance sustainable forest management practices in the region.
Laura Beaver Senior Research Associate I | Nutrition and Public Health
Dr. Laura Beaver's research has focused on how foods can prevent cancer, improve cardiovascular health and exercise performance, and can play an important role in achieving optimal skeletal health. Foods and their bioactive components that she has researched include broccoli, brussel sprouts, collard greens, spinach, beets, almonds, walnuts, sulforaphane, indoles, nitrate, nitrite, vitamin E and zinc. Dr. Beaver is also discovering how an individual’s gut microbiome may influence the beneficial compounds they get from their food. She oversees laboratories in Milam Hall with safety compliance and reporting and serve as a liaison between the College of Health and Environmental Health and Safety.