Artist Suze Woolf captures the unusual beauty of the fire-carved snags, known as totems, from all over western North America. The exhibit employs art to provide the public with a fresh opportunity to explore discussions surrounding wildfires. Anish Arumugam/PSU Vanguard.

Adapting to wildfires

The untamed ferocity of wildfires has long been a force of nature, shaping landscapes and ecosystems in both destructive and transformative ways. Once flames move across forests and leave trails…

In southeast Oregon, military drills use chaff at possible detriment to the environment. Moreover, as out-of-control wildfires threaten Oregon, the Department of Forestry discovered a military flare remnant at fire site. Courtesy of Friends of the Owyhee.

Air Force releases aluminum-coated glass fibers over Oregon

In Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands, where the air is crisp and the land echoes with the whispers of the Oregon wilderness, a new and different kind of thunder rumbles. When F-15…

Governor Tina Kotek signs H.B. 2049 into law, establishing the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCOE) in collaboration with Portland State, Oregon State and the University of Oregon to fortify the state's digital defense against cyber threats. Courtesy of Birol Yesilada.

Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence

In the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age, Oregon is gearing up to fortify its defenses against cyber threats with a groundbreaking initiative—the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCOE).  …

Imagery ©2023 Airbus, CNES/Airbus, Landsat/Copernicus, Maxar Technologies, Metro, Portland Oregon, State of Oregon, U.S Geological Survey, USDA/FPAC/GEO, Map data ©2023 Google Maps Illustration by Briana Cieri

Navigating post Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake hazards

If you’ve lived in Portland for a while, you’re probably familiar with the risks associated with residing in this region along the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ)—a fault located 70–100 miles…

Dr. Jan Haaken, a psychology professor emeritus at Portland State University, is dedicated to creating films that address complex social issues. Courtesy of Dr. Jan Haaken.

Documenting social issues through a feminist psychology lens

Among Dr. Jan Haaken’s many titles are clinical psychologist, documentary filmmaker, feminist and professor emeritus of psychology at Portland State. Her career began in the early ‘70s when social movements…

Hostile architecture, such as these rocks secured with cement, is designed to prevent individuals experiencing houselessness from using the space. However, it also affects everyone's ability to enjoy the green space. Credit: Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani/PSU Vanguard

A perspective on hostile architecture

When people hear hostile architecture, some will immediately think of it as an anti-houseless action which creates undesirable spaces for those seeking shelter on the streets. This is too narrow…

Social media filters can seem harmless when looking at the shape of someone's eyes and deducing things about their character, but the deeper context connects to problematic pseudoscience.

Phrenology and physiognomy trending on social media

Phrenology and physiognomy are two distinct pseudoscientific practices. Phrenology attempts to establish a connection between cognitive ability, as well as the size and shape of a person’s skull. In contrast,…