Otters are a keystone species. Over the past 100 years, however, they have become absent from large sections of their historical range. In the past, attempts at reintroducing otters in Oregon…
How PSU prepares for a crisis
Crisis is inevitable—what goes up must come back down. Given this inevitability, it is vital that institutions prepare for it and ensure that they know how to respond. Portland State…
My journey at the Ideathon: The power of interdisciplinary science events
Science can sometimes feel inaccessible, but considering its importance in our lives, it is logical that we strive to improve its accessibility. Science events serve as a means to bridge…
Conversation with a scientist: The reality of bike crashes in Portland
Recently, Clay Veka of Portland Transportation Bureau made the Vanguard aware of an important word distinction between “accident” and “crash.” This article has been edited to reflect this change. For…
Be prepared, not scared
The term “the Big One” commonly describes the anticipated seismic event in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which is well-known among Portland residents. While feeling apprehensive about this future threat is…
It’s not all doom and gloom for The Big One
Scientists at Portland State are looking into whether or not Portland—the city of bridges—would still have its bridges standing after The Big One, and you might be surprised to hear…
Ken Stedman, PSU’s “virus hunter”
Portland State has its very own virus hunter—Dr. Ken Stedman, professor of biology. Stedman has been recognized twice in the last few months for his research and ability to communicate…
Ideathon event seeks to explore creative storytelling about climate change using AI
With the establishment of the conversational artificial intelligence ChatGPT in society, AI has been a growing topic of debate. Here at Portland State, the team at the Compassionate Computing (CoCo)…
The future of science and tech
The field of science and technology is one that’s constantly evolving. Over my tenure at Vanguard, I’ve had the pleasure of covering a wide variety of topics that have significantly…
Plants grown in lunar soil for the first time
The University of Florida succeeded in growing the first plants exclusively in lunar soil samples. Published May 12, this ongoing research has been funded by NASA since the Apollo samples…
How a recent discovery could redefine seafood agriculture
On May 3, the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications released a report describing a powerful archeological discovery—how Indigenous peoples, of North American coasts and Australia, cultivated and harvested oysters for upwards…