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University Hall

As the 2026-2027 school year begins, the College of Arts and Sciences would like to welcome its new and returning department chairs, school directors and institute directors. These college leaders…

Mershon Search Lab Team

After more than six decades of conflict, 137,000 people have been reported missing in Colombia. A partnership between The Ohio State University’s new Mershon Search Lab and Colombia’s Unidad de…

hands forming heart shapes

“She’s your mom.” “They’re your family.” “Blood is thicker than water.”

For generations, these familiar idioms have illustrated what Rin Reczek and Emma Bosley-Smith, co-authors of the 2022…

Janet Box-Steffensmeier

Janet M. Box-Steffensmeier, Distinguished University Professor and Vernal Riffe Professor of Political Science at The Ohio State University, has been named the 2026 recipient of Ohio State’s…

Sooty Mangabey monkey

New research suggests that no matter what we eventually determine the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees to be, we’ll learn it was a primate that climbed trees.

Humans and…

Danica Dillion moderates the panel
By Christina Dierkes

“Will AI save or destroy us?” was the central question for a public panel on July 21, hosted by the Department of Psychology and the Collaborative on the Science of Polarization and Misinformation…

Swidden agriculture

Swidden agriculture — often called “slash-and-burn” — has been practiced on every inhabited continent throughout human history, and for decades it has been blamed for the destruction of the world…

a small toddler looking at an ipad in a dark room

In “Llama Llama Mad at Mama,” a popular children’s book from 2007, a little Llama Llama goes to the grocery with his mama and becomes overwhelmed by all the sounds, sights, smells and shopping…

kids playing soccer on a grass pitch

Contrary to popular belief, simply playing organized youth sports does not reduce the likelihood of committing violence in one’s lifetime, and in some cases, may increase it, according to a new…

Leadership students
By James Grega

The reviews are in, and the College of Arts and Sciences’ new leadership major is getting plenty of praise from recent graduates and current undergrads.

Kethan Mokadam, who…

The enamel crystal nanostructure from six species within stylized drawings of each species’ molar.

Four researchers in the Department of Anthropology are co-authors on a new Nature paper discussing dental microstructure and tooth evolution. "Enamel nanocrystal misorientation increased…

people holding candles at a church service

Having a religious affiliation doesn’t stop people from betting on sports in the United States, according to a new study.

Results showed that people who infrequently attend religious…

Chris Browning

Christopher Browning, PhD, professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences, has earned The Ohio State University 2026 Distinguished Scholar Award. Senior leadership in…

Patrick Arp

Patrick Arp, a third-year biomedical science and economics major, is The Ohio State University’s 10th Truman Scholar.

Arp is one of 55 exceptional college students from 48 U.S. colleges and…

red tulips in spring

The Ohio State University’s Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching is one of the university’s most prestigious teaching awards. Ten faculty members, including six Arts and Sciences faculty…

CURA group

The Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA) at The Ohio State University celebrated its 25th anniversary with a festive brunch and commendations from the Ohio House of Representatives and…

Miriam Brinberg

Miriam Brinberg, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences School of Communication, has earned The Ohio State University 2026 Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award. Senior…

Students studying bones in the forensic anthropology lab

Since it launched in 2023, the forensic anthropology major at The Ohio State University has skyrocketed.

“We had five students in the major the first year,” said W. Scott McGraw…

Outdoor architecture, design and branding details of The University Seal on The Oval.

The College of Arts and Sciences maintains a strong national academic profile, with audiology ranked in the top 10 (6th among publics) and speech & hearing in the top 20 (16th among publics)…

a digital model of Mount Vernon Avenue

Some of the 3D digital models created by researchers to depict lost neighborhoods in Columbus, Ohio, tell a clear story by placing the “ghosts” of houses that were demolished for freeway…

Jeffrey H. Cohen

The crunchy little jumpers are beloved in Mexico, writes an Ohio State anthropologist in a new book, so the Ohio State Alumni Magazine compared proteins.

University Hall with a red overlay that reads "2026 Alumni Awards"

Each spring, the College of Arts and Sciences’ Alumni Awards ceremony recognizes remarkable leaders whose achievements reflect the power of a liberal arts education and the bold momentum driving…

pink flowering trees on the Oval in spring

Congratulations to the 15 graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences who are recipients of the 2025-26 Graduate Associate Teaching Award (GATA) from Ohio State's Graduate School. The…

Chris Knoester

Sociologist Chris Knoester answers alumni questions about confidence, pressure, rising costs and why fun still matters most for young athletes.

the graduate assistants and Maurice Stevens after a conference presentation
By Christina Dierkes

Graduate students have a reputation for being solitary creatures, tucked away in a lab or in a corner of the library, diligently working away at a research project. But graduate education is more…

Students at the Denman Awards

A number of College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate researchers received awards at the 2026 Richard J. and Martha D. Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. 31 students from 15…

red tulips in spring

Ohio State's University Outreach and Engagement Awards honor faculty, staff and students for outstanding achievement in producing engaged scholarship and community impact. Congratulations to this…

Child looking at iPad
By James Grega

The phrase “iPad kid” has plenty of negative connotations.

Parents of young children are often working or in need of a break, but are increasingly concerned about exposing their kids to…

Pastoralist Hamady Sow, standing with his favorite cow among the vegetation near Lake Guiers, northern Senegal.

A common misconception about deserts is that they are barren wastelands. According to Mark Moritz, professor of anthropology at The Ohio State University, this couldn’t be further from the truth.…

jet simulator

Students at The Ohio State University are now taking off into virtual skies flying a B737 Max jet. The life-sized simulator is the Center for Aviation Studies’ latest addition to the Flight…

a naloxone poster on a pinboard

Partnerships with residents and community organizations are essential to carrying out The Ohio State University’s land-grant mission, researchers said during a recent panel discussion.

The…

kids playing in a residential street

Pickup basketball and neighborhood kickball are less common now than for generations past, giving way to more organized and formal youth sports intended to help kids get ahead, a new study…

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine

A fully booked conference – with a wait list – is a great way to kick off celebrations in Ohio for the United States’ semiquincentennial, or America 250.

At “New Perspectives on the…

U.S. President Donald Trump, CIA Director John Ratcliffe (L) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club on January 3, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida.

National security scholars at The Ohio State University are noticing a change in tone and rhetoric in the way the United States is conducting foreign policy following the capture of Venezuelan…

2025 Top Stories

A lot happened in the College of Arts and Sciences in 2025. Let's take a look back at some of our top stories from the past 12 months as we get ready to share another year of excellence,…

grandparents video call their family

A review of more than 1,000 studies suggests that using technology to communicate with others is better than nothing – but still not as good as face-to-face interactions.

Researchers found…

A student with bright red hair smiles on a bridge in Taiwan
By Ellen Huggins

The depth and impact of what we at the College of Arts and Sciences can achieve is made stronger by the immense generosity and intentionality of our friends and partners.

abandoned church

A decline in religious participation among middle-aged, less educated white Americans may have played a role in the widely noted increases in “deaths of despair,” a new study finds.

Linda Kass

Journalism alumna Linda Kass ’78 MA didn’t plan to be a novelist, bookstore owner and community leader. She just followed her curiosity—and the stories that shaped her.

Holly Nyseth Nzitatira

Engaged Scholars is a series highlighting Ohio State faculty who have made an impact in our communities through their community-engaged research and teaching. In this edition, Hollie…

Winter trees at dusk, in front of University Hall, a brick building with a tall tower

Several programs in the College of Arts and Sciences earned strong international recognition in the 2025 Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS).

GRAS evaluates world…

kids playing soccer

Many children grow up dreaming – or maybe even expecting – that they will become a star in football, basketball or whatever their favorite sport may be.

Most parents have more realistic…

kids watching TV

Young children have a lot of trust in scientists, and watching superhero TV shows with villainous researchers has little impact – and only in certain situations, a new study shows.

Findings…

Janet Box-Steffensmeier

Janet M. Box-Steffensmeier, Distinguished University Professor and Vernal Riffe Professor of Political Science, received a 2025 Barry Prize for Distinguished Intellectual…

Chapulines at a market

Eating toasted grasshoppers in parts of Mexico, a food once derided as only for poor people, is now celebrated as a delicacy by visiting tourists from the United States and elsewhere.

The…

Center for Ethics and Human Values

The Ohio State University’s Center for Ethics and Human Values has been hard at work helping faculty and staff prepare to teach in ways that are consistent with the Advance Ohio Higher Education…

Peter Howitt

Peter Howitt won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics along with Joel Mokyr and Phillippe Aghion, his longtime collaborator. The department extends its warmest congratulations to…

John Kruzel

A student of Joseph Kruzel’s recalls the professor’s brilliance—and his tragic death 30 years ago in Bosnia’s brutal conflict.

Now at Ohio State logo

More kids are leaving youth sports than ever before — between 60 and 70 percent drop out before adulthood. That’s a problem, because youth sports aren’t just about competition. They build…

Evidence bag with evidence samples in a lab setting
By Jen Farmer

The Department of Anthropology in Ohio State’s College of Arts and Sciences has officially opened the doors of the new Forensic Anthropology Laboratory — a milestone that furthers the hands-on…

Gifford Weary

When accomplished academics support endowed chairs, they bring a unique view of what truly transforms a university. Gifford Weary, PhD, emeritus faculty and former dean of social and behavioral…

girls playing outdoor soccer

A new study provides evidence of the explosive growth of private club and travel teams in youth sports over the past 60 years.

Researchers found that kids who were born in the 1990s were…

flowering trees on the Oval, with University Hall in the background

As the 2025-2026 school year begins, the College of Arts and Sciences would like to welcome its new and returning department chairs, school directors and institute directors. These college leaders…

Military training seminar

To assist U.S. military civil affairs professionals in deepening their understanding of the Middle East’s culture and customs before deployment, The Ohio State University recently hosted a virtual…

a high school classroom

One reason why so many schools in the United States struggle to provide a high-quality education is that their core constituents – students and parents – have the least say in how they’re run.

…

a young child watching a video on a laptop

A new study combines eye tracking and artificial intelligence to identify the exact moments in an educational video that matter for learning in children.

The study could also predict how…

Bradley Lepper

Archaeologist Bradley Lepper ’79 MA, ’86 PhD has devoted his life to understanding and celebrating the unsung wonders of the Hopewell culture. The rest of the world is finally catching up.

a group of teenagers watching a movie

Most popular coming-of-age movies don’t reflect the true challenges of adolescence, suggests new research.

An analysis led by Kate Stewart, a PhD student in…

A long-tailed macaque in the wild

Have you ever wondered what kind of video content would most grab the attention of monkeys?

A new study of long-tailed macaques suggests the monkeys seem to like some of the same kind of…

a person holding a pregnancy test

As concern grows about America’s falling birth rate, new research suggests that about half of women who want children are unsure if they will follow through – and many won’t be that bothered if…

parents and their kids at a soccer field

Parents, it is not just your imagination – you are spending more time, money and resources on your kids’ sports activities than moms and dads from previous generations.

A new nationwide…

Bruce Vilanch

The bespectacled comedian, actor, writer and 1970 journalism graduate shares 10 things he’s taken from his show-biz misadventures.

Circuits image

As artificial intelligence (AI) grows more sophisticated by the day, educators are finding new ways to incorporate it into their coursework. Its applications go beyond generative language and big…

Researchers look over the remains of a platform monument

New research brings together 7,000 years of history in South Arabia to show how ancient pastoralists changed placement and construction of monuments over time in the face of environmental and…

downed power lines on a residential street

What started as a research project in a campus lab is now helping utility companies across the country keep the power on when it matters most.

StormImpact, a weather analytics company…

Bruce Weinberg

If you want to do your best, most creative work, moving to a new place – or working from several places – can accelerate the process, according to a new study of Nobel Prize winners.

Garden of Constants, teal blue sculptures of numbers
By Christina Dierkes

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences has announced the election of its new members for 2025, which includes four faculty members from The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences: …

Logan_Wishart
By James Grega

Undergraduate research in higher education institutions isn’t rare. However, an undergraduate student being listed as a first author on a paper cited in The New York Times is…

people climbing a snowy mountain

Scientists are working to shed new light on an enduring climate mystery – one that, if solved, could help them make more accurate predictions about the planet’s future.

In a new study, data…

From left to right, photo of Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda, Dean Susan Olesik, Dean David Horn, Amanda Miller, and Luiza Newlin-lukowicz
By Shantay Piazza

Today, The Ohio State University announced it will build a student-centered and technology-rich space designed to facilitate and promote STEM learning. Thanks to $700,000 in grants from Meta’s New…

John Gurche National Geographic covers

When reconstructing the face of a recently deceased individual, scientists can use data from human cadavers and living people. But how do you reconstruct a face that’s more than 140,00 years old?…

Matthew Grizzard

Six associate professors, including Matthew Grizzard in the School of Communication, were recently chosen to participate in the next cohort of Provost’s Midcareer Scholars:…

University Hall, a brick building with a tall clocktower, on a clear winter day
By Christina Dierkes

Research and creative activity are often impossible without the right equipment, and the College of Arts and Sciences is stepping up to help faculty members replace outdated instrumentation,…

Lerner and Watson

Three Ohio State faculty members, including Mitchell B. Lerner, professor of history, and Sara Watson, associate professor of political science, are recipients of the 2025 President and Provost’s…

Michael Neblo Distinguished Scholar Award

Michael A. Neblo, PhD, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Political Science, has earned The Ohio State University 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award. Senior leadership in…

2024 AAAS Fellows
By Christina Dierkes

The 2024 class of Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) includes eight investigators from The Ohio State University, with six scientists coming from the College…

Exterior view of University Hall

Each spring, the College of Arts and Sciences’ Alumni Awards ceremony recognizes a distinguished few of our more than 220,000 living alumni whose accomplishments are tangible evidence of the…

a young black woman running hurdles on a college track

Americans have long believed that sports are one area in society that offers kids from all backgrounds the chance to succeed to the best of their abilities.

But new research suggests that…

red tulips in spring

Ohio State's University Outreach and Engagement Awards honor faculty, staff and students for outstanding achievement in producing engaged scholarship and community impact. Congratulations to this…

Students at the Denman Awards

A number of College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate researchers received awards at the 2025 Richard J. and Martha D. Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. 25 students from 12…

Chris Knoester

Nearly 40% of adult Americans say they’ve experienced some type of sport-related mistreatment in their lives, a new study shows.

Mistreatment ranged from psychological and emotional to…

world map made of blue lights

If you were to look at a map of Columbus, what would you see? Depending on the map, you could see streets, buildings, parks and restaurants. But what would be missing? Ningchuan Xiao, professor of…

closeup of phones displaying social media messages and emojis

Experts met virtually this week to discuss the ethical use of social media data in research in a panel hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Center for Ethics and Human Values at The Ohio…

Dean Horn poses with Asia Society alumni at dinner

The Asia Society Hong Kong Center hosted David Horn, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University, for a conversation about “Why the Liberal Arts Matter” on February 7…

Black women walking through a neighborhood

Black immigrants moving into a neighborhood can help shift the overall racial and ethnic character of the area, a new study suggests.

A researcher from The Ohio State University found that…

Brad Bushman

The amount of murdering and killing in movies has increased overall over the past 50 years, according to a new study that analyzed a massive database of film dialogue.

Researchers used…

for sale sign in front of a home

Though affordable homes and rental units are in short supply in Columbus and many cities across the country, there are a number of strategies that can make housing more accessible, according to…

Nicole Yadon

Nicole Yadon is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at The Ohio State University. Her main research and teaching interests center on advancing our…

a man looks at his mostly empty beer glass

Alcohol’s ability to increase people’s pain threshold is one reason that drinking also leads to more aggressive behavior, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that the less pain that…

a young woman stands in front of a NOAA plane

Chelsea Hunter, one of Ohio Sea Grant’s six Knauss Fellows, didn’t originally picture herself working in the legislative branch. The Ohio State PhD student from the College of Arts and Sciences…

a young female runner at the starting line of a race, looking determined

In a polarized nation, there is one thing that nearly all Americans agree on, according to a recent study: Sports are good for us.

Researchers from The Ohio State University and Ithaca…

Allison F. Bean

The Language, Assistive Technology, and Autism Lab studies how to help nonspeaking kids and others express themselves using devices.

Amber Poindexter, left, and Arin Sheeler, speech therapist and clinical supervisor, practice a pronunciation.

For people who struggle to communicate, Ohio State’s Aphasia Initiative offers a lifeline. It’s all thanks to a skilled leader, generous alumni and students who care.

Townsand Price-Spratlen

Engaged Scholars is a series highlighting Ohio State faculty who have made an impact in our communities through their community-engaged research and teaching.

Now at Ohio State logo

After a stressful day, many of us turn to the television as a way to cope. A way to escape and connect with our favorite characters. And which shows we choose to watch provides insight into our…

Now at Ohio State logo

Voter distrust, media consumption, disinformation growing everywhere — these have had a drastic impact on our elections. In this episode, we talk with two experts about how as our society changes,…

Erin Lin

Erin Lin, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research…

white pills on a yellow background

Psychiatric drugs are reported to be about 50% more effective in clinical trials funded by the drug’s manufacturer than when trials of the same drug are sponsored by other groups, new research…

Photo of the CHRR building
By Braden Moles

The College of Arts and Sciences’ CHRR at The Ohio State University is at the heart of a new study aiming to identify the root causes of mental illness and addiction in Ohio.

Introduced by…

burning coca plants

For many decades, the coca plant – the main ingredient in cocaine – has been grown almost exclusively in South America. But a new study shows that nearly half of northern Central America appears…

students walk past Mendenhall Lab, a yellow stone building
By James Grega

Moving to a new place can be difficult for incoming Ohio State students. Acclimating to an entirely new university on top of that can seem even more daunting. A new program aims to alleviate some…

an oil refinery in the background of a city neighborhood

Not all communities in the United States face the same risks for environmental problems such as air pollution, noise and wastewater. But how can federal agencies fairly identify which areas…

a young woman kicks a ball at a soccer goal

A sweeping study of U.S. youth sports participation over the past 60 years found that there has been a significant increase over time in kids playing organized sports – but particularly among more…

a tablet showing unemployment benefits information

A new national study provides the best evidence to date that generous unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic helped reduce reliance on high-cost credit use.

Researchers…

a young black man and an older white man smile at the camera

Buckeyes do good all around the world. Arts and Sciences alumni Keshawn Harper '14 (Criminology and Criminal Justice, International Studies) and Rick Milenthal '82 (Communication) focus on kids…

an illustration of a slave auction

The traditional historical view that white women were rarely involved in buying and selling enslaved people in the United States is not accurate, a new study shows.

Researchers analyzed…

a young female researcher works in a biomedical lab

Scientists agree that solving some of society’s greatest challenges in biomedicine such as food sustainability, aging and disease treatment will need researchers from a variety of scientific…

Bielefeld

Eric Bielefeld began wearing hearing aids around a year and a half ago. Like many people, he was not excited about them.

“I had the same reluctance as any middle-aged person does to make…

Now at Ohio State logo

Tornadoes — a phenomenon both fascinating and terrifying. In this episode, we delve into the mesmerizing science of these storms and the bravery of those who study and respond to them. Discover…

kids playing soccer

Adults who continuously played organized sports through their youth have fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who never played or those who dropped out, a new study finds.

And…

Matthew Grizzard

In answering alumni questions, the associate professor shares why we like some bad guys and despise others — and what that means about our culture.

a confused woman looks at her phone

Online news consumers tend to click on simpler headlines that use more common words and more readable writing, a new study finds. Researchers evaluated more than 30,000 real-world field…

red tulips in spring

A record number of graduate students from The Ohio State University have been awarded prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program fellowships for 2024-2025. Seven students are recipients of the…

a person in headphones playing a PC game

Online video game players believe the behavior known as “smurfing” is generally wrong and toxic to the gaming community – but most admit to doing it and say some reasons make the behavior less…

students pose in front of the London Eye

“I felt a strong connection and sense of pride in being a Buckeye,” said Debora Ghebrehiwot, a biology pre-med student who traveled to London over spring break on the new Buckeyes Network Abroad…

University Hall

The Ohio State University Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation through its “Affirming Multivocal Humanities”…

a reddish brown monkey sits in a tree

The Tai Forest Monkey Project has operated a research field station in west Africa’s Ivory Coast for 30 years, but on the one day since its opening that the site was unstaffed because of conflict…

Garden of Constants, teal blue sculptures of numbers
By Christina Dierkes

The 2023 class of Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) includes eight investigators from The Ohio State University, with five scientists coming from the…

a woman sits in a red velvet chair, smiling at the camera

If the 1993 graduate in economics is in, she’s all in — from her days at Ohio State to her roles today as CEO of a top business incubator and single mom to 11-year-old Charlie. A champion for the…

red tulips in spring

Ohio State's University Outreach and Engagement Awards honor faculty, staff, students and community partners for outstanding achievement in producing engaged scholarship and community impact…

Holly Nyseth Nzitatira

In her years of studying the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and its aftermath, Hollie Nyseth Nzitatira has helped increase our understanding of how ordinary people can be coaxed into committing…

pink flowering trees on the Oval in spring

Eight faculty members and lecturers in the College of Arts and Sciences have received teaching and service awards from The Ohio State University. They were surprised with the recognitions during…

a group of white teens looks sideways at a black boy

Some Black youth feel less safe when they visit predominantly white areas of their city, a new study in Columbus has found.

And it was those Black kids who spent the most time in white…

a nurse administers a vaccine

Most Republican voters support childhood vaccine mandates, yet may be discouraged from publicly expressing these views, a new study suggests.

To determine the source of…

Irina Cantos Siemers sets up for a tennis serve

Strategic communications graduate Irina Cantos Siemers '22 decided to pursue an education first before going pro, after meeting Ohio State tennis coach Melissa Schaub, and she is thriving here.

a student accepts his diploma in a black and white photo

For Ronald G. Shafer ’62, a story assignment about a bubblegummed Little Leaguer kicked off his storied career covering notable people and politics.

man doing yoga while a dog watches from the couch

Venting about a source of anger might feel good in the moment, but it’s not effective at reducing the rage, new research suggests. Instead, techniques often used to address stress – deep breathing…

Students at the Denman Awards

The College of Arts and Sciences congratulates the undergraduate researchers who received awards at the 2024 Richard J. and Martha D. Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. 27…

Girls basketball team

The likelihood that a girl will participate in high school sports in the United States is driven not so much by individual choice, new research suggests. Instead, decisions made by parents, the…

Claudia Buchmann

Claudia Buchmann is a College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor in the Department of Sociology whose work focuses on comparative and international sociology, social…

two men and a baby watching a football game

Buckeyes Give: Top impact stories from 2023-24

James “JJ” Johnson ’73 has pledged to create the James and Andrew Johnson Family Endowed Scholarship Fund at…

Pedestrian Crossing

A new study examines the circumstances behind who is found at fault when cars hit pedestrians in an urban area.

Results showed that the environment where the crash took place – especially…

a bus drives past the Wex on High Street

The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences (ACS) brought together students, faculty and alumni to present research spanning a variety of disciplines aimed at better supporting…

chairs under a lamp

People with aphasia have more trouble coming up with words they want to use when they’re prompted by images and words that carry negative emotional meaning, new research suggests.

The study…

Rwanda Genocide Memorial

After serving decades in prison, Rwandans convicted of crimes of genocide returned to their communities articulating a “narrative of redemption,” saying they were good people, despite their past…