Now is the time to build on college strengths that address emerging health and societal issues and that align with the university’s and college’s strategic plans.

Whether your greatest interest lies in areas such as child development, healthy aging, nutrition or global health, your support of endowed faculty positions and our four research centers can advance critical areas of research.

By providing seed funding for transdisciplinary research in these priority areas, you can give projects momentum to get off the ground. Investment in research seed funding allows us to strengthen collaboration across the college and university and with external partners, bringing together diverse perspectives to approach complex challenges holistically. After incubation, these high-impact projects grow to attract external funding and national attention, amplifying their transformative impact on society.

Areas for greatest impact

Faculty

Support for faculty, including endowed faculty positions, is one of the best ways to grow the college’s ability to attract and retain the best scholars, educators and innovators. Named positions are the highest honor we can bestow on our outstanding faculty members, and they empower scholarly breakthroughs and allow for dynamic learning experiences for students.

With the help of visionary campaign supporters, our goal is to create an endowed professorship or chair for each of our three strategic priorities, which include addressing the environmental impacts on human health, health promotion and disease prevention, and the health and well-being of children and youth.

Four college research centers

Gifts to our four primary research centers advance interdisciplinary studies to help support the health and well-being of people of every age, in local communities and around the world.

Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families

The Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families promotes the development and well-being of children, youth and families by generating, translating and sharing research-based knowledge. The center advocates a holistic approach to research, training and outreach that has far-reaching consequences for Oregon and beyond. The HFC has significant strengths in early childhood, physical activity, healthy eating, parenting education, and youth development.

Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health

The Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health seeks to improve individual health by advancing collaborative nutrition-related research, translating research findings to communities, and training the next generation of leaders in nutrition. Its priorities include gut health, infant nutrition, nutrition physiology, global nutrition, and community nutrition and practice.

Center for Healthy Aging Research

The Center for Healthy Aging Research comprises scholars who investigate the aging process from the basic science of neurological disease to fall prevention and health care systems. CHAR digs deep to understand how biological, psychological, social and physical factors affect the aging process. This leads to discovering new methods for preventing disease and helping older adults live their healthiest and most fulfilling lives.

Center for Global Health

The Center for Global Health promotes equitable and sustainable solutions to health challenges and envisions a world where sustainable community partnerships and empowerment drive transformative health improvements for all. Through research, education and engagement, the center connects science to policies and practices, fostering resilient, healthy communities with the knowledge, resources and support necessary to thrive.

Seed funding for signature research areas

Environmental impacts on human health

Our health is shaped by the environments where we live, work and play. Our researchers study the health impacts of environmental exposures – such as air and water pollution, allergens and radon – climate change and natural disasters. Other studies focus on the effects of the built environment on health behaviors and outcomes, including asthma, cancer, heart disease and mental health.

With your help, we can develop solutions to protect vulnerable populations and create healthier environments and a healthy future for everyone.

Health promotion and disease prevention

In the College of Health, we believe everyone deserves the chance to live a healthy, fulfilling life. Diseases such as cancer or diabetes and chronic conditions such as dementia affect millions, and we’re addressing these challenges, seeking new ways to promote wellness, slow disease progression, manage health problems and prevent suffering.

With your support, we can combine faculty expertise in biology, environment, behavior and policy to create solutions that improve lives and extend live expectancy.

Health and well-being of children and youth

OSU researchers are dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of children and youth, which lay the foundation for health and well-being over many decades of life. By taking a lifelong approach to health, we are finding ways to address the unique needs of young people and their families while promoting equity and inclusion in every step of our work.

Together, we can help children and youth grow, thrive and lead healthy lives, creating an impact that lasts for generations.