Alumni Awards celebrates excellence in the College of Science

Distinguished Professor Douglas Keszler is a world-renowned materials chemist and a leading figure in the field of new generation semiconductor and solar energy devices. He has distinguished himself as an innovator, founding at least two successful startups from research developed in his labs. His scientific entrepreneurial drive, energy and vision have helped shape Corvallis into an industrial hub of cutting-edge materials science and chemistry innovation.

In 2007, Keszler co-founded the OSU spinout company Inpria. The company was acquired in 2021 by JSR for $514M. The Corvallis-based company enables semiconductor manufacturers to make more powerful, efficient and affordable integrated circuits that power our everyday electronics, from smartphones to PCs. In 2016, Chemical & Engineering News named Inpria one of the “10 startups to watch.”

In 2018, he founded nexTC Corporation as a spinout from the NSF-funded Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry and the Department of Chemistry. It provides high-performance, low-cost thin film manufacturing processes that enhance energy conversion and energy efficiency.

Read more about Keszler’s success as an entrepreneur, educator and scientist.

Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award

Román Hernández

Román Hernández is the office managing partner at the Portland office of Troutman Pepper, one of the 50 largest law firms in the country, where he practices employment law and commercial litigation.

He is among the less than 2% of attorneys in Oregon who identify as Hispanic. As a second-year lawyer, Hernández co-founded the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association. With more than 200 members and growing, the association celebrated its 20^th anniversary this year.

The son of migrant farm workers from Mexico, Hernández is a now mentor to fellow lawyers and law students and regularly reaches out to young racial and ethnic minority students from middle to high school to encourage them to pursue their education. His story serves as inspiration for these students to achieve their educational goals.

Read more about Hernández’s inspiring journey and his efforts to help the next generation of Hispanic and Latino legal professionals.

Distinguished Service Award

Paula and Kenneth Krane

Paula and Kenneth Krane are in the business of granting dreams. They want students to take advantage of the many extracurricular activities available at Oregon State, from theater and music productions to studying abroad. Toward this end, they have founded numerous scholarships across the university, including the Kenneth S. Krane Scholarship Endowment in Physics.

The Kranes have been members of the Oregon State and Corvallis community for half a century. In 1974, Ken accepted a position with the Department of Physics after being impressed with the university’s balance between teaching and research. During his time in the College of Science, Ken chaired the physics department from 1984 to 1998, authored three textbooks and helped reestablish the Honors College. He retired from Oregon State in 2003 and is now an emeritus professor.

Read more about the Krane’s passion to support students at Oregon State achieve their goals.

Young Alumni Award

Taralyn (Tari) Tan

Just five years after earning her Ph.D. in Neurobiology from Harvard University in 2016, Taralyn Tan has distinguished herself as a researcher and teacher. She is the Harvard Program in Neuroscience associate director, director of education, and lecturer in the Department of Neurobiology. She runs a variety of programs focused on neuroscience education and making STEM education as a whole more equitable and inclusive.

Tan, a native of Salem, Ore., originally chose Oregon State University because of the medical preceptorship program, which fit with her plans to enroll as a pre-med student. But while working with Fred Stormshak, an emeritus professor in the animal sciences department, she realized she had a passion for research.

“My experience in the College of Science gave me all of the tools that I needed for the next steps in my career,” said Tan.

Her proudest Oregon State accomplishment was leaving behind a legacy for other women in STEM. She co-founded Sigma Delta Omega, a sorority dedicated to women in science. “It not only still exists but it is thriving, and that is probably the coolest thing for me to have been able to start something that has grown way beyond my expectations,” she said.

Read more about how Tan found her passion for teaching and research.

Enjoy some photos from the event below. Click here for the full gallery of photos.