The Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact is a hub of discovery and innovation where teams of world-class bioengineers and bioscientists are driving groundbreaking scientific research and providing an innovative approach to technical training, professional development, and entrepreneurship.
Mission: Science advancing society
Vision: Dramatically shorten the timeline between discovery and societal impact through world-class research, training and entrepreneurship in a nimble scientific enterprise.
Goals:
- Redefine the modern research university by fostering world-changing research unfettered by traditional academic boundaries
- Serve as the educational engine driving the new economy of Oregon
- Transform student education through discovery-driven learning
- Engage the public in the excitement and creativity of scientific research
- Foster diverse perspectives and participation in scientific research
- Improve the health and well-being of the citizens of Oregon, the nation, and the world
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: When does Building 2 open?
A: Spring 2026. Stay tune to our Building 2 page for updates. Building 2 will put the “Campus” in Knight Campus, creating the space for engineering with an emphasis on meeting the dynamic needs of engineering students, as well as faculty, research staff, entrepreneurs, and other users of the space.
Q: Why Bioengineering?
A: It offers a means to integrate engineering technology and data science with business acumen to accelerate research translation into social impact.
Q. Is the Knight Campus Building 1 open to the public?
A: Yes! It is not just open but we encourage people to visit and make use of the facilities. Three of our five floors have significant space available to the public, including our lovely covered terrace on the second floor, during regular business hours Monday – Friday 7am to 5pm. And yes, the bridge is available to the public to cross Franklin Boulevard during those same hours. The Knight Campus space is intentionally designed to foster collisions of people and ideas and that is often how new ideas take root and grow into new opportunities and innovations.
Q: What are the Knight Campus research focus areas?
A: The Department of Bioengineering is currently composed of 14 independent faculty-led labs with research programs in biomaterials, medical sensors and devices, protein engineering and synthetic biology, neural engineering, biomedical artificial intelligence, regenerative rehabilitation and human performance, and other areas.
Q: What academic programs are offered by the Knight Campus?
A: The Knight Campus houses the University of Oregon's first-ever engineering department, the Department of Bioengineering. It offers a joint Ph.D. program with Oregon State University (launched fall 2020) and an undergraduate minor (launched fall 2021). The Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program is a nationally recognized, applied master’s program with five different program tracks that have a focus on industry-relevant technical and professional skills. Program tracks span the fields of engineering, physics, chemistry, and biology. Knight Campus Undergraduate Scholars program pairs promising undergraduates in their second or third year with research mentors and immerses them in a 12-month comprehensive research experience in Knight Campus-affiliated labs. It also offers a Brewing Innovation Minor that leverages science and engineering, history, innovation, and storytelling to teach the craft and science of brewing.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Knight Campus
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of who we are as a scientific community. We believe in the power of a diverse community to create and advance science, and we strive to be inclusive and equitable for people from all backgrounds, embracing their race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, age, belief system, and socioeconomic background.The Knight Campus Inclusion, Diversity, and Outreach Committee urges all members of the Knight Campus to work proactively to build an inclusive community in all our activities. And in particular, we will focus on creating non-discriminatory policies and procedures for hiring, recruitment, and the retention of our membership — especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. Making our work environment welcoming, accessible, and free of explicit and implicit harassment and bias should be everyone’s high priority.Adhering to these principles is the first step in creating an ethical and just scientific community, where people from all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging. Through building such a community, we will enhance our ability to solve major scientific challenges. Finally, by setting the example of a truly diverse and welcoming community, we will attract bright scientists from all walks of life — generating a sustainable scientific community that works to tackle the biggest challenges in health and life sciences.We always welcome suggestions and feedback for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work environment.*
*This statement was developed collaboratively with leadership from the Knight Campus Inclusion, Diversity, and Outreach Committee in June 2021.