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A Canary songbird. Photo by Héctor Berganza on Pexels.
 
Research

Leveraging AI models, neuroscientists parse birdsongs to better understand human speech

A new AI tool from the Knight Campus, called TweetyBERT, can automatically segment and classify the songs of canaries, and it might change our understanding of how the brain learns and processes language.

To understand how humans and other animals learn, organize, and produce complex vocalizations, neuroscientists have long studied canary song birds, who have incredibly detailed and structured songs that they can re-learn over time.  For decades, scientists have manually decoded canary songs syllable by syllable, but Tim Gardner, an associate professor of bioengineering at the Knight Campus, believed a computer could do it better.

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The award supports promising scientists pursuing STEM degrees and has funded more than 50 graduate students at leading universities across the U.S.
The Knight Campus Brewing Innovation (BRIN) program will host a public tasting and showcase on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 5–8 p.m. at Claim 52 (upstairs) in Eugene. The event celebrates the inaugural cohort of BRIN students and highlights three imaginative, student-designed beers brewed in collaboration with Eugene’s craft community.
The University of Oregon team based at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact earned a Gold Medal at the 2025 iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris, becoming the first UO team ever to achieve the top award level in the international synthetic-biology competition.
During uncertain times, resiliency and bold ideas can still thrive. In a letter to the KCGIP community, Assistant Vice President for Master’s Programs Stacey Wagner envisions a meaningful path forward.

Researchers from the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact participated in the Cascadia Corridor Research Symposium in Seattle, highlighting the range of research taking place across the Knight Campus. 

Three Knight Campus–affiliated startups earned top recognition at the Oregon Bio 2025 Conference and Innovation Showcase, held at Portland Community College’s Rock Creek Campus.
The award from the International Foundation for Ethical Research (IFER) will further the bioengineering PhD candidate's research on cartilage development.
Faculty from the University of Oregon and Oregon State University Departments of Bioengineering will host an informal conversation about research, resources, and funding opportunities on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 2–3 p.m. PT.
Penderia Technologies, a spinout of research within the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, is moving closer to its vision of improving medical care by relaying information from deep inside a patient to support care during and after surgery.

Bill Cresko, UO Director for the Center for Biomedical Data Science (CBDS), and Sadik Esener, OHSU interim Director for CBDS, participated in the Big Ten blood drive on campus. This inter-campus competition rewards the Big Ten campus that donates the most blood.

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