As a kid, Portland State biology doctoral student James Powell wanted to work with dolphins. He didn’t know how or what he would be doing with them, just that he needed to build his professional career around them. At one point, he considered becoming a dolphin trainer for the U.S. Navy, but was talked out of it and instead turned to the field of biology.
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a beacon of education. Its goal is to improve the public’s understanding of science and technology though creative programs and interpretive exhibits for both children and adults.
While “dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh” may be the seasonal tagline, not many of us own horses that we can hitch up for a leisurely jaunt to the grocery store.
Pumpkin pie. Pine. Cinnamon. Peppermint. Roast turkey. Clove-covered oranges. All of these smells most likely elicit fond memories of opening presents by the Christmas tree when you were a kid or gorging yourself on a second helping of Grandma’s pumpkin pie.
The image of a couple in love (or simply in close proximity) kissing under the mistletoe is an iconic one. It’s a revered winter tradition and a highlight of the season for every hopeless romantic during the month of December. As is the case with many of our most-beloved seasonal institutions, mistletoe starts out with the best of intentions but can quickly devolve into the low point of a holiday gathering.
It all started with a group of dejected fans after a loss by the Portland Trail Blazers. In the winter of 2005, former Portland State student Jenny Wright boarded the westbound MAX after a night class. The Blazers had just lost a game, and she found herself surrounded by sullen fans. Feeling uncomfortable and a bit sullen herself, she started to quietly whistle “Jingle Bells.”In the winter of 2005, former Portland State student Jenny Wright boarded the westbound MAX after a night class. The Blazers had just lost a game, and she found herself surrounded by sullen fans. Feeling uncomfortable and a bit sullen herself, she started to quietly whistle “Jingle Bells.”
There’s something about holiday lights displays that just make your town feel a little more magical. It’s a part of the season that brings out the childlike awe in otherwise grumpy adults. Whether it’s strolling through Pioneer Square listening to carolers while the glimmering tree towers above or marveling at what the PGE bill must look like for the folks on Peacock Lane, Portland offers enough seasonal sparkle to warm the hearts of the Scroogiest among us.
The time-honored custom of backpacking through Europe after college graduation isn’t for everyone. With jobs for recent grads becoming scarce, many students jump directly into graduate school.
“You have breast cancer.”
These are four of the scariest words a woman can hear—and in the U.S., one in eight women will hear them in her lifetime.
How the rest of that conversation goes is largely up to the doctor. Women are often bombarded with treatment options and life-altering decisions within minutes of discovering they have cancer.
Archeology is more than running from giant boulders and dodging poison arrows, as Indiana Jones films would have you believe.
Walk down any street in Portland, and you’ll see it. It covers roofs, tree trunks, sidewalks and fences. It’s part of what makes Portland look so magical, like a fairy tale forest full of history.