UO Olympic Studies Week
May 12-18, 2025
A week of activities celebrating and showcasing the broad range of scholarship, programs, and research taking place across the University of Oregon related to human performance and sport within the context of the Olympic movement.
UO Olympic Studies Week
May 12-18, 2025
A week of activities celebrating and showcasing the broad range of scholarship, programs, and research taking place across the University of Oregon related to human performance and sport within the context of the Olympic movement.
With a legacy of more than 100 alumni representing over 20 countries at the Olympic Games and a tradition of hosting elite competitions, the Olympic spirit is woven into the DNA of the University of Oregon.
Olympic Studies Week is about honoring and celebrating that legacy. Coordinated by the newly launched University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub, the week is designed to showcase the breadth of research and activities taking place across the university related to sports and wellness within the context of the Olympic movement.
Several events, including an academic symposium and an industry session, are open for community members to attend. Professors and instructors are also incorporating lessons and research into their courses, as well as guest speakers, to explore topics related to Olympic studies.
Plus, there is an array of sporting events taking place on campus during the week, culminating in the Big Ten Track and Field Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.
UO Athletics, University of Oregon. "Bill Hayward and Olympic hopefuls, 1920" Oregon Digital. Accessed 2025-04-14.
UO Athletics, University of Oregon. "Bill Hayward and Olympic hopefuls, 1920" Oregon Digital. Accessed 2025-04-14.
2021 Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field.
2021 Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field.
Fresh off earning her degree in Eugene, Shana Grebo ’24 competed in Paris in the 4x400m relay and 4x400m hurdles representing France.
Fresh off earning her degree in Eugene, Shana Grebo ’24 competed in Paris in the 4x400m relay and 4x400m hurdles representing France.
Olympic Studies Academic Session
May 12, 9:00 a.m. PT, Beetham Family Seminar Room, Knight Campus
Join researchers and instructors from across the university.
The session will include an introduction to the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub, along with short presentations showcasing the array of courses, research, and scholarship taking place on campus connected to the Olympic movement. Speakers include the UO Athletics Archivist and scholars from different departments and units, including the Lundquist College of Business, School of Journalism and Communications, Human Performance, Bowerman Sports Science Center, College of Arts and Sciences, and more.
The session is open to all UO students, faculty, and staff to attend in person. It will also be streamed live to the worldwide International Olympic Committee Olympic Studies Centre network, which includes dozens of Olympic Studies and Research Centres and hundreds of independent Olympic scholars from around the world.
Featured Speakers
Yoav Dubinsky and T. Bettina Cornwell
LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
An introduction to the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub and its focus on experiential learning, business and Olympism, studies and research, and multidisciplinary collaborations.
Lauren Goss
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES, UO LIBRARIES
Highlights from the University of Oregon's more than 100 years of history with the Olympic movement, including some hidden treasures from Special Collections.
Peg Weiser
PHILOSOPHY, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The role and history of philosophy in sport, including the nature of games, rules, and play; the aesthetics of sport and art; and the ethics of athletic competition, going back to ancient Greek philosophy and its revitalization in the 19th century.
David Chamberlain
CLASSICS, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The role of sports, games, and athletics in the lives of the ancient Greeks and Romans and the way these were interwoven with the development of thought, society, warfare, and politics, especially the democratic polis.
Lori Shontz
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATIONS
Overview of the University of Oregon's SOJC Track Bureau, in which students have provided coverage for national and international publications for events at Hayward Field.
Brad Wilkins
OREGON PERFORMANCE RESEARCH LAB
Redefining human capabilities through innovative research exploring the physiological mechanisms underlying human limitations through rigorous scientific studies.
Josh Gordon
LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Conflict, competition, and fairness in sport; the art of negotiation; and the role of an international arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Mike Hahn
BOWERMAN SPORTS SCIENCE CENTER
Translating the latest advances in sports science into immediate benefits for elite athletes and educational opportunities for students, leading to innovations in injury prevention and improved performance.
John Davis
LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
The Olympic Games, the power of stories, and how sports marketing builds strong brands.
UO Athletics, University of Oregon. Wide World Photo Olympic. World Record breaker Otis Davis, after winning the final of the 400-meter race, upon hearing he not only won the Olympic Gold medal but also set the world record for the distance. 9/15/60
UO Athletics, University of Oregon. Wide World Photo Olympic. World Record breaker Otis Davis, after winning the final of the 400-meter race, upon hearing he not only won the Olympic Gold medal but also set the world record for the distance. 9/15/60
Olympic Studies Academic Session
May 12, 9:00 a.m. PT, Beetham Family Seminar Room, Knight Campus
Join researchers and instructors from across the university.
The session will include an introduction to the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub, along with short presentations showcasing the array of courses, research, and scholarship taking place on campus connected to the Olympic movement. Speakers include the UO Athletics Archivist and scholars from different departments and units, including the Lundquist College of Business, School of Journalism and Communications, Human Performance, Bowerman Sports Science Center, College of Arts and Sciences, and more.
The session is open to all UO students, faculty, and staff to attend in person. It will also be streamed live to the worldwide International Olympic Committee Olympic Studies Centre network, which includes dozens of Olympic Studies and Research Centres and hundreds of independent Olympic scholars from around the world.
Featured Speakers
Yoav Dubinsky and T. Bettina Cornwell
LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
An introduction to the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub and its focus on experiential learning, business and Olympism, studies and research, and multidisciplinary collaborations.
Lauren Goss
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES, UO LIBRARIES
Highlights from the University of Oregon's more than 100 years of history with the Olympic movement, including some hidden treasures from Special Collections.
Peg Weiser
PHILOSOPHY, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The role and history of philosophy in sport, including the nature of games, rules, and play; the aesthetics of sport and art; and the ethics of athletic competition, going back to ancient Greek philosophy and its revitalization in the 19th century.
David Chamberlain
CLASSICS, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The role of sports, games, and athletics in the lives of the ancient Greeks and Romans and the way these were interwoven with the development of thought, society, warfare, and politics, especially the democratic polis.
Lori Shontz
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATIONS
Overview of the University of Oregon's SOJC Track Bureau, in which students have provided coverage for national and international publications for events at Hayward Field.
Brad Wilkins
OREGON PERFORMANCE RESEARCH LAB
Redefining human capabilities through innovative research exploring the physiological mechanisms underlying human limitations through rigorous scientific studies.
Josh Gordon
LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Conflict, competition, and fairness in sport; the art of negotiation; and the role of an international arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Mike Hahn
BOWERMAN SPORTS SCIENCE CENTER
Translating the latest advances in sports science into immediate benefits for elite athletes and educational opportunities for students, leading to innovations in injury prevention and improved performance.
John Davis
LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
The Olympic Games, the power of stories, and how sports marketing builds strong brands.
UO Athletics, University of Oregon. (16 Apr 2025). Wide World Photo Olympic. 9/15/60
UO Athletics, University of Oregon. (16 Apr 2025). Wide World Photo Olympic. 9/15/60
Olympic-Related Activities
MAY 12
New York Liberty vs. Toyota Antelopes
Two Oregon Ducks Olympians will be on the court in a WNBA exhibition game featuring Sabrina Ionescu and Nayara Sabally at the UO Matt Knight Arena.
MAY 13 AND 15
Business of Olympics Guest Speaker
Two courses, SBUS 250: Sports Business and Society and SBUS 255: Business of the Olympic Games, will explore issues related to the Olympic movement and international sports, including a guest lecture from a representative of TrackTown USA.
Open to enrolled students only.
MAY 14, 10:00 - 10:45 a.m.
UO Olympics History Archives Tour
Archivist Lauren Goss will share some of the hidden treasures the university keeps in its Special Collections, including writings from legendary track coach Bill Bowerman.
Location: Knight Library, Special Collections and University Archives (2nd Floor, North Wing). Space is limited. UO students, faculty, and staff only.
MAY 14, 11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
UO Olympics History Hayward Hall Tour
The museum within legendary track-and-field venue Hayward Field honors the university’s eight Olympic gold medalists and showcases the global reach of Oregon athletics. The tour will also include a visit to the top of Hayward Field Tower.
Location: Hayward Hall, Hayward Field, base of Hayward Tower. Space is limited. Open to the public.
MAY 14, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Oregon Performance Research Lab Tour
During this tour, participants will learn how the lab's research and its cutting-edge technologies advance the understanding and limitations of human performance.
Location: Oregon Performance Research Lab, Esslinger Hall 156. Space is limited. UO students, faculty, and staff only.
MAY 14, 6:00 p.m.
Q&A with an Olympian
This student-organized event is an informative question-and-answer session with an Olympic athlete who will join virtually to share their story and answer questions.
Open UO students.
MAY 15
Sports Business MBA Seminar Guest Speaker
A special guest speaker will be joining MBA students' weekly seminar to share and discuss their experiences behind the scenes during past Olympic Games and how they are preparing for LA 2028.
Open to enrolled MBA students only.
Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Spring Symposium
May 15, Knight Campus and Online
The Wu Tsau Human Performance Alliance weaves together synergistic scientific programs to accelerate high-impact advances in human performance. Member institutions include UO, Stanford, UC San Diego, University of Kansas, Boston Children's Hospital, and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
The alliance is holding its spring symposium at the UO Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. UO faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend, via Zoom, the event's keynote presentations by Cindy Chang, professor emerita, University of California San Francisco, and Gillian Weir, senior biomechanist for the New York Yankees.
Cindy Chang Keynote: Thursday, May 15, 9:00 – 10:10 a.m. Zoom Link
Gillian Weir Keynote: Thursday, May 15, 2:55 – 4:00 p.m. Zoom Link
Olympic Studies Industry Session
May 16, 10:00 a.m., John E. Jaqua Center for Student Athletes, Harrington Auditorium
Organized by the Warsaw Sports Business Center, this industry session will showcase the University of Oregon's hands-on learning approach to education.
Representatives from various organizations will be on hand to share insights about how they have partnered to advance the Olympic movement and appreciation for sports and wellness.
- Adam Wood, Director, High Performance Pathways, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee
- Brianne Theisen-Eaton, North America Digital Brand Marketing, Nike; Olympic bronze medalist; former UO track-and-field student-athlete.
- Rob Mullens, University of Oregon Athletic Director; member, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Collegiate Advisory Council
- Lauren Anderson, Director, Warsaw Sports Business Center (moderator)
A Q&A with audience members is also planned.
This event is open to the public.
Big 10 Track and Field Championships
May 16–19, Hayward Field, University of Oregon
Olympic Studies Week culminates with two-and-a-half days of spectacular track and field performances at the Big 10 championships. The University of Oregon will welcome its new conference mates to the Pacific Northwest for the 2025 Big Ten Outdoor Championships. This will mark the 11th time the Ducks have hosted a conference meet at Hayward Field.
About the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub
Recognized by the International Olympic Committee Olympic Studies and Research Centre as part of a global network of almost 80 Olympic Studies and Research Centers (OSRCs) worldwide, the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub is housed at the Warsaw Sports Business Center in the Lundquist College of Business. It is the only OSRC currently located in the United States.
For more information, visit the hub's website or contact Yoav Dubinsky, the hub's operational director, at yoavd@uoregon.edu.
