Engineering students at OSU had the opportunity to showcase a lot of the projects and research that goes on in our College of Engineering last Friday.  There were more than 100 student built programs and each specialization was proudly represented.  This event was open to the public and free.  Along with the showcase of projects, a Robo*Palooza was also held during the expo and featured the award winning Mars rover robot and FIRST robots from local high schools. Tours of the O.H Hinsdale Wave Lab were also available to the public.  Last year a boat made out of concrete was presented, it was build and raced by OSU engineering students.  Also the formula 1 racing team was out talking to people about the research put into the car and team.

This is an annual event,  if you missed it this year and are wanting to learn more about the College of Engineering  I have included a link below.  We offer a tour daily at 2pm M-F that focuses just on the many research opportunities that the College of Engineering has to offer students, if you are interested the 2nd link below will take you to our visit OSU page.

OSU College of Engineering

Visit OSU

-GG

 The ewes and lambs are part of ongoing research studies in animal health, breeding, feeding and grazing management conducted by the OSU Agricultural Experiment Station. The animals are used also in instructional programs in the OSU Animal Sciences Department and the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine

Each year the Sheep Center draws thousands of children and adults for the lambing event. This is a great opportunity to cure some of the winter blues and look forward for the spring time ahead.  For more information on visiting the Oregon State University Sheep Center click on the link below.

 OSU Sheep Center

-GG

OSU is filled with many great researchers who are consistently making contributions to both science and society. It is always fun to recognize these unique discoveries that are being made here on campus, so please check out the full article.

“OSU researchers discover new adhesive for tape, label industry”

To our Community College Partners:

I want to bring to your attention a new scholarship opportunity for students transferring from a Community College in Oregon to the University Honors College at Oregon State University. This opportunity is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant supports students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines who have unmet financial need. Up to 20 one-year scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded for each of the next five years. Scholarship awardees will participate in a program designed to enhance their transition to the University.

We are now recruiting the first group of transfer students. Time is short this year because applications to the University Honors College are due on Feb. 1st. So we are asking your help in getting the word out. If you know of specific students who might be interested and eligible, please forward the attached poster or have them contact me directly. We would be most grateful if you would print and post the attached poster, announce the program in class, forward the poster to appropriate list serves, or otherwise help us to get the word out. And, if there would be a convenient time for one of us to come to your campus and discuss the program, please let us know.

In addition to the attached poster advertising the program, we have also attached a brief fact sheet with additional information about the program. You can visit the scholarship web page at oregonstate.edu/dept/honors/future/scholarships/S-STEM to learn more about the program and to find the on-line application. And, of course, you can contact me directly.

I look forward to working with you to identify deserving and qualified students to take advantage of this opportunity.

Dan

Details are below as well as contact information. Please take a look at this lucrative scholarship opportunity!

-bv

Transition to University and Careers Program
Oregon State University
NSF Grant: Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SSTEM)
Duration: April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2015
Objective: The Transition to University and Careers Program aims to enhance
successful transition for qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics
students from any of the seventeen partner Community Colleges in Oregon to the
University Honors College at Oregon State University. Scholars will participate in a
program to ease the transition to University life.

Scholarship: One year, $5,000. Up to 20 scholarships awarded annually.
Applicants must:
•Currently be enrolled at one of the 17 community colleges in Oregon. (Degree
Partnership students are welcome.)
•Have a cumulative college GPA of at least 3.25.
•Have unmet financial need as documented by FAFSA.
•Transfer to OSU with a declared major in one of the STEM disciplines.
•Apply to the University Honors College by February 1st.
•Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.

Application:For more information:
University Honors College, visit oregonstate.edu/dept/honors/ or contact Gildha
Cumming at 541-737-6400, gildha.cumming AT oregonstate.edu

Transition to University Careers Program, contact Dan Arp, 541-737-6400
dan.j.arp AT oregonstate.edu

Some active SMILE students from Madras and Ontario who I had lunch with posed for photos while on campus. (See if you can spot OSU Admissions Bloggers James Miller and Stanley Yu!)

SMILE is one of several K-12 outreach initiatives based at OSU, all working on the premise that an interest in science or engineering starts at a young age and should be carefully nurtured. Other programs tap into parents or community members who are working scientists, or get OSU undergraduate and graduate students involved directly in K-12 outreach activities.

I had the privilege of speaking for a few moments to the students during the opening session as well as during lunch. Students came from everywhere in the state including Madras, Nyssa, Ontario, Chiloquin, Woodburn and Forest Grove just to name a few cities. Hats off to the SMILE staff for putting on another excellent program for students.

–mko

You might have read BV’s previous news posting on how President-elect Barack Obama selected Oregon State University Professor Dr. Jane Lubchenco today to chair the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is big news. I’ve read many articles on Dr. Lubchenco – she’s a distinguished professor and one the world’s leading researchers in science. She teaches Marine Biology and Zoology courses and we’ve even had some previous postings about her here on the blog.

Dr. Lubchenco will be the the first woman to head the agency, and she is internationally known for her work on marine and coastal issues. Her new role will be leading government research on global warming and overseeing ocean and atmospheric research and the National Weather Service. She’s been here at Oregon State University since 1978.

Over the weekend, I spoke with current OSU Marine Biology student Megan Cook who works as a TOUR Student in the Visitor’s Center. Megan ecstatically told me “Obama for sure made a great pick! I have had some interaction with Jane in my program. She is a brilliant scientist and a very active and successful advocate for science’s role in the decision making of this country!”

Megan also referred me to Christine Lastovica — a recent OSU graduate who worked directly with Jane this past summer. Christine told me “Jane is such an amazing woman! The thing I liked most about Jane was that she had time for everyone (which kept her very busy!). It didn’t matter if you were the president of OSU or a student with a question, Jane treated everyone equally. What I admire most about her is her confidence. After a meeting with Jane I would walk away in awe. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, and energy for what she did was astounding. She deserves every award she has received and I am pleased to see her newest appointment- head of NOAA. I take pride knowing much of our countries decisions will be in her hands!”

Thanks to Megan and Christine for allowing me to put their comments here on the blog.

I’ve posted President-elect Obama’s announcement of his science team below. Watch for Dr. Lubchenco at mark 3:57:

Congratulations to Dr. Lubchenco! Please join me in wishing her much success in her new role!

–mko

As an economics junkie I was thrilled to read this recently released study on Oregon State University’s economic footprint. OSU’s economic footprint is around 1.5 billion dollars. This is huge news not only for OSU but for the State of Oregon as well! OSU is the state’s only university designated as having “Very High Research Activity” by the Carnegie Foundation.

I won’t put you to sleep with a lecture on economic impact and multipliers; just know that OSU with its Extension Services in every county, Hatfield Marine Science Center, multidisciplinary Spring Creek Project, Food Innovation Center, other research programs and special centers too numerous to name and of course the contribution of educated folks who are tomorrow’s (and today’s) engineers, doctors, artists, farmers and public servants…Makes a huge impact on every day life of Oregonians.

From the Impact Report:

Over the years, additional federal designations have been added for Sea Grant, Space Grant and Sun Grant institutions. Other than Cornell, OSU is the only university in America to hold all four – a distinction that provides real value for the 19,700 students (more than 80 percent of whom are Oregonians) who call OSU home.

That means, in part, that Oregon State has one of the broadest, most diverse research programs in the nation. This breadth is so wide-ranging, in fact, that OSU is the only Oregon campus to have earned the Carnegie Foundation’s premier designation, reserved for campuses that have “very high research activity.”

Behind those designations lie strengths in such areas as forestry, marine science, nanoscience and microtechnology, agricultural sciences, history, public health, veterinary medicine, creative writing, conservation biology, entrepreneurship and more.

The university has grown dramatically: Beaver alumni living around the world now number nearly 150,000. But OSU has never lost sight of its original mission. Making its intellectual resources available to students from Oregon and beyond will always be OSU’s primary focus.

This kind of news is exciting for a Land Grant Institution such as OSU because one of our key missions is to improve the state, country and world we live in. In my opinion the Land Grant mission creates a very unique energy on our campus. The learning, teaching and research are of course focused in the traditional ways but with a sense of service to our community.

Read the full report here (click)! Thirsty for more info on OSU’s research and innovation? Check out TERRA, OSU’s Research Magazine.

That’s it for now, folks. Thanks for reading. Questions, concerns or discussion? Comment away!

Stay real and BE WELL,

-jm