GTA Tim Pusack (center, standing) teaches students how to extract DNA from strawberries. Pusack said preparing GTAs before they step into the classroom is important. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

Tim Pusack grew up surrounded by a family of teachers, so it’s perhaps not surprising that he has a passion for being in the classroom. The Connecticut native’s parents are high school teachers, and many other family members work in education, so he was on the receiving end of plenty of pedagogical conversations as a kid.

Now he’s putting all that to work as he teaches other Oregon State University graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) the ins and outs of being an instructor. He is one of a dozen GTAs nominated by their colleges to take part in this year’s GTA orientation, offered Sept. 13-14 through the Center for Teaching and Learning. The orientation will help new GTAs practice their techniques and learn how to deal with diverse and complex classrooms.

Pusack has a deep love of science, and received a bachelor’s in natural sciences at Colgate University before spending time in Boston doing genetics work on muscular dystrophy. When he decided to pursue a PhD, he chose to move to the West Coast to explore a new area of the country, and to live near enough to the Pacific to indulge his love of scuba diving.

That’s when he connected with OSU’s Professor Mark Hixon, who was looking for a graduate student interested in both genetics and ecology to conduct research on coral reefs.

“It seemed like the perfect opportunity to come out to Oregon,” Pusack said.

As a graduate student, Pusack has not only enjoyed working on important research projects, but has tested the waters as a GTA as well.

Pusack felt prepared before teaching his first lab course. GTA training is mandatory in his college, and he also sought out other learning opportunities, including teaching courses offered by Jessica White, assistant director for co-curricular learning with the Center for Teaching and Learning. But nothing could quite prepare him for the daunting feeling of a room’s attention fully focused on him.

The first time Pusack stepped into a classroom as a teacher, rather than a student, he was faced with a roomful of silent pupils, all staring at him. Suddenly, he realized that he was the one in control, and the feeling was a little intimidating.

“I paused for a second and realized that I was pretty nervous, having everyone rely on me to lead the class.”

But after a few minutes, Pusack began to enjoy the experience.

“As I get into teaching a class and get into the flow, I really enjoyed talking to students, probing them with questions and really trying to challenge them as much as I could.”

Now, Pusack’s focus is in bringing out the best in students and creating an atmosphere where learning is fun, even while it’s hard work.

“They trust me that they can make mistakes, that it’s okay to be a learner, and we’re going to work through this together,” Pusack said. “I’m going to set you up to succeed and not punish you for failure.”

When he completes his doctorate in zoology in the next year, Pusack hopes to find a position that allows him to continue his research work, while also putting him in the classroom as much as possible.

“My creativity, my inspiration lies in figuring different ways to teach, and getting students excited about learning. I really want to find a position that has an emphasis on that.”

Sara Schmitt is another GTA fellow gearing up for the GTA workshop this fall. Active learning is something that Schmitt holds up as the ideal way to teach. Her model was a GTA who led a discussion session for her African history course. He was from Kenya, and brought his lessons to life using demonstrations of food preparation, dance and dress, which led to dynamic group discussions.

Now a GTA herself, Schmitt often thinks back to that class, and to the way that her teacher’s approach made the classroom experience come to life.

“In my classes, I try to model this ‘active learning’ technique as much as possible, by engaging students in interesting independent and group activities (e.g., role playing, discussions) and applying course concepts to relevant real-life examples,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt is pursuing a doctorate in Human Development and Family Sciences under adviser Megan McClelland. She received her undergraduate degree from University of Wisconsin- Madison.

Teaching is part of her workload as a doctoral student, and although she was nervous, and even terrified, when she first stepped in front of a class, she said she got plenty of support from College of Public Health and Human Sciences faculty, and felt well prepared.

“I think the most valuable thing I’ve learned is to be true to my individual teaching style, and not try to be someone I’m not,” she said. “I’ve learned that it is okay to not know the answers to everything.  I feel comfortable now telling students that I don’t know the answer to his/her question, but I will find it and report back.”

Schmitt’s primary focus in class is the student-instructor interaction. She makes an effort to learn her students’ names and frequently checks in via email, or offers opportunities for meetings. She also demands class participation to make sure students feel engaged with the material they’re learning.

While balancing teaching and working on her own degree can be difficult, the experience of being in front of a class is definitely worth it to Schmitt.

“The best part about teaching for me is observing student growth in a particular topic or course,” she said. “I love observing and being a part of those ‘a-ha!’ moments that students experience.”

Dave King

Dave King, associate provost for Outreach and Engagement at Oregon State University, has been awarded the 2012 Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) Professional Award—the highest award conferred by ACE.

The award recognizes contributions to the communication and information technology profession over an extended career.

King was recognized for his leadership in a variety of efforts including the production, along with OSU colleague Andy Duncan, of a Public Broadcasting Service documentary film special entitled “The Cowboy in Mongolia” in 1989.

King has 36 years experience at land-grant universities and nonprofit organizations. While at Purdue University and under the auspices of the USDA in 1992, King developed the national impact reporting system which was adopted by all land-grant universities in the country. In 2000, King and Mike Boehlje designed the national “eXtension” initiative, providing an online and information technology outlet for Extension programming nationwide..

Working with colleagues Kris Boone of Kansas State University, Tom Knecht of Mississippi State University, and Terry Meisenbach with the USDA, King also developed the national ACE Leadership Institute to further the professional development of communication professionals.

“Dave King represents the communications professional and leader we all aspire to be,” said ACE President Elaine Edwards. “He has shown many of us what an excellent communicator can accomplish and work towards in our own careers. He is innovative, strategic and visionary.”

Other ACE awards for OSU employees include:

• Ariel Ginsburg, publishing manager of OSU’s Department of Extension and Experiment Station Communications, received the Western Region Pioneer Award for her leadership and participation in managing educational and publishing projects for OSU Extension.
• Peg Herring, department head of Extension and Experiment Station Communications, received the Outstanding Professional Skill Award, a silver award for Writing for Magazines, and a gold award for Writing within a Specialized Publication.
• Lynn Ketchum, video producer and photographer with Extension and Experiment Station Communications, received a gold and silver award for Environmental Portrait or Personality Photo and a gold and bronze award for Picture Story.

Additionally, OSU Extension and Experiment Station Communications was honored with the silver award for Magazines and Periodicals, and the bronze award for Special Report.

Gus Bedwell

During the past three years, the number of military veterans or their dependents has nearly doubled at Oregon State University, prompting the university to hire a veteran services adviser to help them navigate the labyrinth of state and federal regulations.

The timing couldn’t be better, officials say. New federal benefit guidelines go into effect this June, opening the door for even more veterans or the families to receive tuition assistance. Some of these new benefits specifically target unemployed veterans.

Veterans may be dealing with issues that rarely affect other students, including post-traumatic stress disorder, which can affect how they learn and interact with others. OSU has a variety of resources to help veterans and their dependents deal with academic life.

OSU has 881 students receiving Veterans Administration benefits, but the number of students on campus who may qualify for assistance is likely much higher, said Gus Bedwell, OSU’s veterans services adviser.

“Historically, only about a third of the veteran population utilizes VA benefits,” Bedwell said, “so the actual number of OSU students who may qualify for aid might be closer to 2,000 or 3,000. Some of these students are soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan; others are the spouses or children of veterans who may qualify under some of the new benefit packages.”

Bedwell suggests that veterans or their dependents interested in OSU first go to the university’s website for veterans at: http://oregonstate.edu/veterans/home/, which lists different resources and activities on campus. Any veteran, or family member, needing assistance may also contact him directly at gus.bedwell@oregonstate.edu, or call his office at 541-737-7662.

In 2008, OSU had just 395 students register for class using VA benefits, but the number has gone up every year, Bedwell said. One reason is the number of soldiers returning from serving overseas; more than 2,100 Oregon National Guard troops returned stateside.

Perhaps more significant has been the passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which funds Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarships. Since 2009, it has provided assistance for the children of veterans killed in active duty.

At a time when more and more veterans are seeking a college education, regulations are becoming more complicated – and assistance is getting harder to find. A pilot program in Oregon to provide Campus Veteran Services Officers for the state’s colleges and universities ran out in 2010, leaving many institutions scrambling to serve its veterans.

“With nearly a thousand eligible students, we felt we needed someone on a full-time basis who could help them with VA benefits,” said Tracy Bentley-Townlin, OSU’s associate dean for student life. “It can be incredibly complex and we were lucky to get Gus, who had worked at the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs as well as with the campus veterans program.”

Bedwell grew up in Mills City, Ore., graduated from Santiam High School, and served in the U.S. Army for six years as a mechanic.

“Like most vets, I spent two-and-a-half years trying to figure out what to do after I got out of the service,” Bedwell said.

Eventually, he enrolled at Western Baptist College (now Corbin University) in Salem and earned a bachelor’s degree in family studies and psychology. While studying there, he began working with the Oregon Employment Department as a veterans representative, and eventually wound up with the Oregon Department of Veterans Services as an accredited Veteran Service Officer, and then lead worker/trainer.

“As a veteran who went to school, worked full-time, and raised a family, I totally understand where our veterans are coming from,” Bedwell said. “You may have to juggle a budget, stay up until midnight studying, and then get up at 5 a.m. and go to work. Oregon State University is really trying to reach out to help its veteran students, which is why I took this job.”

“I really want to help the faculty and staff here to help the students.”

~ Mark Floyd

The following proposals have been selected for funding:

• Elizabeth Daniels, (Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Cascades Campus): “Growing Up in the Age of Facebook: Examining Developmental Processes Online”

• Ren Guo, (Department of Mathematics, College of Science): “Discrete and Computational Conformal Geometry”

• Hung-yok Ip, (Department of History, College of Liberal Arts): “Unbound Compassion”

• Kendra Sharp, (School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering): “Sustainable Energy Technology for the Developing World”

Gail Achterman was passionate about water resources, transportation issues, and creating dialogue. (photo: Kelly James)

Oregon lost a dedicated natural resources and environmental problem solver last week when Gail Achterman died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 62. Achterman had recently retired as director of the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) at Oregon State University, and was an adjunct professor in the Department of Forest Resources. She was also a lawyer, and had worked on natural resource issues for more than three decades.

A fourth-generation Oregonian, Achterman was best known for her innovative approach to creating dialogue around natural resource and environmental issues. As director of the Institute for Natural Resources, her approach embodied OSU’s Land Grant mission as she focused on bringing constituents together to talk about science, and on listening to public concerns and connecting them to university experts.

In her own blog, Achterman recalled her first memories of the Willamette River as a child, turned red from the outflow of a beet processing plant. She was forbidden from swimming in the river as a little girl, and the condition of river quality impressed upon her at a young age.

“Now 40 years after graduating from college and 33 years after moving home, I hope I can use all I’ve learned about natural resources, infrastructure and people to help others do what needs to be done to live in harmony with each other and with nature here,” she wrote.

Todd Jarvis, associate director for the Institute of Water and Watersheds and the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at OSU, said Achterman was a remarkable legal scholar in water resources.

“She was one of the few who recognized the direct connection of Oregon’s water to Oregon’s business, always pushing one to think out of the box to invest in water for agriculture, aggregate, forest ecosystems and our silicon forests,” Jarvis said. “The Institute for Water and Watersheds at OSU valued her selfless guidance and assistance with our growth and professional reputation in water scholarship.”

Julie Bain spent six years as Achterman’s assistant with the INR, and was constantly impressed with her dedication.

“The one phrase I heard most from Gail was ‘I know this will be difficult, but we need to make it work.’ This translated to: I know I’m on vacation then, but I’m going to participate anyway or I know I’m committed (two or three) different places but I’ll figure out how to do all of them,” she said. “Her commitment to OSU, OUS, Oregon, and the nation was tireless and knew no bounds.”

“Gail was a terrific bridge builder,” said Hal Salwasser, dean of the OSU College of Forestry, “and a bold leader for sustaining natural resources in ways that benefitted our communities, the economy and the environment.”

With a rich background in the legal groundings of natural resources first honed at the U.S. Department of the Interior, and a lifelong dedication to public service, Achterman was driven to build community among the many differing voices surrounding issues as controversial as watershed restoration and wildland fire management. It was her sense of humor that kept her lighthearted under pressure, said former colleague Sally Duncan, program manager of policy research for the Institute of Natural Resources.

“Gail had an insatiably curious mind, an ability to synthesize disparate ideas at a startlingly rapid pace, and a bone-deep joy in working for Oregon,” Duncan said. “She also had a great sense of humor and of the absurd, and the ability to take criticism and laugh at herself.”

Lisa Gaines, interim director for INR, agreed that Achterman’s ability to connect, and to keep a light heart, made her a true stand out.

“For many of us, Gail was more than a colleague — she was a friend, a mentor, an inspiration,” Gaines said. “Her ability to connect people with place, and to concisely and passionately state her vision for Oregon was brilliant. But there was nothing more wonderful than to see her laugh.”

An avid bicyclist, Achterman also served on the Oregon Transportation Commission and was chair from 2007 to August 2011. She was known for helping move ODOT away from a highway-centric approach, and advocated for support of biking and walking projects.

Thayne Dutson, dean emeritus of the College of Agricultural Sciences, chaired the committee that convinced Achterman to come to OSU. He praised her kindness and her intellect.

“She had a driven work ethic, and the combination of her intelligence and her work ethic made her really productive,” he said. “She also really cared about people, the state and natural resources.”

Achterman also had a rich set of connections across the state, and the ability to remember everyone she’d met and important details about them.

“OSU was extremely fortunate to have her for the time we did,” Dutson said.

The Oregon Legislative Assembly created a resolution honoring Achterman’s legacy of service to the state. Read the resolution here: http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/sites/default/files/osu-today/gail.pdf

A public memorial service for Achterman will be held Feb. 9, 3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary at 1200 S.W. Alder St., Portland. A reception will follow the Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 S.W. Salmon St. A campus memorial service will be held at 4 p.m., Feb. 24, in the Construction and Engineering Hall at LaSells Stewart Center.

But this year, Beavers and Ducks will have a way to engage in a little healthy competition that could lead to some very healthy habits.

PacificSource Health Plans has sponsored “Healthy Life” programs at both universities, and is launching the inaugural PacificSource Health Life Pledge Week Challenge during the week before the Civil War game. Beavers and Ducks are asked to sign a pledge to lead a healthier lifestyle, and commit to one or more of the following activities:

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day;
• Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day;
• Go smoke- or tobacco-free;
• Reduce your stress by getting eight hours of sleep or take time in your day to practice deep breathing or other relaxation techniques.

Lisa Hoogesteger, director of Healthy Campus Initiatives at OSU, said the competition gives students, faculty and staff at OSU the chance to focus on attainable goals to make their lives better.

“We all promise ourselves we’re going to make the changes that make a positive difference in our lives,” Hoogesteger said. “By participating in the Pledge Week Challenge, we make a commitment to trying out one of those changes, and indulge in a little healthy competition at the same time.”

Each participant who makes a pledge will automatically be entered in a raffle for a free iPad. Participants will also be able to select a local non-profit to pledge on behalf of, and PacificSource will make donations to that organization. For Benton County, participants can choose between Linn Benton Food Share and United Way of Benton and Lincoln County. PacificSource will donate at least $2,500 to each organization, with anything above that being determined by pledges from participants.

The university with the most pledges will be notified on Nov. 26, and will be presented with a trophy. Results will be posted on HealthyLifeChallenge.org.

In 2012, PacificSource will launch a series of online social challenges to give UO and OSU students, staff, faculty as well as the community at large a chance to continue their commitment to living a healthier life. Ongoing charitable giving opportunities will also be available throughout the year.

To learn more about OSU’s involvement, check out the Be Well website at http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/bewell/.

• Boudraa, Nabil (School of Language, Society and Culture, College of Liberal Arts): “Writing the Natural World in French and Francophone Literatures”

• Gibson, Nathan (Dept. of Mathematics, College of Science): “Numerical Methods for Random and Stochastic Differential Equations with Applications to Mathematical Biology”

• Kingston, Deanna (Dept. of Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences): “Iñupiaq Ecological Knowledges and Geographic Information Sciences”

The Research Office is pleased to announce the awards for the Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Creativity (URISC) 2010-11 Winter/Spring solicitation.

The following proposals have been selected for funding:

• McClanahan, Danielle [Major: Bioengineering] (Faculty Project Advisor: Adam Higgins, School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering): “Determination of Adherent Neural Cell Cryoprotectant Toxicity and Application to Vitrification”

• Nguyen, Maria [Major: Biochemistry and Biophysics] (Faculty Project Advisor: Jeffrey Greenwood, Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics): “Calpain-2 Regulation of Akt”

• Ping, Sita [Major: Biology] (Faculty Project Advisor: Dee Denver, Dept. of Zoology): “Evolution of Mitochondrial Genome Architecture in Nematodes”

• Psiropoulos, Jeremiah [Major: Fisheries and Wildlife Science] (Faculty Project Advisor: David Noakes, Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife): “Defense Morphology of Three-Spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) after a Largemouth Bass Invasion”

• Quandt, Dustin [Major: Environmental Science (Terrestrial Ecosystems)] (Faculty Project Advisor: Barbara Bond, Dept. of Forest Ecosystems and Society): “DOC Loss through Soil in a Small Watershed within HJ Andrews Experimental Research Forest”

• Raines, Hannah [Major: Biochemistry/Biophysics and Spanish] (Faculty Project Advisor: Maret Traber, Linus Pauling Institute): “Vitamin E as a Potentiator of Vitamin K Inadequacy”

• Shen, Connie [Major: Biology] (Faculty Project Advisor: Theresa Filtz, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences): “Modification of Bc11 1b, a Tumor Repressor, in a Pre-Leukemic Cell Line”

Megan McClelland, an associate professor of human development and family sciences, is a national leader in early childhood development. She has developed the Head-to-Toes task, demonstrated here.

A record number of American kids are being expelled from preschool, limiting their chances of success when they enter a full-day classroom. According to Oregon State University’s Megan McClelland, a leading researcher in the field of early childhood development and an associate professor of human development and family sciences, parents can prepare their kids now by playing games that help their children develop better self-regulation skills. “It is a much more structured situation than many children have had before,” she said. “The key is to get them into a routine and to start setting a schedule.”

Parents can try and make sure their children are off to a healthy start at school by following these few simple tips from the experts on getting proper nutrition, exercise, and learning how to better regulate their behavior.

School readiness
Parents can start preparing their kids right now by playing games that help their children develop better self-regulation skills. Self-regulation, or the ability to control one’s behavior and to follow directions, is increasingly being seen as a key indicator of academic success in later years. McClelland’s own research shows that a child’s ability to self-regulate as early as preschool can predict academic achievements in math and language in much later years. The best games for a parent to practice with their child are ones where they have to stop, think, and act, McClelland said. Here are some games McClelland recommends for parents and educations to try with children:

• Red Light, Green Light: One child is the stoplight; the others are the cars. When the stoplight says “Green light,” the children run toward the streetlight. When the stoplight says, “Red light,” the children must stop.
• Dance: Start by having children dance slowly to slow music. Then have them dance fast to fast music. Then tell them to “stop.” Then tell them to dance slowly to fast music, and vice versa.
• Simon Says and Hide and Seek

Nutrition Tips
Ingrid Skoog is a faculty member in nutrition and exercise sciences and is the director of OSU’s Accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics. Skoog said while backpacks, books, calculators and notebooks are on student’s school supply lists, it is important for parents not to forget about another important way to set up kids for success – good nutrition. “Getting enough of good quality foods is proven to help kids stay focused and learn, avoid early fatigue and getting frustrated,” Skoog said. Here are some ideas for what kids will both like and need to eat.

• Breakfast: Don’t get in the habit of providing sweet breakfast foods. Your kids will be tired in an hour, grumpy and want to eat more in the evening after dinner. Some quick and easy breakfast ideas include: milk, a banana and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; a bagel with low-fat cream cheese and fruit; oatmeal with added raisins, nuts or other fruit; low-sugar yogurt with cereal mixed in; and a smoothie made with yogurt and whole fruit.
• Lunch: Think fun, finger foods that are nutrient-dense and fast to eat.  Don’t send sweets unless they regularly eat their whole lunch. Add variety by varying size of cut foods, shape of breads. Tuck in a note that reminds them their bodies need fuel. Ideas include: Sandwich on whole wheat bread; tortilla wraps; homemade pizza rolls; and pasta salad with protein, beans, cheese, grated carrot and peas (have your kids help design the colorful salad, which Skoog says is a good way to get them involved with food preparation).
• Snacks: High-fiber crackers (3-4 grams fiber per serving), high protein pretzels, apple wedges and carrot sticks or a baggie of granola or raisins and other dried fruits are ideal.

Send along a water bottle that is not too big (2-3 cups) and has a straw built in (prevents spills and is easier to drink from). Exercise tips Graduate student Kelly Rice is passionate about physical activity and healthy nutrition for kids and offers these creative ideas for parents and caregivers. At OSU, Rice works with kids on a study to determine energy expenditure in various activities. She’s earning her Ph.D. in Exercise and Sport Science with a focus on physical activity promotion. Some of her suggestions:

• Design an obstacle course (inside or outside, depending on weather) using the portable play equipment you have around your house like jump ropes, cones, hula hoops, balls, and bats.
• Invent new games to play instead of watching TV – play board games, act out stories from books, movies, or video games, play hide and seek.
• Identify one 30-minute sedentary activity on your schedule each week and replace it with something active – take a walk, plant a vegetable garden, pack a healthy picnic and walk to a park.
• Put music on for 15 minutes each day and ask kids to move as much as they can while the music is playing.
• Add activity to story time by having children act out the story.
• Develop weekly themes around outdoor activities, like hiking, camping or sports.

~ Angela Yeager

David McMurray, Setenay Yener and Charlotte Headrick on the stage in Antioch, Turkey (contributed photo)

The story starts in 2009, after McMurray became interested in the story of Rachel Corrie, an Evergreen State College student who was killed in Gaza while working for Palestinian human rights. She was crushed by a bulldozer while protesting. Her diaries and e-mails were later turned into a play by Alan Rickman and Katherine Viner. McMurray wanted to find a way to bring the play to OSU.

McMurray first wanted to bring a traveling troupe to OSU to put on a performance of the play, but when that didn’t work out, he asked Headrick if she would direct the play, and she agreed. Actor and faculty member Elizabeth Helman took on the role of Rachel, and the play, which was performed in October 2009, included both pre-show lectures and post-show discussions arranged by McMurray, making the performances a true learning experience.

Yener, who flew back to Corvallis to see some of the performances and to meet Rachel Corrie’s family, was transfixed by the story.

“Setenay was fired up to do a Turkish version,” Headrick said. But unfortunately for Yener, who graduated in 2001 with a bachelor of arts in theater and economics, there was no Turkish translation of the play.

A Turkish journalist interviews OSU alum Setenay Yener about her adaptation of a play based on the life of activist Rachel Corrie. Contributed photo

So, she decided to translate the play herself.  After getting rights to translate and produce the play, she set to work, and upon completing the translation, managed to find a venue in the diverse and historically tolerant city of Antioch. After a few test runs with friends and family, she was able to adapt parts of the play that didn’t translate, including jokes which didn’t go over with Turkish audiences.

Yener planned on acting in the one-woman play, but needed a director. Her first choice fell through, so she contacted Headrick to ask for help. Headrick provided her the staging notes she’d saved from her own production, as well as materials left over from the OSU performances, including an Evergreen State t-shirt, and a slideshow of images that played above the stage during the performance.

As the premiere approached, Yener invited McMurray and Headrick to Turkey to view the performance and participate in some of the events surrounding the premiere. Her uncle donated frequent flier miles to pay for the trip, and the two found themselves special guests in Antioch.

On opening night, McMurray and Headrick were in the audience, and even got to go up on stage and discuss the play with the audience. While there were some pointed questions from some fundamentalists in the audience about American involvement in Israel, in general the mood was congenial and supportive, McMurray and Headrick said. Audience members included students, the rector (president) of the local university, and even some members of Parliament.

Setenay Yener

McMurray said Yener shares some characteristics with the woman she portrays in the play.

“She’s so unprepossessing, so naïve,” McMurray said about Corrie, but also about Yener’s unbridled enthusiasm about taking on such a massive project. “She thinks first of the suffering of others. Someone needs to do something and that someone should be me, she just jumps into these things.”

Yener hopes to take the play on the road in Turkey and perhaps elsewhere, including Cyprus and Jordan. She has even performed the play for a group of fourth-graders in Antioch. For now, her former professors agree that they’d give her an A plus for her most recent work.

~ Theresa Hogue

Assistant Professor Juan Trujillo received the Frances Dancy Hooks Coalition Builder Award. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

Monday was a holiday for the campus community, but hundreds of students, staff, faculty and community members turned up early at OSU for the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Breakfast in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

As the audience enjoyed quiche and potatoes, keynote speaker Richard Lapchick spoke about his life’s dedication to social justice, and how his efforts to fight for equality in the sports world often landed him in harm’s way, including being physically assaulted on occasion.

The event also highlighted the work of three OSU community members who received awards for their work in the areas of social justice and community.

Associate Professor Deanna Kingston in the department of Anthropology received the Phyllis S. Lee Award for her work, including her dedication to documenting the lives of King Islanders.

Associate Professor Deanna Kingston received the Phyllis S. Lee Award. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

Assistant Professor Juan Antonio Trujillo in the department of Foreign Languages and Literatures received the Frances Dancy Hooks Coalition Builders Award for his tireless dedication to service, and business administration student Hunnan Pope received the same award for his cross-cultural work.

College of Business student Hunnan Pope received the Frances Dancy Hooks Coalition Builder Award. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

A cappella group Outspoken performed several songs during the event, and later in the day, a birthday celebration for King, a candlelight vigil and a discussion were held, as part of a several week celebration of King’s legacy.

~ Theresa Hogue

Joe Hendricks has been designated Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Dean Emeritus of the University Honors College, effective Nov. 30, 2009. He has been identified as one who has earned distinction and respect through years of dedicated and effective service.

Mina McDaniel has been designated Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Technology, effective Dec. 1, 2008. She is now assured of life membership on the university faculty with associated rights and privileges.

Paper receives international recognition

Mario E. Magana’s paper titled “Partial Network Coding with Cooperation: A Cross-layer Design for Multi-hop Wireless Networks,” was selected as the best paper at the 2009  International Conference on Ultra Modern Telecommunications (ICUMT) in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Magana is an associate professor with the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The paper was co-authored with his doctoral students Panupat Poocharoen and Eduardo X. Alban.

Mellinger named Fellow

David Mellinger has been elected as a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America. He was awarded the honor at the association’s annual meeting in San Antonio on Oct. 28.

Doolen honored by Society of Women Engineers

Toni Doolen, an associate professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University, has been named a 2009 fellow of the Society of Women Engineers. Doolen has a doctorate in industrial engineering from OSU, has published nearly 20 journal articles and a book chapter, been awarded numerous grants, and is an active teacher and student adviser.  The Society of Women Engineers, founded in 1950, is a not-for-profit educational and service organization.

President Ed Ray

A message from President Ed Ray:

As we approach the mid-point of the quarter, I want to take a moment to reflect on a number of challenges and opportunities facing OSU in the coming months and through the 2009-2010 academic year. Our enrollment for the school year will be nearly 22,000, with additional enrollment at OSU-Cascades surpassing 600. Because our students and their success are among our top priorities, we have met the increased demand for access to courses through increased financial aid and by adding course sections in high-demand areas. Compared to last year, we disbursed an additional $13 million in financial aid through tuition reimbursements to help students significantly affected by the economic downturn. And thanks to your efforts we have been able to create much-needed capacity in foundational courses for first-year students, enabling them to successfully start their studies at OSU.

In the depths of the recession last school year, we engaged in formal and informal conversations to consider and address questions about how OSU can continue its upward trajectory toward our goal of being a top 10 land grant university. Given the near-term challenges presented by state budget cuts, and the potential for additional reductions early next year, we also discussed changes that will allow us to emerge from this period more focused, more strategically aligned and better prepared for the future. Ignoring the problem and doing nothing would serve OSU and its students badly and is not an option.

I addressed these matters earlier this month when I spoke to the Faculty Senate regarding the state of the university. I described an “OSU 2025” profile, a vision to provide clarity about how current efforts to achieve strategic alignment and investments and budget reductions can ensure progress toward our longer-term aspirations, even in these toughest of times. Since the Senate session, I’ve heard from some who are energized and enthusiastic about this discussion. Others have wondered whether OSU 2025 is more about quantity than quality. Some have questioned how a statement about 2025 is connected to current budget realities.

To be clear, I intended “OSU 2025” discussion to do two things: 1) to provide a clear picture of the gaps we have to continue to close to reach our top 10 land grant goal; 2) to challenge the state and others to step up and join us in this effort going forward by conveying in substantive terms the proven value and future promise of investing in OSU. Our progress is contingent on securing resources to enable growth in faculty and infrastructure to support increases in our teaching, research and service capacities.

I have a very clear understanding of our current budget situation and the difficult decisions we must make during this biennium to ensure that we sustain the current impact and future potential of this great university. I commissioned the Advisory Council on Budgets and Strategic Priorities earlier this year to recommend areas where costs can be reduced and ways in which we can position the university for future growth in signature areas outlined in our Strategic Plan. Based on the council’s recommendations and the subsequent campus-wide discussions, I made a number of decisions that are posted at http://oregonstate.edu/leadership/budget/implementation.html . I shared some of the more important strategic and policy decisions with you via e-mail in July and during my recent address at the Faculty Senate.

We are undertaking cost-reduction activities in earnest, and recognize that because of the timing of the legislative cycle and subsequent decisions from the State Board, many activities cannot be stopped in mid-stream during the first year. Consequently, our focus for cost reductions in 2009-10 will be on streamlining and consolidating administrative services and reducing course offerings in low-demand areas to meet approved course guidelines. These transitional changes will also gives us time to plan transformational changes in academic programs and units that conform with divisional structures, consistent with approved academic system guidelines. This will allow for faculty engagement in shaping the university’s future consistent with our commitment to collaboration and shared governance.

The decisions that I have approved so far create a much-needed framework to make relevant decisions during the rest of this academic year. The description of Oregon State University in 2025 that I shared with you provides a long-term context within which to assess the appropriateness of short-term actions. In the Implementation Plan released by Provost Randhawa, a clear process and timeline has been defined for implementing decisions regarding programs, departments and colleges within each division. We will ensure that we stay with the implementation milestones that we have established. A set of dashboard indicators will be posted shortly online and updated regularly to clearly demonstrate the progress we are making toward cost-reduction goals. A Strategic Alignment/Budget Reduction Review Committee will provide oversight to the budget-reduction process, including validating and adjusting reduction targets associated with specific actions.

We will continue to make as strong a case as we possibly can with state elected officials and the Board of Higher Education for increased state support for OSU programs. While we implement actions to align programs and reduce costs, I will continue to work with you in advocating for the revenue base that we need to make substantial progress toward our collective vision.

The challenges we face in the coming year are momentous. I sincerely hope that by working together we can weather the near-term hardships in a way that prepares us for a much better future.

I encourage you to provide your perspective directly to me via e-mail or through the LIFE@OSU comments function.  Following my senate speech, which is posted online as streaming video and text, there were a number of thoughtful questions from faculty and staff; these questions and my responses are also posted.

The annual Linn-Benton Food Share fundraising event The Magic Barrel takes place 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24, at a new location, the Corvallis High School Theater. Music begins at 6:30 p.m. The event features food, music, autographed books and most importantly, authors reading from their own works.

A number of the participants have ties to Oregon State University, including the evening’s emcee, Karen Holmberg. Her first book, “The Perseids,” was published in 2001. A Discovery/The Nation award winner, her work has appeared in such magazines as The Paris Review, The Nation, Slate, Quarterly West, Southern Poetry Review, Hotel Amerika, and West Branch. She teaches literature and poetry writing at OSU and has previously read some of her work for Magic Barrel.

Holmberg said she is involved with the Magic Barrel because she wants to motivate the audience to find ways to use their own talents to solve problems and address intolerable conditions.

“Oregon ranks as the third hungriest state in the nation. According to the Oregon Hunger Task Force Web page, 17 percent of Benton County’s 80,000 citizens are in poverty,” she said. “This should make clear why, as a community, we have to bring our talents and determination to bear on solving this problem, or at the very least, making people more aware of it.”

John Larison teaches in the OSU English department, and has just published his first novel,”Northwest of Normal.” An attendee of the Magic Barrel for several years, this is Larison’s first time as a performer.

In “Northwest of Normal” the protagonist arrives via driftboat to the Cascadia Carnival, an event Larison said he modeled after the Oregon Country Fair.
“What hadn’t changed was the smell: first the purple sweetness of ripe blackberries, then deeper, the green spice of Doug fir needles. Deeper yet was the chocolaty musk of the river at dawn, its fog ghosting over the riffle…. This was the Ipsyniho he remembered, and Christ had he missed it,” he writes in his new novel.

Larison worked for several years as an English teacher in a school for disadvantaged youth.

John Larison, author, instructor with the OSU English department

“Many of my students got their one meal a day from the school’s free lunch program,” he said, “and I saw first hand the effects of chronic hunger. People don’t learn when they’re hungry.”

He said he hopes the audience at Magic Barrel sees the power of literature to not only inspire but to organize people behind important missions.

Another OSU English department member, Ted Leeson will also read at Magic Barrel. He has been a freelance writer for over 20 years and has authored three books of essays, “The Habit of Rivers,” (1994), “Jerusalem Creek” (2002) and most recently, “Inventing Montana” (2009).

Other readers include Margaret Anderson, Geri Doran, George Estreich, Gregg Kleiner, Aria Minu-Sepehr, Cindy Smith and Jana Zvibleman of the OSU Research Office.

Suggested admission: $7, no one will be turned away from lack of funds.  All proceeds go to Linn-Benton Food Share.

Can’t make it to the Barrel this year? You can still be part of the action by making a contribution to Linn Benton Food Share. You can make it on behalf of The Magic Barrel? To make it extra easy, you can donate online , at www.csc.gen.or.us/foodshare.htm.

For more information see http://magicbarrel.org/

Lisbeth Goddick

As an OSU Extension dairy processing specialist, Goddik is helping to nurture the growth of a bustling new artisan cheese industry in Oregon. The number of small-scale specialty cheese makers has grown statewide from two to 20 over the last few years. And because the new pilot plant at OSU uses industry-standard equipment, Goddik’s teaching and research are calibrated to the needs of this new industry.

The award recognizing outstanding teaching of undergraduate students in dairy foods. Goddik recently changed her teaching approach, and no longer gives class lectures. Instead, students study prior to class and ask questions. Classroom contact time is used for discussion, group projects and analysis of case studies.

After a trip to France, Goddik came back to Oregon brimming with new ideas for the pilot plant, including the adaption of a French technique to extend the shelf life of Oregon brie and camembert cheeses. Goddik hopes to secure additional funding to boost the pilot plant’s cheese-making capacity to 1,500 pounds per day and add an applied business center where students would learn the retail end of the industry. She envisions someday having a cheese plant located at the OSU Dairy Farm where students would produce and market their own OSU specialty cheese.

Michael Boock, Head of Digital Access Services

The open-access blogosphere was abuzz with accolades.

“Librarians have been at the vanguard of the open-access movement, often trying heroically, but in vain, to convince other faculty to deposit,” declared Stevan Harnad on his Open Access Archivangelism blog. “To the library faculty at Oregon State University, who have now put their own work where their heart (and hard work) is, kudos!”

The library’s bold move is an example of the “patchwork mandate” approach to policy change that has been gaining traction across America. Instead of waiting for whole universities to get on the green publishing bandwagon, many individual departments, laboratories and colleges are creating their own internal policies mandating deposits into their institution’s digital archive.

“The majority of mandates in the U.S. are departmental mandates,” observes Michael Boock, Head of digital access services for the Valley Library.

The OSU librarians modeled their policy after the one developed by Stanford University’s College of Education.
“We adopted Stanford’s approach of requiring deposit of the final published version of the article,” says Boock, who helped draft the policy guidelines. “Other mandates accept preprint versions, but we felt it was important to have the final published version. The formatting, tables and appendices give it weight and authority.”

It’s not surprising that OSU’s first open-access mandate originated in the library.

“The backbone of our profession is making research available to anyone who needs it,” says Boock. “Any barriers to access go against the core of what we’re about.”

~ Lee Sherman

ScholarsArchive@OSU is Oregon State University’s digital service for gathering, indexing, making available and storing the scholarly work of the Oregon State University community. It also includes materials from outside the institution in support of the university’s land, sun, sea and space grant missions and other research interests. Submitting your research to ScholarsArchive@OSU is easy. Just send us an email with your research attached, or we can arrange for you to submit it yourself. For this and other information contact scholarsarchive@oregonstate.edu.

Marshall English, professor emeritus of biological and ecological engineering, received the Royce J. Tipton award for valuable contributions to the science, understanding and application of irrigation engineering. He has worked as a researcher, designer, teacher and consultant in irrigation engineering for more than 30 years. He has worked in Zimbabwe as a Fulbright Fellow and in New Zealand as a senior research fellow with the Ministry of Agriculture.

De Carolis inducted into Bloomsburg hall of fame

Director of Athletics Bob De Carolis will be inducted into the Bloomsburg University (Pennsylvania) Athletic Hall of Fame Oct. 2. The six-member inductee class is the 28th in the school history. De Carolis, 56, has been the A.D. at OSU since 2002. The 1976 Bloomsburg graduate started his career at OSU in April of 1998 as associate athletic director for internal operations and then was promoted approximately 14 months later to senior associate athletic director.
Since arriving in Corvallis he has led numerous fundraising campaigns for facility improvements, including Reser Stadium, Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, the OSU Softball Complex and the Sports Performance Center to name several.
It’s the second similar honor for De Carolis in less than 12 months; late last year he was selected the co-recipient of the 2008 University of Massachusetts VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus (Sports Management Program) Award.

OSURA elects five new board members

The Oregon State Retirement Association (OSURA) recently elected five new board members to serve for a three-year term: Gideon Alegado, John Block, Erin Haynes, Terri Tower and Helen Polensek. In addition to these five members, Gary Tiedeman will continue to serve on the board, as well as Bill Smart as the past-president. The new president, president-elect, secretary and treasurer are Jo Anne Trow, Susan Poole, Jim Krueger and Carol Kronstad respectively. OSURA promotes collegial ties among all OSU retirees and the university community by providing opportunities for ongoing intellectual growth, social interaction and mutual support and service to the community. Members participate in programs, volunteer and attend events throughout the year and support scholarships for students who are pursuing careers with a focus in healthy aging. For more information, contact the OSURA at 541-737-4717 or by e-mail, OSURA@oregonstate.edu.

Vocal performance student studies in Salzburg

Nickoli Strommer, a senior from Baker City, majoring in vocal performance in the Department of Music has been invited to and will participate in a five-week, comprehensive study program in Salzburg,, Austria this summer.
Steven Zielke, director of vocal studies,described this honor as “similar to winning the Heisman trophy…for college singer.”
Strommer will work with internationally recognized musicians and music teachers, including eminent scholars and performers from the University of Miami’s Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music. He will study voice with emphasis on German Lied and operatic repertoir, take German language classes, and participate in concerts and special events in Salzburg’s famous festival theaters, cathedrals, palaces, and the Mozarteum. At OSU, Strommer studies with Richard Poppino, director of vocal studies.

Risk management fellow earns London trip

The University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA), the expert resource for risk management in higher education, has named Joyce Fred of OSU as one of their fellowship recipients for the 2009 International Fellowship Program (IFP). The IFP aims to fulfill two main goals: providing the URMIA membership with valuable expertise and knowledge regarding international risk and insurance practices and increasing URMIA’s international presence.
The fellows traveled to London in May for on an intensive, week-long trip to learn about international risk management and insurance practices and share their knowledge and experience with risk management professionals in the UK.