R. Logen Logendran, professor and graduate program chair of the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at OSU, has been named a fellow with the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) professional association. Logendran will be honored at the IIE Annual Conference and Expo May 31 in Miami. The award recognizes outstanding leaders of the industrial engineering profession who have made significant contributions to the industrial engineering field. Logendran is known for his significant research contributions in two specific areas within manufacturing systems — design of cellular manufacturing and group scheduling.
In 1996, he received the Most Favorite Teacher of the Year award by the IIE student chapter at Oregon State University.

Pharmacy alum from Cameroon gives lecture at OSU

During the College of Pharmacy Graduation Recognition Ceremony on June 12, the College is bestowing the Noel Flynn Alumni Excellence Award to Nkwenti Davidson Achu, Class of 1982. Nkwenti lives and practices in his native county of Cameroon, West Africa where he owns his own pharmacy, is president of the Cameroon Pharmaceutical Society, is assisting in the development of the first college of pharmacy in Cameroon, and is active in international Diabetes Education and Prevention initiatives.
Nkwenti will present a lecture to the campus community at 3 p.m., June 11 about pharmacy practice and medical care in Cameroon, followed by a reception with College of Pharmacy faculty and students. The public is welcome to attend his lecture.

Local printmaker holds artist reception in MU Concourse

Half a century making a living as a fine and graphic artist, Earl Newman has created many masterful series of hand silk screened posters. A number of these, along with drawings and tools of the trade will be displayed in a one-person exhibit at Oregon State University’s Memorial Union Concourse Gallery. The solo exhibit entitled “Earl Newman: 50 Years of Printmaking” opened May 20 and runs through the end of August. Newman will come to campus May 28 for a gallery talk and artist reception in the Memorial Union Concourse at 5 p.m.

Sunderland named emeritus for work in agricultural education

Paul Sunderland has been granted the title Associate Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Education and General Agriculture by OSU President Ed Ray. The title assures Sunderland of life membership on the university faculty with associated rights and privileges. The title went into effect March 31.

OSU Women’s Choir tour ends with Corvallis performance

Bella Voce, the Oregon State University women’s choir, directed by Dr. Tina Bull, embarked on a tour earlier this month, performing three concerts at schools in the greater Portland area, heading north to Seattle. They are returning to perform a May 29 concert in Corvallis. The Corvallis concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 4515 SW West Hills Road. Admission is $5 at the door. OSU students will be admitted for free.

Oregon Sea Grant wins numerous design and communication awards

Oregon Sea Grant has won four awards–two Platinums, a Gold, and an Honorable Mention–in the international Hermes Creative Awards 2009 competition.
On the Lookout for Aquatic Invaders won a Platinum in the Design/Publication Overall category; Boats of the Oregon Coast was awarded Platinum for Publications/Handbook; Oregon Sea Grant Program Report 2007 earned a Gold for Video/Internal Communication; and Oregon Sea Grant Publications & Videos 2008 received an Honorable Mention in Publications/Catalog.

Forest management candidates give presentations May 28

The two College of Forestry finalists for the N.B. and Jacqueline Giustina Professor of Forest Management will present their visions for disciplinary leadership in teaching, research and outreach for sustainable management of planted forests on May 28. Doug Maguire will hold his presentation at 9 p.m., and Claire Montgomery will hold hers at 11 a.m., both in Richardson Hall, room 107. Receptions will follow.
Candidates’ resumes available at http://www.cof.orst.edu/Giustina.php.

Sonny Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy succeeds long-time OSU dean Thayne Dutson, who retired from the position in 2008. William Boggess has been serving as interim dean.

For the past three years, Ramaswamy has been associate dean of Purdue’s College of Agriculture and directed the university’s agricultural research programs.

An entomologist, Ramaswamy has studied the reproductive biology of insects and plant-insect interactions, conducting applied research on insect pests affecting wheat, cotton, beans, other row crops and trees.

His breadth of experience will help Ramaswamy connect OSU’s agricultural programs with Oregon’s agricultural industry, which last year posted record sales of $4.9 billion.

“Agriculture is a critical component of the Oregon economy and bringing in a respected leader like Sonny Ramaswamy will strengthen the relationship between our College of Agricultural Sciences and its many constituents,” said Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost and executive vice president.

At Purdue, Ramaswamy supervised coordination of the university’s research programs in agriculture, food and natural resources – both on campus and at eight regional research centers and several research farms. He will find a similar challenge at Oregon State, where he will direct the Agricultural Experiment Station as well as serve as dean of the college.

“The college is quite diverse in its programs, faculty, revenue streams and the constituents it serves,” Randhawa pointed out. “It also has excellence in areas that the casual observer may not associate with agricultural sciences. OSU is ranked first nationally in conservation biology, for example, and the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife within the college is one of the key reasons for that ranking.”

Prior to joining the Purdue faculty in 2006, Ramaswamy was head of the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University (1997-2004), where he held the title of distinguished professor. He also was on the faculty of Mississippi State University, and was a research associate at Michigan State University. He began his academic career as a research assistant at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and at Rutgers University, where he received his Ph.D. All of his degrees are in entomology.

Ramaswamy is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Entomological Society of America.

He will begin his new duties on Aug. 1.

~ Mark Floyd

Hal Schudel, standing among some of the millions of trees on his Holiday Tree Farm in Benton County, recently pledged $1 million for scholarships at OSU. (photo: Karl Maasdam)

The man who changed the shape of the Christmas tree – and the entire Christmas tree industry – pledged $1 million for scholarships at Oregon State last week.

Hal Schudel, a former OSU agronomist and founder of Holiday Tree Farms of Benton County, the largest Christmas tree grower in the world, made the gift with his wife Lois.

Schudel popularized the lush, triangle-shaped, plantation-grown conifers that decorate many homes and offices throughout the country during the holiday season.

Despite the success of his business, however, Schudel has not forgotten how he got his start. A $500 scholarship during the Depression helped him achieve his bachelor’s degree at University of Nebraska. Later he received a fellowship at OSU, where he earned his doctorate.

The Schudels’ commitment, to help future students in the agricultural sciences, will help meet the $100 million goal of the university’s Scholarship Initiative. To date more than $72 million has been raised for student support.

“I know what scholarships did for me personally, and I know what challenges young people are facing today,” said Schudel. “There are some great kids out there, but they need to be given a little boost, so they, too, can follow their dreams.”

“We are very grateful to Hal and Lois. Their gift will help so many future students,” said Bill Boggess, interim dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. “This commitment has special meaning for our college because Hal is a graduate and a former faculty member. He has been so innovative in his career and incredibly generous with his success.”

After graduating from OSU in 1953, Schudel started a landscaping business but struggled to make ends meet during the winter. He taught for a few years at Oregon State, before deciding to start growing Christmas trees as a way to expand his business. When Schudel first started Holiday Tree Farms in 1955, most people cut down wild, sparsely-limbed conifers for Christmas trees, now commonly known as “Charlie Brown” trees.

Together with Paul Goodmonson, a former OSU Extension forester, Schudel pioneered a new business based on pruning and growing trees in rows like a crop on good, well-drained hill land farms in western Oregon. It took eight years to harvest the first trees, but the full-look of the pruned Christmas tree soon became wildly popular. The industry boomed, especially in Oregon, which is the top Christmas tree-producing state in the country.

Holiday Tree Farms, now operated by Schudel’s three sons, ships more than a million trees every year.

The Schudels’ pledge is part of The Campaign for OSU, the university’s first comprehensive fundraising effort. Guided by OSU’s strategic plan, the campaign seeks $625 million to provide opportunities for students, strengthen the Oregon economy and conduct research that changes the world. More than $453 million has been committed to date.

~ by Sara Zaske