Research news
Essayist and pianist join on May 1 to explore words and music
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Naturalist, philosopher and essayist Kathleen Dean Moore of Oregon State University will join OSU concert pianist Rachelle McCabe in a celebration of the music of words and the words of music on Wednesday, May 1, at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library,
The free, public presentation begins at 7 p.m., with a book signing to follow. The event marks the publication of a new edition of Moore’s collection of essays, Holdfast: At Home in the Natural World.
Moore and McCabe will mix it up with Simon and Garfunkel. They’ll explore what it means to love a child through music, words, and an old lullaby. Moore will read old favorites like “Howling with Strangers” and “The Song of the Canyon Wren,” and new works about such things as the best songs to sing to bears.
The re-issue of Holdfast, which includes a new afterword by the author, is part of the OSU Press’ Northwest Reprints series. The series was established to keep classic works of fiction and nonfiction in print.
The event is supported by Grass Roots Books & Music, The Friends of the Corvallis-Benton County Library, The Spring Creek Project, and OSU Press.
More information about Holdfast is available at: http://osupress.oregonstate.edu/book/holdfast
Generic OSU Media Contact: Mark Floyd Source:Micki Reaman, 541-737-4620
Essayist and pianist join on May 1 to explore words and music
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Naturalist, philosopher and essayist Kathleen Dean Moore of Oregon State University will join OSU concert pianist Rachelle McCabe in a celebration of the music of words and the words of music on Wednesday, May 1, at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library,
The free, public presentation begins at 7 p.m., with a book signing to follow. The event marks the publication of a new edition of Moore’s collection of essays, Holdfast: At Home in the Natural World.
Moore and McCabe will mix it up with Simon and Garfunkel. They’ll explore what it means to love a child through music, words, and an old lullaby. Moore will read old favorites like “Howling with Strangers” and “The Song of the Canyon Wren,” and new works about such things as the best songs to sing to bears.
The re-issue of Holdfast, which includes a new afterword by the author, is part of the OSU Press’ Northwest Reprints series. The series was established to keep classic works of fiction and nonfiction in print.
The event is supported by Grass Roots Books & Music, The Friends of the Corvallis-Benton County Library, The Spring Creek Project, and OSU Press.
More information about Holdfast is available at: http://osupress.oregonstate.edu/book/holdfast
Generic OSU Media Contact: Mark Floyd Source:Micki Reaman, 541-737-4620
Soil parasite costs Northwest wheat growers $51 million in lost revenue, says OSU
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A microscopic parasitic roundworm is costing Pacific Northwest wheat growers $51 million in lost revenue each year because it's cutting grain yields by an average of about 5 percent, according to estimates by Oregon State University researchers.
Called the root-lesion nematode, the transparent, eel-shaped roundworm lives in the soil and feeds on the roots of wheat, barley, oats and many other crops. This limits the crops' ability to take up nutrients and water, leaving plants with smaller heads and yellowed leaves.
"The presence of nematodes is usually confused with root rot, viruses or lack of nutrition because the effect on crops looks the same," said Dick Smiley, a plant pathologist at OSU's Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center in Pendleton. “But nematodes often go undetected because they're not well-known, and they're transparent and thinner than a human hair.”
Researchers have detected the root-lesion nematode in about 90 percent of fields sampled in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, according to Smiley, who has studied the pest since 1999. Population densities of nematodes high enough to reduce yields have been detected in 60 percent of fields sampled in Oregon and Washington. The roundworm wreaks the most havoc in drier areas where wheat and barley grow.
Most nematodes are beneficial to agriculture by helping decompose organic matter. Some, however, are parasitic to plants or animals. They spread easily, hitchhiking to new locations via the wind, animals, farm equipment and boots. It's nearly impossible to eradicate them once they're established.
Another harmful roundworm, the cereal cyst nematode, is also damaging wheat, barley and oats in the Pacific Northwest. First identified in western Oregon in 1974, it is now found in eight western states.
Wheat farmers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington are estimated to lose $3.4 million in revenue each year to cereal cyst nematodes, according to OSU calculations. Researchers arrived at the figure by considering a range of factors, including the percentage of fields infested with damaging densities of nematodes, as well as the yields and farmgate value for crops in these infested areas.
OSU scientists are studying crop management strategies to mitigate the worms' impact. The most effective tactic they've found is a three-year crop rotation where farmers skip two years between wheat plantings.
Rotations vary depending upon which nematode is causing problems. Root-lesion nematodes are well-managed by planting winter wheat the first year and spring barley the second year and then letting the field go fallow the third year. Cereal cyst nematodes are best-managed by rotating wheat or barley with broadleaf crops.
Crop damage can also be alleviated to a limited extent by applying extra fertilizer and water. There are no chemicals legally available for wheat and barley growers to kill the two types of nematodes.
OSU researchers have also tested more than 20 wheat, barley and oat cultivars to determine how badly yields are reduced. Most Pacific Northwest wheat varieties don't resist harmful nematodes.
In OSU's tests, nearly every variety suffered severe root injury. Only the hard red spring wheat WB-Rockland prevented cereal cyst nematodes from reproducing while also maintaining consistent yields. UI Stone, a soft white spring wheat, and Buck Pronto, a hard red spring wheat, allowed nematode populations to thrive but still produced a steady crop.
Additionally, University of Idaho, Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and commercial wheat breeders are crossing sources of resistance with a number of wheat varieties to create new cultivars that can potentially stand up to the cereal cyst and root-lesion nematodes.
OSU researchers recommend growers have their soil tested for nematodes. Addresses for testing labs, as well as information about management strategies for farmers, are available in two OSU Extension factsheets at http://bit.ly/OSU_ExtBulletin3 and http://bit.ly/OSU_ExtBulletin2.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington State University and the University of Idaho are collaborators with OSU on its cereal cyst nematode research.
Generic OSU Media Contact: Daniel Robison Source:Richard Smiley, 541-278-4397
Multimedia:
Dick Smiley, a plant pathologist at Oregon State University, examines the roots of young wheat plants. (Photo by Lynn Ketchum.)
Soil parasite costs Northwest wheat growers $51 million in lost revenue, says OSU
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A microscopic parasitic roundworm is costing Pacific Northwest wheat growers $51 million in lost revenue each year because it's cutting grain yields by an average of about 5 percent, according to estimates by Oregon State University researchers.
Called the root-lesion nematode, the transparent, eel-shaped roundworm lives in the soil and feeds on the roots of wheat, barley, oats and many other crops. This limits the crops' ability to take up nutrients and water, leaving plants with smaller heads and yellowed leaves.
"The presence of nematodes is usually confused with root rot, viruses or lack of nutrition because the effect on crops looks the same," said Dick Smiley, a plant pathologist at OSU's Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center in Pendleton. “But nematodes often go undetected because they're not well-known, and they're transparent and thinner than a human hair.”
Researchers have detected the root-lesion nematode in about 90 percent of fields sampled in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, according to Smiley, who has studied the pest since 1999. Population densities of nematodes high enough to reduce yields have been detected in 60 percent of fields sampled in Oregon and Washington. The roundworm wreaks the most havoc in drier areas where wheat and barley grow.
Most nematodes are beneficial to agriculture by helping decompose organic matter. Some, however, are parasitic to plants or animals. They spread easily, hitchhiking to new locations via the wind, animals, farm equipment and boots. It's nearly impossible to eradicate them once they're established.
Another harmful roundworm, the cereal cyst nematode, is also damaging wheat, barley and oats in the Pacific Northwest. First identified in western Oregon in 1974, it is now found in eight western states.
Wheat farmers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington are estimated to lose $3.4 million in revenue each year to cereal cyst nematodes, according to OSU calculations. Researchers arrived at the figure by considering a range of factors, including the percentage of fields infested with damaging densities of nematodes, as well as the yields and farmgate value for crops in these infested areas.
OSU scientists are studying crop management strategies to mitigate the worms' impact. The most effective tactic they've found is a three-year crop rotation where farmers skip two years between wheat plantings.
Rotations vary depending upon which nematode is causing problems. Root-lesion nematodes are well-managed by planting winter wheat the first year and spring barley the second year and then letting the field go fallow the third year. Cereal cyst nematodes are best-managed by rotating wheat or barley with broadleaf crops.
Crop damage can also be alleviated to a limited extent by applying extra fertilizer and water. There are no chemicals legally available for wheat and barley growers to kill the two types of nematodes.
OSU researchers have also tested more than 20 wheat, barley and oat cultivars to determine how badly yields are reduced. Most Pacific Northwest wheat varieties don't resist harmful nematodes.
In OSU's tests, nearly every variety suffered severe root injury. Only the hard red spring wheat WB-Rockland prevented cereal cyst nematodes from reproducing while also maintaining consistent yields. UI Stone, a soft white spring wheat, and Buck Pronto, a hard red spring wheat, allowed nematode populations to thrive but still produced a steady crop.
Additionally, University of Idaho, Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and commercial wheat breeders are crossing sources of resistance with a number of wheat varieties to create new cultivars that can potentially stand up to the cereal cyst and root-lesion nematodes.
OSU researchers recommend growers have their soil tested for nematodes. Addresses for testing labs, as well as information about management strategies for farmers, are available in two OSU Extension factsheets at http://bit.ly/OSU_ExtBulletin3 and http://bit.ly/OSU_ExtBulletin2.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington State University and the University of Idaho are collaborators with OSU on its cereal cyst nematode research.
Generic OSU Media Contact: Daniel Robison Source:Richard Smiley, 541-278-4397
Multimedia:
Dick Smiley, a plant pathologist at Oregon State University, examines the roots of young wheat plants. (Photo by Lynn Ketchum.)
Veteran and activist Bolger to give Pauling peace lecture on April 30
Leah Bolger, former national president of Veterans for Peace, will give the annual Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Memorial Lecture for World Peace at Oregon State University on Tuesday, April 30.
Her talk, “Waging Peace,” begins at 7:30 p.m. in LaSells Stewart Center's Austin Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.
Bolger served more than 20 years in the United States Navy, with tours of duty across the world. She received her master’s degree in national security and strategic affairs from the Naval War College in 1994 and was a military fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997. Since her retirement in 2000 with the rank of commander, she has dedicated herself to being a full-time peace activist.
After moving to Oregon in 2004, she formed the Linus Pauling Chapter of Veterans for Peace and served as its president for three years. In 2012 she became the first female president of the national Veterans for Peace.
Bolger has organized numerous public events, spoken before audiences large and small, presented workshops and served on panel discussions. She has testified before the Oregon Legislature, and has lobbied both state and federal officials. She has also been arrested numerous times for acts of civil disobedience.
The OSU lectureship honors Linus Pauling, an OSU graduate and two-time Nobel Prize laureate, and his wife, Ava Helen Pauling, a noted peace activist. It is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts.
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Richard Clinton, 541-737-6246
Multimedia:Veteran and activist Bolger to give Pauling peace lecture on April 30
Leah Bolger, former national president of Veterans for Peace, will give the annual Ava Helen and Linus Pauling Memorial Lecture for World Peace at Oregon State University on Tuesday, April 30.
Her talk, “Waging Peace,” begins at 7:30 p.m. in LaSells Stewart Center's Austin Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.
Bolger served more than 20 years in the United States Navy, with tours of duty across the world. She received her master’s degree in national security and strategic affairs from the Naval War College in 1994 and was a military fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997. Since her retirement in 2000 with the rank of commander, she has dedicated herself to being a full-time peace activist.
After moving to Oregon in 2004, she formed the Linus Pauling Chapter of Veterans for Peace and served as its president for three years. In 2012 she became the first female president of the national Veterans for Peace.
Bolger has organized numerous public events, spoken before audiences large and small, presented workshops and served on panel discussions. She has testified before the Oregon Legislature, and has lobbied both state and federal officials. She has also been arrested numerous times for acts of civil disobedience.
The OSU lectureship honors Linus Pauling, an OSU graduate and two-time Nobel Prize laureate, and his wife, Ava Helen Pauling, a noted peace activist. It is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts.
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Richard Clinton, 541-737-6246
Multimedia:Excess vitamin E intake not a health concern
A review of mechanisms the body uses to excrete excess vitamin E make it clear that it's almost impossible to take toxic levels of this nutrient. Deficiency is a much more important concern.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Despite concerns that have been expressed about possible health risks from high intake of vitamin E, a new review concludes that biological mechanisms exist to routinely eliminate excess levels of the vitamin, and they make it almost impossible to take a harmful amount.
No level of vitamin E in the diet or from any normal use of supplements should be a concern, according to an expert from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The review was just published in the Journal of Lipid Research.
“I believe that past studies which have alleged adverse consequences from vitamin E have misinterpreted the data,” said Maret Traber, an internationally recognized expert on this micronutrient and professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences.
“Taking too much vitamin E is not the real concern,” Traber said. “A much more important issue is that more than 90 percent of people in the U.S. have inadequate levels of vitamin E in their diet.”
Vitamin E is an antioxidant and a very important nutrient for proper function of many organs, nerves and muscles, and is also an anticoagulant that can reduce blood clotting. It can be found in oils, meat and some other foods, but is often consumed at inadequate dietary levels, especially with increasing emphasis on low-fat diets.
In the review of how vitamin E is metabolized, researchers have found that two major systems in the liver work to control the level of vitamin E in the body, and they routinely excrete excessive amounts. Very high intakes achieved with supplementation only succeed in doubling the tissue levels of vitamin E, which is not harmful.
“Toxic levels of vitamin E in the body simply do not occur,” Traber said. “Unlike some other fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and D, it’s not possible for toxic levels of vitamin E to accumulate in the liver or other tissues.”
Vitamin E, because of its interaction with vitamin K, can cause some increase in bleeding, research has shown. But no research has found this poses a health risk.
On the other hand, vitamin E performs many critical roles in optimum health. It protects polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidizing, may help protect other essential lipids, and has been studied for possible value in many degenerative diseases. Higher than normal intake levels may be needed for some people who have certain health problems, and smoking has also been shown to deplete vitamin E levels.
Traber said she recommends taking a daily multivitamin that has the full RDA of vitamin E, along with consuming a healthy and balanced diet.
College of Public Health and Human Sciences Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Maret Traber, 541-737-7977
Excess vitamin E intake not a health concern
A review of mechanisms the body uses to excrete excess vitamin E make it clear that it's almost impossible to take toxic levels of this nutrient. Deficiency is a much more important concern.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Despite concerns that have been expressed about possible health risks from high intake of vitamin E, a new review concludes that biological mechanisms exist to routinely eliminate excess levels of the vitamin, and they make it almost impossible to take a harmful amount.
No level of vitamin E in the diet or from any normal use of supplements should be a concern, according to an expert from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The review was just published in the Journal of Lipid Research.
“I believe that past studies which have alleged adverse consequences from vitamin E have misinterpreted the data,” said Maret Traber, an internationally recognized expert on this micronutrient and professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences.
“Taking too much vitamin E is not the real concern,” Traber said. “A much more important issue is that more than 90 percent of people in the U.S. have inadequate levels of vitamin E in their diet.”
Vitamin E is an antioxidant and a very important nutrient for proper function of many organs, nerves and muscles, and is also an anticoagulant that can reduce blood clotting. It can be found in oils, meat and some other foods, but is often consumed at inadequate dietary levels, especially with increasing emphasis on low-fat diets.
In the review of how vitamin E is metabolized, researchers have found that two major systems in the liver work to control the level of vitamin E in the body, and they routinely excrete excessive amounts. Very high intakes achieved with supplementation only succeed in doubling the tissue levels of vitamin E, which is not harmful.
“Toxic levels of vitamin E in the body simply do not occur,” Traber said. “Unlike some other fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and D, it’s not possible for toxic levels of vitamin E to accumulate in the liver or other tissues.”
Vitamin E, because of its interaction with vitamin K, can cause some increase in bleeding, research has shown. But no research has found this poses a health risk.
On the other hand, vitamin E performs many critical roles in optimum health. It protects polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidizing, may help protect other essential lipids, and has been studied for possible value in many degenerative diseases. Higher than normal intake levels may be needed for some people who have certain health problems, and smoking has also been shown to deplete vitamin E levels.
Traber said she recommends taking a daily multivitamin that has the full RDA of vitamin E, along with consuming a healthy and balanced diet.
College of Public Health and Human Sciences Media Contact: David Stauth Source:Maret Traber, 541-737-7977
Memoirist Dawn Raffel to read at OSU April 19
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Dawn Raffel will read from her illustrated memoir “The Secret Life of Objects” on Friday, April 19, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the rotunda of the Valley Library at Oregon State University.
The reading is free and open to the public, and a book signing will follow.
“The Secret Life of Objects” was on Oprah's Summer Reading List and Best Memoir List for 2012. Raffel’s stories have appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, BOMB, Conjunctions, and numerous other periodicals and anthologies. She is now editor-at-large for the book section of “Readers Digest.”
Jane Ciabattari of the Chicago Tribune wrote of “The Secret Life of Objects”: “Her gift for capturing the nugget of a relationship in a single backward glance works beautifully in this illustrated memoir.”
Raffel’s appearance in Corvallis is part of the OSU School of Writing, Literature, and Film’s Visiting Writers Series, and is sponsored by The Valley Library, the Office of the Provost, the College of Liberal Arts, Kathy Brisker and Tim Steele, and the OSU Beaver Store.
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source: Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageMemoirist Dawn Raffel to read at OSU April 19
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Dawn Raffel will read from her illustrated memoir “The Secret Life of Objects” on Friday, April 19, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the rotunda of the Valley Library at Oregon State University.
The reading is free and open to the public, and a book signing will follow.
“The Secret Life of Objects” was on Oprah's Summer Reading List and Best Memoir List for 2012. Raffel’s stories have appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine, BOMB, Conjunctions, and numerous other periodicals and anthologies. She is now editor-at-large for the book section of “Readers Digest.”
Jane Ciabattari of the Chicago Tribune wrote of “The Secret Life of Objects”: “Her gift for capturing the nugget of a relationship in a single backward glance works beautifully in this illustrated memoir.”
Raffel’s appearance in Corvallis is part of the OSU School of Writing, Literature, and Film’s Visiting Writers Series, and is sponsored by The Valley Library, the Office of the Provost, the College of Liberal Arts, Kathy Brisker and Tim Steele, and the OSU Beaver Store.
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source: Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageOSU faculty member honored in first Trans 100 list
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Qwo-Li Driskill of Oregon State University is an honoree of Trans 100, an inaugural overview of the breadth and diversity of work being done in, by and for the transgender community across the United States.
The 2013 Trans 100 list was created by We Happy Trans, a website that celebrates the positive experiences of transgender people, and This is H.O.W., a Phoenix-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the betterment of the lives of trans people. The first effort of its kind, the list intends to shift the coverage of trans issues by focusing on the positive work being accomplished, and providing visibility to those often underrepresented.
Driskill is an assistant professor of Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, as well as a poet, performer, activist and scholar, who is developing new curriculum in Queer Studies at OSU. Driskill is a multiracial Cherokee Two-Spirit, an umbrella term used by indigenous North Americans for people outside of established gender binaries.
The project received more than 500 nominations in December 2012.
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageOSU faculty member honored in first Trans 100 list
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Qwo-Li Driskill of Oregon State University is an honoree of Trans 100, an inaugural overview of the breadth and diversity of work being done in, by and for the transgender community across the United States.
The 2013 Trans 100 list was created by We Happy Trans, a website that celebrates the positive experiences of transgender people, and This is H.O.W., a Phoenix-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the betterment of the lives of trans people. The first effort of its kind, the list intends to shift the coverage of trans issues by focusing on the positive work being accomplished, and providing visibility to those often underrepresented.
Driskill is an assistant professor of Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, as well as a poet, performer, activist and scholar, who is developing new curriculum in Queer Studies at OSU. Driskill is a multiracial Cherokee Two-Spirit, an umbrella term used by indigenous North Americans for people outside of established gender binaries.
The project received more than 500 nominations in December 2012.
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageClassic play by Sartre presented by OSU Theatre beginning April 18
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University Theatre will present Jean-Paul Sartre’s classic existentialist comedy, “No Exit,” April 18-20 beginning at 7:30 p.m. A matinee performance will be held on April 21 beginning at 2 p.m.
This darkly funny play, directed by OSU student Abbey Pasquini, will appear in the lab theater in Withycombe Hall, 30th and Campus Way, Corvallis.
“No Exit” was written in 1944 during the German occupation of France and deals with what happens after death, and the punishment that might be waiting for the damned. There are no torture devices in this version of hell, just an uncomfortable room and two other people. As one of the characters in the play states, “Hell is other people.”
Director and designer Pasquini said she is eager to share this complex and philosophical work with audiences. “This play is a wonderful learning experience that is full of laughter, while also working through heavy, sometimes downright uncomfortable, philosophies,” she said.
The production features a cast of OSU students including seniors Claire Bryggman and Alycia Olivar and juniors Sam Thompson and Joseph Workman.
Tickets are on sale at the door only and are $6 for general admission, $5 for seniors, $4 for students/youth and $3 for OSU students.
For more information contact OSU Theatre Box Office 541-737-2784 or visit http://oregonstate.edu/dept/theatre/
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Classic play by Sartre presented by OSU Theatre beginning April 18
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University Theatre will present Jean-Paul Sartre’s classic existentialist comedy, “No Exit,” April 18-20 beginning at 7:30 p.m. A matinee performance will be held on April 21 beginning at 2 p.m.
This darkly funny play, directed by OSU student Abbey Pasquini, will appear in the lab theater in Withycombe Hall, 30th and Campus Way, Corvallis.
“No Exit” was written in 1944 during the German occupation of France and deals with what happens after death, and the punishment that might be waiting for the damned. There are no torture devices in this version of hell, just an uncomfortable room and two other people. As one of the characters in the play states, “Hell is other people.”
Director and designer Pasquini said she is eager to share this complex and philosophical work with audiences. “This play is a wonderful learning experience that is full of laughter, while also working through heavy, sometimes downright uncomfortable, philosophies,” she said.
The production features a cast of OSU students including seniors Claire Bryggman and Alycia Olivar and juniors Sam Thompson and Joseph Workman.
Tickets are on sale at the door only and are $6 for general admission, $5 for seniors, $4 for students/youth and $3 for OSU students.
For more information contact OSU Theatre Box Office 541-737-2784 or visit http://oregonstate.edu/dept/theatre/
College of Liberal Arts Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Four Oregon State University students honored by Barry M. Goldwater Foundation
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Three Oregon State University students have been awarded the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, an annual award given to the nation’s top undergraduate student research scholars in science, math and engineering by the federally endowed Goldwater Foundation.
A fourth student has received an honorable mention, making this OSU’s most successful year ever in the annual competition.
“Each campus is allowed to nominate four students for the award and for the first time, all four students nominated by OSU were recognized by the national Goldwater selection committee,” said Kevin Ahern, director of undergraduate research at Oregon State.
The one- and two-year scholarships cover the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board up to $7,500 per year.
The four awardees are all students in the University Honors College and the College of Science.
Helen Hobbs, a junior from Butte, Mont., is majoring in biochemistry/biophysics. She is a two-time participant in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute program and is researching the molecular basis of aging with professor Tory Hagen. She aspires to a research career.
Thomas Pitts, a junior from Ontario, Ore., is a math major conducting research in mathematics education and theoretical mathematics, with an emphasis on algebra and number theory. He has worked in OSU’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and studies under professor Tevian Dray. His goal is research and teaching at the university level.
Justin Zhang, a junior from Beaverton, is majoring in biochemistry/biophysics. He has worked with associate professor Jeffrey Greenwood since his freshman year studying glioblastoma, a type of malignant brain cancer. Zhang has done internships at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Sloan-Kettering. He is looking forward to a research career in human health.
James Rekow, a sophomore majoring in biochemistry/biophysics from Portland, works with associate professor Andrew Buermeyer on mechanisms of DNA repair and mutation relating to colon cancer. He has been involved in undergraduate research since his freshman year, including an internship at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. After attaining his Ph.D. in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Rekow plans to conduct research in genetic toxicology and teach at the university level.
The Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering, according to Peggy Goldwater Clay, who chairs the foundation’s board of trustees.
University Honors College Media Contact: Lee Sherman Source:Kevin Ahern, 541-737-2305
Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageFour Oregon State University students honored by Barry M. Goldwater Foundation
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Three Oregon State University students have been awarded the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, an annual award given to the nation’s top undergraduate student research scholars in science, math and engineering by the federally endowed Goldwater Foundation.
A fourth student has received an honorable mention, making this OSU’s most successful year ever in the annual competition.
“Each campus is allowed to nominate four students for the award and for the first time, all four students nominated by OSU were recognized by the national Goldwater selection committee,” said Kevin Ahern, director of undergraduate research at Oregon State.
The one- and two-year scholarships cover the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board up to $7,500 per year.
The four awardees are all students in the University Honors College and the College of Science.
Helen Hobbs, a junior from Butte, Mont., is majoring in biochemistry/biophysics. She is a two-time participant in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute program and is researching the molecular basis of aging with professor Tory Hagen. She aspires to a research career.
Thomas Pitts, a junior from Ontario, Ore., is a math major conducting research in mathematics education and theoretical mathematics, with an emphasis on algebra and number theory. He has worked in OSU’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and studies under professor Tevian Dray. His goal is research and teaching at the university level.
Justin Zhang, a junior from Beaverton, is majoring in biochemistry/biophysics. He has worked with associate professor Jeffrey Greenwood since his freshman year studying glioblastoma, a type of malignant brain cancer. Zhang has done internships at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Sloan-Kettering. He is looking forward to a research career in human health.
James Rekow, a sophomore majoring in biochemistry/biophysics from Portland, works with associate professor Andrew Buermeyer on mechanisms of DNA repair and mutation relating to colon cancer. He has been involved in undergraduate research since his freshman year, including an internship at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. After attaining his Ph.D. in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Rekow plans to conduct research in genetic toxicology and teach at the university level.
The Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering, according to Peggy Goldwater Clay, who chairs the foundation’s board of trustees.
University Honors College Media Contact: Lee Sherman Source:Kevin Ahern, 541-737-2305
Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageCEO Summit to be held May 7 in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. – Six Oregon leaders in business, technology and education will gather to discuss how to turn innovations into companies and jobs at the fourth annual CEO Summit, held Tuesday, May 7, at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront.
Presented by Oregon State University Advantage and the OSU College of Business, the event — “Taking Innovation to Market: Cultivating Ideas and Community” — begins at 7:30 a.m. with a keynote address by Dennis E. Hruby, chief scientific officer and vice president of SIGA Technologies Inc.
Following the keynote, a panel featuring entrepreneurs, industry leaders and Oregon State Venture Accelerator co-directors will discuss industry forming partnerships with universities to turn ideas into profitable companies, create jobs and have an impact on Oregon’s economy.
Panelists include:
- Ryan Kirkpatrick, chief executive officer, Shwood, Ltd.
- Mark Lieberman, chief startup officer and co-director, Office of Commercialization and Development and Oregon State Venture Accelerator
- John Turner, co-director, Oregon State Venture Accelerator
- Tim Weber, vice president and general manager, Printing Technology Development Operation, Hewlett-Packard
Mary Coucher, vice president of IP engineering, operations and geography licensing for IBM Corporation, will serve as the moderator for the discussion.
The Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront is located at 1401 S.W. Naito Parkway. For more information and to register, go to http://business.oregonstate.edu/CEOSummit
College of Business Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Jenn Casey, 541-737-0695
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageCEO Summit to be held May 7 in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. – Six Oregon leaders in business, technology and education will gather to discuss how to turn innovations into companies and jobs at the fourth annual CEO Summit, held Tuesday, May 7, at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront.
Presented by Oregon State University Advantage and the OSU College of Business, the event — “Taking Innovation to Market: Cultivating Ideas and Community” — begins at 7:30 a.m. with a keynote address by Dennis E. Hruby, chief scientific officer and vice president of SIGA Technologies Inc.
Following the keynote, a panel featuring entrepreneurs, industry leaders and Oregon State Venture Accelerator co-directors will discuss industry forming partnerships with universities to turn ideas into profitable companies, create jobs and have an impact on Oregon’s economy.
Panelists include:
- Ryan Kirkpatrick, chief executive officer, Shwood, Ltd.
- Mark Lieberman, chief startup officer and co-director, Office of Commercialization and Development and Oregon State Venture Accelerator
- John Turner, co-director, Oregon State Venture Accelerator
- Tim Weber, vice president and general manager, Printing Technology Development Operation, Hewlett-Packard
Mary Coucher, vice president of IP engineering, operations and geography licensing for IBM Corporation, will serve as the moderator for the discussion.
The Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront is located at 1401 S.W. Naito Parkway. For more information and to register, go to http://business.oregonstate.edu/CEOSummit
College of Business Media Contact: Angela Yeager Source:Jenn Casey, 541-737-0695
Multimedia: Promote to OSU home page: Not Promote to the OSU home pageOSU aims for 1,000 Lane County 4-H'ers
EUGENE, Ore. – In three to five years, the Oregon State University Extension Service aims to get more than 1,000 youth enrolled in its 4-H clubs in Lane County, which are returning after a two-year absence.
"Our goal is to grow our enrollment back to and even exceed what we historically had in the past," said John Punches, a regional Extension administrator. "I think we will grow much bigger over time."
The 4-H youth development program closed in 2010, when about 400 youth were members of clubs, because the county's government withdrew its funding for Extension. But thanks to donations, Extension in Lane County has been training club leaders and recruiting students since October 2012.
"4-H is back," Punches said. "It’s in a new format that will allow young people to get hands-on experience in everything from animals to art and marine science to machinery and food to photography – all while developing leadership skills and doing great things for the communities where they live."
Six general interest community 4-H clubs for students in grades 4-12 are open for enrollment in Eugene, Springfield and other parts of Lane County. Extension has trained 45 adult volunteers to lead the clubs and serve as mentors.
Annalisa Linn, 13, of Veneta, participated in 4-H two years ago. She signed up for the 4-H club in western Lane County in February and is looking forward to learning about photography, cake decorating and art. Two years ago, her family had to drive nearly two hours to Corvallis to participate in the 4-H program in Benton County.
"I'm just really happy it's back and I don't have to drive all the way to Benton," she said.
Members of each club will be able to decide what skills they want to learn. For example, one student could learn to show horses while another pupil in that same club learns to raise a puppy as a guide dog. Other topics could include woodworking, leather craft, public speaking, rocketry, crocheting, entomology and leadership development.
OSU Extension is also recruiting adult leaders with the aim of creating groups for Cloverbuds, a 4-H program for youth in kindergarten through third grade.
To lead 4-H in Lane County, Extension hired Kate Hammarback of Eugene, who comes with extensive experience in education and community organizing. Hammarback, who started Feb. 8, previously worked as a children's program teacher for the Oregon Research Institute. She will develop and establish clubs, recruit and train leaders, develop activities, collaborate with 4-H officials in neighboring counties and encourage kids to sign up for the clubs.
In the past several months, Extension officials and volunteers have raised more than $50,000 in donations and grants, which will fund the 4-H program in Lane County for its first year, Punches said. Retailer Coastal Farm and Ranch has pledged $100,000 in seed money for the first three years.
"Coastal's support has been instrumental in getting the 4-H program restarted in Lane County," Punches said.
In the long run, the Extension Service aims to sustain the program through enrollment fees, grants and more donations, Punches said.
For information about enrolling in 4-H as a student or volunteering as an adult, go to http://bit.ly/11DgZuK or call the OSU Extension Service in Lane County at 541-344-5043.
4-H is the largest out-of-school youth development program nationwide. Thousands of young people in kindergarten through 12th grade participate in OSU Extension's 4-H program each year in a variety of hands-on activities. The return of 4-H to Lane County means that OSU Extension now has a 4-H presence in every one of Oregon's 36 counties.
The following is a schedule of club meetings open to parents and youth:
- West Lane Community Club: April 10 at 6 p.m., Veneta Fire Station, 88050 Territorial Hwy., Veneta
- Eugene Community Club: April 15 at 6:30 p.m., Willakenzie Grange, 3055 Willakenzie Rd., Eugene
- Springfield Community Club: April 18 at 6 p.m., Trinity Baptist Church, 1162 B St., Springfield
John Punches, 541-602-4689
Kate Hammarback, (541) 344-5043
Multimedia:
Kate Hammarback is the new 4-H coordinator for the Oregon State University Extension Service in Lane County. (Photo by Patty Driscoll.)
Children participate in a parachute activity at a 4-H summer camp in Lane County in 2006. New 4-H clubs are returning to Lane County after a funding shortfall ended the Oregon State University Extension Service's 4-H program there in 2010. (Photo by OSU's EESC.)
OSU aims for 1,000 Lane County 4-H'ers
EUGENE, Ore. – In three to five years, the Oregon State University Extension Service aims to get more than 1,000 youth enrolled in its 4-H clubs in Lane County, which are returning after a two-year absence.
"Our goal is to grow our enrollment back to and even exceed what we historically had in the past," said John Punches, a regional Extension administrator. "I think we will grow much bigger over time."
The 4-H youth development program closed in 2010, when about 400 youth were members of clubs, because the county's government withdrew its funding for Extension. But thanks to donations, Extension in Lane County has been training club leaders and recruiting students since October 2012.
"4-H is back," Punches said. "It’s in a new format that will allow young people to get hands-on experience in everything from animals to art and marine science to machinery and food to photography – all while developing leadership skills and doing great things for the communities where they live."
Six general interest community 4-H clubs for students in grades 4-12 are open for enrollment in Eugene, Springfield and other parts of Lane County. Extension has trained 45 adult volunteers to lead the clubs and serve as mentors.
Annalisa Linn, 13, of Veneta, participated in 4-H two years ago. She signed up for the 4-H club in western Lane County in February and is looking forward to learning about photography, cake decorating and art. Two years ago, her family had to drive nearly two hours to Corvallis to participate in the 4-H program in Benton County.
"I'm just really happy it's back and I don't have to drive all the way to Benton," she said.
Members of each club will be able to decide what skills they want to learn. For example, one student could learn to show horses while another pupil in that same club learns to raise a puppy as a guide dog. Other topics could include woodworking, leather craft, public speaking, rocketry, crocheting, entomology and leadership development.
OSU Extension is also recruiting adult leaders with the aim of creating groups for Cloverbuds, a 4-H program for youth in kindergarten through third grade.
To lead 4-H in Lane County, Extension hired Kate Hammarback of Eugene, who comes with extensive experience in education and community organizing. Hammarback, who started Feb. 8, previously worked as a children's program teacher for the Oregon Research Institute. She will develop and establish clubs, recruit and train leaders, develop activities, collaborate with 4-H officials in neighboring counties and encourage kids to sign up for the clubs.
In the past several months, Extension officials and volunteers have raised more than $50,000 in donations and grants, which will fund the 4-H program in Lane County for its first year, Punches said. Retailer Coastal Farm and Ranch has pledged $100,000 in seed money for the first three years.
"Coastal's support has been instrumental in getting the 4-H program restarted in Lane County," Punches said.
In the long run, the Extension Service aims to sustain the program through enrollment fees, grants and more donations, Punches said.
For information about enrolling in 4-H as a student or volunteering as an adult, go to http://bit.ly/11DgZuK or call the OSU Extension Service in Lane County at 541-344-5043.
4-H is the largest out-of-school youth development program nationwide. Thousands of young people in kindergarten through 12th grade participate in OSU Extension's 4-H program each year in a variety of hands-on activities. The return of 4-H to Lane County means that OSU Extension now has a 4-H presence in every one of Oregon's 36 counties.
The following is a schedule of club meetings open to parents and youth:
- West Lane Community Club: April 10 at 6 p.m., Veneta Fire Station, 88050 Territorial Hwy., Veneta
- Eugene Community Club: April 15 at 6:30 p.m., Willakenzie Grange, 3055 Willakenzie Rd., Eugene
- Springfield Community Club: April 18 at 6 p.m., Trinity Baptist Church, 1162 B St., Springfield
John Punches, 541-602-4689
Kate Hammarback, (541) 344-5043
Multimedia:
Kate Hammarback is the new 4-H coordinator for the Oregon State University Extension Service in Lane County. (Photo by Patty Driscoll.)
Children participate in a parachute activity at a 4-H summer camp in Lane County in 2006. New 4-H clubs are returning to Lane County after a funding shortfall ended the Oregon State University Extension Service's 4-H program there in 2010. (Photo by OSU's EESC.)
