Mosaic: Ethnic Minorities in Oregon

Jun Xing, Erlinda Gonzales-Berry, Kurt Peters, Patti Sakurai, and Robert Thompson represent a mosaic of "ethnic minorities" in Oregon. And that's the name these OSU faculty chose for their anthology on the subject. As editors, they've gathered information from their own research and that of other scholars to present an eye-opening picture of our state's history.

"Doc" Hay

Xing begins the collection describing the Kam Wah Chung museum in John Day, Eastern Oregon; it was once the home of a prominent doctor, Ing "Doc" Hayand his partner Lung On. Arriving from China in 1887, Lung On opened a general store, sold bootleg whiskey, and had the first automobile dealership in Eastern Oregon. He also was reputed to be "macho" and quite promiscuous. "Doc" Hayes attracted patients from as far away as Washington, South Dakota, Nevada, and Idaho. His imported medicines included tortoise shell, bat wings, and brown bear paws, and he is credited with saving "thousands of lives" during an influenza plague. Both men broke stereotypes, becoming respected and even celebrated citizens, at a time when other Chinese immigrants in this country were being harassed, lynched, and massacred.

---

About Art About Agriculture

 

Dyanne Locati, "Tassels", 1992, Color Pencil. Recipient of the 1993 Oregon Women for Agriculture Purchase Award

The College of Agricultural Sciences is presenting a 25-year retrospective of its annual juried competition, Art About Agriculture. The exhibit is at the Oregon Historical Society, 1200 S.W. Park Ave., Portland, through Sept. 17.   see image at top of this issue, "Jam Session," and more about OSU's Art About Agriculture program

 

 

Interview in the Elevator: Raymond Baggs, Interim Director, and Attending Veterinarian, of Laboratory Animal Resources Center

 

Update: Do you have pets at home?

Raymond Baggs, Interim Director, and Attending Veterinarian, of Laboratory Animal Resources Center: We've had a whole procession — cats and dogs, and also, let's see, hermit crabs, and ferrets, tropical fish, and hedgehogs . . . And I feel privileged to work with animals. I like animals!

Update: How do you feel about them being of use in the laboratory?

RB: The animals are our partners in research. They enable knowledge on needs of humans and of the whole earth, and also on the needs of particular animals. A substantial part of OSU's huge research portfolio— probably $15 million to $30 million of our federal funding — depends on fish, beef, poultry. . . Update: And what is the Center's role? RB: LARC [pronounced lark] is here to provide assurance that all animals used in teaching and research are well cared-for. We honor them and treat them with respect. It's a trust, a responsibility. We use as few animals as possible, and only those who are going to give us information that is meaningful. Update: What is special about animal research at OSU?

RB: The wide variety of species. OSU is widely recognized for the work with zebrafish — this is not a traditional animal used in research. Their use enables us to do a huge amount of cutting-edge research in environmental health.

And OSU Camelid herds are also unusual. There's not a lot of research elsewhere on the care of llamas.

Update: What are your plans for LARC?

RB: We're working on the required paperwork to qualify for accreditation by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care. That will allow us to better demonstrate, to potential funding agencies, the quality of our science and our care

Update: Do you have any concerns in your new position?

RB: I'm always concerned about the welfare of animals. I know that many people on campus and in the community are opposed to the use of animals in research in any way. There are appropriate forums to discuss the issue — ways that do not disrupt studies or damage property. And for heaven's sake, don't take it out on the animals. Laws can be changed, if that's necessary.

Update: Do you plan on applying for the permanent directorship of LARC?

RB: I can be most valuable assisting in the selection of someone for it — probably a fairly recent graduate of a program in lab animal medicine — and then mentoring them to develop a strong recognized program.

Update: What would you look for in a candidate?

RB: Someone who is interested in collaborations with established researchers. Part of the job here is to foster cross-disciplinary work. For example, if someone is working on vision, I might link that investigator with an ophthalmologist in the veterinary school to develop a model. It's always been very satisfying to me to help find links. Most major scientific advances come at interfaces between disciplines.

Update: What did one lab rat say to the other?

RB: I've got my scientist so well-trained that every time I push the buzzer, he brings me a snack.

 

The News in Our Backyard - A Pop Quiz

Fill in the blanks

• Corvallis ranks second in the nation for number of ___ as a percentage of total employment.
• Umatilla county is Oregon's leader in ___ energy development.
• Global sea levels are ___.
• This year's distinguished professors were recently named.

  One has been an innovator in transparent and printed ___, and most recently, ___ materials.
  The other is honored for her research breakthroughs on ____ that changed scientific viewpoints about the factors controlling oceanic ___, as well as for her mentoring of ___.

• Feral ___, a serious problem to ___ nationwide, are rapidly expanding their range in Oregon.

For help, go to the bottom of this issue.

---

 

Celebrating Collaborating

In response to Update's May article about the Native American Collaborative Institute, Sandy DeBano wrote the following to Kurt Peters:

" . . . David Wooster and I are riparian ecologists in OSU’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and are stationed at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center . . to work on salmon related issues. Part of our positions’ responsibilities is to form collaborative research relationships with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Our former superintendent, Gary Reed, long believed in the importance of establishing good working relationships with CTUIR, especially given the potential conflicts that have and will continue to arise between natural resources and agriculture in this area. . . .. Gary’s efforts . . . have made a real difference in Umatilla County, and our new superintendent, Phil Hamm, is also dedicated to this mission. CTUIR and the agricultural producers in the Umatilla Basin have been largely successful in working together . . ."

Update thanks Gary Reed, Emeritus Professor of Entomology, for alerting us about the related work of these faculty members, and Stella Coakley, associate dean responsible for oversight of the Hermiston station as well as for the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, for letting us know the connection was made.