January, 2008

update! RESEARCH NEWSLETTER

 

	Featuring OSU research and scholarship in all disciplines
	Oregon Transportation Commission Student Internships: Grounded in Space Learning, Appreciation, and Mutual Respect Incentive Programs: Changes, Deadlines, Awards Good Memories Websites to Watch Undergraduate Innovators Still Preventing Disease Links to Resources

Student Internships: Grounded in Space

This fall, Oregon NASA Space Grant hosted a Student Symposium showcasing NASA intern research projects. Samples:

Matthew Clothier focused on improving the simulations of terrain features. Nate Edwards studied lessons learned from Mars Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. He said the concepts may be applied to the creation of a moon base, and should promote robots doing most of the work to explore and build the first celestial body base. Greg Newbloom's report was titled "Cross-linked Oriented Nanocomposite Extrusion (CLONE): Nanocomposite Processing and Optimization." He experimented towards a material with potential to be very strong yet lightweight. Robert Peckyno used Geographic Information System images to reveal characteristics of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. Dustin Lear's task was to help NASA preserve its history at its first facility. He researched technical papers, clips from videos, photographs, virtual tours, interviews, and more.

See Symposium.pdf

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Learning, Appreciation, and Mutual Respect

The Multicultural Resources Calendar is available on-line to those with OSU accounts. It highlights birthdays, cultural/historical events, days of religious observance, and public holidays, including many " that may have been historically overlooked." It includes information and resources from over 100 countries, "to encourage an informed awareness of these events that will make interactions with other cultures an experience of learning, appreciation, and mutual respect."

In December you may have missed Frank Sinatra's birthday or Human Rights Day. Or the commemoration of the death of Tatanka-Yatanka (Sitting Bull) who led the Sioux and Cheyenne resistance to displacement and assimilation. The birthday of Sarah Breedlove Walker, the entrepreneurial genius whose hair products business became the largest enterprise owned by an African American. Boxing Day, when people in the U.K. give gifts to tradespeople and others who provide service.

Update asked a few OSUers to point to winter dates they deem significant, based on their professional research and/or personal experience. You are invited to submit your own entries for future issues of Update.

Tuba Ozkan-Haller, Assistant Professor, Marine Geology & Geophysics, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences

Ozkan-Haller is raising her three sons with some of the traditions she grew up with in Turkey. As a kid I always thought Kids Day was cool, and I still do. But my most exciting memories (with perhaps the most lasting effects) were from Victory Day every year. My father was a Navy officer (he retired at the rank of Rear Admiral); hence there were always big celebrations involved (even during the years we lived out of the country). If my father was on ship duty, my brother and I would get to be on a ship while my parents were off participating in the celebrations in an official capacity. I have memories of roaming around on these ships (supervised by a soldier, of course) and being fascinated with how everything worked. I always asked questions: when I was younger it was "How can this big heavy boat float?" As I got older I wondered, "How does a radar work?,""How does a ship turn?," "What's propeller theory?" Not surprisingly, I ended up in a profession involving water. My fascination with water and everything in it started then and continues on today. __

Ann Morey-Ross , Senior Faculty Research Assistant, Active Tectonics Laboratory,
College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences

This past May and June I was on an oceanographic research vessel to study the history of great earthquakes of the Sunda subduction off Western Sumatra, Indonesia. We were required to have a team of Indonesian scientists onboard to gain clearance to work in Indonesian waters. I managed the lab operations during the day shift, and noticed that a couple of times a day the Indonesian scientists would disappear, returning to their stations in different clothing. I was initially concerned about their disappearance, as we were working 12 hour shifts - the loss of half the scientists working during a shift could have a big impact on the amount of work that we accomplished!

Their Chief Scientist explained to me that they are Muslims and it was their practice to meet for prayers several times during the day in formal attire to show respect to God, and that they would be gone for only a
short time. He assured me they would time their absence so they would not be gone during critical operations. This ritual did not negatively impact the amount or quality of work that was done on the cruise, and the inclusion of these people greatly enhanced my at-sea experience and interest in Indonesian holidays and cultures.

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David McMurray, Department Chair and Associate Professor, Cultural Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts

I have had a long-standing professional and personal interest in the greater Middle East/ West Asia/ North Africa. The two dates I chose probably seem insignificant to people in the U.S., but for Pakistan and Egypt they are extremely important milestones. Dec. 25th (2007), Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s birthday Muhammad Ali Jinnah , a Muslim Indian politician, is to Pakistan what Gandhi is to India: the founding father. He struggled for the creation of a separate homeland, concerned about the ability of Muslims to participate openly and equally in a Hindu-dominant state.

In 1947 as England divided and departed from its former Indian colony, extreme ethnic violence accompanied the transfer of millions of Muslim Indians to the newly created Pakistan, and millions of Hindus to the newly created India. Ever since, Pakistanis have struggled to determine how to carry the burden as citizens of the only state dedicated to the protection of Muslims. Jinnah advocated for a more secular state protective of the rights of all. Unfortunately, he was given a very unflattering portrayal in the movie "Gandhi."

Dec. 23rd (2007), Victory Day in Egypt
This was an important event in the Third World struggle against colonialism: the withdrawal of invading forces from the Suez Canal zone at the end of the Suez Crisis of 1956. Egyptian President Nasser nationalized the foreign-owned Suez Canal Company.

Nasser had been threatening the dominance of the major Western powers by maintaining a neutral stance during the Cold War and by furthering the cause of Arab Nationalism and independence across the Arab World. Britain, France and Israel, joining forces, invaded Egypt and re-conquered the Suez Canal. The U.S. forced a ceasefire and then refused to support the invasion, which caused it to fizzle. Many point to Nasser's momentous political victory as the beginning of the end of European colonial rule in the Middle East.

Good Memories

Forget to do that research you got funding for? Misplace your lab? Can't remember the names of your collaborators?

Turmeric

Blame incidents of memory loss on your meds. Distractions. Stress. An infection. Lack of adequate sleep, exercise, B-12, or mental stimulation . . . Or, your age. Consider help from blueberries. Turmeric. Building your social network. Creative visualizing. Water . . . Or, an appointment with a doctor.

 

Sharon Johnson, associate professor in Health and Human Sciences and Extension, works to raise awareness about memory issues. To the question "Should I be worried?," she provides information and resources to help determine whether to try techniques, make lifestyle changes, or seek clinical diagnosis. See Johnson's columns on memory and other aspects of health (including "Oily Brain Food . . . Yum!") in Southern Oregon's Mail Tribune.

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Incentive Programs

New Electronic Submission

The General Research Fund and the Research Equipment Reserve Fund, two of the programs for faculty administered by the Research Office, now require electronic as well as paper submissions.

The Research Council along with the Research Office implemented the change to improve the process of review of proposals.

Completed proposal packets ( MSWord or PDF files) are to be sent via email, and a paper copy via campus mail or hand-delivered.

"The change does cut down on paper usage, even though one hardcopy of each proposal is still necessary, in order to include signatures of the PI, departments chair, and possibly others ," says Debbie Delmore, who coordinates the special program submissions. "The reviewers will be able to access all proposals electronically, instead of my distributing multiple copies."

Application Deadlines

Applications for the Faculty Release Time Winter 2007-08 solicitation (for Spring Term 2007-08 release) are due by Monday, January 21.

Proposals for the General Research Fund Spring 2007-08 solicitation are due by Monday, February 11. Please note: Proposals must be submitted electronically.

See complete program descriptions, application materials and proposal criteria. For more information, contact Debbie Delmore, phone 737-8390

New Equipment Around Campus

Children may still be playing with holiday gifts, or new toys may all be broken by now. Ten faculty members recently received Research Equipment Reserve Funds from the Research Office for new equipment; we hope they can use them well for a long time to come.

With recommendations by the Research Council, the Vice President for Research approved proposals for the following items, for a total of $400,730.

• Digital Camera for use with Stereo and Compound Microscopes - Lorenzo Ciannelli, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
• Environmental Chambers - Timothy Cowles, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
• Soft Cheese Vat - Lisbeth Goddik, Food Science and Technology, Agricultural Sciences
• Compact System for Fatigue Testing of Small Composite Samples - LechMuszyński, Wood Science and Engineering, Forestry
• Brightwell Dynamic Particle Analyzer - Jeffrey Nason, School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Engineering
• Irrigation Pump with Variable Frequency Controller, JamesOwen, North Willamette Research Extension Center, Agricultural Sciences
• ME5 Balance Sartorius Gold ME, Fredrick Prahl, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
• TA Instruments AR2000ex Rotational Rheometer, Skip Rochefort, School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Engineering
• Tandem Mass Spectrometer for Small Molecule Analysis - Jan Frederik Stevens, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy
• Genesis Series Freeze Dryer 35L Model (VirTis) - Steven Strauss, Forest Science, Forestry

See the list of Shared Facilities on campus (and please notify the Research Office of updates for your facilities).

 

Websites to Watch

 

Marine Mammal Institute of the College of Agricultural Sciences This new site includes an article that begins "One small plop for the ocean. One giant leap for wave energy research.". http://mmi.oregonstate.edu/

Linus Pauling and the International Peace Movement [new site]
This is a rich source of information on Linus and Ava Helen Pauling's body of peace work — images, narratives, documents, calendars, even videos.

Community Storytelling Festival Over the years, The Center for the Humanities (Peter J. Copek Fund) and other OSU units have joined leading town organizations in supporting a rich series multicultural performances and workshops. The 2008 Tcha Tee Man Wi Storytelling Festival's free events are Jan 31 - Feb 3. thebestlibrary.net/corvallis/storyfest/default.asp

 

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Undergraduate Innovators

Studying Energy, Savages, Rock, Hormones, Noise,
Consumption, Uncertainty, Giant Water Bugs, and more

One way to find out what students across campus are up to: follow the funding. The Vice President for Research is proud to announce the awards for the Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Creativity (URISC) 2007-08 Fall solicitation.

There were 21 submissions, with requests for funding for $28,898. With recommendations by the URISC Advisory Panel, awards went to 13 students, with funding totaling $18,434.

This list of student awardees and their projects, faculty advisors, and departments, gives a snapshot of the depth and breadth of undergraduate work.

• Nichole Cespedes "Purification of a Thermotolerant Hydrogenase for Production of Biohydrogen as a Source of Alternative Energy"(Roger Ely, Biological and Ecological Engineering)
• Scott Clark "Finite Element Modeling of Uncertain Interfaces" (Malgorzata Peszynska, Mathematics)
• Jennifer Coppersmith "Gene Regulation by miRNA in Arabidopsis" (Hiro Nonogaki, Horticulture)
• Sarah Fisher "Prey Preference and Consumption Rates in European Green Crabs and Juvenile Dungeness Crabs" (Sylvia Behrens Yamada, Zoology)
• Daniel Harada "Noise Mechanisms in Carbon Nanotube Biosensors" (Ethan Minot, Physics)
• Marshall Knoderbane "Analysis of Bateman's Principles in the Giant Water Bug Abedus herberi" (David Lytle, Zoology)
• Robert Lamb "A Comparison of Community Structure Between Low Light, Rock Wall Overhangs and Sun-Exposed Surfaces in the Intertidal Zone" (Bruce Menge, Zoology)
• Leigh McLean "Socioeconomic Status as a Factor in School Readiness" (Megan McClelland, Human Development and Family Sciences)
• Kara Miles-Rockenfield "Purification, Crystallization, and Mutagenesis of ToxB, A Host Selective Toxin in Pyrenophora tritici-repentis" (Lynda Ciuffetti, Botany and Plant Pathology)
• Duy Pham "Analysis of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Dependent Gene Expression in Murine T Cells upon 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) Exposure in vitro" (Nancy Kerkvliet, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology)
• Tania Porter "One Mile from Civilization to Savage: American Attitudes towards French-Canadian Settlers in the Oregon Territory" (David McMurray, Anthropology)
• Karen Tonsfeldt "The Body's Clock on Steroids: Effects of Ovarian Steroid Hormone Exposure on Circadian Clock Function in Multiple Tissues Within the Reproductive Axis" (Patrick Chappell, Zoology)
• Erin Wyckoff "Soil CO2 Efflux in DIRT Plots at Equilibrium (a DIRT-y job)" (Barbara Bond, Forest Science)

LInk to the next solicitation for the URISC program

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Remembering Productivity

You may not feel productive after a winter break, and you may not be up for more celebration. Yet we can continue to rejoice in the high rankings of OSU faculty, as recognized in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

See OSU press release and Chronicle article

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Still Preventing Disease

Despite the hairstyle and clothes, the vintage poster by the American Lung Association might be apropo today. Influenza and tuberculosis (TB) are, unfortunately, not diseases of the past. More than 14,000 cases of TB were reported in 2005 in the US; it is an increasing worldwide problem, especially in Africa. Each year there are close to 2 million deaths attributed to TB, 100,000 of those among children. It is estimated that by 2020 , 36 million will die of TB worldwide — if control is not further strengthened. Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) runs a national awareness campaign about the importance of influenza vaccination. Public health agencies provide information about prevention. [note: see CDC's Stopping the Spread of Germs at Work about covering sneezes and coughs, and Norovirus] - Anna Harding, Professor and Graduate Coordinator, College of Health and Human Sciences, offered these comments. Her focus is environmental health, including water quality, environmental contamination and public health interventions, and community involvement. Public Health is grounded in the health and social sciences, concerned with the effect of human behavior, social and governmental policies and programs, industrial environments, and health service systems on individual and population health and well-being. Faculty in OSU's Department of Public Health conduct research on a wide range of diseases and issues.

World-class research by Luiz Bermudez, M.D. may lead to greater understanding of infectious diseases including tuberculosis. Bermudez is department head of the Department of Microbiology, Molecular & Cellular Biology Program of the College of Veterinary Medicine. The Bermudez laboratory is interested in the mechanisms of pathogenesis of intracellular bacteria, with focus on mycobacteria, a common cause of infections in humans and animals. Bermudez website; Terra article