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update! RESEARCH NEWSLETTER |
Sorry - technical error - for the May 2008 issue please go to
http://oregonstate.edu/research/news/update/0805.htm
below is the previous issue of Update
2008 issue 2
| Featuring OSU research and scholarship in all disciplines
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Save the Date! 2 pm- 4 pm
The Research Office, Sea Grant, and Office of Post-Award Administration invite all faculty and staff to an open house.
Visit our lovely remodels, view art, enjoy refreshments and learn about services and opportunities available to you.
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The offices under the Vice President for Research continue to serve OSU faculty. For the above situations and more, you'll find services streamlined through a newly organized unit:
308 Kerr Administration Building
phone 737-4933
oregonstate.edu/research/ori/index.htm
ORI helps with issues of conflict of interest, animal use, human subjects, and more. This unit was previously called "Research Compliance." It and the Office of Sponsored Programs are now separate but both still part of the Research Office.
"The new title best describes the goal of this office," said Associate Vice President for Research Rich Holdren, who currently oversees ORI. "With compliance committees, our staff works to insure that faculty, staff, and students follow governmental guidelines, and the even bigger picture is that we support the continuation of OSU's research excellence. Integrity says it all."
Faculty should be aware that non-compliance can result in severe penalties to the institution, and, in some instances, to the individuals involved. It is the responsibility of all members of the university community to be familiar with OSU policies as related to these research compliance areas.
The following are some regulated areas: Animal Care and Use; Animal Handler Occupational Health and Safety Program;Biosafety; Chemical Safety; Conflict of Interest; Diving Control Board; Human Participants - Institutional Review Board (IRB); Radiation Safety; Scientific and Scholarly Misconduct.
One advantage of belonging to the OSU research community is the opportunity to access specialized equipment and services. note: "Sharing" in this case does not necessarily mean offering access for free, nor letting anyone handle equipment. Fees often offset costs. Services can be provided in which trained personnel take on projects. Please see the list of Shared Facilities, and please help keep the list complete and accurate - notify us about your unit's facilities . |
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http://me.oregonstate.edu/facilities/machineshop
The College of Engineering has an incredible resource tucked away in the basement of Rogers Hall, a resource that can save you money and time on your research projects.
The MIME Machine Shop is now one of the best academic facilities of its kind in the nation, thanks to a just-completed expansion that includes cutting-edge equipment valued at approximately $100,000 donated by local companies. It includes a forklift from NACCO Materials Handling Group and large CNC machines from ATS Systems Oregon.
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The Wave Energy research team recently saved $12,000 using this resource to machine parts for their wave buoy prototype, and the job was completed in record time...by mechanical engineering students! Steve Adams invites all to see the new and improved shop, to see what he and his team can offer you. |
You get some work published in a journal. You celebrate! You want to share it with others besides that journal's subscribers. And you hope people will be able to find it years from now. So you easily grab the PDF and post it on your pages on your departmental website. Stop! Do Not Pass Go! Likely you've violated copyright laws. Besides, you have no assurance of permanency. |
You've done some research you know is valuable. But though you've tried to get it published, no bites. Sitting on your desktop, it stares at you. |
| Your students produced fantastic material. But commencement ceremonies are over, and the theses and dissertations are already collecting dust. | You're looking for some specific historic material related to your work. But the librarian regrets to inform you that it's not available - there just isn't room or budget to stock everything on the shelves. |
The above are sad, but common, scenarios that are of the past, thanks to ScholarsArchive@OSU.
| The digital service developed by OSU Valley Library three years ago gathers, indexes, makes available, and stores aspects of the scholarly work of this community. It also includes outside materials that support the university's missions and research interests. |
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"The project started as a faculty senate task force on communication. Our team has been working to establish better, more open access to the creative, teaching, and research work on campus, " said Janet Webster, a team leaders.
She points out one indication of the timeliness and need: National Institutes of Health now mandates that anyone receiving NIH funding must post the work in an open venue. "Tax money is going into research and they want the average person to be able to get at it," she said. "Another example is natural resource information: how can an interested landowner find out relevant information?"
The accessible archive of OSU's wealth of "scholarly capital" is building. For example: The College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences is posting their past reference and data reports, so that researchers will be able to access valuable baseline studies. The papers presented at meetings of the Western Dry Kiln Association are posted. The Graduate School is posting every thesis and dissertation. And the Honors College posts the final projects of each of its students. |
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"I imagine it will start to snowball," says Webster. "We want to store valuable material, and this is a way to make it visible while retaining the creators' rights," Webster says But she notes that there are considerations about appropriate material. "If we don't watch it, this could just become the digital attic!"
The team appreciates that faculty don't welcome one more thing to do after all the work it takes to get published; the process of depositing research is as quick and easy as possible. And for previously unpublished work, you will be helped so any future use is not jeopardized.
To see the "collections" of work already posted, and to start or add to a collection, visit ScholarsArchive@OSU , and contact your subject librarian, as listed on the website. For information, contact Michael Boock or Janet Webster.
In early February, you may have received an email invitation to join the "Campus Carbon Challenge" to reduce personal carbon-dioxide emissions. If you followed the link, you found an organized and sophisticated website that it gives the impression of an endeavor well-established on campuses around the country.
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Yet this is a fledgling effort unique to OSU, the experiment of Carly Johnson, a student in Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. She's been combining applied ethics, anthropology, and sociology to inspire us each to make small changes that can add up to a big reduction of carbon emissions. Johnson presents well-organized information, a survey about our common carbon-using habits, and do-able ideas to reduce emissions. Within a short time, 4,000 pledges of personal changes were made, by 600 are OSU students, faculty and staff from over 80 departments, and 100 external respondents. |
Johnson happily reduces her carbon emissions by biking, even in the snow. |
"We had planned to get about 200 people to join the challenge, " Johnson said. "The remarkable turnout is encouraging and makes me think we're onto something. " |
Johnson credits help from the Student Sustainability Initiative grant, the OSU student Global Environmental Challenge Organization, and the Spring Creek Project. The original survey results will be finalized in mid-March, but there is still time to benefit from the information and resources. And don't be surprised if we soon see this OSU project spread from coast to coast. Johnson will use the findings to better understand the real-world challenges of emissions reductions and to examine the ethical dimensions of "decarbonizing." After graduating, she plans to develop a larger carbon-reduction initiative and to apply to PhD programs. |
Among the "50 Things You Can Do":
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"Graphic artists deal with what are called wicked problems," says Ed McDonald, art professor. "Messy - they can't be solved the same way twice. This is more complex, I believe, than mathematics. To come up with a variety of possible solutions, we use design, which in its essence has a science and logic to it. Design goes far beyond style and good taste." Studio 208, the professional practice forum in graphic design in the Art Department, teaches such concepts to undergraduates. In Studio 208, McDonald oversees senior students as they solve problems for real-world clients. He wants more OSU faculty to know that the students are prepared to help communicate about research and scholarship. "Researchers know their field well — but how do they explain what they do to an audience of non-experts?," McDonald says. "We offer visual horsepower to craft your message and make your information accessible, whether it's through a display at a show, a report, a website, or an in-person presentation. Design is not just cutting and pasting — it is highly strategic problem-solving, using various tools, including perception and psychology. We help visualize concepts that are invisible." |
| In the professional atmosphere of Studio 208, student teams and individuals are currently working on projects for organizations on- and off-campus. The City of Corvallis is getting help to better convey information about the bus system. Suicide prevention education is the topic of a contract with the University of Oregon. The websites of the Withycombe Theatre and also the Nanomaterial-Biological Interactions are being re-designed. |  |
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"There is a small charge, but this is mainly a learning experience for the students," McDonald says. "They'll graduate soon, prepared to go on in their careers." Link to Studio 208. To discuss project possibilities, contact Ed.MacDonald@oregonstate.edu. graphics: logos designed by Studio 208 |
Don't remember which year your neighborhood flooded? Want to know whether to plan on a hike at the coast tomorrow? Need to tell your relatives when to come for a ski vacation? Wonder why your eyes were itchy last week? Curious about satellite imaging? Have to figure out whether road conditions are likely to be safe?
For the past 17 years, you have been able to access answers from the Oregon Climate Service (OCS), associated with the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, thanks to its founder and director, George Taylor. He and his staff in Strand Hall maintain the most complete set of state weather and climate records in Oregon. In response to over 6,000 telephone or mail requests each year and 3.5 million website hits each month, OCS makes a wealth of information easily accessible in a variety of formats. OCS’ many publications include the Oregon Weather Summary and site-specific climate reports; research topics have ranged from wind modeling to the effects of El Niño. Taylor also wrote The Oregon Weather Book and The Climate of Oregon, both published by OSU Press.
The State Climatologist and past president of the American Association of State Climatologists, Taylor has made many additional contributions to our knowledge and understanding of climate and weather. He recently announced his retirement from OSU. His service has been greatly valued by farmers, recreationists, event planners, film producers, and many other individuals as well as governmental and private agencies and organizations.
A recent OSU press release provides information about Taylor's accomplishments, experiences, and future plans. Update interviewed Taylor in the elevator, where he shared the lighter side of his expertise.
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Update: What can you tell us about the weather right now? GT: This elevator is a bit warmer than usual, but we can expect natural ups and downs. Update: With your retirement, will we still have weather? GT: There will be a chance of showers. Update: Every day? GT: Chance of showers. There's always a chance of showers, it's just more or less of a chance any specific date! Seriously, it could rain any day of the year: there has never been a calendar date in Corvallis (we have it recorded back to 1889) which has not, in at least one year, had rain. Speaking of which, I’m reminded of my least favorite question when I give public talks: "What’s it like to have a job where you're wrong all the time and still get paid for it?" I feign anger and say, "Hey, I'm only wrong only half the time! I'll show you my lucky coin to prove it!" |
see Taylor's column in the Gazette Times
OSU faculty in Pharmacy, Science, Veterinary Medicine and other colleges, with the support of the vice president for research, are instrumental in OTRADI, one of Signature Research Centers from the Oregon Innovation Council. The focus is on prediction of clinical outcomes, response to therapies, disease diagnosis and development of novel treatments. OSU's OTRADI collaborators are OHSU, PSU, and U of O, and corporate partnerships have been developing with companies such as SIGA Technologies and Bend Research.
Flow cytometry is a technique for counting, examining, and sorting microscopic particles suspended in a stream of fluid. "Flow and Imaging for an ~omics era", the 2008 NW Regional Cytometry Meeting, will be held at OHSU, March 13 – 15. The meeting of researchers from academia and industry is organized in part to engender interest in the legislatively-funded OTRADI pre-screening facility. See program; For further information, contact Allan Kachelmeier, kachelme@ohsu.edu.
Cynthia Hubbard has taken early retirement from OSU for personal reasons. We are tremendously appreciative of the fine work, caring, good spirits, and integrity she contributed as Fiscal Manager of the Research Office to make this a better workplace and university. Cynthia's influence has been felt at all levels.
We welcome Susan Ellinwood and Lindsay Phoenix as the acting Fiscal Managers. Ellinwood retired from, and Phoenix is Fiscal Coordinator of, the College of Engineering - both have kindly agreed to bring their talents to the Research Office during this transition.
Cynthia Hubbard is no longer receiving email; messages to her are forwarded to Susan, whose contacts are active: Susan.Ellinwood@oregonstate.edu; phone number 737-0669.
Deadlines are approaching for various requests for proposals. Link to General Research Fund, Faculty Release Time, Research Equipment Reserve Fund, and Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Scholarship, and Creativity Fund. Also see list of past funded proposals
The newly reorganized website offers streamlined resources for proposal review, monitoring institutional compliance with terms and conditions, official institutional signatory, policy and procedure development, training, compliance activities related to research administration, and general funding opportunity assistance.
"The Lifecycle of a Proposal/Award" describes the process from proposal development through closeout.
Let Me Tell You About Climate Change |
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Oregon Sea Grant has launched a new series of audio podcasts, Communicating Climate Change. They feature in-depth conversations with prominent social scientists whose work informs public communications about climate. Joe Cone is the producer. Complete text transcripts of the conversations will also be online.One conversation is with Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change; another is with Susanne Moser of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. |
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We pay tribute to OSU and Corvallis community member Jennifer Kraus, who passed away at age 52 on February 16, 2008. She is remembered as a loved mother, friend, musician, and researcher.
She held a Ph.D. in Genetics and Cell Biology and received a National Science Foundation fellowship for research in plant nitrogen fixation. In 1988, she joined the USDA in Corvallis as a molecular biologist. She helped lay the groundwork for subsequent research that included the first genomic sequencing of a biocontrol agent; she was recently acknowledged for her central role in this scientific achievement. In the USDA plant virology laboratory, she made significant contributions in detection and characterization of viruses. Her involvement in research at OSU over the years included positions in Botany and Plant Pathology, the Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing, and the OSU Plant Clinic.
Anne Halgren, who was an OSU PhD student and post doc and is now a USDA post doc on campus, is among many colleagues and students who appreciate how Jennifer shared her enthusiasm for biology and more. "Jennifer was my teacher in the lab and out, and really an ally," she said. "She was amazingly patient, a great listener and even mediator, and a fastidious scientist."
See Gazette Times
Update, The Research Office Newsletter is produced approximately monthly and announced via email to all OSU faculty and staff. Subscribe at lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/Update-the-Research-Office-Newsletter. Please send any news or comments to jana.zvibleman@oregonstate.edu Link to archived issues.
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Ganti Murthy, OSU researcher in biological and ecological engineering, with a photobioreactor for processing algae for bio-diesel fuel and ethanol. See media release. |
Oregon State University Research Office
312 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, OR 97331
Phone 541-737-3437 Fax 541-737-3093
researchsupport@oregonstate.edu
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Linus Pauling is honored on the new 
