April - 2018

April - 2018
Willie the cat More communication needed regarding disposal of pet pharmaceuticals, personal care products

If no one told you the proper way to get rid of those leftover heartworm pills, bottles of flea shampoo and other pet care products your household no longer needs, you’re not alone.

Study finds human and animal foragers respond in similar ways to change

The way that animal predators work either independently or cooperatively in nature can also explain how human foragers such as fishermen will behave, a new study suggests

New brewery equipment prepares Oregon State students for automated future

Oregon State University is home to a new research brewery that allows students to learn on an automated system similar to those used by major regional breweries.

Jane Lubchenco OSU marine ecologist receives prestigious National Science Board award

The National Science Board is honoring Oregon State University marine ecologist Jane Lubchenco with its 2018 Vannevar Bush Award.

Study suggests estuaries may experience accelerated impacts of human-caused CO2

Rising anthropogenic, or human-caused, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may have up to twice the impact on coastal estuaries as it does in the oceans because the human-caused CO2 lowers the ecosystem’s ability to absorb natural fluctuations of the greenhouse gas, a new study suggests.

March - 2018

March - 2018
Cutthroat trout Cutthroat trout thrive after logging in long-term Coast Range study

A decade-long study of cutthroat trout in the Oregon Coast Range has found that logging practices conducted in accord with the Oregon Forest Practices Act had no adverse impacts on coastal cutthroat trout and coho salmon populations or movements.

Want to bring back the lions, tigers and bears? Here are the best places on Earth.

Although humans have driven lions, tigers, wolves, bears and other large carnivores from much of their home territories across the planet, scientists have identified more than 280 areas where these animals could potentially be reintroduced to restore ecosystems on practically every continent.

National Poetry Slam champion to perform at Oregon State University April 6

Portland-based poet Anis Mojgani, a two-time National Poetry Slam champion, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 6 in the Lab Theatre in Withycombe Hall on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis.

Ancient flowers and insects from Australia found in Burmese amber

Burmese amber is an important source of early- to mid-Cretaceous plant and animal remains that date back some 100 million years, with more than 870 species of organisms having been described.

 

fountain Cell-penetrating “nanodrills” show promise for intracellular drug delivery

Researchers have created new nanomaterials able to cross cell membranes, establishing a novel platform for the intracellular delivery of molecular drugs and other cargo.

Many Oregon State priorities funded with federal spending bill

The 2018 federal spending bill adopted by Congress and signed into law late last week by President Trump includes critical investments in higher education financial aid, research and infrastructure at OSU and nationally.

Oregon State University 150th anniversary commemoration continues with Sun Grant Festival

Oregon State University continues to commemorate its 150th anniversary with a festival that includes free events in April centered around the university’s research on alternative energy.

Calendula Practice the good neighbor policy in the garden: Try companion planting

Certain plants placed side by side can help you avoid problems in the garden.

Oregon State University to observe Holocaust Memorial Week events in April

Holocaust survivor Henry Friedman, who was born in Poland and now resides in Seattle, will speak at Oregon State University April 11.

Oregon State names three distinguished professors

Oregon State University has named Edward Brook, Joey Spatafora and Janet Tate as its 2018 Distinguished Professor recipients, the highest academic honor the university can bestow on a faculty member.

Cassie OSU robotics spinoff secures $8 million in new funding

Agility Robotics, a company launched at Oregon State University that designs and builds walking and running robots, has raised $8 million in new funding.

Benton Hall Oregon State looking for naming suggestions for three campus buildings

The OSU community and stakeholders are being asked for suggestions to rename Benton Hall, Benton Annex and Avery Lodge.

Green infrastructure Combining power of humans, computers key to watershed solutions

An Oregon State University researcher is leading the charge for crowdsourced solutions to complex water management problems.

Image of Colson Whitehead Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead named OSU’s Stone Award winner

American novelist Colson Whitehead has been selected as the 2019 recipient of Oregon State University’s Stone Award for Literary Achievement.

water Improved wastewater treatment technologies hold promise for cost savings, energy production

Improved wastewater treatment methods that lead to cost savings and energy production are part of Oregon State University’s new Clean and Sustainable Water Technology Initiative.

Visitor Center at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center to fully reopen March 24

The popular public education wing of Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport will fully reopen on March 24 after closing for repairs in early December.

 

Eagle Detection, deterrent system will help eagles, wind turbines coexist better

Researchers have taken a key step toward helping wildlife coexist more safely with wind power generation by demonstrating the success of an impact detection system that uses vibration sensors mounted to turbine blades.

Agriculture Hall Advanced registration required at Corvallis Science Pub on the history of OSU research

At the Corvallis Science Pub on April 9, Larry Landis, director of the Special Collections and Archives Research Center at Oregon State, will discuss the origins of OSU research and its connections to contemporary issues. 

Sweep wood ash from fireplace to garden

Wood ash has 13 essential minerals that plants need, but don't overdo it.

aerial view of Memorial Union building State Library of Oregon announces Grant Project of the Year

Staff from Oregon State University Libraries and the Oregon Historical Society Research Library have received the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Project of the Year award 

Molecular motor mystery solved: Novel protein rounds out plant cells’ machinery

A research team led by an Oregon State University biophysicist and a plant biologist from University of California, Davis has discovered a novel motor protein that significantly expands current understanding of the evolution and design principle of motor proteins.

OSU to hold ceremony on March 15 to launch construction for new Marine Studies Building

Oregon State University will hold a ceremony on Thursday, March 15, to launch the construction of its new Marine Studies Building at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.

Compound scores key win in battle against antibiotic resistance

Researchers at Oregon State University have made a key advance in the fight against drug resistance, crafting a compound that genetically neutralizes a widespread bacterial pathogen’s ability to thwart antibiotics.

Juniper was cut down in 2013 at Flat Creek in eastern Oregon Cutting and leaving western juniper may lead to increase in invasive grasses

A new study finds that in areas already overrun by juniper and non-native grasses, juniper reduction efforts alone aren’t going to be enough to restore the area, and that the grass problem will increase.

‘Quantum dot’ lighting technology takes forward leap thanks to new superacid treatment

A “superacid” much stronger than automobile battery acid has enabled a key advance toward a new generation of LED lighting that’s safer, less expensive and more user friendly.

Pot with strawberries No room for vegetables? Pot up your plants

Containers are a good alternative for gardening when space is limited

Forest fire Research provides framework for understanding how populations handle random disturbances

Research has provided a mathematical framework for understanding how population-reducing events of varying frequency and intensity, like fires, floods, storms and droughts, can affect a species’ longtime survival ability.

David Biespiel named as Oregon State University’s first poet-in-residence

Poet, memoirist and literary critic David Biespiel has been named poet-in-residence at Oregon State University, a new public-facing role that will highlight and celebrate the university’s contributions to the genre of poetry.

OSU business professor behind popular ‘Lord Birthday’ cartoons publishes first book

An Oregon State University professor who moonlights as the creator of the “Lord Birthday” cartoons is publishing his first book collection.

Starker Lecture Series will explore the future of forestry

The annual Starker Lectures at Oregon State University will explore the future of forestry and how land managers, policy makers and communities ought to prepare for decisions that could shape generations. 

Corvallis Science Pub will focus on an endangered seabird, the marbled murrelet

At the Corvallis Science Pub on March 12, Jim Rivers, assistant professor in the College of Forestry, will discuss an ongoing Oregon State University research project to learn more about the behavior of the endangered marbled murrelet.

Galinstan Modified, 3D-printable alloy shows promise for flexible electronics, soft robots

Researchers have taken a key step toward the rapid manufacture of flexible computer screens and other stretchable electronic devices, including soft robots.

Oregon State Legislature approves capital request for OSU-Cascades’ next academic building

Oregon State University's campus in Bend is a step closer to meeting the needs of its growing student enrollment following the Oregon Legislature on Saturday approving  $39 million in state-backed bonds for OSU-Cascades’ second academic building.

artwork of Silvia Milexi Rivera Sanchez Artwork honoring victims of Guatemala’s Hogar Seguro fire featured at OSU’s Little Gallery

Posters commemorating the 41 girls who died and 15 who were severely injured in a shelter fire outside Guatemala City last year will be on display in the Little Gallery at Oregon State University March 7 through April 25.

Adding gravel to the bottom of a plant container does not improve drainage. What's the truth behind 6 gardening myths?

As the gardening season gears up, it’s time to bust some myths.

New Study: Snowpack levels show dramatic decline in western states

A new study of long-term snow monitoring sites in the western United States found declines in snowpack at more than 90 percent of those sites – and one-third of the declines were deemed significant.

A student attaches a milking machine to an OSU dairy cow Idle, uncleaned milk trucks don't compromise the quality of raw milk, OSU study shows

Raw milk quality isn’t compromised when tanker trucks sit empty and uncleaned for hours between loads, according to new research at Oregon State University.

February - 2018

February - 2018
Oregon State University officials recount timeline related to threatening social media posts

Following Tuesday’s social media posts that threatened violence against Oregon State University, OSU officials thanked the public for their sharing of information regarding these tweets, including an anonymous tip to law enforcement that contributed to an arrest in this case.

Former OSU president releases memoir, “Undercurrents”

Former Oregon State University President John Byrne explores his life and career in the new Oregon State University Press book, “Undercurrents.”

Ocean wave image Hotspots like the Hawaiian Islands “drifted” millions of years ago, but have since settled

A new study published in Nature Communications finds the Hawaiian Island hotspot drifted millions of years ago, unlike its cousins in the Pacific Ocean.

Image of Ira Glass ‘This American Life’ host Ira Glass to speak at OSU March 17

Oregon State University’s School of Arts & Communication will present “An Evening with Ira Glass: Seven Things I’ve Learned,” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in the LaSells Stewart Center.

Public invited to attend Fire Summit in Portland March 2

Wildfire scientists, land managers and policy leaders from across the West will convene in Portland on March 1-2 to consider steps to reduce the impacts of catastrophic fire in Western states, and a limited number of seats are available to the public on March 2.

Performance art by Dread Scott Artist Dread Scott to speak at Oregon State University March 7

Multidisciplinary artist Dread Scott, whose works often focus on the experience of African-Americans in the contemporary United States, will speak at 7 p.m. March 7 at Oregon State University.

aerial view of Memorial Union building Oregon State sanctions fan who used taunts during women’s basketball game

Oregon State University will exclude a fan accused of making derogatory statements directed at an opposing player during  a women’s basketball game from the next two home Oregon State women’s basketball games.

A hoe is a good tool for weeding. Roll up your sleeves: Invasive weeds need persistence to control

Invasive weeds enter backyards in multiple ways and once there can cause havoc.

Austin Hall OSU student-run startups vie for more than $70,000 in cash and prizes

Student entrepreneurs pursuing companies involving kombucha, shoes, mental health safety and fraud-resistant electronic ledgers will vie for $70,000 in cash and prizes Feb. 27.

Oregon State University president named ‘History Maker’

The Oregon Historical Society has named Oregon State University President Edward J. Ray as one of four recipients of the society’s Oregon History Makers Medal for 2018.

Photo of infant Midwifery linked to better birth outcomes in state-by-state report cards

Midwife-friendly laws and regulations tend to coincide with lower rates of premature births, cesarean deliveries and newborn deaths, according to a new U.S.-wide “report card” that ranks all 50 states on the quality of their maternity care.

Oregon State University students overwhelmingly respond to Meningococcal B vaccination requirement

More than 98 percent of Oregon State University students have completed or are close to completing a new university requirement that all students 25 and under attending the university’s Corvallis campus must be vaccinated against Meningococcal B.

OSU Theatre presents Eugène Ionesco’s ‘Rhinoceros’ in March

Oregon State University Theatre’s 2017-2018 season, In the Public Eye, continues with the absurdist political comedy “Rhinoceros,” in March.

Loon Lake sediment cores offer a 1,500-year time capsule of watershed disturbance

Researchers have analyzed layers of sediment at the bottom of a lake in southwest Oregon to describe the history of watershed disturbances reaching back nearly 1,500 years. 

Image of Carolyn Aldwin How people cope with difficult life events fuels development of wisdom, study finds

How a person responds to a difficult life event such as a death or divorce helps shape the development of their wisdom over time, a new study from Oregon State University suggests.

​​​​Illustration by Oliver Day, Oregon State University Oregon State University science paper generated global response, financial support

A paper published last December by an Oregon State University scientist became one of the mostly widely shared science papers since 2011, according to the science communications company Altmetric, and has inspired private contributions to support further research.

Image of OSU Wind Symphony OSU Wind Symphony, Corvallis High School Wind Ensemble to perform Feb. 26

The Oregon State University Wind Symphony and the Corvallis High School Wind Ensemble will perform a joint concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26.

Jose Reyes OSU professor emeritus elected to prestigious engineering academy

Jose Reyes, professor emeritus of nuclear engineering at Oregon State University and founder of NuScale Power, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineers.

OSU's Valley Library Human cells’ remodeling abilities may be key to how cancer spreads

Research at shows that human cells have tremendous power to mechanically change their surroundings, opening the door to new insights on a variety of physiological processes including how cancer spreads.

Study finds tuna fishermen who fish along ocean fronts can significantly boost revenue

Savvy Northwest anglers have long known that when patches of warm Pacific Ocean water drift closer to shore each summer, it’s time to chase after the feisty and tasty albacore tuna. Now a new study confirms that tuna are more likely to be found in regions of the California Current System with certain oceanographic conditions – and that commercial fishermen who work those areas more frequently bring in up to three times the revenue of other tuna anglers.

Graphic image of beer in workplace Workplace alcohol not always a perk for recent college grads seeking jobs

Offering alcohol to employees in the workplace may be a trendy perk of employment, but it doesn’t appear to be an enticement for recent college graduates just entering the workforce, new research published today from Oregon State University shows.

aerial view of Memorial Union building A warmer future for the Pacific Northwest if carbon dioxide levels rise, climate projections show

In the midst of an unseasonably warm winter in the Pacific Northwest, a  comparison of four publicly available climate projections has shown broad agreement that the region will become considerably warmer in the next century if greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere rise to the highest levels projected in the the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “business-as-usual” scenario.

Oscar-winning designer Harley Jessup named OSU commencement speaker for June

Harley Jessup, an Oregon State University alumnus and renowned animation production designer who has won an Academy Award and an Emmy Award for visual effects, will deliver the commencement address at OSU’s 149th graduation ceremony.

Juvenile salmon use the Earth's magnetic field to learn which way is up Newly-hatched salmon use geomagnetic field to learn which way is up

Researchers who confirmed in recent years that salmon use the Earth’s geomagnetic field to guide their long-distance migrations have found that the fish also use the field for a much simpler and smaller-scale migration: When the young emerge from gravel nests to reach surface waters.

OSU will require all students to report past felony convictions before enrolling for class

Oregon State University announced Thursday a new policy that will require all new and continuing students to self-report past felony convictions and registered sex offender status before enrolling in fall 2018 classes.

Jennifer Field is an environmental chemist at Oregon State University OSU environmental chemists tapped to lead studies of contaminants at military bases

Environmental chemists at Oregon State University will lead grants totaling $2.9 million to conduct studies of chemicals that have contaminated military installations and are also detected at fire training areas in the United States, including Oregon.

image of hummingbird For tropical forest birds, old neighborhoods matter

Old, complex tropical forests support a wider diversity of birds than second-growth forests and have irreplaceable value for conservation, according to an Oregon State University-led exhaustive analysis of bird diversity in the mountains of southern Costa Rica. 

Image of piano keys Corvallis-OSU Symphony performs Beethoven, Bruckner Feb. 25 at LaSells Stewart Center

The Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra will present “Two Big B’s – Beethoven and Bruckner” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, in the Austin Auditorium at The LaSells Stewart Center.

artwork by Farrah Karapetian Artist Farrah Karapetian to speak at OSU Feb. 21

Farrah Karapetian, a multi-disciplinary artist based in California, will speak at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at Oregon State University as part of the School of Arts & Communication’s Visiting Artists and Scholars Lecture Series.

aerial view of Memorial Union building Waste Watchers Club to hold Winter Repair Fair

The OSU Waste Watchers Club will be holding its Winter Repair Fair Feb. 15.

Next round of Meningococcal B clinics set at Oregon State University

Oregon State University continues its efforts to help students meet the requirements for Meningococcal B vaccinations and will hold three days of vaccination clinics this week at its Corvallis campus. 

image of exhibit wall Museum exhibit commemorates Oregon State University’s 150th anniversary

Oregon State University is commemorating its 150th anniversary with an exhibit at the Oregon Historical Society that shares the history of the university through 150 stories.

 

Hatchery-raised chinook salmon self-sorted vertically in tanks and those at the top grew larger A view from above and below: Hatchery chinook salmon are self-sorting in tanks

Hatchery-raised chinook salmon sort themselves into surface- and bottom-oriented groups in their rearing tanks. This behavior might be due in part to the fish’s genes, according to an OSU study.

Photo of Garrick Ohlsson Pianist Garrick Ohlsson performs at Oregon State University Feb. 18

Pianist Garrick Ohlsson will perform at Oregon State University as part of the Corvallis-OSU Piano International Steinway Piano Series at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18.

Image of Hatfield sign Hatfield Visitor Center to partially reopen on Feb. 17

The popular Visitor Center at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport will partially reopen on Saturday, Feb. 17.

Benton Hall Sexual violence bystander training at OSU receives national award

OSU’s bystander intervention program, “Beavers Give a Dam,” has received a national award for excellence for its sexual violence education and prevention services.

aerial view of Memorial Union building Song commemorates Oregon State’s 150th anniversary

Oregon State University has unveiled a new song that commemorates the university’s 150th anniversary and portrays the power of learning and the contributions OSU has made to Oregonians and the state since its founding in 1868.

Fisher Novel research approach sheds light on how midsize predators interact

A novel research approach by Oregon State University has resulted in a key step toward better protecting the fisher, an important forest predator.

Image of alcoholic drinks Symptoms of alcoholism make taking medication to treat the disease more difficult, study finds

Symptoms of alcoholism make it more difficult for some people to regularly take the prescription drug naltrexone, which could help treat their disease, a researcher at Oregon State University has found.

Researchers Compounds derived from hops show promise for metabolic syndrome patients

A group of compounds derived from hops can likely improve cognitive and other functions in people with metabolic syndrome, new research at Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University suggests.

Relationship factors affect decisions about contraceptive use among young adults, study finds

The dynamics of a couple’s relationship, including the exclusivity of the partnership, the level of commitment to the partnership and participation in sexual decision-making with their partner, impact young adults’ decisions related to contraceptive use, new research from Oregon State University shows.

MU Researchers take important step toward gonorrhea vaccine

Researchers are paving the way toward a new therapeutic approach for gonorrhea by shedding light on the mechanism behind important proteins on the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria’s outer membrane. 

aerial view of Memorial Union building Corvallis Science Pub will focus on hops, barley and the future of craft beers

At the Corvallis Science Pub on February 12, Tom Shellhammer will discuss how new varieties of hops and barley are shaping the craft beer industry. 

Image of white flowers OSU Theatre presents political comedy ‘The Taming’ Feb. 15-18

Oregon State University Theatre will present Lauren Gunderson’s wild political comedy, “The Taming,” Feb. 15-18 on the Corvallis campus.

Bruce Burris artwork OSU’s Fairbanks Gallery presents work by Corvallis artist Bruce Burris

“SUPEREGIONAL,” an exhibition of work by Corvallis artist Bruce Burris, will run Feb. 5 through March 1 in Oregon State University’s Fairbanks Gallery of Art.

President Ed Ray OSU president calls for efforts to address nation’s educational achievement gap, shares Portland region expansion plans

Oregon State University President Edward J. Ray today called upon Oregonians and higher education institutions nationally to educate far more students from less wealthy families.

OSU researchers hope to raise blue whale carcass from Yaquina Bay for educational display

For the past two-plus years, the carcass of a 78-foot blue whale that washed ashore near Gold Beach, Oregon, in November 2015 has been submerged in Yaquina Bay allowing nature to run its course by having scavengers clean the bones.

January - 2018

January - 2018
Rebecca Vega Thurber underwater Special screenings of Oregon State-produced coral reef documentary offered

Oregon State University filmmakers will be offering three free special screenings of a feature-length documentary on coral reefs that they produced after spending three years traveling around the world to document the decline of coral ecosystems.

OSU's Kathleen O'Malley with a Dungeness crab. Study: Little genetic difference among Dungeness crab from California to Washington

A new study of Dungeness crab along the West Coast found strong genetic diversity throughout various sampling sites, with little genetic “differentiation” between them, meaning that crab found off the California coast are similar to those found off Oregon and Washington.

aerial view of Memorial Union building Reading of ‘Ada and the Engine’ play at OSU’s Valley Library

The play “Ada and the Engine” will have a live reading at Oregon State University’s Valley Library at 7 p.m., Jan. 31. The play, by Lauren Gunderson, is about English mathematician Ada Byron Lovelace (1815-1852), who invented an early form of a mechanical computer.

comparison drawing Warm-air blowers direct pathogens to surgical site, computer model shows

Warm-air blowers that keep patients at a safe temperature also interfere with operating room ventilation systems, potentially making it easier for microbial skin colonizers to cause infection at surgical sites.

aerial view of Memorial Union building Study sheds light on alternative, more convenient method of cell preservation

Researchers at Oregon State University have taken an important step toward a more convenient, less expensive means of preserving mammalian cells for in vitro fertilization, species conservation, cell therapy and other purposes.

George Waldbusser OSU-based Oregon Sea Grant to award grants to researchers in Oregon

Oregon Sea Grant, a marine research, public engagement and education program based at Oregon State University, is awarding nearly $1.1 million in competitive, federally funded research grants for 2018-20.

Valley Library Novelist Chang-rae Lee to read at Oregon State University Feb. 9

Novelist Chang-rae Lee will read at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, in the Valley Library Rotunda on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis

aerial view of Memorial Union building Research showcase highlights work of engineering grad students

Want to learn more about the Oregon State University College of Engineering’s far-ranging research efforts, including asking questions of those conducting the research?

Aaron Wolfe Davos: International universities form partnership for water cooperation, diplomacy

Water resource researchers and diplomats at the World Economic Forum announced today (Wednesday, Jan. 24) a plan to create an international consortium called the Universities Partnerships for Water Cooperation & Diplomacy.

zebrafish Zebrafish study provides new insights into autism spectrum disorder research

Exposure to a compound used to treat migraines and seizures causes characteristics associated with autism, groundbreaking research with zebrafish has demonstrated.

aerial view of Memorial Union building New study shows freshwater input route from melting ice led to rapid cooling

Scientists have long known that a reduction in Atlantic Ocean currents bringing warm water to the Northern Hemisphere from the tropics created abrupt cooling known as the Younger Dryas cold period nearly 13,000 years ago, but the cause of this phenomenon has not been proved.

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