Stay informed about COVID-19

COVID-19 website: To facilitate the ongoing sharing of information about the virus, Oregon State University has added a link on the OSU homepage to a page that provides detailed and up-to-date COVID-19 information; links to OSU, local, state and federal resources; and updates on the latest federal travel restrictions.

TRACE OSU testing: TRACE OSU is providing random COVID-19 testing by invitation at its Corvallis and Bend campuses and at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. All faculty, staff and students, regardless of vaccination status, should continue with testing participation in TRACE. Testing will take place in Corvallis in the Memorial Union Ballroom and at Reser ticket booths, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. In Newport, testing will be provided every other week, Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. At OSU-Cascades, testing is provided only to students living and working on campus, and employees working on campus. Testing takes place Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Visit the OSU-Cascades Safety and Success website to learn more about testing schedules. Please join the effort to build a safer and healthier Oregon State University community. To enroll and for more information: https://trace.oregonstate.edu/osu.

Timely Teaching Tips: Looking for ways to make higher education more affordable and accessible to students? OSU’s Open Educational Resources Unit (OERU) provides a variety of services for faculty who are interested in adopting, adapting or authoring open educational resources. Visit the OERU website to learn about resources, consultations, workshops, design services and Affordable Learning Grants.   

Today in the News Media

Today in the News Media is a synopsis of some of the most prominent coverage of OSU people and programs. Inclusion of any item constitutes neither an endorsement nor a critique, but rather is intended only to make the OSU community aware of significant items in the media. Content appearing includes timely news and feature stories from broadcast, print and online sources. Occasionally, opinion pieces and first-person columns appearing in mainstream media outlets that are written by faculty members and pertain to their academic or professional expertise may be included based on their unique, informative value, timeliness and space constraints. It is not the policy of OSU Today to include Letters to the Editor.
 

Oregon State University health expert weighs in on travel debate (KATU) 

Chunhuei Chi, director of Oregon State University's Center for Global Health, sees both sides of the equation. "Following CDC guidelines, I think it's safe for those who are fully vaccinated to travel," said Chi.
 

OSU study: Rural-urban divide compounds racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths (KTVZ) 

While Black, Hispanic, Latino, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander people are more likely to die of COVID-19 than white people nationwide, a recent study from Oregon State University found the risk was even greater for racial and ethnic minority groups living in rural areas, compared with urban areas.
 

Working to bring equity, understanding to vaccination process (Unsung Heroes)

Oregon pharmacies are better equipped to bring empathy, equity and effectiveness to the COVID-19 vaccination process and their Latinx patients thanks to Oregon State University third-year pharmacy student Daniela Olivas Shaw.
 

Report: Child-care barrier for OR parents in college (Public News Service)

Eddie Richter, a structural engineering graduate student at Oregon State University and a parent who uses the school's child-care services, said time management is hard for every student, but particularly for folks with kids.
 

OSU researcher develops new purple tomato with antioxidant effects (Bend Bulletin)

Oregon State University this week announced a new, university-developed purple tomato called the Midnight Roma. Jim Myers, 66, a vegetable breeder and professor in OSU’s College of Agricultural Science, bred the new variety, which follows 10 years after Myers’ development of the Indigo Rose, the first all-purple tomato on the market. (see also Gazette-Times)
 

America's traditions pose an obstacle to preventing future pandemics (Washington Post)

A piece on U.S. public health grand strategy by OSU's Christopher McKnight Nichols and Vassar College's Elizabeth H. Bradley. 
 

Today's photo


Board of Trustees: The Oregon State University Board of Trustees will meet from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 16, to consider the appointment of OSU-Cascades Vice President Rebecca “Becky” Johnson as interim president. The April 16 board meeting is open to the public. Given COVID-19 guidance from the governor’s office, as well as university and county health officials, the meeting will be hosted through a remote conferencing service. The agenda, options for joining the meeting and instructions for providing comment will be located under “Meeting Details” on this webpage. For more information see the LIFE@OSU story here: https://today.oregonstate.edu/story/board-trustees-meets-friday

Today

Department of Integrative Biology GSA Seminar: Lauren Esposito, assistant curator, Schlinger Chair of Arachnology, California Academy of Sciences and co-founder of 500 Queer Scientists, will present a seminar, "'Scorpiomics' Leveraging New Data To Decipher the Ecology and Evolution of Arachnids," Friday, April 16 at 11 a.m. Registration is required: https://beav.es/Scorpiomics. The seminar is free and open to the public. Accommodations for disabilities may be made by contacting 541-737-2993 or [email protected].

Professional Faculty transition to continuous employment: The Professional Faculty transition to continuous employment is slated to take effect on July 1. Additional information for professional faculty is available in Zoom sessions on  Friday, April 16 from 11-11:45 a.m. Sessions are being recorded and will be published to the transition webpage for those unable to attend in real time. Questions about the change are welcome and may be sent to [email protected].

Community Forum: Two finalists for CAPS Coordinator of Black/African-American Student Health and Wellness will participate in a Community Forum on April 16 from noon to 12:45 p.m. Please use these links to register (name and email): April 16 for candidate two. Those who register will be sent Zoom links.

Providence — Maintaining your Mental Health: Are you enrolled in a Providence Health Plan? Join us for a virtual presentation on maintaining your mental health during difficult times. Providers from the Providence Behavioral Health Concierge program will: Share strategies for addressing stress, depression and addiction; discuss how to access counseling; and provide more information on your exciting new behavioral health benefit. April 16, noon. Register here.

Music à la Carte: Gideon Freudmann, cello. Composer, performer and cello innovator Gideon Freudmann will give the first live remote performance of spring term on the College of Liberal Arts/School of Arts and Communication's Music à la Carte concert series. Freudmann, who lives in Portland, has been on the forefront of the cello's modern creative expansion for more than 30 years. Among the many innovative musical avenues he followed was to adopt the electric cello to craft the sound for which he is most known today. Using foot-operated effect pedals, he takes his live performances into new territories of looping, soaring, multi-layered compositions and improvisations. Friday, April 16 at noon. The performance is free to watch through Zoom and will also be livestreamed on the Music à la Carte Facebook page.

FST Farm 2 Fork Webinar: What Do “Use By” Food Label Dates Really Tell Us? Would you like to know more about the definitions and regulatory aspects of food product dating and what it really means to you, the consumer? REGISTER today. Join us April 16, noon to 12:45 p.m.

NEW! College of Public Health and Human Sciences research seminar: “Who shall live when all cannot live? Ethical issues in COVID-19 vaccine prioritization” will be presented by Courtney S. Campbell, Ph.D., the Hundere Professor of Religion and culture director of the Medical Humanities Program in OSU’s School of History, Philosophy and Religion, from 1-2 p.m. Friday, April 16. Watch this seminar, live or recorded, on the CPHHS website.

NEW! Board of Trustees: The Oregon State University Board of Trustees will meet from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 16, to consider the appointment of OSU-Cascades Vice President Rebecca “Becky” Johnson as interim president. The April 16 board meeting is open to the public. Given COVID-19 guidance from the governor’s office, as well as university and county health officials, the meeting will be hosted through a remote conferencing service. The agenda, options for joining the meeting and instructions for providing comment will be located under “Meeting Details” at this webpage

Get to know Zoom with Media Services: Season 2: Friday, April 16 from 2-3 p.m. Location: Zoom. To register for this event and for more Zoom information from Media Services, go to https://uit-at.oregonstate.edu/media-services-zoom/

OSU Lyric: Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love). An abridged, COVID-era staging adapted and directed by Anthony Eversole. Two consecutive evening performances livestreamed from the Memorial Union Lounge. (Sorry, closed to in-person audience.) Featuring OSU students Madi Zuro, Steven Evans-Renteria, Michael Eclevia, Eli Nicholas and Kjerstyn Jordheim. Lauren Servias, music director. Costumes by Demara Cabrera. Friday, April 16 at 5:30 p.m. on YouTube Live. Free, open to all.

Saturday

Beyond Earth Day: Join Community Engagement & Leadership and the Corvallis community in celebration of the 51st anniversary of Earth Day. Events and activities run from Saturday, April 17 through Friday, April 23, and are focused on adopting sustainable practices that challenge people to take on a greater role in their individual and institutional lives. Questions? Contact [email protected].

TEDx Talk: Kathleen Bogart, associate professor of psychology, is giving a TEDx talk for the University of Washington on the psychology of ableism and communication. Watch the free online premiere on Saturday, April 17 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Oregon State University Out of the Darkness: The OSU community recognizes the importance of mental health. Suicide prevention is vital for our community; we need your help to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. This year’s event puts a virtual twist on the classic Campus Walk. Join us Saturday, April 17 at noon for the livestreamed ceremony with community speakers, an Honor Bead Ceremony, and memorial submissions. Stick around afterwards for our virtual resource fair – guided meditation sessions, community partners, OSU clubs, and more! Contact Tessie Webster-Henry at [email protected] for more information. Afsp.org/OregonState

Events

NEW! Bring Your Kids to Campus Day: The Family Resource Center is excited to announce that this year’s Bring Your Kids to *Virtual* Campus Day is taking place on Friday, April 23 and registration is now open. In celebration of national Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day, OSU's ninth annual Bring Your Kids to Campus Day is designed to promote the value of a college education as well as share with our children the fun and exciting place where we are fortunate to work and study. Register now. Please direct any questions to [email protected].

STEM academy: Registration for STEM Academy's virtual AWSEM Club for 5th-7th graders is open. AWSEM=Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering, and Math. The club will meet on Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m., from April 21-May 19. Topics: Math & Art, Computer Science, Earthquake Engineering, DNA and Environmental Science. For more information or to register, go to: https://stemacademy.oregonstate.edu/awsem-club

Lectures, Workshops, Webinars

NEW! CTL Tuesday Teaching + Tech Talks: Teaching Modalities & Effective Practices. Cub Kahn, CTL blended learning coordinator; Weiwei Zhang, student response system program manager, AT; and Marc Cholewczynski, associate director, AT. "My course modality is listed as­­­­­­­____. Now what?" Learn to apply effective practices of blended and remote teaching through key pedagogy, Canvas features, and other OSU classroom technology. This workshop will be facilitated on April 20, 10 a.m. via Zoom: beav.es/ZOOMT4 *Password: CTL. Handouts, materials, & resources: beav.es/BOXT4  Additional info: Tuesday Teaching + Tech Talks.

NEW! People and Nature Lunch Series: Join us on Tuesday, April 20 from noon to 12:50 p.m. as Risako Sakai (Anthropology Department) presents “Marine Conservation and Indigenous Resurgence.” The lecture is free and open to all. To join the meeting, register at https://peopleandnatureosu.weebly.com/schedule.html. Sponsored by the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences’ Human Dimensions Lab.

NEW! WIC workshop: After a year of remote teaching, many are struggling to keep our students and ourselves motivated. On Tuesday, April 20 at noon via Zoom, biologist Lauren Dalton will share three quick hacks that are fun (or mostly fun) and also help build students' cognizance around their communication abilities, agency in what they write about and logical flow in their written pieces. Registration and list of upcoming WIC spring events.

NEW! OSU-Cascades Counseling Clinic Presents Spring Workshops: The OSU-Cascades Counseling Clinic is excited to offer our community a variety of educational workshops related to mental health and wellness. These workshops are free and open to community members. All workshops will be held over Zoom and will last approximately 90 minutes. You can register online, or contact us at [email protected] or 541-322-2047. To sign up: https://forms.gle/mX3qZF2FAeZ2ds9D6. For a list of workshops: https://osucascades.edu/counseling-clinic/community-workshops.

Virtual Lecture: April 19, noon to 1 p.m. "Tracking COVID-19 Through the Sewers: From Theory to State-wide Implementation in Under Four Months." Presented by Tyler Radniecki, associate professor of environmental engineering, and Christine Kelly, professor of bioengineering. Free and open the public. Complete details and registration at https://beav.es/JtK.

Department of Horticulture Seminar: The Horticulture Spring 2021 Seminar Series will take place Monday, April 19, at noon. Registration for the seminar is accessible through a Zoom at https://oregonstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAsfuurrD4sG9X4TJJo96SVr7EhlG_R6ZGH. The event is free and open to the public. Mahmut Diker, Ph.D. student in the Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, will present “Laser microdissection (LMD) in plants.”

MS Defense in Water Resources Engineering and Biological & Ecological Engineering: Abigail Hale will present her thesis, “Feasibility of Strategic Thermal Restoration by Groundwater Additions in the Middle Fork John Day” on Monday, April 19 at 1:30 p.m. Hale is advised by John Selker of Biological & Ecological Engineering. Password: 761662 | Meeting ID: 989 1985 4497. Please sign in using your OSU email address. 

The Art of Resilience: The Science of Songbirds: Join us for Knowledge Breaks – Behind the Scenes with Beavers. This will be the first in a series of webcasts highlighting Oregon State research. Assistant professor in the College of Science Jamie M. Cornelius will describe her ambitious (and miserable) research project exploring how songbirds cope with winter storms in the Pacific Northwest and what attributes might help them survive. April 19, 4 p.m. https://oregonstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/1316167820939/WN_sYnIu3g3Q3KxVtiDKvk-0w.

HMSC Science on Tap: On Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m., Vera Trainer, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, will present a public talk titled “Are harmful algal blooms getting worse: Why are crab and clam fisheries closures happening with greater frequency over the last several years?” Webinar link or call: +1 971-247-1195. Webinar ID: 931 2145 4430. Click here for more information.

Innovation to Market — Funding & Training Opportunities: OSU faculty and graduate student researchers are invited to join the OSU Advantage office on Wednesday, April 21 for a one-hour virtual event (offered once in the morning and once in the afternoon) that will describe funding and training opportunities that support innovation and entrepreneurship at the federal, state and OSU levels. At this event, you will also learn how to apply for a special $5,000 Innovation Award available from the Office for Commercialization and Corporate Development (OCCD). Register here for a Zoom link: https://lnkd.in/g9eCCDA.

Combating bullying and anti-LGBTQ attitudes in sports | April 21 Webcast: Former Beaver, NFL defensive tackle and LGBTQ advocate Esera Tuaolo believes in a more inclusive and diverse world of sports — from pro football to youth athletics programs. Hear about his personal challenges during a successful nine-season NFL career and about his anti-bullying work and education delivered through his nonprofit, Hate is Wrong. Join College of Liberal Arts Professor Susan Shaw in conversation with Tuaolo on April 21 at 5 p.m. PT. Register at osualum.com/Changemakers.

Register for the virtual Ecampus Faculty Forum: Join hundreds of your OSU peers to discuss online teaching excellence, innovative teaching methods and faculty experiences in online course development. Held May 4-5 online via Zoom, the Faculty Forum will showcase faculty members sharing their expertise in interactive panel presentations. Session topics include online lab work, inclusive student supports and establishing your presence while teaching at a distance. Events on May 4 and 5 will begin at noon PT. View the agenda and register today.

OSU Science on Tap May 11: Join the Quest for Every Kind of Bee in Oregon and learn how you can get involved with pollinator-friendly practices and research. The OSU Alumni Association presents OSU Science on Tap: The Oregon Bee Atlas, Tuesday, May 11, at 5:30 p.m. Join the discussion with Andony Melathopoulos, bee scientist and host of the PolliNation podcast. Find out how you can support Beaver-affiliated establishments by picking up your own drinks for this happy hour learning session when you register for free at osualum.com/SOTbee.

Beavers SAVE Lives: Learn how to reach out and help a friend. We can all help prevent suicide. This workshop will provide the skills you need to effectively help or intervene with a friend or family member who is considering suicide. This training will be offered twice spring term. Registration required. Questions? Email [email protected]. For Wednesday, May 12, noon to 1:30 p.m., register at https://beav.es/JFA. For Thursday, May 20, noon to 1:30 p.m., register at https://beav.es/JFm.

ANREP 2021 Virtual Conference: Oregon State University Forestry & Natural Resources Extension is hosting the 2021 Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) Conference virtually on May 24-26. Registration for both ANREP members and non-members is $150, and a special $35 student registration fee is available. For more information and to register, please visit the conference website

Faculty Staff Fitness: OSU Faculty Staff Fitness has fitness offerings to keep you moving Spring 2021 and registration is open. Check out our in-person, remote synchronous and remote asynchronous offerings at https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/schedule/spring. Our in-person offerings will be via Zoom or meet with the 6-person maximum until we can return to campus with the OHA Risk Designation changes. Zoom synchronous class options will be Tuesday/Thursday 7 a.m. and noon. Weight Training and a 100% Zoom Cardio Intervals 30-minute class Monday/Wednesday at noon for a midday boost. We also have our Online FSF program with more than 300 classes and 20 styles in a completely online, asynchronous format (https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/online) for $35 for 12 weeks.

Take Note

Mid-Month Emergency Preparedness Topic: Medication in an Emergency. Disaster can strike at any time and without warning. By preparing in advance, you can make sure you will have the medications you need and one less thing to worry about in an emergency. This month’s poster can be downloaded at https://emergency.oregonstate.edu/emergency-preparedness/preparedness-topics/medication.

CFP — 2021-22 OSU Humanities Research Fellowships: The OSU Center for the Humanities is now accepting applications for 2021-2022 Faculty Research Fellowships. The deadline to submit proposals is Monday, April 26. Find application forms, instructions and information about awards online at https://humanities.oregonstate.edu/fellowship-program.

Homecoming court: Want to be on the Homecoming Court or know someone who deserves to be? Homecoming Court ambassadors are honored with a one-time $500 scholarship and opportunities to attend events and voice their ideas to distinguished university leaders, partners and alumni throughout the year. Applications are now open at osualum.com/hc.

Apply for the $5k Innovation Day Award by April 30: OSU faculty members are invited to submit a one-page Idea Pitch to the OSU Advantage office for the chance to receive a $5k award. The Idea Pitch should answer a commercial question in the faculty member’s research such as “With this proof, I can confirm that I have unique innovative technology” or “I can confirm which industry will be interested in the outcome of this research.” Attendance at the April 21 “Innovation to Market” virtual event is required to be eligible to submit. More information is here: https://lnkd.in/g9eCCDA.

2021-2022 Industry Fellowship: Oregon Sea Grant and the Oregon Applied Sustainability Experience (OASE) are soliciting applications for the 2021-2022 Environmental and Sustainability Program Coordinator (ESPC) fellowship with The Tofurky Company. This nearly year-long opportunity is open to recent graduates. It offers hands-on experience in the research, design and implementation of an environmental management system and the beginnings of a sustainability program. Full details at the Oregon Sea Grant Scholars website. Deadline: April 23.

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE): From April 12 through May 12, OSU is participating in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). All first-year students and Spring graduation candidates who were notified on April 6 of their graduation status will receive an email inviting them to take the short NSSE survey. We ask faculty and staff to encourage students to participate in this important study, so we can learn more about our students’ educational experiences at OSU. For information, visit our NSSE website, or contact JoAnne Bunnage or Daniel Lopez-Cevallos.

Event Co-Sponsorship Opportunity: The Speaker Series committee of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women is accepting applications for funding from OSU staff and students interested in hosting speaker events in Spring term. Funding averages $500 and applicants must provide a clear explanation of the event and its alignment with the PCOSW mission. To learn more and apply online, see the PCOSW Funding Opportunities page.

Nominations deadline extended: The President’s Commission on the Status of Women, Office of Institutional Diversity, Office of the Provost and OSU Athletics are accepting nominations for the Breaking Barriers awards. All OSU community members whose work advances gender equity in alignment with the award categories are eligible. Categories include Breaking Barriers in Education, Breaking Barriers in Research, Breaking Barriers in Athletics, the PCOSW Community Builder and the Harriet "Hattie" Redmond awards. Learn more and submit nominations at beav.es/Jby. Nominations close Sunday, April 18. For questions, contact [email protected].

The Full Collection of Animal Interlude Tiny Concerts: This week, Spring Creek Project released the final Animal Interludes in the collection. You can now watch all the short videos — each an original composition of words and music featuring a beloved animal — on their YouTube channel. The latest Interludes include the wolf, raven, sidewinder rattlesnake, humpback whale and spadefoot toad. Learn more about the collection and contributors.

Celebrating Undergraduate Excellence (CUE) registration open: CUE is an annual showcase for undergraduates from all disciplines, all years of study and all stages of research to present to the OSU community. Please encourage students to present lightning talks during this two-day virtual research symposium, which will be held on May 27-28. The deadline for students to register is May 7. View details at communications.oregonstate.edu/events/cue. For more info, contact [email protected].

Learn Mindfulness for Science: The Edwards Social Cognition Lab is looking for volunteers to take a no-cost, Zoom-based meditation program starting April 26. Zoom sessions are 45 minutes at 8 a.m. or 7 p.m., Monday-Friday, for 3 weeks. Volunteers can receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card for completing the study. IRB#2020-0906. Learn more at: https://scl.liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/content/current-projects.

Participants wanted for a short-term vegetable sprout research study (Corvallis): If you are healthy, age 18-60, non-smoking, not pregnant or breastfeeding, without diabetes, heart disease or stroke, bariatric surgery, kidney, thyroid or intestinal problems, you may qualify. The study lasts 72 hours. Volunteers will receive $150. PI: Emily Ho, Ph.D. Title: "Discovery of Biological Signatures for Cruciferous Vegetable Intake." Contact us at [email protected], 541-737-5049 or visit https://tinyurl.com/y7437mo4 for information and online screener. 

Traffic and Maintenance

Southwest Washington Way: For work related to Pacific Power system upgrades, Pacific Power will perform electrical trenching and drilling work from Monday, April 19 through Monday, May 31. Electrical trenching and drilling work will start at the intersection of 35th Street and SW Washington Way on Monday, April 19, with work occurring on both sides of SW Washington Way between 35th Street and 30th Street through the end of May (view map). Work will progress from west to east along SW Washington Way. This work supports Pacific Power’s power infrastructure and prepares for future upgrades to SW Washington Way.

Western Building: As part of the Campus Operations building project, the Western Building parking lot will be fully closed for paving. Paving work is scheduled to start on Thursday, April 15 and continue through Sunday, April 18 (view map). If you are planning to come to the Western Building on these days, you will need to park in another parking lot. For questions or comments on this closure, contact Construction Manager Rick Freeman at 541-231-5368.
 

Weather

“Gardening is learning, learning, learning. That’s the fun of them. You’re always learning." –Helen Mirren

Corvallis: Sunny today, high of 77, low of 45. Sunny and warm this weekend.

Central Oregon: Sunny today, high of 65, low of 37. Sunny this weekend.

Newport: Sunny today, high of 79, low of 47. Sunny with highs in the 70s this weekend.

Statewide: For OSU employees around the state, find your local forecast here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/