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. 
 

OSU expects modest support for capital projects (Democrat-Herald)

Oregon State University is seeking state bonding support for three major capital projects, but the university’s new chief lobbyist warned the OSU Board of Trustees on Friday it can only expect approval for one or possibly two in the upcoming legislative session.
 

English sparkling wines challenge the supremacy of Champagne, France - thanks to climate change (Smithsonian Magazine)

Patty Skinkis, a viticulture specialist at Oregon State University, says that “the growth and yield of a grapevine is dependent on the soil, water inputs and environment combined.” With the ideal soil composition already in place, English sparkling wines got a boost from the warmer weather.
 

Ocean acidification is impacting Dungeness crabs, Oregon's most-valuable fishery, study shows (Oregonian)

“It is really hard to demonstrate the effects of climate change and ocean acidification in the field like this. That’s the really novel aspect of this work.” said George Waldbusser, an ocean ecology professor at Oregon State University, who was not part of the study. “There’s more work to be done, but this is an important step."
 

Snacking disrupts biological clock, dopamine levels, scientists say (Great Course Daily)

“Dopamine is commonly referred to as the ‘feel-good chemical,’ due to a pathway called the mesolimbic dopamine system—the most important reward pathway in the brain,” said Dr. Kevin Ahern, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Oregon State University.
 

Facial paralysis takes emotional toll, especially when acquired later in life (Psych Central)

For the study, researcher Dr. Kathleen Bogart from Oregon State University (OSU) surveyed people around the world with different forms of facial paralysis, both congenital and acquired, to gain a better understanding of the socioemotional issues they face.
 

Are galvanized troughs safe to use for veggie gardens? Ask an expert (Oregonian)

Winter is here, but gardening questions keep coming in to Ask an Expert, an online question-and-answer tool from Oregon State University’s Extension Service. 
 

Two new distinguished professors at OSU (Corvallis Advocate)

Oregon State University has named Yuji Hiratsuka and David Williams as its 2020 Distinguished Professor recipients, the highest academic honor the university can bestow on a faculty member. 
 

Oregon State University to hold open house at renovated, expanded ocean research faciity (Register-Guard)

Oregon State University’s newly renovated and expanded Marine and Geology Repository opens Jan. 31 with tours and an open house.
 

Today's photo


Forestry Club Cabin: Forestry Club Cabin and surrounding buildings at McDonald Forest, circa 1940. This was the first cabin, which burned in February 1949. A new cabin was quickly constructed. Courtesy OSU Special Collections & Archives.

Today

Tuition Forums: The University Budget Committee has begun meeting to discuss recommendations for tuition rates for the 2020-21 academic year. As part of developing recommendations for the Board of Trustees, representatives of the Budget Committee and the Office of Budget and Resource Planning are offering a series of weekly forums to discuss tuition rates, proposals for tuition increases, and to answer any questions about tuition and the university budget. The next forum will be held Monday, Jan. 27 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Memorial Union Trysting Tree Lounge. The schedule for subsequent forums and a short discussion of common questions about tuition are available on the Budget website. The committee welcomes questions, comments, and ideas. For more information, to provide an idea or opinion, or to ask a question please contact Laurie Henry.

Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences Poster Symposium: Faculty and graduate students will be presenting their research at our first poster symposium on Monday, Jan. 27, 1-5 p.m. in the Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Research Seminar: Jay Ver Hoef will speak on “Why all statistical models should be spatial.” Ver Hoef is a senior scientist statistician with the Marine Mammal Laboratory, NOAA-NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA and Fairbanks, AK. Jan. 27, 4 p.m. Weniger 149. 

Crop and Soil Science Winter 2020 Seminar Series: The Department of CSS and Horticulture are co-hosting the weekly winter 2020 Seminars. The second seminar (Jan 27, 4 p.m., ALS 4000) is going to be presented by the CSS graduate students Hayley Peter-Contesse and Shengwei Hu  on "Soil respiration from DIRT and spatial distribution of soil C across HJ Andrews" and "Nematode Resistant Breeding in Potatoes," respectively. Zoom information: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/244761584

What and How Cinema Can Teach Us About Society, Politics and Culture – Nabil Boudraa, professor in the School of Language, Culture, and Society, and OSU Center for the Humanities Research Fellow, will present material from his new book on the work of Algerian filmmaker Merzak Allouache. He’ll address how the films deal with major topics — terrorism, migration, popular revolts, ethnic diversity, and women's rights — that affect contemporary Algeria and beyond. Monday, Jan. 27, 4 p.m., at the Autzen House, 811 SW Jefferson Ave.

Events

NEW! Songwriters in the Round. A facilitated weekly meetup of songwriters and aspiring songwriters, hosted by Director of Popular Music Bob Santelli with OSU students Jens Lovtang and Max Winer. 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Bexell Hall Lounge. Tuesdays through March 17. Free and open to all. Bring your songs, your instrument and your enthusiasm.

NEW! CrossTalk@Science meet-and-greet: A group of College of Science graduate students are forming CrossTalk@Science to connect students across the college related to STEM equity, diversity, and inclusion. All COS students welcome. Jan. 29, 5-6 p.m. Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center. Event link here: https://crosstalksci.weebly.com/

NEW! STEM Research Center ReceptionCelebrate, Connect and Collaborate! The OSU STEM Research Center invites you to celebrate our expanded staff and portfolio of applied research and evaluation. Join us to learn more about who we are, what we do and how you can get involved. Brief program followed by hosted reception and networking. Feb. 26, 4-6 p.m. in the Horizon Room in the MU. This event is free and open to faculty and graduate students, please RSVP here.

Save the Date! George W. Peavy Forest Science Center Grand Opening: Tuesday, May 12, 3-5 p.m., 3100 SW Jefferson Way. Schedule to follow.

Housing KickoffOregon State students who want to lock in priority status for selecting next year’s housing can come to the Housing Kickoff, Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the MU Horizon room. The event is a chance to learn about on-campus apartments, rooms and suites that are reserved for students in their second year of college or above. The first 100 attendees will receive a free Bluetooth speaker. All attendees receive priority housing registration status, free food and the chance to win a $250 gift card to the Beaver Store. For more information or questions about disability accommodations, contact Jen Rouse at 541-737-1055 or [email protected].

American Strings: The College of Liberal Arts hosts Chicago blues artists Ronnie Baker Brooks, guitar/vocals, and Billy Branch, harmonica/vocals on Feb. 12 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre, 115 SW Second St. in Corvallis. Tickets here. 

University-Community Forum: The forum “Open Streets Classroom: A University-Community Partnership for the Public Good” will take place on Feb. 27, noon to 4 p.m., at the main meeting room of the Corvallis-Benton County Library. At the event, faculty and students will join members of the wider Corvallis community to create community-university collaborations in the context of Open Streets Corvallis. For more information and to register go to https://openstreetscorvallis.org. This event is co-sponsored by the OSU Office of Institutional Diversity and the School of Language, Culture, and Society.

SAC Presents: Slavic Soul Party! a 10-piece band from Brooklyn, N.Y., performs Balkan-soul-gypsy-funk on March 19 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the LaSells Stewart Center. Tickets here. 

Art Exhibit: Prints by Earl Newman – The OSU Center for the Humanities is delighted to showcase an eclectic collection of Earl Newman’s serigraphs from throughout his career — from nature prints, political art and original sketches, to posters for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. All prints in the Autzen House Gallery are available for purchase, and you can see more of Newman’s work at earlnewmanprints.com. The exhibit at 811 SW Jefferson Ave. is open for viewing through March 20 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m and by appointment. Email [email protected] for information or to request a visit outside of gallery hours. And mark your calendar to join the artist for a reception during the Corvallis Arts Walk on March 19 from 4-6 p.m.

Lectures, Workshops, Webinars

NEW! Blended Learning Opportunity: All Corvallis teaching faculty are invited to apply to participate in the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Spring 2020 Hybrid Faculty Learning Community and redesign Corvallis on-campus courses as hybrid courses. Professional development funding provided. Proposals due Feb. 12. See the Call for Proposals. If you have questions or want to find out more about this opportunity, drop in to Milam 215 during any of the following times: Wed., Jan. 29, 10-10:30 a.m. or 3-3:30 p.m.; or Thurs., Feb. 6, at 10-10:30 a.m. or 3-3:30 p.m.; or email [email protected]

NEW! Bioinformatics Users Group (BUG): "Using bilevel optimization to examine antigenic drift in the Influenza A1 virus, i.e. What influences why I need to get a new flu shot every year" - Joe Agor (Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering), Wednesday, Jan. 29, noon to 1 p.m. in ALS 3005. BUG consists of life scientists, bioinformaticians, computer scientists, mathematicians, engineers, statisticians, and researchers of all types who meet to discuss topics related to these fields of study. Meetings are generally informal, consisting of discussions, interactive talks, or short workshops. All are welcome. No experience needed to participate. For additional information, see https://cgrb.oregonstate.edu/bug

NEW! How and Why Should Scientists Communicate with the Press? Leading science communication experts Jane Lubchenco, Karen McLeod, and Steve Lundeberg will be featured in a panel discussion hosted by the Student Science & Policy Club at OSU. This discussion will center on how scientists can effectively communicate their research to the news media. The event will take place Jan. 29, 1-2:30 p.m., in the MU Horizon Room. 

NEW! From Conflict to Coexistence: Human Wildlife Interactions in Kenya and our Backyards:” A seminar presented by Suzanne MacDonald, animal behaviorist, scientist and professor from York University. She will speak on Wednesday Jan. 29, 4-5 p.m., in WITH 109. View in person or remotely.

NEW! Wellness Challenge: OSU Faculty Staff Fitness is holding a brand-new six-week wellness challenge from Feb. 2-March 14, called RECHARGE 2020. This electrifying program is made to emphasize healthy habits through tracking and educational elements with an online portal, office challenges, and partnering to give you a fully rounded experience. Register via https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/recharge. Contact [email protected] if you have additional questions.

NEW! February Online Courses in Lean Six Sigma and Human Resource Management: Join the College of Business Continuing and Professional Education for instructor-led, 100% online courses offered in many topics including: leadership, digital branding, Lean Six Sigma, business contracts and human resource fundamentals. Courses take five to seven weeks to complete and you can earn a certificate in as few as nine months. OSU Faculty and Staff can use discount code OSUSTAFF20 to save 20%. Call (541) 737-1500 for more information or browse the upcoming certificate programs and courses: https://business.oregonstate.edu/continuing-and-professional-education/online-certificate-programs

NEW! Core curriculum: The Core Curriculum for Current Supervisors and Managers training program, presented by the Office of Human Resources, is open for registration. Core Curriculum is a blended online/two-day classroom training program that strengthens knowledge and skills required for effective supervision and management at OSU. Multiple content experts from key offices will lead you through topics that address OSU policies, procedures and practices. The next program is scheduled for Feb. 10-11 with other options for spring term. Details and registration

Save the Dates! 2020 Starker Lecture Series: “Women of Forestry: inspiring leadership,” focuses on women who act as agents of change within the forestry and forest products sector as well as within their communities. The College of Forestry graduated its first woman student, Pauline Barto Sandoz, 75 years ago. This series will explore the triumphs of women as well as the myriad of challenges they face in forests, mills, research labs and beyond. Feb. 27: Film, "Taking Root: The vision of Wangari Matthai"; March 16, Robin Wall-Kimmerer; April 8, Amanda Rau; April 29, Edie Sohn Hall; May 27, Capstone Workshop. For more information, visit our website.

People and Nature Lunch Series: Iva Sokolovska, graduate student in Public Policy, presents “Community Adaptation in the PNW: 10 Years of Co-Production of Climate Change Knowledge” on Tuesday, Jan. 28, from noon to 12:45 p.m. in Strand 110. The lecture is free and open to all. Sponsored by the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife’s Human Dimensions Lab. To attend online: https://beav.es/PAN. For more information: https://PeopleAndNatureOSU.weebly.com.

Tuesday Teaching + Tech Talks: Lesson Planning & Reflection - Join Funmi Amobi (CTL) to explore various approaches for effective lesson planning and reflecting on lessons. +Tech Talk: Learn about classroom technology that facilitates “untethered teaching.” This workshop will be facilitated twice in Milam 215 Jan 28 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. No need to register – just come on by. Learn more here. Contact us here.

Tree School Clackamas: Tree School Clackamas, Oregon’s largest forestry and natural resource education event of the year, will open registration on Jan. 28. On March 21 the school will feature 74 classes covering key topics to support the successful management of small woodlands. Participants will learn about seedlings, tree planting, tools and techniques, wildfire preparedness, marketing and business, forest health, wildlife habitat, water, forest fungi and more. People can register online, in person or by mail. Many classes fill in the first few days of registration. For registration information, visit the website at bit.ly/Clacktree. 

"Household Energy In Guatemala” 3-credit Field Course: Students from any major are invited to travel to Guatemala for 10 days in September 2020 to learn about the household energy poverty facing 40% of the world’s families and the technologies and policies that can help to address it, as part of the humanitarian engineering program. Multiple scholarships are available to cover the in-country course fees. An info session will be held Jan. 28, 5 p.m., Rogers 226. More details on the info session are here and details about the past course here. Contact the course leader Nordica MacCarty [email protected] with any questions.

Employee Assistance Program workshop on Healthy Sleep: This training addresses how stress impacts sleep along with key principles for getting better rest, including mindfulness and guided imagery. Insomnia and its impact are also addressed. Feb. 5, 9-10 a.m. MU Multipurpose Room. Registration is required at OSU Professional Development site: http://oregonstate.edu/training/index.php. Search for the course by the title and register. To participate remotely access the Zoom registration link here

Workshop: Blending Your Teaching with Instructional Media: Want to know how to create instructional media for your on-campus courses and to learn best practices of hybrid/flipped/blended design and teaching? CTL and Academic Technology invite you to explore the new Faculty Media Center. Learn how to make audio, video and other media, while beginning to plan an upcoming course in this 90-min. hands-on workshop. Refreshments provided. Wednesday, Feb. 5, 10 a.m. or 2 p.m., Kidder 100. Registration Info: Faculty Media Center

Engaging Undergraduates in Research: Join us for an exciting session on Feb. 6 from noon to 1 p.m., where mentors of undergraduate researchers will learn how to use OSU’s sample mentoring agreement, will explore sources of financial support for students engaged in research, and will gain valuable insight into best practices for engaging in research with undergraduates. RSVP here for location.

Lunch with President Ray: TRIAD is welcoming President Ray on Thursday, Feb. 20, noon to 1 p.m. He will speak on “Where does OSU stand and where are we going?” If you wish to attend, contact Janice Nave-Abele, [email protected] to register. An optional catered lunch is available for $13. TRIAD gatherings provide faculty, staff, students and community members with an opportunity to network and learn something new each week. See triad.oregonstate.edu.

Take Note

Undergrad volunteers sought: Oregon State University, Office of International Services, and the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center (CMLC) seek two OSU undergraduate student interns/volunteers to gain experience in event planning, marketing, grant management and volunteer management with a nonprofit. A $500 stipend/payroll is provided. Please send an email to [email protected] with a statement expressing interest in the position with attached resume by Friday, Jan. 31. The full position description is available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSZnT8PMI0x--pzPglhY9_xa5m5mOsmJLOmOKDq-zZGyc6ePOQfB_xFVCCoN0BG5uyrHlVAxomQNkXE/pub

Weather

"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." ~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born today in 1756.

Corvallis: Rain and breezy today, high of 52, low of 46. Rain tomorrow.

Central Oregon: Rain and snow today, high of 45, low of 36. Chance of rain tomorrow.

Newport: Rain and windy today, high of 53, low of 48. Rain and windy tomorrow.

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