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. For more about this section, see: https://today.oregonstate.edu/email/submission-guidelines.


The 1918 flu is even more relevant in 2022 thanks to omicron (Washington Post)

A piece by Christopher McKnight Nichols, Andrew Carnegie Fellow, associate professor of history and director of the Oregon State University Center for the Humanities.
 

New OSU website explores Oregon's whales (KEZI)

A new website by Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute called IndividuWhale lets visitors meet iconic Oregon whales. (see also Register-GuardThe World)
 

The crisis unfolding in America's Christmas tree capital (Guardian)

The real impact might not be felt for years to come, according to Chal Landgren, Oregon State University Extension Christmas tree specialist. He cited the fact that most of the damage was on seedlings (Christmas trees take six to 10 years to mature).
 

Air bubbles preserved in Antarctic ice highlight the possible cause of low oxygen levels (Nature World News)

Scientists from Oregon State University and the University of Maine and the University of California, San Diego studied bubbles in earlier ice cores to indicate that the O2 drop started approximately 1 million years ago when the duration of Earth's glacial cycles more than quadrupled.
 

Oregon State University researchers test wastewater for COVID, including omicron (FOX 12)

At a lab at Oregon State University, scientists work in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority to do the testing. The samples come in twice a week from more than 40 sewage treatment plants across the state.
 

Oregon State University will require COVID-19 booster shots (FOX 26)

Oregon State University will require COVID-19 booster shots for students and staff when they become eligible during the upcoming winter term. (see also OPB NewsKLCCThe Olympian)
 

With start of 2022, countdown to Oregon governor's race begins (KATU)

With the start of an election year, we're going to hear a lot more from candidates. Here to give us her insight into the governor's race is Judy Stigler, a part-time political science instructor at Oregon State University's Cascade campus in Bend, and former state legislator.
 

OSU part of research looking at impact grazing has on soil health, more (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)

Oregon State University is joining ranks with an international coalition of 20 entities for a grazing management research project.
 

CEOAS emeritus professor Shaul Levi has passed (LIFE@OSU)

Professor Emeritus Shaul Levi with the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences died Dec. 6, shortly after his diagnosis of leukemia. He was attended by his wife Catherine and his son Boaz when he passed.
 

This tree has stood here for 500 years. Will it be sold for $17,500? (Washington Post)

The spruce would hold nearly 12 metric tons of carbon, says forest ecologist Beverly Law, a professor emeritus at Oregon State University. Its roots and the soil below would hold another 1.4 tons. And while roughly a third of the tree’s carbon would stay locked in the logs being shipped to mill, the rest would escape to the atmosphere.
 

Looking back on the year's most talked-about robots (Popular Science)

Delivery robots on college campuses ferried groceries and takeout to customers’ doorsteps.
 

Health officials say they're 'worried' about omicron variant (FOX 26)

“With Omicron, given what we know about it and its increased transmissibility, I would suspect that once we do detect it in the wastewater, we’d expect it to increase and spread fairly quickly,” Tyler Radniecke, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at OSU, said.
 

Schools need to urgently prioritize the physical health of students (Hill Reporter)

A piece by Megan MacDonald, associate professor of kinesiology in the College of Public Health & Human Sciences at Oregon State University and the IMPACT for Life Faculty Scholar. 
 

Blue isn't magic — it's chemistry (Tatter)

As many of our blues fade – the skies above polluting cities graying, warming ocean waters tingeing green – chemist Dr. Mas Subramanian guides new blues into being.  In his chemistry laboratory at Oregon State University, amongst beakers and desiccators sitting near marble mortars and pestles, rare-earth elements are meticulously selected from their labeled cabinets. (see also The Gal Times)
 

New wetland area on N. Oregon coast providing more benefits than thought (Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Yet a study from Oregon State University (OSU) has revealed there's more going on here that affects humans – and indeed the tourism and local economy – than previously realized. It's even created yet another recreation area for visitors. (see also Phys.org)
 

OSU veterinary laboratory awarded grants to improve emergency response (Corvallis Advocate)

The Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (OVDL) at Oregon State University recently received three grants — totaling $675,155 — from the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. The funds will allow the lab, housed at Oregon State University, to expand its efforts to respond to disease outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest. 
 

Oregon schools stick with original quarantine period despite recent CDC change (OPB News)

“[W]e understand that OHA’s guidelines of 10 days remain in effect, even while CDC’s guidelines have been reduced,” Oregon State University spokesperson Steve Clark said. “Since we are bound by the OHA, our communications have cited that the state of Oregon’s requirements will be followed. If they change, we certainly will follow them.”
 

Studies have shown that pregnant women living near hydraulic fracturing sites are at increased risk of high blood pressure (Florida News Times)

Researchers at Oregon State University have investigated about 3 million births over a 13-year period, and pregnant women living near oil or gas drilling sites in Texas may have higher blood pressure than pregnant women living far away. (see also Science BlogKTVZ)
 

OSU research shows dietary fiber boosts outcomes for melanoma patients on immunotherapy (KTVZ)

Melanoma patients receiving therapy that makes it easier for their immune system to kill cancer cells respond to treatment better when their diet is rich in fiber, according to a large, international research collaboration that includes the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy.
 

OSU Extension Small Farms Program receives grants to strengthen Oregon's food systems (Democrat-Herald)

Two projects of Oregon State University Extension's small farms program have received U.S. Department of Agriculture grants totaling more than $800,000, which officials say they will use to strengthen the viability of Oregon’s small and midscale farms and food businesses.
 

Today's photo


Towering trees: Taken by office specialist Christine Meiwes from Cordley Hall facing the Agricultural & Life Sciences Building. We're still working our way through all our fall photo submissions but we're accepting winter photos now at [email protected]

Timely Teaching Tips: Looking for an alternative to Scantron this term? Gradescope’s bubble sheet feature allows you to scan student answers for automatic grading according to an answer key you provide. Gradescope is integrated with OSU Canvas, and this allows you to send grades from Gradescope to the Canvas gradebook. Learn more about Gradescope and how to get started. 

Event

NEW! President’s Winter Celebration: Tuesday, Jan. 11 from 9-11 a.m., Memorial Union Lounge. All OSU students, faculty and staff are invited to join Interim President Becky Johnson for this annual tradition. Make crafts and join in conversation while picking up treats and beverages to go to kick off the winter term. Attendees are welcome to bring non-perishable food items or monetary donations for the OSU Food Pantry. Contact University Events ([email protected]) with any questions.

NEW! Learn from Beaver alumni who have been there, done that: Students, join the OSU Alumni Association Tuesday, Jan. 25, from 6-7 p.m. for the Ask Alumni virtual event. Get insights and advice from a panel of recent OSU graduates who have entered the workforce and are excited to share what they’ve learned about classes, internships, career options and more. Register for this free event: ForOregonState.org/AskAlumni.

NEW! Winter Career Fairs: Feb. 14-17, connect with some of the best employers in the country at one of the 2022 OSU Winter Career Fairs. On-campus events include Feb. 15, Winter Civil and Construction Engineering Fair and Winter Career & Internship Fair; and Feb. 17, Non-Profit & Public Service Fair. Virtual events are Feb. 14, Winter Civil & Construction Engineering Fair, and Feb. 16, Winter Career & Internship Fair.

OSUsed Store Public Sales: The OSUsed Store carries furniture, computers, household items, office supplies and more, at 644 SW 13th St. Public sales are open to all shoppers this Tuesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Friday, noon to 3 p.m.; details here. Staff may shop for their department Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; details here.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration:  Registrations for the 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Peace Breakfast and Keynote are open to OSU students, staff and faculty. Breakfast is Jan. 17, 9 a.m., with the keynote at 11 a.m. The keynote features LaTosha Brown, expert in black voting rights and voter suppression. Register. For a full list of events, visit https://diversity.oregonstate.edu/mlk.

Lectures, Workshops, Webinars

NEW! CTL Tuesday Teaching + Tech Talks: "Onwards to Better: Teaching and Learning," Regan Gurung and Cub Kahn. During remote learning, students conducted all their learning activities via computer. As we return to classrooms, what should stay? What did we learn about teaching and learning during the pandemic and how should it inform Winter 2022? Jan. 4, 10-11:50 a.m. Zoom link: https://beav.es/UJjhttps://ctl.oregonstate.edu/tuesday-teaching-tech-talks

NEW! “Art on Fire" with Julie Comnick and Bryan David Griffith: In an era of megafires, Comnick and Griffith's work invites new ways of thinking about wildfire. In their talk "Art on Fire," the artists will detail their approaches to creating art in conversation with science and discuss how art can be a catalyst for change. Jan. 4, 6 p.m. Learn more and register here. This talk is part of Spring Creek Project's winter lecture series Lookout: Envisioning Futures with Wildfire.

NEW! Center for Teaching & Learning — Join CTL: New2OSU accelerates the effectiveness of NEW(er) teachers, those NEW to OSU, and/or those seeking teaching reNEWal. With remote, gamified and customizable learning adventures, New2OSU provides self-paced missions, flexible program completion and digital badging. Player one ready? Accepting rolling admissions. Cohort launches first week of winter term. Register to play. 

Crossroads Conversation School for Women invites international women to join them for winter term English conversation classes beginning on Jan. 4. In volunteer-taught classes, students explore other cultures, practice English, and develop friendships. Classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and will be held on Zoom, with some in-person classes possible as conditions allow. For more details and registration information go to https://www.facebook.com/CrossroadsConversationSchool or contact Kara Hanson at [email protected].

Lookout: Envisioning Futures with Wildfire. Spring Creek Project is hosting an 11-week lecture series exploring this era of megafires. Featuring speakers including historian Steve Pyne, author Jewell Parker Rhodes, Executive Director of the Cultural Fire Management Council Margo Robbins, journalist Jaime Lowe, wildlife biologist Maya Khosla, photographer Stuart Palley and more. Tuesdays at 6 p.m. starting Jan. 4. Learn more and register for talks.

GRAMMY U Informational Presentation: All current OSU students are invited to an informational presentation over Zoom about GRAMMY U on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 4-5 p.m. GRAMMY U is a unique program designed to prepare college students for careers in the music industry through networking, educational programs and performance opportunities. Presenters will share information on the program, GRAMMY U member benefits, the application process and more. Click here to RSVP.

College of Engineering Virtual Lecture: David Hill, professor, Civil and Construction Engineering, will speak on “Crowd-Sourcing Snow: The Value of Community Science for Oregon’s Water Resources,” Jan. 12, noon to 1 p.m. Free and open to the public. For details and registration: https://beav.es/Ujc.

Your Social Impact: How to be a Change Agent Within Your Networks. Get expert advice from people who’ve been on the same journey as you and are making a difference in this free virtual "Winning in Life" event, Jan. 20 at noon. The series is designed to help students and alumni build personal and professional skills for success in life, career and beyond. Register for free at ForOregonState.org/Winning.

Crucial Conversations: This is a 10-hour course that fosters dialogue around high-stakes, emotional or risky topics at all levels of your organization. Learn how to speak and be heard, surface the best ideas and make and execute the highest-quality decisions. Online sessions on Thursdays, 1-3 p.m., Jan. 20 through Feb. 17. There is a $100 fee to attend. Learn more and register here.

Teaching with Media: Discover ways to create and use media in your teaching as you blend synchronous and asynchronous learning in Corvallis and Cascades campus courses. The Faculty Media Center and CTL invite faculty and GTAs to a one-hour Zoom workshop. Register for Wed., Jan. 26 at 2 p.m., or register for Thurs., Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. Info: Faculty Media Center.

Inside the Mind of High Performing Leaders: You can learn how to lead with confidence and design your own success. Get expert advice from personal leadership professional and TEDx speaker Jeff Otis, ’90, at the next free virtual "Winning in Life" event, Jan. 27 at noon. Register for free at ForOregonState.org/Winning.

Take Note

NEW! Faculty Staff Fitness: OSU Faculty winter registration is open for Jan. 3 classes on campus (click here for schedule) and more Online FSF options. Contact [email protected] to help you find your fitness plan today.

NEW! Recruiting participants for bicycling simulator experiment: The OSU Bicycling Simulator lab is seeking participants for an experiment who are at least 18 years old and have ridden a bicycle in the last 10 years. The purpose of this study is to make autonomous vehicles safer for bicyclists. Participation involves a one-hour time commitment and coming to the OSU Bicycling Simulator. To schedule a time to participate or for more information, please email Amy Wyman at [email protected].

NEW! The University Health & Safety Committee wants to promote health and safety by providing a simple six-step process for getting to the root cause of workplace accidents and incidents from SAIF for all managers and supervisors via the following Accident analysis information and video from our workers’ compensation carrier, SAIF. They call it taking ACTION. Duration: 8 minutes | Watch now [Spanish] You can also access OSU’s University Health & Safety Committee online at http://ehs.oregonstate.edu/uhsc.

NEW! Honors College Colloquium Proposals: OSU tenured/tenure-track, senior instructor, and emeritus faculty are invited to submit honors colloquium proposals for 2022-2023 at honors.oregonstate.edu/course-proposals. Any General Catalog course can also be offered as a small, highly-engaged honors course – interested faculty should contact [email protected] for details. Faculty may apply for Meehan course development grants of up to $3,000 to develop experiential learning opportunities for honors courses and colloquia. More information: [email protected] or 541-737-6412. Deadline: Jan. 15.

NEW! Looking for Unsung Heroes: We are looking for submissions from the Oregon State community to highlight OSU employees and students who are not typically in the spotlight but who are going above and beyond in their work or personal lives. Inspired by our COVID-19 Unsung Hero profiles, we want to celebrate those who serve others, whether it be helping colleagues, volunteering in their community or simply living in ways that inspire us. Send your suggestions to [email protected] and our staff may contact them for interviews we’d feature in OSU Today and elsewhere.

NEW! The 34th Annual Provost’s Literary Prize for undergraduate students at OSU is open for submissions. Keith Scribner in the School of Writing, Literature and Film and the screening committee are seeking help from faculty to identify candidates for the prize. The literary work can be fiction, poetry, drama or creative nonfiction written for a general audience. The winner will be awarded $500 and on-campus publication. Submission details can be found here. Deadline: Feb. 15. The Provost will announce the winner in May 2022.

NEW! CMLC classes: The Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center (CMLC) will be offering English classes, meditation classes (in English and Spanish),and English conversation circles beginning the week of Jan. 2. We also offer an ongoing conversation partner program, citizenship and naturalization support, loans to apply for green cards and U.S. citizenship, and scholarships for DACA renewal. For more information, see https://cmlcenter.org/ or contact us at [email protected] or 541-632-3890. To register for a class, please go to our online form:https://forms.gle/JUK5oao79FtMepq26.

NEW! 25 Year Club inductees: Congratulations to Executive Associate Dean and Professor Belinda Batten for being inducted into the 25 Year club at OSU. You can read more about their time at OSU and others inducted into the club by clicking on their name.

Girls Expeditions: Inspiring Girls Expeditions is seeking field scientists, artists or wilderness guides to plan and instruct our three OSU-based 2022 expeditions: Expeditions@HomeGirls on Ice Cascades, and Girls in Icy Fjords. Our expeditions are unique, tuition-free, 10 to 12-day programs for 16 to 18-year-old girlsand gender expansive youth that emphasize curiosity, creativity, and exploration in remote environments. Links to position descriptions and application instructions can be found on our website. Contact Program Coordinator Ryan Brown with questions.

Call to Artists: Celebrate Oregon's Diversity Exhibition. The Giustina Gallery at The LaSells Stewart Center is accepting submissions from Pacific Northwest regional artists for an exhibition that takes the opportunity to celebrate Oregon's diversity. Artwork that will be considered for this exhibition will represent the breadth of diversity that Oregon has to offer through its culture or through its multitude of landscapes including mountains, shores, valleys, waterways, farms, towns and cities. Submission deadline is Jan. 5, 11:59 p.m. Exhibit runs Jan. 18-March 18.

Mid-Month Emergency Preparedness Topic: Preparedness Planning. Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Consider specific needs in your household, know how you will contact one another and practice your plan. https://www.ready.gov/plan This month’s poster can be downloaded at: https://emergency.oregonstate.edu/emergency-preparedness/preparedness-topics/preparedness-planning.

Celebrating Fall 2021 Teaching (and Preparing for '22): As 2021 draws to a close we at the Center for Teaching and Learning thank you for all the work you did for our students. Before we venture into the break, we invite you to help us prepare to better serve your pedagogical needs for Winter 2022. Please take this brief, 3-minute survey to rate how the Center for Teaching and Learning Fall 2021 pedagogical materials served your needs, and to identify potential new needs for Winter 2022.

Secure Your Family: Smart Home Items, Devices, Digital Information and Balancing Child Privacy. During this holiday season especially and with all of the ongoing remote computing vulnerabilities, we want to give you more tools to protect yourself, your family, and our community. We’ve just added four 10-minute videos to our tool bag to help you with securing your (smart) home, securing your devices, backing up your digital information and balancing your children’s privacy online. You can access them here: https://oregonstate.bridgeapp.com/learner/programs/51dfdfe5/enroll. For other training resources, please check out our new website at https://uit.oregonstate.edu/infosec under Awareness & Training, then Online Training, etc. 

Grant Funding Available Request for Proposals: The OSU Women’s Giving Circle is accepting proposals for grant funding to be awarded in May 2022. Projects that enhance the undergraduate experience, directly impact as many OSU students as possible and improve student retention are eligible. The applications are due by Monday, Jan. 10, 9 a.m. To apply visit fororegonstate.org/wgc_grant. Questions: Contact [email protected].

Scholarships: The OSU Folk Club Thrift Shop Scholarship Committee will be accepting applications starting Jan. 10 from women 30 and older who will be attending OSU either full time (12 credits) or part time (6 credits) in 2022-2023, pursuing an undergraduate degree. Awards are $3,000 for full- time and $1,500 for part-time students. Applicants must also meet OSU residency requirements for in-state tuition. Applications will be online at osufolk.oregonstate.edu/scholarships. The submission deadline is March 1.

SJEI workshops are open for winter and spring term registration – secure your spot now: The Social Justice Education Initiative is open to all faculty, staff and graduate students. SJEI workshops are infused with empathy, humor and expertise while embracing a guiding principle of “more curiosity, less judgement” to achieve robust learning objectives. Learn more, see the workshop schedule and register on the SJEI website registration page or contact SJEI director Jane Waite: [email protected].

Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics Scholarships: These scholarships offer up to three years of funding to Ph.D. students whose research focuses on population and ecosystem dynamics or marine resource economics. Application packages must be submitted to the Sea Grant office in the state where you are enrolled by Jan. 27, 2022. In Oregon, please contact Stephanie Ichien or Sarah Kolesar at Oregon Sea Grant.

NOAA’s Coastal Management and Digital Coasts Fellowships: This fellowship offers postgraduate students on-the-job education and training in coastal resource management and policy. There will be 12 fellowship positions that start in August 2022. For eligibility, project descriptions and application information, go to coast.noaa.gov/fellowship and the Oregon Sea Grant’s Coastal Management & Digital Coast Fellowship page. Application packages must be submitted to the Sea Grant office in the state where you receive your degree by Jan. 21, 2022.

2023-24 John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship: This is a one-year paid experience for highly qualified early career professionals to work on coastal, marine and Great Lakes science and policy issues in offices within the executive or legislative branch of government in Washington, D.C. Details are on the Knauss Fellowship page. Application packages must be submitted to the Sea Grant office in the state where you received your degree by Feb. 18, 2022. 

AWSEM Club: Registration for STEM Academy's virtual AWSEM (Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering, and Math) Club for 8th-10th graders is open. Club meets on Wednesdays 5-6 p.m. Jan. 26-March 2. Cost is $75. Needs-based scholarships available. For more information: https://stemacademy.oregonstate.edu/awsem-club, 541-737-8139 or email [email protected].

The 34th Annual Provost’s Literary Prize for undergraduate students at OSU is open for submissions. Keith Scribner in the School of Writing, Literature and Film and the screening committee are seeking help from faculty to identify candidates for the prize. The literary work can be fiction, poetry, drama or creative nonfiction written for a general audience. The winner will be awarded $500 and on-campus publication. Submission details here. Deadline: Feb. 15. The Provost will announce the winner in May 2022.

Submit your events for the 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration week: Departments, units, offices, organizations and individuals are invited to submit events for the 40th annual Celebration. These events are intended to collaboratively learn about, reflect on and carry on the legacy of Dr. King, and are an important part of the annual celebration. Learn more on the events website. Events can be submitted by Friday, Jan. 7. For questions, contact [email protected] or 541-737-1063. 

Apply for FY22 PCOSW scholarship and project funding: The President’s Commission on the Status of Women invites applications for funding to faculty, students and staff who are pursuing professional development, research or other opportunities that support PCOSW’s mission. Apply by Friday, Feb. 4. Visit https://leadership.oregonstate.edu/pcosw/funding-opportunities for detailed guidelines, qualification requirements and application link. Questions? Contact [email protected].

COVID-19 testing: Oregon State University, in collaboration with Willamette Valley Toxicology (WVT), is providing on-site COVID-19 testing. OSU employees and students, regardless of vaccination status, are welcome to test at one of these locations: Corvallis: Student Experience Center and Cascade Hall 120: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.. (For staff wanting to get a test voluntarily, please make sure to register for a LabDash account prior to arrival: https://labdash.net/.) Bend: Ray Hall 302. Week of Jan. 3: Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m.

Traffic and Maintenance

NEW! Reser lot closure: For work related to the Completing Reser Stadium project, a parking closure is scheduled in the Zone 2 area of the Reser Stadium parking lot for preparation and day-of work for the planned implosion of the stadium’s west side. Between 7 and 8 a.m. on Jan. 7, licensed contractors will use explosive charges to implode the stadium’s west side. The Zone 2 area of the lot will be used for loading in containers to sit parallel to Oak Creek (view map). The closure is scheduled to start on Jan. 5 through Friday, Jan. 7. The area will reopen for use at the end of the day on Jan. 7.

NEW! Reser: For work related to the Completing Reser Stadium project, starting Jan. 3 through Jan. 10, a temporary entrance and exit driveway will be constructed along SW 26th Street and five ADA parking spaces will be temporarily closed. A temporary sidewalk closure along SW 26th Street is also planned (view map).

NEW! Benton Place: For continued utility work related to the Arts and Education Complex project, an additional full closure of SW Benton Place is scheduled from Jan. 6-8 (view map). There will be minimal impacts to parking.

Weather

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, 'Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again." ~ Lewis Carroll

Corvallis: Rain today, high of 42, low of 36. Rain tomorrow.

Central Oregon: Rain and snow today, high of 37, low of 27. Rain and snow tomorrow.

Newport: Showers and windy today, high of 46, low of 41. Rain and breezy tomorrow.

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