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.

A 'farm-to-bottle' movement takes off in the Pacific Northwest (Jefferson Public Radio)

Faculty research assistant Scott Fisk said Oregon State University's barley breeding program would soon be ready to release a barley variety that displayed good disease resistance under regional growing conditions and produced crisper, more refreshing flavor when used in beer. At the recent Cascadia Grain Conference, Washington State University researchers said they too are close to releasing a named barley variety.
 

Is the polar vortex linked to climate change? (KEZI)

KEZI 9 News spoke with Kathie Dello, an associate director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University, who said it's unlikely that we would ever see extremely cold weather in the Pacific Northwest. She said this is due to the fact that the Pacific Northwest falls under a high pressure ridge, meaning warmer and sunnier weather than our neighbors in the Midwest and the East Coast experience.
 

Scientists single out a suspect in starfish carnage: warming oceans (New York Times)

According to Rebecca Vega-Thurber, an associate professor of environmental microbiology at Oregon State University who was not involved in the study, “What’s really exciting about this paper is the really strong correspondence between this temperature anomaly that occurred during that year when the sea stars started dying.”
 

Oregon State researchers take step toward potentially predicting earthquakes (KGW)

Scientists will tell you earthquake prediction won't be happening anytime soon. But researchers at Oregon State University have made an important step in understanding what might set off those big quakes.
 

Exploding demand for cashmere wool is ruining Mongolia's grasslands (Science News)

But one factor stands out: overgrazing, which, according to a 2013 study by researchers at Oregon State University in Corvallis, has caused 80% of the recent decline in vegetation on the grasslands.
 

Institute researches, resolves water conflicts (Capital Press)

Todd Jarvis, director of Oregon State University’s Institute for Water and Watersheds, got his first introduction to water issues at 8 years old when he visited a hot springs.
 

Onion industry bounces back (Capital Press)

“They do demand a lot of tender loving care,” said Stuart Reitz, who directs the Oregon State University Malheur Experiment Station between Ontario and Nyssa. “They are probably one of the more demanding crops grown in the area.”
 

Today's photo


February Food Drive: The month-long OSU Food Drive begins Feb. 1. Watch OSU Today for a special section just on food drive events so you won't miss out on all the rummage sales, auctions, teas (like the one pictured above), soup lunches and more. All proceeds benefit Linn-Benton Food Share. And don't forget to sign up to have a monthly contribution deducted to support local hunger needs.

Today

Horticulture Department Visiting Scholar: Michael Cahn, irrigation and water resources adviser, University of California Cooperative Extension, will give a lecture titled “Developing an Online Decision Support Tool for Irrigation and Nutrient Management of Vegetables and Strawberries on the Central Coast of California.” He will speak in Ag and Life Sciences (ALS) 4000 at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31.

Upcoming Events

NEW! Landscape Magic: Waiting for Spring“Landscape Magic: Waiting for Spring,” an exhibit of artwork focused on the beauty of winter and the promise of spring, will be on display Feb. 1 through March 5 in the Giustina Gallery at the LaSells Stewart Center. Fourteen Pacific Northwest artists working in a range of styles and mediums will be featured in the invitation-only exhibit. Opening reception is February 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The Giustina Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The gallery is also open some evenings and weekends, depending on scheduled events.

NEW! Graduate Research Showcase: Join the OSU College of Engineering for the 2019 Graduate Research Showcase. Feb. 8, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit: engineering.oregonstate.edu/2019-graduate-research-showcase.

NEW! The 4th annual Human Library: Event participants will engage in 45 minute two-way conversations with individuals who volunteer as “Human Books.” Experiencing a discussion with a human book creates an opportunity for constructive dialogue, learning and empathy between two people who otherwise might not interact. A list of books and registration for “readers” are available at https://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/humanlibrary. The event will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Valley Library, 4th Floor Rotunda. Preregistration is strongly encouraged. Please direct accommodation requests related to disability or general questions to Shalece Rains at 541-737-4537 or [email protected]. This event is sponsored by OSU Libraries and Press and the University Ombuds Office.

OSUsed Store Public Sales: The OSUsed Store is open for its weekly public sales Friday noon to 3 p.m. at 644 S.W. 13th. Personal purchases must be made during public sales. Staff may shop for their department 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. More information on our website.

Holy Week: "The Story of the 2016 Sacred Peace Walk” and “Making Waves: The Rebirth of the Golden Rule”: Learn about nuclear abolition efforts in two short films with documentary filmmaker, James A. Knight. Total screening for both films is under an hour followed by Q&A and discussion. Friday, Feb. 1, 3:30 p.m. Milam Hall 319.

The Visiting Writers Series: Tomás Q. Morín is the author of “Patient Zero” and “A Larger Country,” winner of the APR/Honickman Prize and runner-up for the PEN Osterweil Award. He translated Pablo Neruda’s “The Heights of Macchu Picchu” and the opera “Pancho Villa from a Safe Distance.” Morín will be reading at The Lab Theatre, Withycombe, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Lectures, Workshops, Webinars

NEW! Duo Town Hall:  A town hall will be held in the Horizon Room at the Memorial Union on Monday, Feb 4 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. There will be a short presentation about why mandatory Duo is happening, how it will impact you, how to get a token, and other project information, followed by time to get your questions answered as well as sign up for Duo on the spot. This session will also be available on Webex. See https://is.oregonstate.edu/duo/events for more information and to indicate your interest.  Send any questions beforehand to [email protected]. Beverages will be available. 

NEW! Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Lecture: Join us Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. in the MU Horizon Room for the Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Lecture with Jamsheed Choksy, distinguished professor and chair of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University. Choksy's talk will be on "The Spread of Islam: New Ways of Understanding Conquest and Confessional Change in Iraq, Iran and Central Asia." For questions or accommodations for disabilities, contact [email protected]or 541-737-6522.

NEW! Science Pub: Benjamin Dalziel, an assistant professor in Oregon State University’s College of Science, will discuss his research on how the flu virus is transmitted at the Corvallis Science Pub on Monday, Feb. 11. Dalziel and collaborators have examined the patterns people follow in 603 cities regarding where they live and work, along with the role a key weather metric – specific humidity – played in flu epidemics. The presentation will start at 6 p.m. at the Old World Deli, 341 Second St. in Corvallis. It is free and open to the public. Due to the continuing popularity of Science Pub, attendance will be limited and advance registration will be required. Registration is at https://bit.ly/2W9hfRE or by calling University Events at 541-737-4717. People who arrive without a ticket are welcome but will not be admitted to the reserved seating area until 6 p.m.

NEW! Information and Global Social Justice – Italy | Faculty-led Program Info Session: Join librarians Kelly McElroy and Diana Park for a three-credit, two-week program in Ferrara, Italy, from June 26 through July 10. This program is designed for first-time travelers who wish to develop a deeper understanding of social justice issues in a global context by examining information flow within countries and across borders. Please join the info session on Feb. 7 from noon to 1 p.m. in the 2nd Floor West Classroom at the Valley Library. Application deadline: March 15. For more info contact [email protected] or [email protected].

NEW! Undocu-Ally Training: The Undocumented Task Force at Oregon State University will hold an Undocu-Ally Training for OSU staff and faculty who are interested in learning about how to be an ally of DACA students, students from mixed-status families, and undocumented students at OSU. The training will take place on Friday, Feb. 22, from noon to 2 p.m. in Kidder 202. The Undocumented Task Force strives to better support DACA students, students from mixed-status families, and undocumented students at OSU. If you have specific questions you would like addressed in the training, take a few minutes to participate in this survey. Participation in this survey is anonymous and the responses will help the Task Force create the training. To register for the Undocu-Ally Training, or if you have any questions regarding the event, please email Courtney Garcia, [email protected], or Monica Olvera, [email protected].

#metoo: Taking Stock: Women in Policy invites you to a panel discussion with Kelsy Kretschmer from the School of Public Policy, Kimberly Hack from the OSU Survivor Advocacy & Resource Center, Emalydia Flenory from the OSU Women of Color Caucus and Kristen Dewey from the Center against Rape and Domestic Violence. What has happened since the #metoo movement went viral in 2017? How far have we come? Friday, Feb 1, from noon to 2 p.m. in Memorial Union 206. Lunch provided.

OSU Anthropology Lecture Series: Dave Schmitt, research associate in anthropology at Southern Methodist University, will give a lecture titled, "Twenty Years Under the Canopy: Archaeological and Ethnoarchaeological Investigations in the Northern Congo Basin Rain Forest."  Schmitt will speak on Feb. 1 from noon to 12:50 p.m. in LINC 302. This event is part of the OSU Anthropology Program's Lecture Series. Questions? Contact: Joan Gross at [email protected]

The College of Public Health and Human Sciences’ weekly research seminar will be held from 1-2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, in HFC 115. Manolis Kogevinas, research professor with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, will present “Light-at-Night, Circadian Disruption and Cancer.”

Honors College Info Session for Current/Prospective Thesis Mentors: For any OSU faculty member who is mentoring an honors undergraduate thesis, or interested in doing so in the future.  We will cover recent updates to the HC thesis process, discuss mentoring best practices, and answer questions.  Friday, Feb. 8, 1-2 p.m. in LINC 343.  RSVP here.  

Tree School: Registration is now open for #TreeSchoolClackamas, which will be held on Saturday, March 23, at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City.  Choose from 75 diverse classes that support stewardship of woodlands: forest management, weed management, forest fungi, wildlife management and more.There are 650 spots available and classes fill quickly. http://bit.ly/TreeSchoolClackamas

INTO OSU forum: Provost Ed Feser and a panel of INTO OSU board members and leaders will discuss the INTO OSU partnership and answer questions. Feb. 4, 5:30 p.m., ILLC 155. Open to all OSU students, staff and faculty, as well as the Corvallis community. This forum will not be streamed or recorded. Email Gigi Bruce if you are not able to attend the forum, but have a question or comment to share.

Winter Community Dialogue: Coming to the United States of America: Who should we welcome, what should we do?Faculty, staff, and students are invited to explore multiple perspectives on strategies to uphold civil rights and address immigration justice. Open to the entire OSU and Corvallis community. Wednesday Feb. 6, 6-8 p.m, MU Horizon Room. Review the dialogue options summary and participant dialogue guide to familiarize yourself with the dialogue content. Join the Coming to the United States of America Community Dialogue Facebook Event. Learn more about the Community Dialogues initiative. 

Athletics

Swimming: OSU vs. Washington State, Feb. 1, 5 p.m., Osborn Aquatic Center.

Women’s Basketball Faculty/Staff Fridays: OSU vs. Colorado, Feb. 1, 7 p.m. OSU faculty and staff can show their OSU ID at the Gill Coliseum box office on Friday home games to receive $5 general admission.

Swimming: OSU vs. Idaho, Feb. 2, 10 a.m., Osborn Aquatic Center.

Gymnastics: OSU vs. UCLA, Feb. 2, 11:30 a.m., Gill Coliseum.

Women’s Basketball: OSU vs. Utah, Feb. 3, 12 p.m., Gill Coliseum.

Take Note

NEW! The University Health & Safety Committee wants to promote health and safety with information from SAIF on Safety Hazard Recognition, available online at https://www.saif.com/Documents/SafetyandHealth/HazardID/S927_effective_hazard_recognition.pdf. Did you know that you can also access OSU’s University Health & Safety Committee online at http://ehs.oregonstate.edu/uhsc, including past meeting minutes, information on how to contact a committee member, and a link to report safety concerns online.

NEW! Construction commencing in library, and there will be noise during winter and spring terms: Remodeling will be underway through May on the third and fourth floors of the Valley Library during the remodeling of library offices, and there will be construction noise, especially early and mid-morning. For those seeking a quiet area in the library, the fifth-floor Rotunda is designated as a quiet area and the entire sixth floor is for silent study.

NEW! Carbon emission reduction: To support OSU’s carbon emissions reduction goals, ASOSU, the Sustainability Office and the OSU Foundation have launched the university’s first fundraising effort focused on reducing university carbon emissions. A small project at Kelley Engineering Center would save around 2,000 pounds of carbon annually and support student engagement and research. A large number of donors is best so small contributions are welcome on the Foundation’s crowdfunding platform.

NEW! Request for Proposals: The OSU Advantage Accelerator is seeking proposals to facilitate the further development and commercialization of OSU applied innovations. Proposals can be submitted for OSU-owned innovations developed by OSU faculty, staff, and/or graduate students in any discipline that require up to $25,000. Proposals are due no later than 5 p.m., March 1. Read the full RFP here: https://advantage.oregonstate.edu/advantage-accelerator 

Be a presenter at the Ecampus Faculty Forum: Contribute to Oregon State’s excellence in online teaching and learning by sharing your expertise at this spring’s Ecampus Faculty Forum. Submit your proposal for a presentation by Feb. 10. Interactive sessions are encouraged but conference-style presentations are also welcome. The faculty forum will be held May 1 at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center.

Social Justice education: The Social Justice Education Initiative from Faculty Affairs is a foundational professional development program for all faculty, staff and graduate students. SJEI offers a varied schedule of Tier One and Tier Two workshops, all open now for registration. Join your colleagues to begin, or expand, your equity and inclusion journey in this well-reviewed program. Interested in this work for your unit? Contact SJEI Director Jane Waite for further information: [email protected]

Library Undergraduate Research Awards offer $1,000 scholarships: The deadline for applying has been extended to Feb. 18. Impressed by a student’s research paper or project? That student could win $1,000 for their work through the Library Undergraduate Research Awards, which offer one prize for a paper or project in the arts and humanities and another for work in social sciences, sciences or engineering. Encourage your worthy students to apply. More info is at http://library.oregonstate.edu/awards/undergrad-research.

OSU ScholarDollars: Oregon State’s new online scholarship search and application system, ScholarDollars, is now accepting applications for more than $50 million in 2019-20 scholarship funds.  OSU students may complete one application to be considered for more than 1,600 campus-based scholarship opportunities.  Students are encouraged to submit their ScholarDollars applications by Feb. 1 to maximize the number of scholarships for which they will be considered.  For more information, call 541-737-1125 or visit https://scholarships.oregonstate.edu/scholardollars.

Provost’s Literary Prize: We are now accepting submission for the 31st annual Provost’s Literary Prize. Students are encouraged to submit their creative writing piece to Professor Keith Scribner in the School of Writing, Literature and Film (Moreland Hall 238). The literary work can be fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction written for a general audience.  The prize is open to currently enrolled undergraduate students at OSU.  Submissions are due by Feb. 15 and must be the student's original work, typed, no longer than 14 double-spaced pages for prose or eight manuscript pages for poetry, and include the full name, year in school, current mailing address, phone number, and student ID number of the writer. For questions, contact [email protected] (541-737-1645).

OSU Group Discount for NCORE Registration: The 2019 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE) is coming to the Oregon Convention Center in Portland this May. NCORE is an annual conference on issues of race and ethnicity in American higher education.  Here is an overview of the schedule -  Pre-conference institutesare on Tuesday, May 28 and regular conference sessions are Wednesday, May 29 through Saturday, June 1. OSU employee discount - register through this employee discount link to save 10 percent.  The OSU group rate is $625 through March 31 ($715 beginning April 1); the OSU group rate for the conference PLUS pre-conference institute is $715 through March 31 ($805 beginning April 1). Student flat rate is $495 (with or without the pre-conference institute) no matter when you register - register here if you are a student. OSU’s Search Advocate program will sponsor a limited number of $625 conference registration scholarships – details will be emailed to the search advocate listserv by the end of January. If you want a scholarship, don’t register yet, wait for the announcement.

Volunteers Needed: Sign up to volunteer at the Winter Career Expo and the Winter Civil & Construction Engineering Fairon Wednesday, Feb. 20. Benefits include volunteer experience and face time with employers. There are various shifts to accommodate your schedule; morning and late-afternoon volunteers are provided light refreshments, and midday volunteers are provided lunch. Sign up here.

Long-Term Research Rooms: Apply for a long-term (six to 12 months) research room at the Valley Library.  Doctoral candidates and faculty members engaged in special projects may apply.  Applications (log into your OSU Google account and click here) will be considered based on project merits and specific need for library space and materials.  The application deadline is Feb. 4 and decisions will be made Feb. 15.  Questions can be directed to [email protected].

Jobs

This email only lists new or recently updated job postings. For a full list of current job postings for OSU Today, go to: http://today.oregonstate.edu/email/jobs
To apply for the below positions, visit http://oregonstate.edu/jobs unless otherwise specified.

Weather

“The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity." ~ Jackie Robinson, born today in 1919.

Corvallis: Mostly sunny today, high of 50, low of 41. Rain tomorrow.

Central Oregon: Mostly sunny, high of 50, low of 32. Rain likely tomorrow.

Newport: Mostly sunny then a chance of rain, high of 54, low of 45. Rain tomorrow.

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