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.
 

Signs of 'severe' COVID-19 outbreak detected in North Bend wastewater (KEZI)

Since 2020, researchers at Oregon State University have been testing sewage for trace amounts of COVID-19 and variants of the disease. These testing efforts are part of a statewide program that will continue until summer of 2023. Wastewater samples from several treatment facilities are sent to OSU labs to be tested twice a week. Experts say that this method is a cheap and accurate way to gauge how much COVID is in a community.
 

Nations are pledging to create ocean preserves — how do those promises add up? (The Conversation)

A piece by Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, associate professor at Oregon State University.
 

COVID might raise odds for psychiatric disorders later: Study (Fox 41)

The findings show the need for patients and their health care providers to be aware of the potential for mental health issues after COVID-19, said study co-author Lauren Chan, a Ph.D. student in nutrition in Oregon State University’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences. (see also The HillNBC Boston)
 

Mammal-eating Orcas visit the Oregon coast (KLCC)

Bob Pitman is a marine ecologist with Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. He says the Orcas feed on seals and sea lions in Yaquina Bay and other bays up and down the coast. He says Orcas are highly social animals that travel in matri-lines—the oldest female leads the way
 

Zoom-based mindfulness group proves to be a feasible intervention for post-cancer sexual health (Medical Xpress)

Sexual dysfunction is a common after-effect for survivors of breast and gynecologic cancers. A recent Oregon State University study has found that a mindfulness-based intervention delivered via videoconference by a trained facilitator was a feasible treatment option for survivors. (see also News-Medical)
 

Vancouver police debunk social media rumor that four girls were murdered (KGW)

Daniel Faltesek, a professor of social media at Oregon State University, said a lot of people can be vulnerable to online misinformation. "Some of the things that really help when you're fighting misinformation is to check-in with reputable news sources regularly," Faltesek said. "We know people who don't use regular media, who disconnect and go into secondary sources, they lose their ability to tell the difference between fake and real news."
 

California court rules a bumble bee is a fish with legal protections (Herald & News)

Andony Melathopoulos, Oregon State University Extension Service’s pollinator health specialist and assistant professor, said that although the decision was intended to protect bumble bees, it may actually have some unintended negative consequences.

 

Today's photo


Helping hands: Doug Botkin, manager of Financial Reporting, says, “My neighbor Mark arranged for a group of 4Hers to come to my place to volunteer their time and energy for their community project. They cut up the logs, split them and sold the wood. The proceeds went to Love Inc. The mighty oak was almost 6 feet wide. Kudos 4Hers.” We are accepting photo submissions at [email protected].

Timely Teaching Tips: Designing a new course or fine-tuning one you’ve taught several times? Consider the potential benefits of project-based learning. This evidence-based instructional approach can foster higher order thinking skills and metacognition. See Project-Based Learning – Architecture for Authenticity to get started.

Today

Department of Integrative Biology Ph.D. Defense Seminar: Shumpei Maruyama will present “The role of algal cellular physiology on the onset and maintenance of a model cnidarian-algal symbiosis,” June 9 at 10 a.m. in ALS 4001 and via Zoom. Maruyama is completing his Ph.D. in integrative biology under the guidance of Virginia Weis. 

Sailing On: A Guide to Transitioning Into Retirement. If you have spent much time thinking of retirement, you probably have asked yourself, “How much will I need to have saved before I can retire?” It is a big question with many factors. For instance, the amount you need may be lower if you will receive government benefits such as Social Security or a pension. Alternatively, your government benefits might be very low, requiring you to provide more of your retirement income than you otherwise would have. June 9 at 3 p.m. Register here.

HMSC Research Seminar: Lucía Pita with the Institute of Marine Science in Barcelona, Spain, will be giving a seminar titled “Sponge symbiosis: a unique perspective into how microbes shape marine animal ecology and evolution,” June 9, 3:30 p.m. Attend in person at HMSC’s GVMSB Auditorium or online. Zoom link or call +1-971-247-1195 Meeting ID: 945 5573 115. Click here for more information.

Johnson celebration: Provost Edward Feser invites the Oregon State University community to a celebration in honor of Interim President Rebecca Johnson, who has served as colleague, mentor, and friend to many during her more than thirty-year career at the university. Please join us as we thank and honor Becky for her extraordinary leadership and service. Today, 1:30 – 2:45 p.m., Student Experience Center Plaza. Program at 2:15 p.m.

NEW! Faculty senate: The June 9 Faculty Senate agenda is online at https://senate.oregonstate.edu/sites/senate.oregonstate.edu/files/2022_06.pdf; the meeting begins at 3 p.m. This meeting will be both in-person in LINC 100 and via Zoom. Please note that the location of the June 9 Faculty Senate meeting has moved from Kidder 202 to LINC 100. Non-Senators are welcome to participate either in person or via Zoom. To participate via Zoom or to receive future agendas you must fill out the linked Qualtrics survey requesting to participate – you’ll need to provide your OSU email, name and unit (please, no abbreviations). Your OSU email will be subscribed to a listserv to receive Zoom instructions for future Faculty Senate meetings as well as the monthly agendas.

Events

NEW! CMLC Bazaar: The Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center will be hosting an international Bazaar on Saturday, June 18, from noon to 5 p.m. outside of the Einerson House, 2638 NW Jackson Ave. This community-wide event is open to all and will have cultural items from around the world for sale including décor, textiles, accessories, collectibles and art. For more information, visit https://fb.me/e/2NA9ClyVq.

Naval ROTC Spring Commissioning: Please join us on June 10 at 11 a.m. for a live ceremony at the SEC Plaza as well as streaming on our Facebook, as the OSU NROTC commissions 10 midshipmen as Ensigns in the Navy and six officers as 2nd Lieutenants in the United States Marine Corps. Everyone is welcome to watch the ceremony, which will involve the oath of office, assistance into uniform by the students’ families, rendering of the first salute and remarks from guest speaker Vice Admiral (Ret.) Michael Devany.

Commencement day selfie station: Grads can enjoy a photo booth and larger-than-life selfie backdrops, including #BigBenny, at the Alumni Center after the commencement ceremony on June 11. Capture every moment of the big day, meet up with your family indoors, pick up free alumni swag and learn how grads and families can stay connected with OSU. View more on the Countdown to Commencement webpage.

PFLA activity: "Belonging and Other Basic Needs – A Tour of the Basic Needs Center (BNC)," June 14, noon to 1 p.m. Come join us for this insightful tour to learn more about how the BNC’s work takes a holistic approach to basic needs support by focusing on belonging and connection. For more information about the event and how to register click here.

Lectures, Workshops, Webinars

NEW! EMT Seminars: Brianna Rivera defense seminar, “Assessing Exposures and Simplifying Complex Mixtures of SVOCs for Hazard Characterization in Alternative Model Systems,” June 10 at 10 a.m. This will be a hybrid seminar. In-person in LPSC and remote access available by Zoom. Join Zoom meeting: https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/97035118238. Meeting ID: 970 3511 8238.

NEW! Care.com’s Proud to Be an Ally – June 14 at 9 a.m.: From coming out to one’s family to facing micro-aggressions at work, life within the LGBTQI+ community can be challenging, even for those with strong support systems. As we celebrate PRIDE this year, we invite you to join us for a conversation about being an ally — to those in your family, your social circle and at work. Bill Torres, director of support services for the Ali Forney Center, will share with us what true allyship looks like and how you make a difference. A little support goes a long way. Register here.

Take Note

NEW! Chemical Reuse program at Chemstores: Did you know Chemstores has a chemical reuse program? EH&S will bring unopened chemicals to the Chemstores to re-distribute at no cost (you will still need an index for tracking purposes). Stop by and check out our list of free chemicals as well as our summer sales. Chemstores is located at 154 Gilbert Hall, open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Purchases are exclusively made using grant index/activity codes. There are no cash or card sales. An online listing of products can be found at https://chemstores.chem.oregonstate.edu/. Questions? Call 541-737-2271.

Juneteenth holiday reminder: The Juneteenth holiday will be observed at Oregon State University on Friday, June 17, rather than observing the state holiday on June 20, to avoid disrupting the start of Summer term, which begins Monday, June 20.

Ungrading Book Club:  Have you been thinking about modifying your grading and assessment practices in time for next year? Participate in the Ungrading Book Club, a part of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) No-Strings Attached Clubs. Read and engage in rich conversations about Susan Blum’s (Ed.) book, Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead). CTL will provide free books to participants. Space is limited to 10 participants. Register by June 14.

Deadline extended — Apply for a grant to make learning more affordable: OSU's Open Educational Resources Unit is accepting proposals for the Affordable Learning Grant. The new deadline is June 8. The grant provides funding to adopt, adapt or author an open educational resource, such as a textbook. An open textbook is one that is published under an open copyright license and is made freely available online for students, faculty and the public. All funding is a department-to-department transfer. Please talk to your department head about how this applies to the grant. Questions? Contact Stefanie Buck. 

Last Chance to Join Summer Learning Communities: The deadline to submit an expression of interest for the Resilient Faculty Learning Communities has been extended to June 15. This is a great opportunity to join a small cohort of your OSU teaching colleagues to learn practical ways to build resilience in your teaching practice. Funding provided. Facilitated by CTL and Academic Technologies. See the Call for Participation.

Volunteers sought: The Corvallis Daytime Drop-In Center is the only local, daytime community resource center serving as a vital hub for information, referral and direct services for those enduring poverty. CDDC is interested in people who can assist in marketing and branding the Homeless Employment Launching (HELP) program. Additionally, volunteers are always welcome and are encouraged to contact the executive director Allison Hobgood for opportunities and more information. For more information please visit the Corvallis Daytime Drop-In Center website at corvallisddc.org.

Dog study: The OSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital is seeking dogs that weigh more than 44 lbs and have a history of chronic diarrhea for a research study examining the effect of fiber on the fecal microbiome and gut health. Participation in this study involves mixing a powder supplement on the dog’s food daily for four weeks, three visits to the hospital and a $50 Amazon gift card. Dogs receive a physical examination and labs at each visit. For more information, please contact the principal investigator by email at [email protected].

Shrub book: The Northwest forest understory pulses with plant life, but how do you know which shrub is which? New from OSU Extension, the second edition of “Shrubs to Know in Pacific Northwest Forests” by Professor Emeritus Ed Jensen has the answers. Get the book that makes a hike through the woods feel like a visit with close friends. Buy now at beav.es/shrubs. It’s a wonderful companion book to last year’s release of “Trees to Know in Oregon and Washington.”

OSU Faculty Staff Fitness summer class registration is now open. Take a fitness class on campus (click here for schedule) or remotely through Online FSF. Some highlights include the return of the rehabilitative Adaptive Exercise Clinic (formerly MS Clinic; click here for information), Open Gym, personal training services and outdoor yoga. Contact [email protected] to help find your fitness plan today. 

New bike donation program starts June 6 : Do you have a bike to donate? The new bike donation program will accept bikes starting on June 6 through June 15, 2022. The program, which is organized by Oregon State University’s Department of Public Safety and Police and Transportation Services, aims to reduce the number of bikes on campus that go through the impound process at the end of Spring term. To donate a bike to the program, visit the DPS lobby, located at 200 Cascade Hall on OSU’s Corvallis campus, and speak with a dispatcher. A DPS police or public safety officer will review a copy of your OSU ID or a valid government-issued ID and document the name of the person making the donation. Bike serial numbers will be checked to make sure no stolen bikes are accepted into the program.

Hiring students: Do you need to hire students for fall 2022? This year’s START sessions will include the opportunity for students to apply for campus jobs as part of their orientation experience. We love jobs that contain just the application or the application and a resume, for ease of applying. We encourage you to post your simplified job application as soon as June 23 and keep it open (or repost) until Sept. 9 so students can apply for your job during START. You can learn more about how to get involved here or by emailing [email protected]

Free COVID testsFree iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Tests are available around the Corvallis campus. Each box contains two tests. While supplies last, OSU community members can pick up these self-test kits at the following locations: Residence Hall Service Centers (Arnold, McNary and West); Lab tent outside Plageman Hall; Memorial Union Info Desk and Student Experience Center Info Desk. For questions or accommodations related to disabilities, contact [email protected].

COVID-19 testing: Oregon State University, in collaboration with Willamette Valley Toxicology (WVT), is providing on-site COVID-19 testing for people without symptoms. OSU employees and students, regardless of vaccination status, are welcome to test at one of these locations: Corvallis: Lab tent outside Plageman Hall Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Cascade Hall 120, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Bend: Outside Obsidian Hall Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-5 p.m. Note: All employees will need a WVT Labdash account prior to testing.

Traffic and Maintenance

Parking garage: The OSU Parking Garage will be closed for extensive cleaning from June 19-July 22. For questions or comments on the closure or about where to park, please contact Transportation Services at 541-737-2583. 

Washington Way: For work related to the Washington Way Improvement Project, a planned sidewalk closure along the north side of SW Washington Way is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. Friday, May 6 through 5 p.m. Monday, June 13. Pacific Power will be on site performing work related to the project (view map).

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 jobs.oregonstate.edu unless otherwise specified.

EXTENDED! Director of Industry Engagement: OSU’s Division of Extension & Engagement, Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy program, invites applications for a Director of Industry Engagement based in Portland, Ore.. This is a 12-month, F/T, professional faculty position. Apply to posting #P05634UF. Closes June 24.

NEW! Ecampus is seeking a research analyst 3 to join our team. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) classified position. This position works with our data analytics team to respond to organizational needs for research and data analytics functions within Ecampus. Posting #P03608CT. Closes June  27.

NEW! The Educational Opportunities Program at Oregon State University has an opening for LSAMP Coordinator. The main work of this position is to run the OSU LSAMP Program (https://studentaffairs.oregonstate.edu/LSAMP) as a partner in the regional LSAMP-PNW run through the University of Washington.  We are looking for candidates interested in being part of a group of committed and dynamic professionals who have chosen to focus their efforts on providing academic and personal support for diverse students. Posting #P05655UF. Closes June 29.

Weather

“Understand this if you understand nothing: it is a powerful thing to be seen.”  ~ Akwaeke Emezi

Corvallis: Increasing clouds, high of 77, low of 58. Rain likely Friday.

Central Oregon: Mostly sunny today, high of 80, low of 56. Partly sunny Friday.

Newport: Slight chance of rain, high of 71, low of 58. Rain likely Friday.

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