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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.
“We’ve been suppressing fire in these systems for 150 to 120 years,” said James Johnston, a researcher at Oregon State University. “And when there is ignition, drought, dry weather and high winds, we have fires that burn hundreds of thousands of acres.” These fires kill most of the large trees that make up the forest canopy, which is not what happened historically, he added.
Notifying the public of an outbreak “is especially important,” says Oregon State University professor Chunhuei Chi, because “we are dealing with the most contagious variant so far.”
Sneaker waves not only sweep away unsuspecting beachgoers, said Tuba Özkan-Haller, a professor of ocean science at Oregon State University. They can also knock them off of rocks and logs, or wash them out of beachside caves and pocket beaches with high-walled bluffs, like those at Cowell Ranch State Beach, where Arunay drowned. Once a person is in the ocean, the cold water can cause hypothermia within minutes.
An experiment billed as a comedy act, Jon is the brainchild of Naomi Fitter, an assistant professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University. The tiny android performs when a handler (who must also hold the mic) presses a button, then tells the same jokes in the same order, like a grizzled veteran comic at a down-market Vegas casino.
Several years ago, a professor at Oregon State University launched a research project in the Indian Ocean using Doppler lidar to detect how the diurnal warming of the ocean affected atmospheric turbulence. Similar research has been conducted by NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement mission.
In Oregon, case counts have risen more than 100%. But with vaccinations, testing and masking indoors, state universities feel a bit more comfortable trying the in-person option from the start. “The university’s decision is intentional,” Becky Johnson, Oregon State’s interim president, said. “We are mindful that classrooms, where students and faculty are vaccinated and wear face coverings, have not been a significant source of virus spread. We seek to minimize disruption of student learning and experience and provide predictability for our faculty and university operations.”
Steve Dundas and Graham Shaw at Oregon State University did much of the study work; they visit with details.
All seven of Oregon’s public universities require COVID-19 vaccinations for students and staff on campus. Of those seven universities, Oregon and Oregon State have publicly announced a booster requirement. Some of the state’s private schools, such as the University of Portland, Willamette University and Lewis & Clark College, have also announced that they will require boosters.
Wyatt Didway, a student at Oregon State University-Cascades who was part of a class project his freshman year, where he and other students wrote journal entries about what life was like during that first full academic year during COVID. Highlights of those journal entries were recently published in a book called “There Is No College in COVID: Selections From the Oregon State University-Cascades Student Journaling Project.”
Timely advice on garden chores, fertilizing, pest control, and more from OSU Extension. These tips are not necessarily applicable to all areas of Oregon. For more information, contact your local Extension office.
Carbon dioxide can be harvested from smokestacks and used to create commercially valuable chemicals thanks to a novel compound developed by a scientific collaboration led by an Oregon State University researcher.
NEW! Reser implosion: Oregon State University plans to implode the westside portion of Reser Stadium between 7 and 8 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 7. Best viewing of the implosion will occur by watching online on this website. Following implosion, contractors will begin work to transform Reser Stadium into a year-round facility. Please visit this website for more information. Beginning at 6 p.m. on Jan. 6, the Reser Stadium parking lot will be closed to all vehicles until noon on Jan. 7. For approximately 10 minutes before and after the implosion, Southwest 26th, Southwest 30th and Southwest Grove streets, and Southwest Western Boulevard will be closed to vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Very limited public viewing areas of the implosion will be available the morning of Jan. 7. For more information on the project: https://beav.es/UDD.
Timely Teaching Tips: Is your Zoom desktop app up to date for security and usability? The required minimum version for OSU Zoom accounts is 5.8 for Winter 2022. This requirement will be updated each term to the latest major release of Zoom. See Zoom - Update the Desktop Application for instructions. Questions? Contact the Service Desk by calling 541-737-8787.
Beyond Benefits Connecting Mind and Body for Healthy Living: Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something isn’t right. People with good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Poor emotional health can weaken your body’s immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Jan. 5, 10 a.m. Register here.
Self-identified dads meeting: Join this limited series of get-togethers for self-identified dads, facilitated by Tarron Anderson on Wednesday, Jan. 5 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. This event is part of the Parent Connections series, sponsored by the Family Resource Center, and is a great way to meet other dads from across the campus. Students and employees are both welcome to drop in. For more information, contact [email protected].
NEW! Music à la Carte: Jonas Myers, piano. Myers is a jazz pianist and fiction writer and is currently an MFA candidate in the creative writing program in the College of Liberal Arts. Program includes Jimmy Van Heusen, Miles Davis, Tommy Wolf, Mac Rebennack, John Lennon, eden ahbez, Bill Evans, Myers and Cole Porter. Friday, Jan. 7 at noon in the Memorial Union Lounge. Free. Live audience open to OSU students, faculty and staff. Those from off-campus are asked to view the livestream.
NEW! University Budget Committee: The Committee will meet this Friday, Jan. 7 from 2-3:30 p.m. via Zoom. The UBC is OSU’s advisory body to the Provost for recommendations on tuition rates, budget priorities and budget policies. The committee will discuss projections and planning relevant to developing budget and tuition recommendations for 2022-23. If you are interested in joining as an observer, register for the webinar here.
NEW! Adult & Higher Education Doctoral Information Session: You’re invited to learn about the College of Education’s Adult & Higher Education doctoral program. Jan. 11, noon to 1 p.m. Please RSVP for the Zoom link and password. Contact [email protected] for questions.
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.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration: Registration for the 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Keynote Session is open to OSU students, staff and faculty. The keynote is Jan. 17 at 11 a.m. at the LaSells Stewart Center and features LaTosha Brown, expert in black voting rights and voter suppression. Register. For a full list of events, visit https://diversity.oregonstate.edu/mlk.
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.
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.
NEW! College of Engineering Virtual Lecture: Margaret Burnette, distinguished professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will speak on “Doing Inclusive Design: From GenderMag to InclusiveMag,” Jan. 18, noon to 1 p.m. Free and open to the public. For details and registration: https://beav.es/Utq.
HMSC Research Seminar: On Jan. 6, 3:30 p.m., Kara Gadeken with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab will be giving a seminar titled “Coastal sediment response to the diel oxygen cycle.” Please join us. Zoom link or call +1-971-247-1195 Meeting ID: 945 5573 115. Click here for more information.
Department of Botany & Plant Pathology Winter Seminar Series: “Exploring the mechanisms that create gene regulatory variation in crops” presented by Nathan Springer of University of Minnesota, Jan. 6, 4 p.m. via Zoom. For complete schedule visit the BPP Seminar website.
Science Pub: "Investigating how COVID-19 proteins stick to viral RNA and taking research from the lab to the dance floor," Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. Join Heather Masson-Forsythe for a virtual presentation that includes how she used her research in the annual international contest hosted by Science Magazine, “Dance Your Ph.D.,” winning the new COVID-19 prize and receiving tens-of-thousands of views on YouTube. Register for the presentation at https://beav.es/U9R.
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.
NEW! SEIU survey: Please take the pandemic pay survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SEIUbonuspay. We are working with management under our new contract to compile an eligibility list. Please fill out the OSU ELR form if you qualify for pandemic pay. For questions contact organizer Siobhan Burke at [email protected] or call/text 630-699-0281. Fill out the OSU form by Jan. 7. Next, fill out our survey too and forward to coworkers.
NEW! Help Inspiring Girls Expeditions spread the word about our FREE STEAM outdoor expeditions: Inspiring Girls Expeditions (housed within OSU’s CEOAS) is a tuition-free, 12-day wilderness science education program for 16-18-year-old high school girls and gender-expansive youth. Students who don’t feel like they fit the “typical” image of a scientist or outdoors person are especially encouraged to apply. If you know a student who might be interested, or an educator or network who could share this opportunity, please pass it along. The deadline to start the application is Jan. 24, so encourage students to apply today. Questions? Email us at [email protected].
NEW! Recruiting participants for virtual reality experiment: Psychology researchers are seeking participants who are at least 18 years old, speak fluent English and have normal or corrected-to-normal vision for virtual reality (VR) research aiming to explore how perception and movement interact. Participants will complete movement- and perception-based tasks for one hour in a VR environment. Those who complete the study will receive $15 in Amazon credit. More details and sign-up available at https://bit.ly/3d3oYdW.
NEW! 25 Year Club inductees: Congratulations to Michael Blouin, professor, 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.
NEW! Special or extra recycling needs? Campus has options for some items not accepted in general recycling bins but otherwise recyclable like batteries, Styrofoam and shredded paper. Or, perhaps you have an office or file clean out project and would like to request a temporary cart for all that extra paper? Visit Campus Recycling’s Special Recyclables guide for details and to submit a request.
NEW! Start the New Year off on the right foot: Looking to become more active? Enroll in the OSU Extension Walk With Ease self-directed program to get started and create an exercise plan that fits your schedule. This six-week online program includes weekly emails with guidance, tips and resources, plus a free "Walk With Ease" book (e-book or paperback). Visit our webpage to learn more and sign up. This program is available free to all Oregonians through OSU Extension. Questions? Contact [email protected].
NEW! Alternative Spring Break: Weeklong service-learning programs traveling to Washington, Southern Oregon and California during OSU’s spring break. Students engage in a variety of direct service projects, educational conversations and presentations, and reflective dialogue with leaders and change-makers in their respective communities. Priority application deadline: Friday, Jan. 28. Program dates: March 19-26. Program fee: $50. Apply at: http://beav.es/cel.
Library weekend hours: The Valley Library will be open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays starting winter term. You can always find the most up-to-date information about library hours at https://library.oregonstate.edu/valley-library-hours.
Dr. King Saturday of Service: Community Engagement & Leadership invites students, faculty, staff, and their partners and children to participate in OSU’s largest and longest running day of service of the year. Project times and locations vary; see the registration page: beav.es/cel. Snacks, hot lunch and transportation will be provided. For more information contact 541-737-3041 or [email protected].
Get There: Helping you connect with carpool buddies. Get There is a statewide carpool matching tool. You can join the OSU Corvallis Get There network to find other Beavers and share your commutes. Every trip counts. You do not need to carpool every day to benefit — even one day a week will reduce your travel costs. Please email Transportation Services at [email protected] with questions. To get started, register at getthere.oregonstate.edu.
Taste Testers Wanted: The OSU Center for Sensory & Consumer Behavior Research is looking for panelists for consumer taste tests. Open to all students, faculty, staff, family and community members 18 and over. Panelists receive up to $20/hour for their time. Tests run throughout the year. Much of the testing is done using drive through sample pick up and in-home testing. Fill out Qualtrics survey to be added to our pool at http://agsci-labs.oregonstate.edu/sensoryresearch/ or call 541-737-6506.
Girls Expeditions: Inspiring Girls Expeditions is seeking field scientists, artists or wilderness guides to plan and instruct our three OSU-based 2022 expeditions: Expeditions@Home, Girls 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.
Monthly Emergency Preparedness Topic: Evacuation. Emergency evacuation is the immediate and urgent movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. https://emergency.oregonstate.edu/emergency-preparedness/preparedness-topics/evacuation.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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.
Girls Expeditions: Inspiring Girls Expeditions is seeking field scientists, artists or wilderness guides to plan and instruct our three OSU-based 2022 expeditions: Expeditions@Home, Girls 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.
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].
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.
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.
NEW! Santelli book: Director of Popular Music and Performing Arts Bob Santelli has co-authored the book, “Woody Guthrie: Songs and Art, Words and Wisdom” with Nora Guthrie, published in November by Chronicle Books (San Francisco). The book tells Guthrie’s life story through a collection of his personal journal entries, poetry, lyrics, artwork and photos, intermingled with contributions by Santelli and Nora Guthrie as well as guest writers Douglas Brinkley, Rosanne Cash, Chuck D, Ani DiFranco, Jeff Daniels and Arlo Guthrie.
NEW! Graf Hall: As part of the Graf Hall Renovation Project, a section of sidewalk on the north side of Graf Hall will be closed for excavation work for a new sidewalk and building entry. During the closure, pedestrian traffic will be routed to the north side of Monroe Avenue (view map). The closure takes place now through Jan. 14.
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.
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).
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.
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.
NEW! Extension 4-H/FCH Program Coordinator: OSU Extension Service invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, Extension 4-H/FCH Program Coordinator position based in Burns, Oregon. This Program Coordinator serves Harney County and is a member of the regional and statewide team of the OSU Extension 4-H Youth Development and Family & Community Health programs. Posting #P05105UF. Closes Jan. 18.
NEW! Extension Small Farms Assistant Professor of Practice: OSU Extension Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources Program is seeking applications for a full-time, 12-month, fixed-term Assistant Professor of Practice position that will be based at the OSU Extension Deschutes County Office in Redmond, Oregon. This position will serve the Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Posting #P05104UF. Closes Jan. 30.
NEW! Program Coordinator: Community Engagement and Leadership invites applications for a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, Program Coordinator position. Posting #P05101UF. Full consideration Jan. 31. Closes Feb. 14.
NEW! Administrative Program Assistant: College of Education invites applications for a part-time (.5 FTE), 12-month, Administrative Program Assistant position supporting Adult & Higher Education & Professional Development for Educators. Posting #P03316CT. Closes Feb. 7.
NEW! Extension SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator: OSU Extension Service invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, Extension SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator position that will be located in Clackamas County, Oregon. Posting #P05030UF. Closes Feb. 14.
“Snow was falling, so much like stars filling the dark trees that one could easily imagine its reason for being was nothing more than prettiness.” ~ Mary Oliver
Corvallis: Rain today with a high and low of 42. Rain Thursday.
Central Oregon: Rain likely today, high of 41, low of 36. Rain likely tomorrow.
Newport: Rain today, high of 51, low of 46. Rain and windy tomorrow.
Statewide: For OSU employees around the state, find your local forecast here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/
