The College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University is Oregon's principal source of knowledge relating to agricultural and food systems, and a major source of knowledge regarding environmental quality, natural resources, life sciences, and rural economies and communities worldwide. The College provides undergraduate and graduate education leading to baccalaureate and graduate degrees, and extended education programs throughout Oregon and beyond. Its research programs create knowledge to solve problems and to build a knowledge base for the future. It is a source of information and expertise in integrating and applying knowledge with benefits that are felt in domestic and international settings.
Volume IV - Issue 4
Dan's Observations
Fall
Welcome to the Fall edition of The Source! While September finished rainy—really rainy—October in contrast has been a big boon to my vitamin D levels. The rains started while students were returning to campus in late September. During the march from the library quad to Gill Coliseum for the new student convocation, I joined our new students in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Though the afternoon had started out dry, we were all “damp” by the time we reached Gill. But it was all worth it for me just to have a chance to interact with some of these bright new students, to hear their stories, and to learn why they chose OSU.
Fall is also the time for several of our recognition events. On October 2nd, we recognized 17 new Diamond Pioneer awardees. This award honors individuals who have made significant lifetime contributions to agriculture, natural resources, and the people of Oregon and Oregon State University. On October 16th we celebrated our Colleges Faculty and Staff Awards. Eleven individuals and “Team Drosophila” were recognized for their impressive contributions to the work of the College. We will finish off our Fall recognition events with the Hall of Fame awards luncheon on Oct. 25th.
This fall, I initiated a strategic intent process for the College. Our goal is to ensure that the priorities for the college are correct: that the things we are at work on as a college are "roughly right and directionally correct". Phase I involved a series of 12 conversations focused on various topics of importance to the college (e.g. Student success, research emphases, infrastructure). The take-aways gleaned from each of those conversations will inform Phase II, a discussion of strategic intent at our administrator's workshop in November. Phase III will include sharing a draft with internal and external stakeholders to seek their input and comment. Our goal is to complete the process with a shared vision for the College.
In September, the College reached an important milestone in The Campaign for OSU. We met our campaign goal of $100 million in gifts to the college. The gifts came from nearly 6,000 donors, including faculty and staff, alumni, friends, parents, corporations and foundations. These gifts enable innovation within the college. Some gifts went right to work providing scholarships, “bricks and mortar” projects, and other enhancements. Other gifts went into endowments for scholarships and endowed professorships; these gifts will have an enduring impact. Many gifts are bequests to the college and will help to enable innovations in the future. Although many faculty and staff have worked with donors to realize this goal, the constants throughout the campaign have been Todd Bastian and Jack Holpuch. My sincere thanks to them for their leadership and commitment as the college worked towards this goal. And while this milestone is a wonderful achievement, it does not mean that we will slow our efforts to raise private support. We will continue to work with our alumni and friends who want to see the college continue to flourish.
I hope you enjoy this edition of The Source. It is filled with wonderful stories about the people and activities that make up the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Dan
Daniel J. Arp
Reub Long Professor and Dean
College of Agricultural Sciences
Director, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station
The Capital Campaign for CAS - Enduring Impacts
Fundraising goal exceeded
Agilent Technologies, based in Santa Clara, Calif., has donated an electron microscope to the Environmental And Molecular Toxicology department. Valued at nearly $250,000, this generous gift will continue to serve the needs of our faculty and students for years.
This gift also means that the College of Agricultural Sciences has exceeded our $100 million fundraising goal for The Campaign for OSU. (Learn more...)
Oregon Wine Research Institute
OWRI is a collaboration between Oregon State University and the Oregon wine industry dedicated to strengthening and disseminating research efforts that support Oregon grapes and wine.
OWRI's three main areas of focus:
- Viticulture
- Enology
- Business (Read more...)
James E. Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility
The James E. Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility, opened officially on Friday, October 19, 2012, is the first completed building in the planned four-building Animal Sciences Complex. Ideally situated between several living laboratories in the College of Agricultural Sciences, the facility sits at the intersection of Southwest Campus Way and Southwest 35th Street.
Arbuthnot Dairy Professorship
The Paul G. and Sandra A. Arbuthnot Professorship Fund will create the Arbuthnot Dairy Center within the College of Agricultural Sciences, support internships and endow a faculty member to develop and deliver state-of-the-art education and outreach programs for OSU students and Oregon's small dairy foods processors.
"It will give us significantly more opportunities to make a difference in the dairy industry here in Oregon," said Lisbeth Goddik (pictured), a dairy foods specialist with the OSU Extension Service. She is the first to hold the professorship.
Beaver Classic Cheese
A longtime Oregon dairy family, Paul and Sandra Arbuthnot appreciate great cheese—and the science that goes behind best dairy practices. When the couple decided it was time to downsize their real estate holdings, they gave an apartment building to the OSU Foundation to support OSU’s dairy program.
“The Oregon dairy industry relies on OSU,” Paul said. “Working with the OSU Foundation on a gift of real estate enabled Sandra and me to support world-class expertise that keeps the dairy industry strong.” (Read more...)
Giustina Turf Professorship
The N.B. and Jacqueline Giustina Professorship in Turf Management is designed to support a faculty member to build on the work of Tom Cook, who established the program and planned to retire in fall 2008. In the mid-1960s Giustina established the Tokatee Golf Club on the McKenzie River in Blue River, Ore. He was a long time volunteer for OSU, serving 25 years on the OSU Foundation Board and spearheading the effort to create the Trysting Tree Golf Club, a championship 18-hole golf course in Corvallis, the proceeds of which benefit OSU.
Alec Kowalewski came to OSU as the N.B. and Jacqueline Giustina Professor in Turf Management in late 2012. His research background includes turfgrass sustainability, water use efficiency, maintenance economics, improved wear tolerant bermudagrass hybrids, and organic weed control. (Read More...)
Oregon Potato Research/Extension Professorship
In 2012 a $500,000 commitment from the Oregon Potato Commission created an endowment to help fund a plant breeder to lead OSU's potato development efforts. Holders of this position will work to create new varieties of potatoes that are more nutritious and resist pests and diseases, including late blight. They will also circulate new information to farmers and processors. Sagar Sathuvalli, an assistant professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Science, became the inaugural holder of the Oregon Potato Research/Extension Professorship in 2012. He is based at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
Prior to his appointment Sathuvalli worked at OSU as a post-doctoral research associate in hazelnut breeding and genetics. A native of India, he earned doctoral and master's degrees in horticulture from Oregon State.
Leadership Academy
Partners in the agriculture industry have indicated CAS students leave OSU with remarkable technical skills but in many cases need some additional development in the soft skills also critical for career success. The College of Agricultural Sciences responded by creating the Leadership Academy.
The Leadership Academy is a one-year, not-for-credit program open to all undergraduates in the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry. Selected students evaluate their leadership strengths and areas for growth and set goals for long- and short-term leadership development. Working closely with a faculty mentor, students identify on- and off-campus activities, professional development workshops and organizations that will help them take steps toward reaching their leadership development goals. Students also seek out academic coursework that will enhance their growth and complement the requirements of their chosen degrees. (Read more...) The Terence Bradshaw Leadership Academy ProfessorshipRecent News
2014-2019 Strategic intent process
The College of Agricultural Sciences last articulated our strategic intent in 2011 following detailed discussions about restructuring in 2010. It is time once again to consider our strategic intent and, to that end, we initiated a series of 12 conversations that ultimately will engage both internal and external stakeholders. We intended for these conversations to ensure we are attentive and responsive to environmental, economic, and social dynamics as well as frontiers of science and advances in pedagogy, and that we allocate our College’s resources for maximum benefit. A webpage showing progress of this process is at http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/about/strategic_intent
2012-13 Annual Report to the Provost
For 9 years, OSU Provost and Executive Vice President Sabah Randhawa has asked each of the University's major units to submit reports detailing that year's activities and accomplishments. The provost delineates the areas of focus and provides an outline within which each unit's report is to be organized.
Here is this year's report: 2012-2013 Academic Report to the Provost
All previous CAS reports are available here.
OSU receives $1.2 million to expand fermentation science program
In the closing days of the 2013 legislative session, Oregon lawmakers approved $1.2 million for Oregon State University to enhance the Agricultural Experiment Station’s fermentation sciences program. Demonstrating broad bipartisan support, the legislation was sponsored by 41 Oregon lawmakers.
AREc is now Applied Economics
The Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics has changed its name to the Department of Applied Economics, effective Fall 2013. While the name change represents the more holistic breadth of our academic efforts, it will continue to focus on applied economic topics including agricultural production, agricultural business management and food systems, natural resource and environmental economics, rural development, international and regional trade, transportation, and land use change. The land grant mission for our department is about linking science-based interdisciplinary research and education with real world issues and needs. The name change to Applied Economics clearly embraces this mission.
John Talbott named OAES Assistant Director
John Talbott has been named assistant director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station effective September 1. He replaces Dr. Jan Auyong, who served as assistant director for several years until retiring. As assistant director of the Experiment Station, John will have oversight for both programmatic and administrative aspects of our research portfolio, including our competitive grants program, and administering our federal “formula” funds. John is also responsible for ensuring that we fulfill our responsibilities for developing and submitting plans of work and for reporting our research accomplishments. (OAES)
Talbott has been serving as director of the Sun Grant Western Regional Center at Oregon State University since 2011 and will continue in that role. He will continue to manage a bioenergy and bioproduct research portfolio that represents collaboration among Land Grant institutions and industries across a nine-state region. This involves establishing and sustaining industry relationships and commercialization of research products. (More about Sun Grant)
OSU Update
Ecampus growth fuels enrollment increase at OSU
Fall classes are in session at Oregon State University, and campus officials say they expect about 24,600 students on the main campus in Corvallis this fall. Another 3,420 students are expected to enroll at OSU through Ecampus, the university’s distance learning program, which has fueled much of the institution’s enrollment growth over the past two to three years. The number of Ecampus students is up an estimated 24 percent over last year.
Overall, Oregon State expects to serve more than 28,000 students this fall term – an all-time record. (Read more...)
OSU Trustees named by governor
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber announced the nominations of 14 members of Oregon State University’s new institutional board of trustees.
Establishment of institutional governing boards at three of Oregon’s public universities was authorized with the passage of Senate Bill 270 during the 2013 legislative session.
The OSU board members reflect the university’s broad teaching and research disciplines, as well as its statewide presence. Kitzhaber selected members who represent the state’s diverse geographic regions as well as its significant economic sectors. (Read more...)
Our Best
CAS-based University Day award winners
- OSU Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award: Bruce McCune, Botany and Plant Pathology
- OSU Exemplary Employee Award: Blaine Baker, Botany and Plant Pathology
- Excellence in Graduate Mentoring Award: Carl Schreck, Fisheries and Wildlife
- Student Learning and Success Teamwork Award: Fisheries and Wildlife
- OSU Impact Award for Outstanding Scholarship: Staci Simonich, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology
(Complete list of award recipients)
CAS Faculty and Staff honored October 16
The College of Agricultural Sciences honored its outstanding faculty and staff members at a luncheon in the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on October 16. Recipients of the awards:
CAS Classified Employee Award: Linda Samsel
CAS Professional Faculty Award: Linda Hoyser
Briskey Award for Faculty Excellence: Jessica Miller
James and Mildred Oldfield/ER Jackman Team Award: Team Drosophila (pictured)
(More Awardees...)
Itsue Pfund receives F&A All Star Award
The Division of Finance and Administration has awarded Itsue Pfund the highest of awards, recognizing actions and achievements that demonstrate alignment with the core values of F&A. Itsue is the Finance and Accounting Manager in the Agricultural Sciences and Marine Sciences Business Center (AMBC).
Sarah Child receives F&A Teamwork Award
The Division of Finance and Administration has awarded Sarah Child it's Teamwork Award, which honors outstanding ability in working with a team either in a work-unit or between units. Sarah is the Grants and Contracts Coordinator in the Agricultural Sciences and Marine Sciences Business Center (AMBC).
Brett Tyler honored for major advances in plant disease research
Major advances against some of the world’s most devastating plant diseases are starting to emerge from more than a decade of international scientific collaboration led by Brett Tyler, director of the Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing at Oregon State University. Tyler has fostered collaborative research in China, the United States and Europe on a group of organisms that cause diseases such as late blight in potatoes and soybean root rot. Both diseases cost millions of dollars in annual crop losses worldwide.
The joint research activities have advanced food production by understanding how plants such as potatoes and soybeans resist disease and how the genes responsible for resistance can be incorporated into new varieties. Potatoes developed by European researchers that incorporate these findings are just starting to hit commercial markets, and research is continuing on soybean diseases in the U.S. and China.
The People’s Republic of China recognized Tyler on Sept. 29 for his achievements with its highest civic award for non-Chinese scientists. Tyler, who is also a professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, received the Friendship Award of China for a decade of technical assistance and scientific collaboration with researchers at Nanjing Agricultural University and other Chinese institutions.
OSU dairy judging team places third at nationals
The Oregon State University Dairy Judging team placed third at the national contest in Madison, Wis. That comes on the heels of a second-place finish earlier in an intercollegiate contest.
The Oregon State University dairy judging team on Sept. 30 placed third in the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, tying its highest ever finish.
“We were just stoked,” said Hayden Bush of Tillamook, Ore. “We were the only team to have all four individuals earn All-American honors.” (Read more...)
Students
Local youths learn about horticultural career opportunities from Pi Alpha Xi
In the Tissue Culture Lab in the Agricultural and Life Sciences Building on OSU's campus, six members of the Community Service Consortium's Youth Garden program carefully inspect slices of plant matter that are being coaxed into plantlets in the lab's controlled environment. Brooke Getty, one of the tour's leaders, Pi Alpha Xi's volunteer coordinator, and a junior focusing on Ecological and Sustainable Horticultural Production, encourages the students to look more closely.
OSU ranked 11th in nation as “Cool School” by Sierra Club for green efforts
Oregon State University has once again been honored for its commitment to sustainability, making it one of the top green colleges in the nation. The Sierra Club has released its “Cool Schools” rankings based on the ‘greenness’ of participating universities, and Oregon State has the highest green ranking in the state, and is listed as 11th in the nation, rising from 24th in 2010. Brandon Trelstad, OSU’s sustainability coordinator, said he is excited to see the university being honored by the Sierra Club.
Ag Degrees in high demand
While many college students today struggle to get relevant jobs after graduation, there is one curious trend among graduating agriculture students: They are in high demand. Many of these students have agriculture jobs lined up just weeks, or sometimes days, after graduation.
According to a 2012 study by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, recent agriculture and natural resources graduates with bachelor's degrees have the third lowest rate of unemployment, 7 percent, when compared to other degree programs. Those students who go on to get advanced agricultural degrees (Read more...)
2013-14 Ambassadors for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources
Presenting the 2013-2014 Ambassadors for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources. The Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry are fortunate to have some outstanding students to promote, support, and represent our colleges. This year’s team is:
James Boulger- Senior in Renewable Materials; Emily Day- Junior in Natural Resources; Ashley Grucza- Junior in Agricultural Business Management; Emily Kraxberger- Junior in Animal Sciences; Brooklyn Nelson- Senior in Agricultural Business Management; Alex Powell- Junior in BioResource Research; Erin Schenk- Junior in Food Science and Technology; Brianna Sempert- Senior in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences; Briana Tanaka- Senior in Agricultural Business Management; Elizabeth Vanderzanden- Junior in Animal Sciences; Bradon Zgraggen- Senior in Forest Management
OSU MANRRS takes top awards
7 Oregon State University MANRRS members and officers attended the Regional Workshop held in Las Vegas, NV. Also attending were regional chapter members representing University of Arizona, CalPoly, and UC Davis.
Two OSU MANRRS members received 3 of the top awards. Tiffany Harper received 1st in Impromptu speaking, and second in the Interview competition and Arlyn Moreno Luna received 1st in the Interview competition.
Representing OSU:
Efrain Cabrera, President
Crystal Carrillo, VP
Tiffany Harper
Charlie Ta
Cathy Duong, Secretary
Tim Dufala, Communications/Web
Arlyn Moreno Luna OSU MANRRS GTA Co-Advisor
Research
OSU to test new tools to assess health risk from Superfund sites
Oregon State University aims to test new technologies for measuring the toxicity of environmental chemicals to determine their health risk and see if cleaning up hazardous waste sites generates even worse chemicals. The work will be funded by a $15.4 million, five-year grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The long-term goal is to improve human health by reducing exposures to toxic chemicals.
"The focus is to improve technologies for identifying and measuring the levels and toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs] found at a large percentage of Superfund sites, including the Portland Harbor, and to better assess the impact of PAHs on human health," said OSU's Dave Williams, the lead scientist on the project.
Growing populations of brown marmorated stink bug could harm late-season crops
Oregon State University researchers warn of an increased risk of damage to late-ripening crops this year after discovering record levels of the brown marmorated stink bug, a newly established invasive pest in Oregon.
The alert comes at a critical time with harvest looming for many crops, including blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears, hazelnuts, grapes, sweet corn, peppers, and edible beans. The pest has shown an appetite for more than 100 different crops.
From Zebrafish to You
Popular aquarium fish provides a window on environmental chemicals
On average, an individual encounters about 80,000 synthetic chemicals every day. So says Robyn Tanguay, a toxicologist at Oregon State University. Many of those chemicals — from fire retardants in fabrics to drying agents in paint — are untested for toxicity to people. Tanguay and his research team are working to change that. Their results are helping those who make the products we use as well as those who use them. (Read more...)
Listen to Robyn Tanguay describe his research in this Terra Talk podcast.
Keep an eye out for spotted wing drosophila in your yard
As backyard fruit ripens, it’s time for gardeners to trap spotted wing drosophila. A new, easy-to-make trap design, based on recent research, will help gardeners monitor the invasive vinegar fly’s presence in their backyards.
The tiny spotted wing drosophila resembles other small fruit flies but is distinctive for its yellowish-brown body, red eyes and dark unbroken bands encircling its abdomen. This tenacious invasive pest lays its eggs in ripening stone fruits and berries.
Amy Dreves, a researcher for Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences and entomologist for the OSU Extension Service, is investigating this Asian fly that was first identified in Oregon in 2009.
Bumblebee GPS: Oregon State to track native bees with tiny attachable sensors
Oregon State University will design miniature wireless sensors to attach to bumblebees that will provide real-time data on their intriguing behavior.
Many aspects of bumblebees' daily conduct are unknown because of their small size, rapid flight speeds, and hidden underground nests. OSU plans to build sensors that will reveal how these native pollinators search for pollen, nectar and nesting sites – information that will help researchers better understand how these insects assist in the production of crops that depend on pollination to produce fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, tomatoes and dozens of other staples of the Pacific Northwest agricultural economy.
Researchers helping China¹s rarest seabird rebound from near-extinction
A collaborative project between researchers in Asia and Oregon has helped establish a new breeding colony for one of the world’s most endangered seabirds – the Chinese crested tern, which has a global population estimated at no more than 50 birds.
Until this year, there were only two known breeding colonies for the critically endangered species (Thalasseus bernsteini) – both in island archipelagos close to the east coast of the People’s Republic of China. Once thought to be extinct, there were no recorded sightings of Chinese crested terns from the 1930s until 2000, when a few birds were rediscovered on the Matsu Islands. (Read more...)
Multimedia Connections
Oregon's People, Places, and Society
A blog by Lena Etuk, Oregon State University Extension Service
This is a new blog I’m creating to serve as a central place for information about Oregon’s people, places, and society. I’m the Social Demographer for Oregon State University Extension Service, and every once in awhile I come across some interesting tidbits of information about people across the state, demographic issues in particular parts of the state, and general social trends. I thought it would be nice to have a way to share that with lots of people at one time! So a blog it is (for now, at least)! (Read blog...)
Newsletters
Oregon Small Farms News is a free online newsletter that concentrates on both commercial small farm entrepreneurs as well as non-commercial small acreage landowners. Our focus embraces organic/biological and conventional farming systems and emphasizes three areas:
Leadership Academy The College of Agricultural Sciences Leadership Academy is a one-year, not-for-credit program open to all undergraduates in the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry. Selected students evaluate their leadership strengths and areas for growth and set goals for long- and short-term leadership development. Working closely with a faculty mentor, students identify on- and off-campus activities, professional development workshops and organizations that will help them take steps toward reaching their leadership development goals.
Facebook Pages
College of Agricultural SciencesBiological and Ecological Engineering
OSU Beavers
OSU Extension
OSU Agricultural Executive Council
OSU Department of Horticulture
Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center
OSU Superfund Research Program
Inspiration Dissemination - 88.7 KBVR
Art About Agriculture travels to Pendleton, Moro
Art celebrating the Columbia Basin's heritage of dryland wheat farming will make special appearances in Pendleton and Moro over the next two months. Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences is displaying 10 works of art from its Art About Agriculture permanent collection through Sept. 24 at the Sherman Junior/Senior High School Library in Moro. Ten additional works of art will join the traveling show when it moves to the Blue Mountain Community College's Betty Feves Memorial Gallery located in Pendleton. That show will be on display Sept. 25-Nov. 25.
Terra magazine
Terra is OSU's own research magazine and the Fall issue has just been published. Take a browse through the table of contents and you will find fascinating stories about research being conducted at Oregon State University.
Don't miss "The Economics of Carbon Reduction" by William Jaeger, a professor in our Applied Economics department.
Reaching Out
NWREC Harvest Dinner
Friday evening, September 20, 2013, was the Friends of NWREC Harvest Dinner—a taste of OSU. This was a wonderful evening, lots of great friends, conversation and—of course—food!
More than 70 attended. The weather cooperated—despite a bleak forecast and heavy rain around the region. Our dinner meal was special with much of the produce provided by local growers and from NWREC, and of course, the superb protein provided by Dan Arp—all in all, a great showcase with many connections to OSU and our stakeholders.
We heard some great comments about OSU’s work and its importance to agriculture as shared by several farmers and industry representatives. And, finally, we did have several elected officials including County Commissioners Jim Bernard (Clackamas County) and Patti Milne (Marion County), plus Oregon Representatives Kevin Cameron, Brad Witt, and Julie Parish, and Aurora Mayor Bill Graupp.
This was a wonderful evening and a fun time based on the feedback we have heard thus far from several folks. We are glad we had the opportunity to share this time together and could have Dan Arp with us. His comments were very good and set the stage nicely for the stakeholder comments. It was especially nice that he recognized Joe Casale for his coming Diamond Pioneer Award—good job!
Tiffany Garcia's presentation at da Vinci Days
Bullfrogs and Other Threats to Aquatic Ecosystems. Tiffany Garcia, associate professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Oregon State University, discusses the threat of bullfrogs to Pacific Northwest ponds and wetlands. She describes specific impacts to our aquatic ecosystems, our native frog and salamander species, and what makes bullfrogs such effective competitors in the Northwest.
Rural Communities Explorer Website
The Rural Communities Explorer is a website that provides public, online access to social, demographic, economic, and environmental information about Oregon’s rural counties and places and Siskiyou County, CA.
Faculty and Staff
Welcome to new faculty and staff
Have you been noticing a lot of new faces around here lately? Look at this long list of new hires within the college between March and July of 2013! (New Hires...)
List of new tenured/tenure track faculty within the college. (New tenured/tenure track...)
We're glad you're with us!
Forest management plans in a tangle
In the early 1990s, Patricia Kennedy of Oregon State University in Corvallis helped to develop management guidelines for northern goshawks. She found that the raptors do not strictly need old-growth forests; land used for timber harvesting can work, too. She says that, at the time, accepting the idea felt like a move to the “dark side”. “The whole culture in wildlife biology and conservation circles has been that you can’t approximate Mother Nature,” she says.
Welcome V. Robin Frojen - Cheese Pilot Plant Manager
Valerie “Robin” Frojen has accepted the position of Cheese Pilot Plant Manager. In her new position, Robin’s primary responsibilities will be managing the Dairy Pilot Plant in WIthycombe Hall and specifically overseeing the manufacturing, quality, sales, training and supervision of the student workforce involved with the production of OSU’s Beaver Classic™ Cheese.
Robin joins us from Lochmead Dairy, where she worked as Quality Assurance Manager for the past three years on ice cream products. She has extensive experience in creating new recipes and formulas, scale-up from bench-top to production, implementation of plant HACCP programs, GMP training, and plant audits. Robin’s previous experience includes cheese-making for Willamette Valley Cheese and 17 years as a professional chef. She received her B.S. in Food Science and Technology from Oregon State University in 2008.
Alumni, Donors and Friends
Keith McKennon remembered for lifelong leadership
Keith McKennon left a permanent mark on Oregon State University and the OSU Foundation, leaders said following the passing of the Phoenix resident on September 14. A Lifetime Trustee, Mr. McKennon was 79.A retired executive with Dow Chemical Company, Dow Corning Corporation, and PacifiCorp, Mr. McKennon served in volunteer leadership roles at his alma mater for many years, including stints as both president and chair of the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees in the late ’90s. He and his wife, Pat, were one of three couples who chaired the $47 million expansion and renovation of the Valley Library. (Read more...)
2013 Diamond Pioneer Awards
The 2013 Diamond Pioneer Luncheon was on Wednesday, October 2, at the Alumni Center, Ballroom. The College of Agricultural Sciences annually honor people whose lifetime contributions to agriculture, natural resources, and the people of Oregon and/or Oregon State University have been significant.
Congratulations to our 2013 recipients.
Open Campus and Special Initiatives position filled
Effective October 15, 2013, Jeff Sherman will assume the position in the Division of University Outreach and Engagement as Oregon Open Campus and Special Initiatives Leader. Jeff spent the early part of his career as the Open Campus Coordinator in Tillamook County and most recently served the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences as an instructor located in La Grande. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in General Agriculture and Master’s Degree in Agricultural Education from Oregon State University.
Steven Michael Boyd
Steven Michael Boyd, age 66, a former resident of North Powder and Baker City, passed away July 17, 2013, due to a rafting accident on the Rogue River in Southwestern Oregon.Steve was born on Jan. 24, 1947, in Corvallis, Ore., to Arthur T. Boyd and Ruth Ellen Wood Boyd. He grew up on the Wolf Creek Ranch near North Powder, Ore., and attended school at North Powder. Steve graduated from Oregon State University in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and in 1973 with a master’s degree in genetics and ruminant nutrition with honors in Phi Kappa Phi. (Read More...)