Spring 2015

Volume VI - Issue 2

Dan's Observations
Recent News
OSU Update
Our Best
Global Experiences
Leaderhip Academy
Students
New Fields
Research
Art About Agriculture
Multimedia Connections
Reaching Out

Dan's Observations

Dan Arp

Being intentionally equitable, inclusive, open, and civil

Last year, we rolled out a Strategic Intent for the College of Agricultural Sciences, a compass to help steer the college toward greater excellence. In addition to teaching, research, and engagement, we identified equity, inclusion, and civil discourse as fundamental to our mission. 

OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences is a community of students, faculty, and stakeholders who represent differences of opinion, background, and experience. We embrace those differences. They make us more capable and more creative as we tackle some of the most difficult problems of society.

In the last four years, the College has more than doubled enrollment of underrepresented students. Our students are passionate about making a better world. Some are working to increase food production while protecting soil and water. Others are working to rid the world of debilitating disease and unseen pollutants. Still others are exploring nature’s clockwork, from molecules to whales. Their career interests are as diverse as their family backgrounds. 

Our faculty are among the best in the world. And they come to us from all over the world, bringing with them the diverse experiences of global citizens.

Our stakeholders are people from all across the state, from industry, agencies, and environmental groups. They contribute in different ways, with different perspectives, and often with different opinions. But they agree, we all agree, that it is only through our differences that we will find our most creative solutions. By being intentionally equitable, inclusive, open, and civil, we will find our most strategic direction forward.

Sincerely,

Dan

Daniel J. Arp
Reub Long Professor and Dean
College of Agricultural Sciences
Director
Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station

Recent News

Gambrinue gift for research breweryOregon State receives $1 million gift for research brewery

(by Tiffany Woods) Oregon State University’s fermentation science program has received a $1 million gift from Carlos Alvarez, the chairman and chief executive officer of The Gambrinus Company, a San Antonio-based beer company that owns BridgePort Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon; the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas; and the Trumer Brewery in Berkeley, California.

The gift from Alvarez will fund the purchase of a new research brewery to be housed in Oregon State’s Wiegand Hall Pilot Plant Facility, where fermentation science students participate in each step of the brewing and packaging process. (Read more...)

OSU teaching and research #9

OSU ranks 9th in agriculture and forestry among 200 universities globally

(By Kym Pokorny) Oregon State University has been recognized as a world-class center in agriculture and forestry, ranking ninth in an international survey.The listing appeared in the QS World University Rankings of approximately 200 top institutions for agriculture and forestry worldwide in 2015.

“Our world ranking is a testament to the continued great work of our faculty and researchers,” said Dan Arp, dean of OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences. (Read more...) (Photo by Lynn Ketchum)

 

Assistant Dean Sam Angima, left, and Associate Dean Dan Edge

New OSU ag administrators told Extension spread thin

(By Eric Mortenson, Capital Press) One of the first tasks Oregon State University’s two new agricultural college administrators set for themselves was a tour of research and extension stations. Associate Dean Dan Edge and Sam Angima,assistant dean for outreach and engagement, wanted to hear from OSU staff and the producers who rely on the statewide network of stations for advice and information.

“You don’t want to come into a new office and assume everything’s fine,” Angima said during a stop April 1 at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora. (Read more...)

OSU Statewide Sites

OSU, Oregon's Land Grant University is helping build Bridges to Prosperity

The public service of learning, discovery and engagement has never been more important than now.  With the global challenge to provide good and livelihood for 9 billion people and the local challenge to sustain quality of life in Oregon, we have much to learn from the land-grant mission.

See what we have done for you lately here.

OSU Update

Autumn

OSU date changes for Fall 2015

Oregon State University students, faculty and staff can expect a few date changes for Fall term 2015 as the university adds time to the academic calendar to compensate for the loss of class time on Veterans Day, which is now an official university holiday.
•  Welcome Week, formerly known as CONNECT, will take place Sept. 20-26
•  Classes for all students begin Thursday, Sept. 24 as part of Welcome Week. The following week starting Monday, Sept. 28 will officially be referred to as Week 1
•  There will be no classes on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11. The holiday will be observed by all employees.
•  Finals week begins Monday, Dec. 7; •  Fall term ends Friday, Dec. 11.

Cynthia SagersDr. Cynthia Sagers named vice president for research at OSU

(By Mark Floyd) President Ed Ray has appointed Dr. Cynthia Sagers, the associate vice provost for research and economic development at the University of Arkansas, as vice president for research at Oregon State University, effective August 31. Dr. Sagers will succeed Rick Spinrad, who resigned last summer to take a position as chief science officer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Since then, Ron Adams has ably served as interim vice president.
 
As vice president, Dr. Sagers will provide leadership to OSU’s research enterprise and will work with academic leaders and the university community to expand OSU’s entrepreneurial and economic development activities with industry and other public and private partners.

“Cynthia Sagers is a dynamic leader who understands the needs of a comprehensive international research university,” said OSU President Edward J. Ray. “Her experience as a program officer for the National Science Foundation in international science and engineering will be an important asset as we grow OSU’s research impact in Oregon – and globally.”

(Read more...)

Our Best

Kelly DoneganKelly Donegan recognized for Everyone Matters attributes

Kelly Donegan, academic advisor for Crop and Soil Science and Horticulture departments received honors on May 21st, along with others who were nominated, for the "Everyone Matters" campus initiative of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, encouraging inclusivity and non-judgement of others. 

An inclusive university community is achieved and sustained by seeking diversity of people and perspectives, valuing differences and ensuring equitable opportunities.

Melanie JonesMelanie Jones is making a difference from a distance

Award recognition echoes what Jones' students have been saying all along

(ECampus) Melanie Jones began advising Oregon State students in 2004, and she has earned a reputation as one of the university's many outstanding academic advisors.

So it came as no surprise earlier this spring when Melanie received the Ecampus Advisors Award in a contest based on submissions from OSU's distance students. An advisor in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Melanie was selected in a drawing with other nominated advisors and received a $50 Visa gift card. (Read more...)

Global Experiences

Faculty and Staff2015 IAAS USA National Summit hosted by College of Agricultural Sciences

(By Ann Bernert) This April, Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences hosted the 2015 National Summit meeting for the International Association of Students in Agriculture and Related Sciences. The theme was “Local Soils to World Solutions” and Dr. Dan Arp made a great Welcome Address connecting this idea to our generation’s challenge of feeding 9 billion people in 2015. The Welcome Address kicked off the trade fair event in which the attending Universities were able to showcase agricultural programs and state’s agriculture. Attending universities included Iowa State, University of Minnesota, Washington State, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, North Carolina State, and Clemson. The following day was a collection of tours exploring local Oregon agriculture and highlighting how students at Oregon State University get involved in agriculture and related sciences. Included in this tour was a hike through McDonald Dunn research forest, learning about organic growers club and honey bees at Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture, making cheese at the Beaver Classic™ creamery, learning about brewing at the student pilot brewery and then checking out the growing small businesses of 2Towns Cider house and Nectar Creek Honeywine. Then, a full day of presentations followed with topics ranging from agroforestry to bilingual education. The themes of the symposium for these presentations were sustainability in agricultural systems, business, international development, water, and natural resources. A number of Oregon State CAS professors and extension agents participated and presented their international work and experience making Oregon State University students particularly proud to be a part of the College of Agricultural Sciences here. The conference finished off with the final business meeting for the student organization which covered the successes of the past year and decided upon directions in which to take the organization in the future year. The new Executive Committee was elected into office and a new social media board was instated. Overall, the IAAS USA National Summit 2015 was an incredible and inspiring event that OSU CAS is extremely proud to have hosted! (Read more and view photos)

Jeannie SullivanThe voyage of a lifetime

(By Jeannie Sullivan, OSU Abroad Blog)  Everyone asks if life on the ship was like “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody” and I always say no, not at all. When we were at sea, we had classes every day. That means we had homework, midterms, and finals to go along with that. When we were in port, we got to go explore the countries and do independent travel. For my program, I was able to see an array of countries. I boarded the ship in London and from there I spent the next three and a half months sailing and having the sea as my campus. The countries that I was able to visit on my voyage were: Russia, Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Brazil, Barbados, and Cuba. We were supposed to go to Ghana and Senegal, (Read more...)

Charlie Ta, Simerville AwardCharlie Ta receives OSU Clara L. Simerville Award

Charlie Ta, Bioresource Research (Bioenergy and Bioproducts, minor Chemistry), received the 2015 Clara L. Simerville Award. 

The award is given in honor of Dr. Clara Simerville, Professor Emeritus of International Education and Foreign Student Counselor from 1955-1970 who firmly believed in international education as a necessity for cross-cultural understanding.  

Ta studied abroad at the University of Sussex for a year studying Geography and Ecology.  Following his experience, he came back and took up ballroom dancing including Cha-cha, Merengue, and American Tango. 

He is currently the President of Minorities in Agriculture and Natural Resource-related Sciences (MANRRS) and will graduate in June.

Leadership Academy

2014-15Leadership Academy Fellows2014/2015 CAS Leadership Academy fellows completing program

Working closely with their faculty mentors, members of the 2014/2015 CAS Leadership Fellows identified on- and off- campus activities, professional development workshops and organizations to help them take steps toward reaching their developmental goals.  The group:  Andrew Miles, Agricultural Business Management and Agricultural Sciences; Marisa Owens, Animal Sciences; Nicole Schrock, BioResource Research;  Devin Stuart, Renewable Materials and Sustainability;  Riane Towery, Agricultural Sciences;  Jack Twilley, Food Science and Technology;  Kaitlyn Vander Pas, Animal Sciences; Martin Sanchez, Agricultural Business Management.  (Learn more...)

Students selected for 2015/2016 Leadership Academy Cohort

With an increasingly competitive job market, the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University is dedicated to providing opportunities for students to set themselves apart from their peers. 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.

24 students have been selected to participate in the Leadership Academy during 2015/16, making it the program's largest cohort to date.

Elizabeth Hagerman, Food Science and Technology
Akira Ishii, Food Science and Technology
Jessica Roland, Bio Resource Research
Jessica Chance, Food Science and Technology
Aundriea Mason, Animal Sciences
Gabrielle Redhead, Agricultural Business Management
Maya Giddings, Renewable Materials
Emma Miller, Agricultural Sciences
Ann Marie Richards, Agricultural Sciences
Lauren LaGrande, Agricultural Sciences
Taylin Sparks, Animal Sciences
Teague Teece, Agricultural Sciences
Chris Derrickson, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Rieko (Rosie) Imai, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Cassidy Corrigan, Agricultural Sciences
Heather Brown, Animal Sciences and Agricultural Sciences
Nicholas Schillereff, Agricultural Business Management
Vaishnavi Trivedi, Food Science and Technology
Luke Coomer, Agricultural Sciences
Amanda Santos, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Kaitlyn Kornberg, Food Science and Technology
Danica Berry, Food Science and Technology
Olivia Cameron, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Ryan Van Houten, Agricultural Business Management

Students

Trinity Shodin, AITCAgriculture in the Classroom Literacy Project

College of Agricultural Sciences students have been filling Corvallis-area elementary schools with Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom’s Annual Literacy Project.

The project, in its eighth year, is designed to help elementary school students improve both their reading and agricultural literacy. Each year a new agriculturally-themed book is chosen and a lesson is developed that reinforces the message of the book. Then hundreds of enthusiastic, trained volunteers bring in-class field trips to classrooms throughout Oregon. This year 15 students in the College of Agricultural Sciences volunteered in local Corvallis-area schools reading  The Beeman, a sweet story of a boy and his grandfather who is a beekeeper. The story teaches students about the complex life of bees, how they help pollinate plants, and how honey is collected by beekeepers for us to eat.

Dairy ClubDairy Club takes entrepreneurial approach to funding

(By Callie Newton) The Oregon State University Dairy Club stayed extremely busy the week before Valentine’s Day 2015. But they weren’t shopping for chocolate and flowers for their loved ones. Instead, all their care and energy was focused on 30 heifers that arrived early in the week for the club’s biennial auction, the OSU Dairy Club Beaver Classic Sale, on Saturday, Feb. 14.

(Read more...)

2015 MANRRS National coference attendees2015 National MANRRS Conference Report

MANRRS 30th Annual Career Fair & Training Conference was held during March 26-28 in Houston, Texas.  This years' theme was "Thirty years of triumph:  Branching out and excelling to greater heights!"  The OSU Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) won Region VI Outstanding Chapter, and National 2nd Place Chapter of the Year.  Wanda Crannell is OSU's chapter advisor.

(Read more...)

Charlie Ta, Waldo-Cummings AwardOSU awards Waldo-Cummings Outstanding Student Award to Charlie Ta

The OSU Faculty Senate Student Recognition and Awards Committee selected Charlie Ta to receive the 2015 Outstanding Waldo-Cummings Student Award. 

The committee stated that it was extremely impressed by Ta's academic accomplishments, extracurricular involvement, and leadership skills.  The Waldo-Cummings award is among the most prestigious awards bestowed by the University. 

Charlie Ta will complete his degree in Bioresource Research (Bioenergy and Bioproducts, minor Chemistry) in June.

FFA state leadersOregon’s changing FFA elects slate of state leaders

(By Eric Mortenson, Capital Press) Luis Mendoza of Molalla High School and Addie Howell of Jefferson were elected president and vice president of Oregon FFA for 2015-16, and will head a student organization that is growing and changing.

Given the way delegates danced to blaring hip hop music during session breaks at the state convention this past week, FFA may stand for Funky Farmers of America. Or, considering the intense interest that has led to an FFA chapter forming at a deeply urban Portland school, maybe call it Food and Fiber of America.  (Read more...)

New Fields

William Moar, PhDAg Days extends to four days

(By Bailey Jenks) Every year, the Agricultural Executive Council hosts clubs in the MU Quad during their biggest event, Ag Day. This year, the officer team decided to extend the event into 4 days, holding different events Monday through Thursday.

Monday night, the Ag Exec Council hosted Dr. William Moar, a company representative and entomology scientist from Monsanto. He spoke to council members and local FFA Chapters about Genetically Modified Organisms and food safety. He discussed some myths associated with GMOs, and the benefits behind science in the agricultural industry. (Read more...)

Tour participantsSWAG Industry Tour

(by Bailey Jenks) 41 students and 3 advisors loaded up into a tour bus to experience South Western Oregon Agriculture. Otherwise referred to as the “SWAG Tour”, students got to explore farms, ranches, businesses, and the beach.

The tour started in Corvallis on Friday morning, and then headed towards Winston, Oregon for the Wildlife Safari. From there, the group headed towards Jackson County for a refreshing lunch with Northwest Farm Credit Services. After our pit stop, the SWAG Tour continued to Central Point, where the group explored a family owned and operated cattle ranch. From there, the SWAG Tour satisfied their sweet tooth at Lillie Belle Farms Artisan Chocolates (with free samples!).  (Read more...) (Watch Video recap of tour)

CAS Country Western DanceWinter term 2015 recap

(By Bailey Jenks) We hosted our annual Ethics Panel, with panelists Dr. Rob Gaebel, Katie Fast, and Karen Samek. During this panel, our guests were prompted with questions about pressing issues in the Agricultural Industry. These panelists did an excellent job showcasing professional skills while answering ethical questions and interacting with opposing views. Council members reported that they thoroughly enjoyed having such experienced and well-presented speakers interacting inclusively with the council members. Later in the term, the officer team hosted the annual College of Agricultural Sciences Country Western Dance. Hosted by the Country Western Dance Club and catered by the Meat Science Club, guests were asked to donate canned food as an entrance fee for this event.  (Read more...)

 

Research

DroneOSU uses unmanned aircraft to take temperatures up in the air

(By Gail Wells) For the first time, scientists at Oregon State University are measuring atmospheric temperatures with fiber optic thermometers suspended from unmanned aircraft—combining two emerging technologies to probe a poorly understood swath of Earth’s atmosphere.

With funding from the National Science Foundation, John Selker is buying two new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to loft sophisticated measuring instruments of his own design into an atmospheric zone that’s been hard to study until now.

“These two technologies together will add orders of magnitude to the precision and resolution of our atmospheric measurements,” said Selker, a hydrologist and professor in OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “We’ll be able to take a continuous slice of data through space and time, getting information that no one has been able to capture before.”

(Read more...)

Hong LiuCorvallis startup that brews electricity from wastewater lands $225K grant

(Portland Business Journal) Waste2Watergy, a Corvallis startup formed at Oregon State University, has secured a $225,000 federal grant to advance technology that cleans organics from brewery wastewater while producing electricity.

The company, which previously received $150,000 from Oregon BEST to OSU researchers, received a Small Business Technology Grant from the National Science Foundation, announced Wednesday.

(Read more...)

pear puffsAn Unlikely Farmer and a Passionate Inventor Create Oregon’s Next Great Snack

(By Margarett Waterbury, Edible Portland) Jacqueline Alexander is not your typical orchardist. A trained attorney and mother of nine-year-old twins, she bought her 40-acre Asian pear orchard in Hood River while she was still a law student at Lewis and Clark in 2007. Originally intended as a project for her father-in-law, Alexander found herself becoming more and more engaged with the orchard. After graduation and months of commuting back and forth from Hood River to Portland (a commute she bravely describes as “not that bad”), Alexander decided that she preferred farming to law and dedicated herself full time to the operations of Morale Orchards (named after her children, daughter Morgan and son Alexander).

(Read more...)

Markus KleberClimate change, plant roots may accelerate carbon loss from soils, say OSU researchers

(By Gail Wells) Soil, long thought to be a semi-permanent storehouse for ancient carbon, may be releasing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere faster than anyone thought, according to Oregon State University soil scientists.

In a study published in this week's online edition of the journal Nature Climate Change, the researchers showed that chemicals emitted by plant roots act on carbon that is bonded to minerals in the soil, breaking the bonds and exposing previously protected carbon to decomposition by microbes.

The carbon then passes into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2), said the study’s coauthor, Markus Kleber, a soil scientist in OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

(Read more...)

Cherry harvestOSU scientists invent rain-resistant coating that cuts cherry cracking in half

(By Gail Wells) A tissue-thin, food-grade film developed at Oregon State University acts like a raincoat for sweet cherries, cutting rain-related cracking of the fruit in half and potentially saving a whole season’s crop.

The stretchy spray-on biofilm, patented as SureSeal, was developed by Clive Kaiser, an OSU horticulturist and Extension tree-fruit expert, and OSU pharmacist J. Mark Christensen. SureSeal is a proprietary mix of natural chemicals similar to those found in the outer skins of cherries and blueberries. Its main ingredients are cellulose, palm oil-based wax and calcium.

Growers spray it onto their trees twice per season in a water-based emulsion. Tiny droplets of the film cohere on the fruit and leaves, forming an edible, elastic, water-resistant bandage about 13 microns thick. The bandage stretches as the fruit grows, staying on through harvest to market and table.

(Read more...)

Kim AndersonFracking may affect air quality and human health, OSU study finds

(By Gail Wells)  People living or working near active natural gas wells may be exposed to certain pollutants at higher levels than the Environmental Protection Agency considers safe for lifetime exposure, according to scientists from Oregon State University and the University of Cincinnati.

“Air pollution from fracking operations may pose an under-recognized health hazard to people living near them,” said the study’s coauthor Kim Anderson, an environmental chemist with OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences. (Kim Anderson photo by Stephen Ward)

Susan TiltonOSU scientists develop improved way to assess cancer risk of pollutants

(By Gail Wells) Scientists at Oregon State University have developed a faster, more accurate method to assess cancer risk from certain common environmental pollutants. Researchers found that they could analyze the immediate genetic responses of the skin cells of exposed mice and apply statistical approaches to determine whether or not those cells would eventually become cancerous.

“After only 12 hours, we could predict the ability of certain PAH mixtures to cause cancer, rather than waiting 25 weeks for tumors to develop,” said Susan Tilton, an environmental toxicologist with OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences. (Read more...)

Art About Agriculture

John Rock "Peoria Wheat Fields" 1985John Rock Collection

The “John Rock Collection” is a tribute to the diverse talent of John Henry Rock (1919-1993).
Rock graduated from Oregon State College in 1951. His professional career as Oregon State University art professor spanned from 1958 until his retirement in 1985.

John Rock’s paintings and prints have been shown in dozens of regional, national, and international exhibitions. The “John Rock Collection” is a collaborative exhibition showcasing art from the collections of OSU College of Agricultural Sciences, Art About Agriculture, Fairbanks Gallery, OSU Memorial Union, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, Benton County Historical Society, Mr. Rock’s family, and private collectors throughout the Willamette Valley.

Enjoy a visit to Oregon’s past AND present!  The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 – 4:30.  Admission is always free!  

Located six miles west of Corvallis on Hwy 20/34, at 1101 Main Street, Philomath, Oregon, the Benton County Historical Society operates the Museum facilities for the preservation of history and culture.  Its goal is to preserve the material culture of Benton County, Oregon. It strives to enrich people’s lives through interesting exhibitions and educational programs.

Please call (541) 929-6230 or visit www.bentoncountymuseum.org  for more information.

Reverse, clockwise left to right: Peoria Wheat Fields (1985), from College of Agricultural Sciences, OSU, Art About Agriculture collection; Head (1949), from private collection of Julia Bostwick; Fragments (1974), from Benton County Historical Society collection. (View PDF flyer)

Reaching Out

SlugOregon's Willamette Valley farmers agree slugs a problem _ but what to do? Solutions sluggish

(U.S. News and Capital Press) Oregon's Willamette Valley farmers agree slugs a problem - but what to do? Solutions sluggish Farmers in Oregon's Willamette Valley hate slugs, slimy mollusks that munch their way through crops.

But as familiar as farmers are with the mollusks, they acknowledge they're often baffled. And answers to their questions have come, shall we say, sluggishly.

Growers and researchers at a recent Oregon State University "Slug Summit" in Salem agreed that the pests are causing more problems these days. But they have no good explanation why that's so. (Read more...)

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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.

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Elizabeth Webb, Editor of The Source
Sara Monk, Web and Drupal Developer

Comments:  http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/cas-feedback

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.

Comments