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COVID-19 website: To facilitate the ongoing sharing of information about the virus, Oregon State University has added a link on the OSU homepage to a page that provides detailed and up-to-date COVID-19 information; links to OSU, local, state and federal resources; and updates on the latest federal travel restrictions.
NEW! Teaching Principle: Strive to give students the opportunity to encounter course content multiple times through multiple modalities, using media as appropriate. See all the Remote and Blended Course Design and Teaching Principles.
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. Content appearing includes timely news and feature stories from broadcast, print and online sources. Occasionally, opinion pieces and first-person columns appearing in mainstream media outlets that are written by faculty members and pertain to their academic or professional expertise may be included based on their unique, informative value, timeliness and space constraints. It is not the policy of OSU Today to include Letters to the Editor.
A piece by Aimee Huff, assistant professor, and Michelle Barnhart, associate professor, Oregon State University
During four days in mid-July someone – maybe one visitor or two – used the toilet in their vacation rental or motel room in the small Oregon coast community of Yachats. They carried the coronavirus. But then they left town -- and took the virus with them. Public health officials know that because since June an Oregon State University research team was testing the city’s wastewater for the virus that causes COVID-19. (see also KLCC)
For the study, researchers at the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy looked at nearly 4,400 hospital patients in Portland sent to nursing facilities to receive either short-term rehabilitative care or long-term care in a residential setting. (see also US News & World Report)
Gordon Jones, assistant professor for Oregon State University Extension Service, said last year’s stampede to grow hemp was something of a “gold-rush mentality.”
NuScale, the small-scale nuclear reactor firm that grew out of Oregon State University research, has passed a key regulatory hurdle. The Portland-based company, which also has offices in Corvallis, Maryland, North Carolina, Washington and London, has received Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval for the safety aspects of its design.
A crew of researchers led by Doni Schwalm of Oregon State University, labors long hours to learn if time is running out for this elegant animal in the Panhandle Plains.
Oregon State University has made several changes to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including the expansion of its isolation spaces.
Oregon State University officials briefed Corvallis and Benton County officials on its fall reopening plans and urged the two governments to join with them on virus-prevention efforts.
Fall is creeping closer, but there’s still plenty to do in the garden. If you’ve got questions, turn to Ask an Expert, an online question-and-answer tool from Oregon State University’s Extension Service.
Oregon State University is taking extra safety precautions as students choosing to live on its campus prepare for move-in day. University officials say it is the start of many adjustments on campus to keep students safe and healthy.
In doing so, it turns out, we can also learn a lot about how Oregon State University ornithologists are working to create a 10-year benchmark of bird distributions and abundances across the state, how lay people can contribute meaningfully to science and conservation by engaging in birding, and how a more accessible world of birding might be developing.
An Oregon State University researcher and a student team are developing an internet-based application that taps “big data” to help farms document water quality under the Produce Safety Rule.
“In most species of animals, muscle cells are either designed to rely mostly on glucose/glycogen for energy or … on fat for energy,” says Beth Valentine, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, professor of anatomic pathology at Oregon State University, in Corvallis. “But in the horse, studies found that even muscle cells designed to use glucose/glycogen for energy also have fatty acid transporters on their surface.”
Come fall when the rains start again, grass greens up quickly, said Alec Kowalewski, turf specialist for Oregon State University’s Extension Service.
Today’s workspace: "When I need a break from my home office (where I work on capital asset inventories for OSU), I sit out on our balcony and enjoy the view, complete with horses (and sometimes goats, donkeys and wild turkeys). It is quite the contrast to the parking lot view from my desk," says Amy Donnelly, fixed assets property coordinator. We've seen lots of your workspaces. Now it's time to see the view from your windows (or decks or balconies). Submit photos of your view (please don't include photos of people without their permission) and send it in an email to osutoday@oregonstate.edu. Follow OSU Today on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/osutoday1/ and catch up on any workspace photos you might have missed so far.
Back to School & Distance Learning Support by Care.com: Join this webinar to learn more about your Care.com benefits in general to locate child, elder, pet or home care. This webinar will also cover how to use Care.com to find resources for back-to-school child care, distance learning support, nanny share, learning pods and more. Aug. 31, 11 a.m., https://caredotcom.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Nhfh5ZyQQyynl6RY5TKEyA. If you missed the webinar offered on Coping With Pandemic Anxiety As Kids Return To School you can still access the recording. Register with your name and email address here. After registering the recorded webinar appears on the screen.
Oregon State Clean Water Virtual Conference: Sept. 1, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free and open to the public. Featuring live lectures with audience Q&A, virtual project displays with live video chat, and more. Full details at engineering.oregonstate.edu/cleanwater2020.
Leading During COVID-19: Supporting Women in Higher Education Virtual Panel: Join the Center for the Advancement of Women in Leadership on Tuesday, Sept. 1, noon, for a free virtual panel bringing together women leaders in higher education to discuss policies and practices that can support women and families in our institutions. Panelists will share personal stories, relevant research findings, and recommendations for ways that other leaders can create equitable and supportive workplaces. Our goal is to create a list of recommended policies and practices for leaders in higher education to pledge to adopt and share, advancing women’s leadership and success in higher education during COVID and beyond. To register and learn more, visit Supporting Women in Higher Education.
Department of Integrative Biology Ph.D. Defense Seminar: Caitlin Magel will present “Interaction of climate and human-driven changes in Pacific Northwest estuaries: perspectives from seagrass and salmon” on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. via Zoom. Magel is completing her Ph.D. in Integrative Biology under the guidance of Sally Hacker and Francis Chan. Free and open to the public. https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/97479608953
OSU Press event: For twenty years, journalist Lori Tobias covered the 300-mile length of the Oregon Coast — the storm beat — reporting on extreme weather, tragic accidents, violent crime, and daily life in a rugged, beautiful place. Join OSU Press and the Hoffman Center for the Arts in Manzanita for the virtual launch of Lori’s new book on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. Pre-registration is required and free: https://hoffmanarts.org/events/tobias/
NEW! Engineering Student Council: The Engineering Student Council is introducing ENGINEERING+ Launch. Tune in and learn about clubs, programs, and resources in the College of Engineering from Sept. 22, 1-3 p.m. You can check out pages and chat with representatives live in Zoom rooms. Any questions? Contact ESC.VPEvents@oregonstate.edu.
2020 University Day Keynote Session and Expo registration is now open. Register for the virtual keynote session with Freeman Hrabowski, President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 10-11:30 a.m. Watch the live or recorded keynote session and be entered into daily prize drawings (through Sept. 25). Also register your unit to present in the virtual expo and showcase your unit’s work and opportunities to fellow staff and faculty. Register today at universityday.oregonstate.edu. For more info, contact Mealoha McFadden at Mealoha.mcfadden@oregonstate.edu or 541-231-2585.
NEW! Career webcast: Navigating Today’s Job Market: Recruiter’s Perspective. Wednesday, Sept. 2, noon to 1 p.m. In this webcast, the first in a new series by the OSU Alumni Association, Jason Thomas (JT), Associate Director of Talent Management at the OSU Foundation, and Nick Poloni ’15, an award-winning executive recruiter in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, reveal what they are looking for in their next star employee. Find out what it takes to successfully search for a job, learn concrete steps to increase your chances of getting hired and acquire the best practices to help you succeed. Register with Zoom
NEW! Faculty Staff Fitness: The OSU Faculty Staff Fitness program will be offering both in person and online fitness options fall term and winter break 2020. Registration for both opens Sept. 1. In person, on campus classes will be 9 weeks from Sept. 23 through Nov. 25. The schedule can be found at: https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/schedule/fall. Our on-campus safety procedures can be found at: https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/policies/covid. There will be two sessions of Online Faculty Staff Fitness classes with over 300 pre-recorded fitness classes you can access anytime, anywhere with your internet connection. Fall Online Faculty Staff Fitness will run for 10 weeks Sept. 18-Nov. 30 for $35. Winter Break Online Faculty Staff Fitness will run for 5 weeks Nov. 30-Jan. 4, for $20. More information about our Online Faculty Staff Fitness classes can be found at: https://health.oregonstate.edu/fsf/online. Contact pac.fsf@oregonstate.edu if you have questions.
Investment webinars: The Maps Credit Union CFS investment team is conducting a Weekly Webinar Series on a variety of investment topics that include current market updates. This is one way to educate yourself without leaving the comfort and safety of your own home. Wednesday, Sept 2, noon - Fundamentals of Investing; Wednesday, Sept. 2, 3 p.m. - Social Security: Seven Keys to Enhancing Benefits; Thursday, Sept. 3, noon - Plan and Build Your Secure Financial House. These are not OSU events but are tailored to OSU clients and during normal circumstances are held on campus. There is no charge.
Teaching with Wikipedia: a practical how-to workshop: Have you ever considered teaching with a Wikipedia assignment? If so, please join us for all or part of this 90-minute webinar on Sept. 3 at 3 p.m. Registration is required. For more information: https://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/TeachingWikipedia
Free Webinars: Professional Development for Business, Leadership, and Communication: Join Continuing and Professional Education and the College of Business for topics delivered online to help navigate your professional life. This fall, join industry experts for free one-hour webinars that cover topics including project management, negotiation, leadership, human resources, nonprofit management, and others. Call 541-737-1500 for more information: https://business.oregonstate.edu/programs/continuing-and-professional-education/free-webinars
Master Recycler class: Would you like to learn all about waste reduction, reuse, and recycling to help spread change in our community? Secure your spot in this annual class, now on Zoom. Monday nights, Sept. 28-Dec. 7 plus two Thursday Q&A sessions. Free to residents of Linn and Benton counties who agree to “pay back” what they learned by completing 30 hours of volunteer service. Visit http://tiny.cc/recycclass for more details and to sign-up.
NEW! Updates to University Policies & Standards: Please visit the University Policy & Standards page to learn about recent policy updates: http://policy.oregonstate.edu/whats-new. This page is updated frequently with new developments, so we encourage you to check back regularly. Also, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter here.
NEW! Monthly Emergency Preparedness Topic: Mnemonics -- A mnemonic is a device, such as a formula or rhyme, used as an aid in remembering. It is a word or string which is intended to be easier to remember than the thing it stands for. This month’s poster can be downloaded at: https://emergency.oregonstate.edu/emergency-preparedness/preparedness-topics/mnemonics
Valley Library announces reopening: Beginning Sept. 8, Valley Library will be open during limited hours, and open hours will expand starting Sept. 14 to 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Spaces will be available for access to the OSU community by reservation only. Since spring term, OSU Libraries have maintained and expanded our digital collections and services to support remote work and research, and this virtual support will continue during fall term. For more info, see https://library.oregonstate.edu/library-announces-plans-fall-reopening.
Apply Now — Brief Proposals Due Aug. 31: Funding provided for teaching faculty to participate in The Fall 2020 Blended Faculty Learning Community. The group will use Canvas and meet via Zoom, and will focus on effective practices for blended learning and the use of educational technology. Sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning and Academic Technology. Join us: See the Call for Proposals.
Request for Proposals: The OSU Advantage Accelerator is currently seeking proposals that describe technology-based projects in any discipline that will move OSU-owned technologies closer to commercialization. Proposals should describe a project that requires $15,000 or less of funding to achieve an important milestone(s) connected to commercialization. Proposals can include expenses for activities related to customer discovery, prototyping, student time, research, commercialization plan development and more. Each project may be awarded up to $15,000 and should span 9 months or less, beginning in October 2020. Proposals are due no later than 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. Read the full RFP here: https://advantage.oregonstate.edu/advantage-accelerator/funding-opportunities/aid-fund
Campus AED Map: Environmental Health & Safety has a new map up, showing the locations of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) on campus. Visit: https://ehs.oregonstate.edu/aed-map
The LaSells Stewart Center and the CH2M HILL Alumni Center are open to book events: We are ready to host your business meeting or seminar. We have all COVID-19 guidelines in place with social distancing and sanitation guidelines to contribute to a safe and welcoming environment. We have new improved technology to provide robust support for hybrid and virtual events. We remain committed to supporting successful meetings, conferences and events even as we adapt to COVID-19. Please email The LaSells Stewart Center or CH2M HILL Alumni Center to inquire about space.
Waste Hierarchy Learning Resources Webpage: Are you interested in learning more about waste prevention or finding tips on how to be more sustainable? Campus Recycling has created a new webpage on the waste hierarchy that includes short summaries of each level of the waste hierarchy, as well as links to help you learn more. At the bottom of the webpage, you will also find ways to get involved in the community, and activities for kids. Check it out here: http://tiny.cc/3p1nsz
Demolition of Naval ROTC Armory: As part of the Washington Way Improvement Project, work related to the demolition of the Quonset Hut that served as the previous home of the Naval ROTC Armory is scheduled to start on Wednesday, Aug. 26 and continue through Thursday, Sept. 17. Abatement is already completed (view map).
Sidewalk closure: As part of the Buxton Hall Roof Replacement Project, the sidewalk on the south side of SW Jefferson Way from SW Weatherford Place to SW Sackett Place will be closed to support dumpster placement (view map). The closure is scheduled to start on Friday, Aug. 14 and continue through Friday, Sept. 4. For questions or comments on this closure, contact Patrick Robinson with University Housing and Dining Services at 541-737-2428.
Summer paving: As part of the summer 2020 parking lot paving schedule, parking lot closures for asphalt renewal are planned for the following parking lots: Work for lot #3205 (Adams Northeast) started on Friday, Aug. 7, and continues through Tuesday, Sept. 1. Work for lot #3278 (Sports Complex East) started on Friday, Aug. 7, and continues through Wednesday, Sept. 2. For questions or comments on this closure, contact Infrastructure Project Manager Aaron Collett at 541-207-2780.
“To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall.” ~ Ann Patchett
Corvallis: Partly sunny today, high of 82, low of 56. Sunny tomorrow.
Central Oregon: Mostly sunny today, high of 75, low of 51. Sunny tomorrow.
Newport: Slight chance of showers today, high of 71, low of 52. Sunny tomorrow.
Statewide: For OSU employees around the state, find your local forecast here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/
