NEWS & RESEARCH

Pioneer in Geography Remembered

Lawrence A. Brown, Distinguished University Professor and former chair of Ohio State’s Department of Geography, died on April 6, 2014, surrounded by his family. He was 78 years old. A Guggenheim Fellow, Brown was a father of geography’s quantitative revolution that made geography a modern social science and in turn spurred all the geo-spatial technologies such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems) that we see today.

 

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New Climate, Security, Health & Resilience (CSHR) Initiative Launched

The Mershon Center for International Security Studies, the Byrd Polar Research Center, and the Center for Resilience joined forces to launch the collaborative, interdisciplinary initiative: Climate, Security, Health & Resilience (CSHR) to stimulate research on emerging impacts of climate dynamics on human health and well-being.

 

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Study Finds Secret to Cutting Sugary Drink Use by Teens

Christopher Holloman, associate professor, statistics, is co-author of a new study showing teenagers can be persuaded to cut back on sugary soft drinks – with help from their peers. A 30-day “Sodabriety” challenge encouraging teens to reduce sugar-sweetened drink use, lowered their overall consumption substantially and increased by two-thirds the percentage of high-school students who shunned sugary drinks altogether. Laureen Smith, associate professor, nursing, is lead author of the study. The research is published in a recent issue of the Journal of School Health.

 

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China Flagship Graduate Program Students Receive Research Boost

Ohio State’s China Flagship Program’s new agreement with the Prosper Foundation’s Prosper Insight and Analytics of Worthington gives students increased access to their database on U.S and China consumer trends. Galal Walker, professor, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, and director of the Flagship Program said, “This new agreement valued at $45,000 provides much-improved access to Prosper Insight and Analytics databases for our students researching their MA theses and projects.”  A not-for-profit organization, the Prosper Foundation supports entrepreneurship and innovation and provides information grants to leading academic institutions.  

AWARDS

Arts and Sciences Spring Recognition Reception Honors Outstanding Faculty and Graduate Students, April 7

This year’s award recipients at the annual College of Arts and Sciences Spring Recognition Reception honoring outstanding achievements of faculty and graduate teaching associates, are: Jane Hathaway, history, Harlan Hatcher Arts and Sciences Distinguished Faculty Award; Claudia Turro, chemistry and biochemistry, Susan M. Hartmann Mentoring and Leadership Award; Gary Wenk, psychology, finalist; Sergei Chmutov, mathematics, Honors Faculty Service Award; Lanier Holt, communication, Outstanding Teaching Award; Joel Wainwright, geography, finalist; Eric Egan, psychology, Outstanding Graduate Associate Teaching Award; and Melonie Mazibuko, theatre, finalist.

 

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The Lantern Wins Big

The Lantern Media Group placed in 10 categories at the regional Society of Professional Journalists awards and won four of them. Those four winners now move on for a chance to be named best in the country. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Panel on Changing the Genome 

The moral, ethical and religious implications of gene therapy will be explored by panelists Don Hubin, philosophy; Ellen Deason, law; and Britton Rink, medicine. Fred Andrle will moderate, Thursday, April 17, 7-9 p.m. at the WOSU@COSI Studios, 333 West Broad Street. Register to attend in person or watch live.

 

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Department of Dance to Present Program that Toured in China

The Department of Dance presents “America to China and Back,” a stateside reprise of the contemporary dance program performed by Ohio State dance students in China over spring break. The eight pieces will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 17, and Friday, April 18, in the Riffe Center’s Studio Two Theatre, 77 South High St. The dancers were part of a larger group of Ohio State students who traveled to China to share their unique American artforms.

 

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Britten's The Rape of Lucretia to be Performed

The School of Music will perform an Easter-weekend production of Benjamin Britten’s two-act chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia. The production is directed by A. Scott Parry, director of Ohio State Opera Theatre; conductor is Russel C. Mikkelson. The production features a cast of eight undergraduate and graduate student vocalists and a pit orchestra of student musicians along with members of the well-known Columbus ensemble the Carpe Diem String Quartet.
 

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Barry Shank: "Musical Debt and Obligation in a Time of War: The American Reception of Tinariwen"

Barry Shank, professor and chair, comparative studies, discusses his new book, "Musical Debt and Obligation in a Time of War: The American Reception of Tinariwen," Monday, April 14, 4:30 p.m., 145 Hagerty Hall.

 

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Annual C.L. and M.D. Rustagi Memorial Lecture: Observational Studies in Healthcare

David Madigan, professor of statistics and executive vice president and dean of the faculty of arts and sciences, Columbia University, will present the Department of Statistics’ annual Rustagi Memorial Lecture, Thursday, April 17, 3 p.m., room 170, Eighteenth Avenue Building.

 

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Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures (CLLC) Career Night 

CLLC holds its Ninth Annual Career Night, Thursday, April 17, 5-7:30 p.m., 1st floor, Hagerty Hall. Students are invited to explore careers in which they can use their foreign language and culture expertise.
 

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New Official Block O Lapel Pin 

The university will begin distribution of a newly designed Ohio State Block O lapel pin. All university units may order these pins as a way to welcome and invite their various constituents to be a part of the university. Consistent with the visual identity rollout, units are being asked to utilize existing supplies before re-ordering. Pins may be ordered via eStores with a standard university eRequest or PCard (#G810101).

 

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Sexuality Studies Lecture Series 

The series continues with Michelle Ann Abate, associate professor, English, on "'Learning How to Be the Boy or Girl That You Are':  Me Tarzan, You Jane, The Crusade to 'Cure' LGBTQ Youth, and the New Face of the Ex-Gay Movement in the U.S." Friday, April 11, 2:30-4 p.m., 311 Denney.

 

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Staff Career/Manager Development Grant Applications Accepted

HR and University Staff Advisory Committee invite staff to apply for Staff Career Development Grants (SCDG), awards up to $1,000-1,500 for professional development activities. Deadline: April 30, hr.osu.edu/special/specgrants.aspx. The Staff Manager Development Grant (SMDG) provides up to $1,000 for managers and supervisors. Deadline: May 15.

 

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Postdoc Orientation

All recently hired postdoctoral scholars and those interested in learning more about the postdoc experience are welcome to attend the program Wednesday, April 16, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Smith Seminar Room,  Physics Research Building. Lunch provided.

EVENTS

April 10

Chemical and Structural Biology & Biophysics RFG Seminar; 11:30 a.m., 111 Parks Hall

The American Way of Poverty; 4 p.m., 0010 Page Hall

Erwin Panofsky: Humanism in the Twentieth Century; 4 p.m., 1120 Thompson Library

SBS Diversity Postdoctoral Fellows Lecture; 4 p.m., Psychology Bldg Room 035

Economics Seminar: Christian Dustmann, University College London; 4 p.m., 437 Arps Hall

Mark Bracher on Radical Cognitive Politics; 4:30 p.m., Multicultural Center, Ohio Union

Unnatural Selection: Eugenics and the Spirit World; 5 p.m., 165 Thompson Library

Jazz at Mirror Lake; 5:30 p.m., Browning Amphitheater, Mirror Lake

 

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April 10-12

Spring Dance Studio Showing; Barnett Theatre, Sullivant Hall

Through April 11
First Encounter: The Taming of the Shrew; Roy Bowen Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center

 

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April 11

Threads of Circulation Keynote Address: Dana Leibsohn, Smith College; 001 Jennings Hall

Sexuality Studies New Faculty Lecture Series 2014: Michelle Ann Abate; 2:30 p.m., 311 Denney Hall

Behavioral Decision Making (BDM) Research Forum; 2:30 p.m., 0035 Psychology Building

CHR Seminar: Greg Downs, City University of New York: Practical Freedom: Space, Sovereignty, and the End of Slavery in the United States; 3 p.m., 168 Dulles Hall

Annual Walter C. Reckless-Simon Dinitz Memorial Lecture; 3:30 p.m., Ohio State Barrister Club, 25 W. 11th Ave.

Economics Seminar: Amanda Friedenberg, Arizona State University; 3:30 p.m., 437 Arps Hall

Inequality, Distributive Conflict and Regime Change; 3:30 p.m., Mershon Center for International Security Studies

Symphony Orchestra; 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium

 

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April 11-12

2014 Paquette Workshop on Organic Synthesis; 1008 Evans Lab

 

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April 12

The Politics and Sociolinguistics of Spanish in the U.S.; 3:30 p.m., 014 University Hall

Men’s Glee Club; 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium

 

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Through April 13

There is No Silence: A Fantasia Inspired by the Great French Mime Artist Marcel Marceau; Thurber Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center

 

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April 13

Women’s Glee Club, Symphonic Choir and University Chorus; 3 p.m., Weigel Auditorium

Science Sundays: Jane Wang, Falling Paper and Insect Flight; 3 p.m., U.S. Bank Conference Theatre, Ohio Union

 

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April 14

Communication Colloquium; 11:30 a.m., 106 Journalism Building

Barbarism as a Liminal Concept; 3:30 p.m., 173 Mendenhall Lab

Economics Seminar: Donald Andrews, Yale University; 3:30 p.m., 437 Arps Hall

 

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April 15

Economics Seminar: Allen Head, Queen's University; 3:30 p.m., 437 Arps Hall

Collegiate Winds and University Band; 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium

 

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April 15-May 3

Department of Art Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Senior Projects Exhibition; Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St.

 

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April 16

Inaugural Lecture: Andrew Shelton; 5 p.m., Faculty Club Grand Lounge
 

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See more events at artsandsciences.osu.edu/events