Ohio State University News Tips 2/4/16

Students dance to support children’s cancer treatment – Feb. 5 and 6. BuckeyeThon, the largest student-run philanthropy in the state of Ohio, is Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6, at the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St.
BuckeyeThon supports the Hematology/Oncology/BMT department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital through events and activities throughout the year, culminating in the annual dance marathon. Approximately 5,000 dancers will take part in two shifts; 8 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. SEE: http://buckeyethon.osu.edu/. CONTACTS: Dave Isaacs, Office of Student Life, 614-292-8424, Isaacs.84@osu.edu, or BuckeyeThon President Vick Chhabria, 614-806-9620, chhabria.3@osu.edu.

Latinos in Ohio – Feb. 9.Latinos in Ohio takes an intimate look at the personal experiences of Latinas and Latinos in the Buckeye State. The Exhibit Opening and Reception will take place at 4:30 p.m. in the Global Gallery, Hagerty Hall, 1775 College Road South. Featured works will be from Latin@ Stories Across Ohio by Elena Foulis (Department of Spanish and Portuguese, The Ohio State University) and Latinos in Rural America by Clara Román-Odio (Department of Spanish and Latino/a Studies Program, Kenyon College). CONTACT: Yolanda Zepeda at 614-292-5848 or zepeda.3@osu.edu.

Zika Virus: Ohio State expert available to speak about mosquitoes that carry disease. Peter Piermarini, an entomologist in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, is available to speak with media about the mosquitoes that transmit Zika virus, which is now present throughout Latin America and has also infected more than 30 people in the U.S. who contracted the disease while traveling abroad.
Zika virus is transmitted by species of Aedes mosquitoes, but Aedes aegypti appears to be the most efficient,” said Piermarini, an expert on disease-transmitting mosquitoes whose research seeks alternative ways to control these insects. “Aedes aegypti is not found in Ohio, but it is common in the southern U.S., especially Florida and the Gulf Coast.”In Brazil, Zika virus has been linked to cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CONTACT: Peter Piermarini, 330-263-3641, piermarini.1@osu.edu.

Food insecurity drives Ohio State student's engaged scholarship. Meera Nagarajan's idea of camping is traveling to the village in India where her father grew up - she calls it rustic. Her family used to visit the city for 10 days and then head to the village - an overnight train and bus-ride away - where her grandparents lived.
Although there was an initial cultural shock for her upon her first arrival to the city, Nagarajan, a fourth-year nutrition science major and pre-med student, focuses on the issue of food insecurity in the Columbus area. Throughout her time at Ohio State, she has been extensively involved with community engagement, as well as educating students and non-students about the impact food insecurity has on our society. SEE: http://outreach.osu.edu/newslist-items/mn.html.