Story Idea for Media 5/10/13

Titan Arum Alert: Another "Corpse Flower" About to Bloom at Ohio State. Biological Sciences Greenhouse manager Joan Leonard confirms the imminent arrival of another Titan Arum bloom, possibly as early as next Tuesday, May 14. This makes the third, unprecedented year in a row that a Titan, or Corpse Flower, has bloomed in the greenhouse. This year, the original Woody (first bloom in April 2011) blooms again. Check for daily updates, including public visiting hours, and streaming live video from the greenhouse. MEDIA CONTACT: Sandi Rutkowski, College of Arts and Sciences: Rutkowski.1@osu.edu or 614-292-4759.

Ohio State offers free eye exams for service dogs – May 15 and 20. Veterinary ophthalmologists from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) will offer free sight-saving eye exams for service dogs in May. Service Dog handlers and owners pre-registered in April. Ohio State’s board certified ophthalmologists are part of the ACVO®/Merial® National Service Dog Eye Exam Day, during which hundreds of veterinary ophthalmologists across the U.S. and Canada offer sight assessments to thousands of service dogs. Service dogs include those that assist people who have physical limitations, as well as search and rescue dogs, police dogs, lead dogs, and pilot dogs. These animals are devoted helpers to their owners so it is important that they are in optimal health. This is the fifth year the VMC has participated in National Service Dog Eye Exam Day. In 2012 the VMC provided 25 free exams. Exams are scheduled for Wednesday May 15 and Monday May 20 with Dr. Anne Gemensky-Metzler. CONTACT: Melissa Weber, 614-327-6024 or weber.254@osu.edu.

Ohio State University historian to study environmental history of Eurasia. Ohio State environmental historian Nicholas Breyfogle is one of a team of six top scholars in diverse fields—history, geography, environmental sciences, and economics—set to push the boundaries of their disciplines.

The work, funded by Great Britain’s Leverhulme Trust, tackles a multidisciplinary project to explore Russia’s environmental history and natural resources. It will take the scholars to three ecologically significant sites in Russia (including Chernobyl) over a four-year period, beginning in August 2013. CONTACT: Sandi Rutkowski, College of Arts and Sciences: Rutkowski.1@osu.edu or 614-292-4759. SEE: http://artsandsciences.osu.edu/news/breaking-fresh-ground-environmental-history-takes-a-new-direction.