Story Ideas for Media - 02/21/05
News
Vet professor to co-direct $5 million USDA avian flu project -- Richard Slemons, associate professor of veterinary preventive medicine, has been selected as the co-director of a $5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Research Initiative research and education project to help prevent and control avian influenza. This project is the largest single grant ever made by the Institute for a single animal health disease or zoonotic threat (disease passed from animals to humans). It involves investigators from 17 states. Avian influenza continues to threaten the commercial poultry industry. More than $130 million in losses were sustained in an avian influenza outbreak in Virginia in 2002. In early 2004, there were detections of avian influenza in the eastern United States and in Texas.CONTACT: Melissa Lamb-Peale, College of Veterinary Medicine, (614) 292-3752.
Experts
Nutritionists can discuss which foods can help women stay heart healthy -- As the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” national month-long campaign nears its end, two Ohio State Extension associates in the Department of Human Nutrition are available to discuss what foods can help women stay heart healthy. Sharron Coplin and Jaime Ackerman are registered dietitians and are available to speak with media. CONTACT: Coplin at (614) 292-6402; or Ackerman, at (614) 292-3538. Both are in the Extension Office’s Department of Human Nutrition.
Research
Autism affects different areas of the brain, new research suggests -- A new study suggests that people with autism cannot see images in context, indicating that the disease affects more than language. David Beversdorf, a study co-author and an assistant professor of neurology at Ohio State, said the findings point out that the autistic people were less likely than others to have false memories about images they had seen earlier because they had trouble seeing images in context, a hallmark of the disorder. “We thought that the effects of autism might go beyond language problems – that it affects different areas of the brain,” he said. In 2000, he led a similar study that looked at the effect of autism on language. “We wanted to see if we’d get similar results with a visual model, and we did.” CONTACT: David Beversdorf, Department of Neurology, (614) 293-8531; or Holly Wagner, University Relations, (614) 292-8310.
Events
Ensemble to perform for United Black World Month – Feb. 22. -- Ohio State’s Gospel and Spiritual Ensemble will perform at 8 p.m. on Tuesday (2/22) in Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for Ohio State faculty, staff and students, and senior citizens. The event is part of the 34th annual celebration of United Black World Month at Ohio State. “Obtaining Freedom through Unity” is the theme for this year’s United Black World Month, which features a month of educational programs that highlight African American history and culture. For more information on events, see http://www.osu.edu/features/2005/ubwm_calendar/ CONTACT: Liz Cook, University Relations, (614) 292-7276.
Expert to discuss the reflections of moral, criminal law on battered women – Feb. 22. -- The law needs to find a new way to deal with battered women who kill their abusive partners when those partners are asleep, according to Joshua Dressler, a professor in the Moritz College of Law. Dressler, who holds the Frank R. Strong Chair in Law, will examine the issue during the University Distinguished Lecture at 4 p.m. Tuesday (2/22) in the Wexner Center Film/Video Theater, 1871 N. High St. CONTACT: Liz Cutler Gates, Moritz College of Law, (614) 292-0283.
U.S. Election Assistance Commission to hold hearing – Feb. 23. -- The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) will hold a public hearing on the use of provisional voting in the 2004 election from 1 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday (2/23) in the Saxbe Auditorium (room 130) at the Moritz College of Law, 55 W. 12th Ave. The purpose of the hearing is to identify the problems and successes involved with the use of provisional voting. EAC commissioners will take testimony from three panels comprised of state and local election officials, academic experts on provisional voting and representatives of voter advocacy organizations. The public is invited to submit testimony to the EAC online at testimony@eac.gov. Written testimony also will be accepted at the hearing. Through the Election Law@Moritz initiative, the Moritz College of Law is a leader in providing election law information and expertise. Media are welcome to cover the hearing, and must RSVP by Monday (2/21). CONTACT: Kay Stimson, Election Assistance Commission, (202) 566-3100
Task Force promotes body health at Body Image Bazaar – Feb. 23. -- Promoting and educating the public on body health is the goal of the university’s Body Image Bazaar. The event, which is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday (2/23) in the Larkins Hall lobby, 337 W. 17th Ave., features displays, educational resources and an opportunity for self-assessments. It is sponsored by the university’s Body Image and Health Task Force. CONTACT: Nancy Rudd, Department of Consumer Sciences, (614) 292-4385.
Fisher MBA students to audition for ‘Apprentice’ before public – Feb. 24. -- Fisher College of Business MBA students and alumni will have a special opportunity to get ahead of the competition in the search for the next Apprentice. NBC is seeking participants for “The Apprentice” with Donald Trump and the spin-off, “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.” The MBA/Alumni casting day will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday (2/24) in room 237 of the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St. An open casting day will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday (2/26) at The Blackwell, 2110 Tuttle Park Place. CONTACT: Laura Bowers, Fisher College of Business, (614) 292-8937; or Shannon Wingard, University Relations, (614) 247-6821.
Symposium to examine U.S. Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action – Feb. 24-25. -- Many of the nation’s preeminent scholars will gather on Feb. 24 and 25 to discuss the challenge set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court\'s Grutter v. Bollinger ruling, which suggests that affirmative action may not be necessary to achieve diversity in higher education in another 25 years. That’s not what the ruling says. The symposium, co-sponsored by the Ohio State Law Journal , the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Law and Policy Studies, will be held at the Moritz College of Law, 55 W. 12th Ave. For a schedule of the two-day conference, see http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/lawjournal/symposium2005_program.html
CONTACT: Liz Cutler Gates, Moritz College of Law, (614) 292-0283.
Breast cancer expert to give 2005 Block Lecture – Feb. 25. -- Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief for breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, has been selected by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute to receive the 2005 Herbert and Maxine Block Memorial Lectureship Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer. Norton is a pioneer in understanding the biology of breast cancer, the process of tumor growth and the development of novel techniques involving the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Norton will present the annual Block Lecture at 8 a.m. on Friday (2/25) in 518 James, 300 W. 10th Ave. CONTACT: Michelle Gailiun, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737
The person listed as CONTACT will have the best information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story – Elizabeth Conlisk, (614) 292-3040; Liz Cook, (614) 292-7276; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.
