Story Ideas for Media - 04/04/05

News

McGee receives national award for contributions to engineering field -- Minnie McGee, assistant dean in the College of Engineering who oversees the Minority Engineering Program, received the 2005 Motorola Legacy Builders Award March 25 at the National Society of Black Engineers’ National Convention. Motorola recognizes recipients of this annual award for their contribution toward increasing the talent pool of men and women in engineering and technology. The award, given to two recipients each year, was presented at the 31st annual National Society of Black Engineers’ convention in Boston. CONTACT: Gina Langen, College of Engineering, (614) 688-4423.

Experts

Therapist can discuss grieving process associated with loss of well-known figure -- Many people throughout the world are mourning the death of Pope John Paul II. When someone well-known dies, the loss resonates with people in sensitive ways because it is a reminder that people who are good and important still are not immortal, according to Dr. Lee Cohen with Ohio State’s Counseling and Consultation Services. She says death teaches people to appreciate life and to be apprehensive about losing a loved one. CONTACT: Shannon Wingard, University Relations, (614) 247-6821.

Expert can discuss lesser-known facts about taxes -- Did you know that it takes about 7.25 hours to gather records and assemble a typical Form 1040, and then about 6.25 hours to prepare the form and attachments? Or, that the average refund received by a taxpayer filing a 2003 return was about $2,125? Bet you couldn’t guess that the Internal Revenue Code is now 3.5 million words long. Tax expert William A. Raabe, who teaches accounting at the Fisher College of Business, has compiled these and other facts about the 2004 tax season that may help this year’s filers keep everything in perspective. CONTACT: Laura Bowers, Fisher College of Business, (614) 292-8937

Research

See yourself as others do to measure your progress toward goals, study says -- When people feel they\'ve hit a roadblock in reaching a personal goal, such as losing weight, they should try to view themselves the way others do, a new study suggests. The research found that picturing memories from a third-person perspective - as if looking at one\'s past self in a movie - can lead people to better see the change they’ve experienced in their lives, said Lisa Libby, co-author of the study and assistant professor of psychology. CONTACT: Lisa Libby, Department of Psychology, (614) 247-8376; Jeff Grabmeier, University Relations, (614) 292-8457.

Events

Talks on alternative medicine, credit card debt are part of conference – April 6-9. -- Consumer professionals from around the world will come together to share the latest research and education at the 51st annual conference of the American Council on Consumer Interests. The event will be held from Wednesday (4/6) through Saturday (4/9) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 75 E State St. Among the topics that will be discussed are the use of alternative medicine among older adults, how low-income families can increase their savings and the problem of credit card debt. Professor Sherman D. Hanna is the program chair for the conference. For more information see http://hec.osu.edu/news/research/acci.php CONTACT: Janet Ciccone, College of Human Ecology, (614) 292-5338.

Fisher College hosts Women’s Leadership Summit – April 8. -- Fisher College of Business’ Graduate Women in Business organization is hosting a day-long Women\'s Leadership Summit on Friday (4/8). Ilene Lang, president of Catalyst, a national business organization that promotes opportunities for women, will speak at 9 a.m. Panel discussions will focus on women in leadership, how women can get started in their careers, and work-life balance. Panelists throughout the day include Barbara Fergus, founder of Midwestern Auto Group; Donna A. James, president of Nationwide Strategic Investments; Jill Dean, executive vice president of Victoria’s Secret Stores; Sandy Harbrecht, president of Paul Werth Associates and Tanny Crane, president and CEO of Crane Group Co. All sessions will take place in 365 Gerlach Hall, 2108 Neil Ave. CONTACT: Laura Bowers, Fisher College of Business, (614) 292-8937.

James hosts Joan’s Fund to support oral cancer research – April 8. -- A young mother’s courageous fight against cancer will be warmly remembered when supporters of The Joan Bisesi Fund for Head and Neck Oncology Research at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute gather for its annual spring fund-raiser from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday (4/8) in the atrium of the Ohio Statehouse. The event will include a silent auction featuring jewelry, fine dining, sports memorabilia and vacation rentals. CONTACT: Michelle Gailiun, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737.

Students to host other Ohio universities for Indian dance competition – April 9. -- The Indian Student Association is hosting the SRUJAN 2005, an intercollegiate dance competition. More than 400 students from Ohio State, the University of Toledo, Wright State University, the University of Miami and Bowling Green State University, are expected to attend. The event is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday (4/9) in the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road. Students will compete in two categories – group and solo dance. Tickets in advance are $5 and $8 at the door. For more information, see http://isa.org.ohio-state.edu/srujan05/srujan CONTACT: Nisarg Vora, Indian Student Association, (614) 209-0953.

Author of ‘The Miner’s Canary’ to discuss race, gender inequity issues – April 11. -- Lani Guinier, the first black woman appointed to a tenured professorship at Harvard Law School and author of “The Miner’s Canary,” is the next speaker in this year’s President and Provost’s Diversity Lecture & Cultural Art Series. The event is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday (4/11) in the Fawcett Center Auditorium, 2200 Olentangy River Road. Guinier’s work has examined the experiences of women in law school, democratic theory and educational inequity, and issues of race and gender. CONTACT: Mellody Parchia, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, (614) 292-2634.

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.