Story Ideas for Media 10-10-05

Experts

Veterinary professor can speak about avian influenza – Dr. Richard Slemons, associate
professor of veterinary preventive medicine, is a nationally known researcher in the virology of avian influenza. He currently serves as the co-director of a $5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture research and education project to help prevent and control avian influenza. This project is the largest single grant ever made by the USDA's National Research Institute for a single animal health disease or zoonotic threat (disease passed from animals to humans). CONTACT: Melissa Lamb Peale, College of Veterinary Medicine, (614) 292-3752, or lamb-peale.1@osu.edu

Research

Unwed mothers have difficulty finding 'good' husbands, study finds – Women who have children outside of marriage are less likely than other single women to marry, and when they do marry, their husbands tend to be less well-matched, according to a new study.
The results show that the odds that unwed mothers marry rather than cohabit are about 30 percent lower than those of childless single women.
When they do marry, mothers are more likely to have husbands who are significantly older and less educated than those of childless women.
"It's more difficult for unwed mothers to get married, and if they do, they tend to not marry well," said Zhenchao Qian, co-author of the study and associate professor of sociology at Ohio State University.
The results suggest that efforts by the federal government and states to promote marriage among young, poor Americans need to do more to prevent out-of-wedlock childbearing, Qian said. He conducted the study with Leanna Mellott, graduate student in sociology at Ohio State, and Daniel Lichter, professor at Cornell University.
CONTACT: Zhenchao Qian, (614) 688-8612; Qian.26@osu.edu; or Leanna Mellott, (614) 688-5835; Mellott.19@osu.edu SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/
marrpros.htm

Events

Homecoming 2005 celebration honors campus history – Oct. 10-16 Homecoming festivities include a week-long schedule of events that include a multicultural Greek Step Show, the annual homecoming parade and the Stefanie Spielman Walk/Run for Breast Cancer. "Buckeyes through the Decades" is the theme for the 93rd anniversary celebration. The complete schedule of events is at http://www.homecoming.osu.edu/. Most events are free and open to the public.
Highlights include:
Tuesday (10/11) "Buckeye Football: Play-by-play through the Decades" with Jack Park, Earle Bruce and Jim Lachey, 7 p.m., in 100 Independence Hall, 1923 Neil Ave. An evening of Buckeye history, trivia and memories will be shared.
Wednesday (10/12) Cultural Extravaganza and Multicultural Greek Step Show, featuring "Step Afrika," 4 p.m., west ballroom, Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St. The program will feature the university's first multicultural Greek Step Show followed with a performance by StepAfrika!, a South Africa based Soweto Dance Theatre.
Friday (10/14) 2005 Homecoming Parade, 6 p.m. The parade will start at Ohio
Stadium and then travel east on Woodruff Avenue, south on High Street and west on 12th Avenue. Join the Buckeyes as the Homecoming Parade grand marshals lead more than 100 student organization floats, the 2005 Homecoming Court, President Karen A. Holbrook, the Ohio State Marching Band, and Brutus the Buckeye to the South Oval.
Friday (10/14) Tailgate and Pep Rally, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday (10/14) South Oval. (Rain site – Ohio Union Ballrooms, 1739 N. High St.) The Ohio State marching band and cheerleaders will lead the university community in an evening of cheers.
Sunday (10/16) Stefanie Spielman Homecoming Walk/Run for Breast Cancer, 4 to 7
p.m., Beekman Park, 1999 W. Lane Ave. Join Stefanie Spielman in the fight against breast
cancer. This traditional event features the new addition of a 5k run. For route and registration information see www.osu.edu/homecoming Proceeds benefit Ohio State's James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.
CONTACT: Liz Cook, University Relations, (614) 292-7276.

Interactive computer game event marks second anniversary of Third Frontier Network – Oct. 13. The Third Frontier Network (TFN), Ohio's high-speed research network, celebrates its second year of service with a live demonstration that showcases the industrial and research applications of Interactive Digital Technologies, or video gaming. Interactive presentations from college and university students, academic program directors and industry representatives will illustrate the affect of the TFN on teaching, learning and business in southeastern Ohio and throughout the state.
The event, which is hosted by the Ohio Board of Regents and the Ohio Supercomputer Center, will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday (10/13) at Shawnee State University with satellite locations at the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD) at Ohio State, Ohio University, Bowling Green State University, Kent State University and Wright State University.
ACCAD research specialist Brian Windsor, an expert in motion capture and virtual character development, will add "assets" (game resources such as tanks that players accumulate in order to progress) live to a regionally networked gaming simulation being tested and monitored at the six sites.
Central Ohio media interested in reporting on the demonstration can see a live interactive stream at the BALE Theatre at the Ohio Supercomputer Center, 1224 Kinnear Road. The live demonstration portion of the program will begin at approximately 4 p.m.
CONTACT: Kathryn Kelley, Ohio Supercomputer Center, (614) 292-6067, or Amy Murray, Ohio State University, (614) 292-8385. See: http://www.osc.edu/oarnet/tfnevents/

The person listed as the CONTACT will have the most current information about the story.
Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story: Liz Cook, (614) 292-7276, or cook.17@osu.edu, Shelly Hoffman, (614) 247-4748 or hoffman.511@osu.edu, or Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, murray-goedde.1@osu.edu