Story Ideas for Media 2-27-06

News

Plant pathologist to study major crop killers. Ohio State University plant pathologist Sophien Kamoun likes to know his enemies. And as the key player in two recently funded, $6.7 million projects aimed at sequencing the genome of two devastating crop killers, he will get to know all 20,000 genes of them. A scientist with the university's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, Kamoun is the only investigator who is part of both research teams sequencing the genome of Phytophthora infestans and Phytophthora capsici -- fungus-like oomycetes (pronounced o-o-my-seats) that cause serious diseases in popular vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes and peppers, and which have the potential to threaten food security in many developing countries. Funding this research are the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service (both projects), as well as the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Community Sequencing Program. CONTACT: Sophien Kamoun, Plant Pathology, kamoun.1@osu.edu, (330) 263-3847. SEE: http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~news/story.php?id=3530

Research

Well-dressed women get better service. If women want the best possible service at a clothing store, they had better be looking fashionable and well-groomed before they hit the mall. A new Ohio State study found that well-dressed and groomed women received the friendliest and, in some cases, fastest service from salesclerks.
Researchers secretly observed interactions between customers and salesclerks at three large-sized women's clothing stores, timing how long clerks took to greet customers, and rating the clerks' friendliness.
Sharron Lennon, co-author of the study and professor of consumer sciences at Ohio State says customers whose clothes were rated as more fashionable and attractive, and who showed better grooming and make-up skills, received better service than those whose appearance was not rated as highly. CONTACT: Sharron Lennon, (614) 292-4384, or Lennon.2@osu.edu SEE:http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/servdres.htm

Events

President Holbrook on panel to discuss documentary on female student in the sciences – March 1. The Wexner Center will present the world premiere of "The Gender Chip Project," a documentary film that follows five young women majoring in math, engineering and the sciences at Ohio State in two free screenings on Wednesday (3/1) at the Wexner Center, 1871 N. High Street.
Following the 7 p.m. screening, at approximately 8 p.m., Ohio State President Karen Holbrook will join a panel of leading thinkers on the subject of women pursuing studies and careers in traditionally dominated fields. Other panelists include Battelle scientist Joyce Durnford, and Ohio State engineering professor Diane Foster, one of the professors featured in the film. The panel marks the first annual "Director's Dialogue on Art and Social Change," an initiative that explores the arts as a springboard for discourse on contemporary issues and as a catalyst for social change. CONTACT: Erik Pepple, (614) 688-3261 or Karen Simonian, (614) 292-9923

Seminar offers advice on the SAT and college admissions process – March 1 and 2. Ohio State University admissions officials will team with counterparts from The College Board for "College Success Night at OSU" at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday (3/1 and 2) at the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road. The free seminar for students and parents offers information on preparing for the SAT, including a tour of the "SAT Readiness Program" and a demonstration of free online SAT preparation resources. Ohio State admissions experts will present an overview of the college admissions process and help students and parents determine how to pay for college. On-site registration begins at 7 p.m.; online registration is at www.collegeboard.com/csregistration. CONTACT: Kristin Carnahan or Jennifer Topiel, College Board, (212) 731-8052.

University Board of Trustees to meet – March 2 and 3. Ohio State's Board of Trustees and its committees will meet on Thursday (3/2) and Friday (3/3) at the Longaberger Alumni House. The schedule will include meetings of the Affiliated Entities Committee at 1:30 p.m. and the Medical Center Affairs Committee at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. On Friday, the schedule includes meetings of the Investments and Agricultural Affairs committees at 9 a.m., and meetings of the Academic and Student Affairs and Fiscal Affairs committees at 9:45 a.m. The formal board meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanders Grand Lounge. Following lunch, trustees will recess into executive session at 12:45 p.m. CONTACT: Shelly Hoffman, (614) 247-4748.

Conference to look at Direct Democracy – March 3. The Legislation Clinic at the Moritz College of Law presents "The People as Legislators: The Influence of Direct Democracy," on Friday (3/3). The conference will bring together academicians, public officials, and interest group representatives to discuss various aspects of the initiative and referendum processes that are the essence of direct democracy, and the relationship between direct democracy and representative democracy. Sessions will be held at the Vern Riffe Center and the Statehouse. CONTACT: Steven Huefner, (614) 292-1763, or Liz Cutler Gates, (614) 292-0283.

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; Jim Lynch, (614) 247-4110 or lynch.270@osu.edu; or Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385 or murray-goedde.1@osu.edu