26
August
2012
|
18:00 PM
America/New_York

Story Ideas for Media 8/27/12

News

Ohio State’s library ranked fifth in the nation. The Association of Research Libraries has named The Ohio State University Thompson Library as fifth in the nation among public university libraries, up from 12th place last year.
Director of Libraries Carol Pitts Diedrichs will say that she believes “this ranking demonstrates we have built a cost-effective, efficient library system that is recognized by its peer institutions as one of the best in the country.” CONTACT: Larry Allen, (614) 292-8999.

Alum covers Republican National Convention for Huff Post. Jessica Wilt, who earned an MFA in Dance from Ohio State in 2002, is one of eight citizen journalists selected from around the country by the Huffington Post to cover the 2012 political conventions. Wilt will be blogging from the Republican National Convention this week as part of the Huff Post “OffTheBus” citizen-based reporting project. The mission of “OffTheBus” is to go beyond the one-dimensional horse-race aspect of election coverage. Follow Wilt’s blog at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/hp_blogger_Jessica+Wilt. SEE: https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/news/alumna-blogging-from-the-rnc.

Research

EPA funds Ohio State study of effects of climate change on Lake Erie drinking water quality. Ohio State University scientists who specialize in water research are teaming to study whether extreme weather events linked to global warming could increase the presence of harmful contaminants in drinking water supplied by Lake Erie. The researchers will analyze water quality and use satellite technology to monitor changes in Lake Erie, concentrating on study regions in the Western and Central basin. After studying whether heavy storms, flooding, excessive heat and drought will lead to increased nutrients and harmful algal blooms in the water, the scientists will use their results to create models that will help quantify the risks that future extreme events pose for Lake Erie, which supplies drinking water to about 11 million people. The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the public health and earth sciences researchers almost $750,000 for the three-year study. The grant is from EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, which supports research to improve air and water quality following natural disasters. SEE: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/xevents. CONTACT: Emily Caldwell, (614) 292-8310; Caldwell.151@osu.edu

Events

Groundbreaking for six new homes scheduled on the site of former vacant apartments in Weinland Park – Aug. 29. Campus Partners, with the assistance of the Franklin County Treasurer Ed Leonard, the Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County, and the Franklin County Commissioners, acquired two vacant apartment buildings in Weinland Park located at the corner of North 4th Street and East 8th Avenue (1407 N. 4th St and 1415 N. 4th St). The vacant apartment buildings were razed in October 2010 to make way for new single-family homes. The construction of the first six homes will begin on Wednesday, August 29, led by the Wagenbrenner Development Company, Nick Savko & Sons, Inc., and Rockford Homes. The acquisition and redevelopment of these properties is part of a greater effort to revitalize the neighborhood by the Weinland Park Collaborative, which is supported with grant and investment funding from Campus Partners, The Columbus Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, United Way and The City of Columbus.
The press event for the groundbreaking will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 29 at the corner of North 4th Street and East 8th Avenue in Weinland Park. Joining Campus Partners will be Franklin County Treasurer, Ed Leonard. CONTACT: Erin Prosser, Campus Partners, (614) 247-5958, prosser.20@osu.edu.

Ohio State University Trustees to meet – Aug. 29-31. The Ohio State University Board of Trustees and its committees will meet at the university’s Ohio Agriciultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) at Wooster on Wednesday, August 29 from 2:45 to 5:30 p.m. The board will meet Thursday and Friday, August 30-31 in Columbus at Longaberger Alumni House, 2200 Olentangy River Rd.
The schedule includes meetings on Thursday, August 30 of the Medical Affairs and Advancement committees from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; the Audit and Compliance and Governance committees from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m.; and meetings of the Finance and Academic Affairs and Student Life committees from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The full board will meet at 9 a.m. on Friday, August 31. CONTACT: Jim Lynch, (614) 247-4110. SEE: http://www.osu.edu/news/newsitem3489.

Electrical and computer engineering transforms undergraduate education – Sept 4. With new, modern lab spaces and a completely redesigned curriculum, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is transforming the way its undergraduate students are educated in laboratory courses. The award-winning new lab model exploits technology to expose undergraduate students to advanced concepts early, and empowers self-guided learning on state-of-the-art equipment through video instruction and carefully designed lab manuals. Calling the ECE-approach a game changer in undergraduate education, Texas Instruments partnered with the department and provided $160,000 to support the effort. Media are invited to learn why the lab has received rave reviews from students and industry alike during the ECE Open Spaces Ribbon Cutting celebration at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4. CONTACT: Candi Clevenger, 614-292-1806 or Clevenger.87@osu.edu

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