Story Ideas for Media 9-26-05

News

Ohio State fans generate $124,729.49 for "September to Remember" Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort – As part of Ohio State's "September to Remember" project to help raise money for the American Red Cross for its Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort, Buckeye football fans stepped up to raise $124,729.49 at the four Ohio State home games during the month of September.
The Department of Athletics donated $2 from each of the 56,363 "Gameday" magazines sold at the games. Fans also could make donations directly to the American Red Cross.
SEE: http://ohiostatebuckeyes.collegesports.com/genrel/092605aab.html

Research

Consumers share blame when gas prices fall slowly, study says – Although gasoline prices at the pump rise quickly as wholesale costs rise, prices tend to drop much more slowly -- and consumers themselves may be partly responsible.
A recent study suggests that while consumers hunt for the lowest possible prices when costs are rising, they don't shop around as much when prices start falling. The result is that gas stations don't have much incentive to drop prices quickly when wholesale costs drop.
"If a consumer sees that gas prices at one station have fallen since the last time he bought gas, he may not look to see if there are even lower prices," said Matthew Lewis, author of the study and assistant professor of economics at The Ohio State University. "When gas prices are falling, consumers aren't searching as hard for the best price."
In fact, when gas prices are going up -- and consumers complain the most -- gas stations are generally making the least profit on sales, according to the study. Profits on gasoline are generally up to five times higher when prices are falling, and consumers are no longer so upset about the prices they pay. CONTACT: Matthew Lewis, (614) 292-0480; Lewis.1015@osu.edu
SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/gasprice.htm

Events

Holbrook to deliver State of the University – Sept. 29. President Karen Holbrook will deliver her annual State of the University address during the year's first meeting of the University Senate at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday (9/29) in the Wexner Film/Video Theater. In the address, she will reflect on the year's accomplishments of Ohio State, share in her vision for the future and attend a reception that follows the address. WOSU-TV will re-broadcast the speech at 7:30 p.m. on October 3. CONTACT: Amy Murray, University Relations.

Shell Pit Stop Challenge puts new spin on campus recruiting – Oct. 4. Shell will bring the excitement of a real race car competition to the Ohio State University campus next week with a competition from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, (10/4) at Knowlton School of Architecture Plaza, 275 W. Woodruff Ave. Fisher College of Business and College of Engineering students will compete in teams of three – role-playing as a pit crew – to perform the fastest pit stop duty of changing tires on a Formula One Ferrari racing car. The fastest team receives a prize and special photo of the team with the Ferrari.
Shell actively recruits top engineering, geosciences and business students. To attract top talent, Shell looks for ways to build awareness about the array of jobs available within the energy industry. Fisher and the OSU College of Engineering have a long-standing track record of providing companies like Shell with the best and brightest candidates.
The Shell Campus Pit Stop Challenge is a unique recruiting event leveraging the Shell and Ferrari partnership to attract students and help them understand the qualities Shell seeks in future full-time employees.
The event is part of Fisher College Career Fair, offering companies the opportunity to visit Fisher to meet graduate and undergraduate students.
CONTACT: Gail Geshwilm Dickson, (614) 292-8022 or Dickson_115@cob.osu.edu

ION, the OSU robotic vehicle, will vie for $2 million prize – Sept. 27-Oct. 5. The Ohio State University College of Engineering's Desert Buckeyes autonomous vehicle team is in California this week to compete in a national contest for robotic ground vehicles and a chance at a $2 million prize. Ohio State's team is one of 43 selected to advance to the semifinals of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Grand Challenge, a contest whose ultimate goal is to advance autonomous vehicle technology. Ohio State's vehicle is called ION, Intelligent Off-road Navigator. Members of the Desert Buckeyes team include faculty and undergraduate and graduate students.
The semifinals will be held Sept. 27-Oct. 5 at the California Speedway in Fontana, Cal.; 20 teams will advance to the Grand Challenge, scheduled for Oct. 8 in Primm, Nev. The vehicles must travel over rugged terrain in the desert Southwest using only onboard sensors and navigation equipment to find and follow the route and avoid natural and man-made obstacles. DARPA will award $2 million to the team whose autonomous vehicle successfully completes the route the fastest within a 10-hour time period.
CONTACT: Joan Slattery Wall, (614) 292-4064, wall.107@osu.edu,
SEE: http://www.ece.osu.edu/ion/ For information about the DARPA Grand Challenge, including a tracking website, see http://www.darpa.mil/GrandChallenge/

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 or Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, murray-goedde.1@osu.edu