The case is a good reminder of the importance of working across disciplines and administrative barriers using the One Health strategy to more fully understand and address the links between animal, human and plant health and the environment, says Wondwossen Gebreyes, executive director of The Ohio State University’s Global One Health initiative (GOHi). One Health is a massive global undertaking characterized by widespread collaboration, and its relevance to individuals can be hard to explain.

Describing an E. coli outbreak from the point of view of those affected is an effective way to communicate to the public about how human, animal and environmental interactions can lead to disease, according to Barbara Kowalcyk, assistant professor of food science and technology at Ohio State.

Presenting at the One Health Day Symposium held at Ohio State earlier this month, Kowalcyk was part of a panel of experts discussing strategies for how to explain the implications of One Health to lay audiences at home and abroad.

“A tool I use a lot is storytelling. It’s effective for communicating science,” Kowalcyk told attendees.

Food safety is among the significant world problems that the One Health movement is trying to solve, along with antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases that spread between animals and humans, climate change and environmental toxins.

GOHi leaders held the symposium to bring the local and global community together for an update on the initiative’s research, training and outreach efforts and in recognition of One Health Day, observed annually on Nov. 3.

Presentations made by representatives from Ohio State, state and federal agencies, and international partners reflected the various threats posed to human health and the environment as well as the university’s reach beyond U.S. borders to conduct training, field research and outreach seeking solutions to those concerns.

Liva Rakotondraibe, an assistant professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy at Ohio State, reported on his development of a plant-based compound designed to control mosquitoes that transmit the Zika virus. This is the kind of research that has broad appeal globally and particularly in developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and Brazil, where biodiversity is high and herbal medicines are commonly used, but shortages in infrastructure and personnel with drug discovery expertise hinder production of medications.

“Why do we still struggle in the 21st century to make medicine available for Africans? It requires human capacity,” said Abebaw Fekadu, head of the Center for Drug Development & Therapeutics for Africa. “We have medical experts but not technicians to run the work in pharmaceutical companies. We have universities but no one to transfer discoveries to the market.”

One of GOHi’s major objectives is capacity-building to increase the number of professionals in partner nations with the skills to train new health-care practitioners, drug and vaccine developers, educators and leaders. In these mutually beneficial collaborations, Ohio State faculty and students conduct highly relevant research, gain clinical skills and enhance their own training capabilities.

The symposium highlighted Connect and Collaborate, an Ohio State initiative that funds and advises teams of university and community representatives to develop partnerships that provide sustainable benefits to the community while advancing strategic and scholarly priorities of teaching, research and service.

Connect and Collaborate grant recipient Barbara Piperata, associate professor of anthropology at Ohio State, has partnered with faculty colleagues Jiyoung Lee in environmental health and Rebecca Garabed in veterinary preventive medicine to lead a study in a rural Nicaraguan community. The team is analyzing how poor water quality and regular contact with livestock affect the balance of bacteria in children’s guts, hoping to determine whether these conditions contribute to diarrheal diseases that cause infant deaths in developing countries. The goal is to put the findings into practice in rural populations around the world.

“What we really try to do through Connect and Collaborate is plug in people who hadn’t thought to connect with each other,” said Stephen Myers, associate vice provost for outreach and engagement. “We bring together a huge group of funding partners on the front end and work with teams to build meaningful partnerships around the premise that we can’t operate in a silo if we’re going to be relevant and innovative and have great impact.”

GOHi, in fact, grew out of an Ohio State grant-funded partnership launched in 2010 with academic institutions, government organizations and service agencies in Eastern Africa to create sustainable collaborations in teaching, research and outreach aligned around the One Health approach. In addition to its campuswide office at Ohio State, GOHi is now a registered nongovernmental organization with a regional office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is advised by an external board of 14 global leaders.

“The most powerful thing about GOHi is that it is built on relationships between people and organizations across the globe driven to make the world a better place for everyone,” Gebreyes said. “Connecting at this symposium gives us the opportunity to share information, celebrate successes and network to develop even more impactful partnerships.”

“He said: ‘If there is one thing I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest and most fulfilled people I’ve known are those who devoted themselves to something bigger and more profound than merely their own self-interest,’” Drake said.

Glenn, Drake said, embodied the best of what columnist David Brooks called resume virtues and eulogy virtues. He said people often spend a lot of time building their resume, trying to add meaningful roles and titles under their name, but what we remember is their eulogy virtues – how they treated and served others.

Drake discussed values and their role in leadership as the keynote speaker at the Columbus Business First 2018 C-Suite Awards. The ceremony honored central Ohio’s most accomplished business leaders.

Drake said a management training program at Harvard University helped inform his understanding of the difference between management and leadership.

“You can manage a supply line, but you lead a battle,” Drake said.

Management means the ability to plan outcomes that are organized and measurable, Drake said. Leadership often takes place when outcomes and conclusions are not clear and there is time pressure to make a decision.

“Certainly there is no one leading the way – you are out front,” Drake said. “You have to, in the moment, take new information, process it, look into a smoky, foggy future and make the right decision to move forward.”

Reaching those decisions is ideally aided by a core set of values. When Drake was chancellor at the University of California, Irvine he said he came to rely on a list of values that helped guide his decision-making process: respect, integrity, passion, empathy, appreciation and fun.

“I tried to use values to be able to help guide decisions. In many of the most difficult decisions I’ve been faced with, that looking back at my own values and asking what a values-based decision would be has really helped,” he said.

Drake said building and maintaining relationships and choosing to do the right thing, even when it might not be popular, have also been critical to his growth as a leader.

More than two dozen local leaders were honorees at the ceremony. Tom Katzenmeyer, president and CEO, Greater Columbus Arts Council, and Patrick Losinski, CEO, Columbus Metropolitan Library, were the lifetime achievement winners.

The Ohio State University’s Translational Data Analytics Institute hosted a free summer camp to introduce young women to the discipline of data science and analytics. The week-long Data Science for Women Summer Camp wrapped up on Friday as more than two dozen students took a deep dive into data.

Jenna McGuire, Translational Data Analytics Institute associate director and co-director of the summer camp, said the camp was aimed at eighth- to 10^th-grade students. She said the goal was to inspire young women to learn more about the field of data analytics, how it can solve real-world problems, and potential careers.

“They’re not yet applying to college but they’re starting to think about it and they are starting to think about what they may or may not want to do with their lives,” she said. “And so we’re getting them at the perfect age.”

Columbus City Schools and Metro Early College High School partnered with TDAI to promote the camp to students. Students from suburban schools in Franklin County also attended. The camp was sponsored by the Women in Analytics Conference and supported by the Connect and Collaborate Grants Program and the Battelle Engineering, Technology and Human Affairs Grant.

McGuire said she felt inspired to develop and offer a camp after reading a national report that showed men outnumbered women 3-to-1 in the field of data analytics, and the numbers for underrepresented minorities are worse. Last year, McGuire formed a committee of 12 women faculty and staff from across the university who helped with the design and outreach for the camp.

Campers worked with current Ohio State students majoring in data analytics, computer science or other data-heavy fields. Campers also explored hands-on experiences using data and animation software, data visualization and data-driven presentations with faculty across campus.

Maxwell Williams, a third-year data analytics major, served as an instructor for the summer camp. He said he hopes that what appealed to him about data analytics will appeal to campers.

“I was interested in pure mathematics and I always was interested in puzzles. Really, that’s what computer science is all about: solving puzzles,” he said. “But then I found that some of the puzzles I was most interested in were the ones that involved large numbers and large sets of data. And that’s exactly what this major is tailored to.”

Campers were able to experience data science in use at the university’s Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and Translational Data Analytics Institute. Guest speakers included faculty and staff who use data to study everything from medicine to engineering to dance.

“We’ve achieved the goal of conveying to them that data analytics is not sitting behind a desk crunching numbers. That’s really apparent,” said Amy Spellacy, co-director of the camp and administrator for the Discovery Themes in the Office of Research. “So it’s really about opening them up and broadening their vision of what this career could be.”

Alexis Cunningham, an eighth-grader from Columbus Academy, is a self-proclaimed science nerd. She hopes to become a forensic lawyer, and said the camp helped her look at data analytics in a new light.

“[Camp] definitely made me want to consider studying data science. Data is everything,” she said. “So I’m thinking about ways I can use the data in forensic science.”

McGuire said lessons learned this year will improve the camp next year. She said the camp serves one of the central missions of Ohio State.

“This is a land-grant university. We were founded to make a difference in this state and to move this state forward,” she said. “We have an obligation to reach out to the people who may not be excited about the science or may not be aware of it and get them involved. Because ultimately this is what Ohio State and TDAI are about.”

This year’s tour began at the Ohio State University Airport and included stops at Glen-Gery Brick Yard in Iberia, Buurma Farms in Willard, Flying Horse Farms in Mt. Gilead, Gorman-Rupp Pumps in Mansfield, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

“We have a mix of faculty and students on the road here in Ohio,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce A. McPheron. “We like to get folks out to actually see the impact that Ohio State has on the state of Ohio.”

The tour highlights Ohio State’s work with businesses and nonprofit organizations in communities large and small.

“Every stop on the tour has an education component,” said Janis Browning, the Office of Outreach and Engagement’s program coordinator for the trip.

Doctors from the Wexner Medical Center volunteer at Flying Horse Farms, a summer camp for children with serious illness. The camp also offers internship opportunities for Ohio State students studying nursing, human nutrition and other subjects.

Glen-Gery Brick Yard quarried and manufactured all the brick for the Ohio Union and North Residential District on the Columbus campus, and the new Science & Engineering Building on the Marion campus. The company donated $20,000 of the brick used in Marion.

In Willard, Ohio State has operated an agricultural research station near Buurma Farms since 1948. The Muck Crops Agricultural Research Station studies disease management, insect and weed control, food safety and more.

The tour is also about giving back. The buses stopped at the Greater Cleveland Foodbank, and students, faculty and staff spent a morning sorting donations and packing summer lunches for schoolchildren.

The 10,500-square-foot Kunz-Brundige Franklin County Extension Building is the first of three new facilities planned for Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory on The Ohio State University campus. This new building is made possible thanks to an $11 million gift from Patricia Brundige, which will also support two endowed Franklin County 4-H educator positions and an endowed Franklin County support fund.

“We envision the Kunz-Brundige Franklin County Extension Office as a hub for teaching, research and community engagement around food, health, agricultural production and sustainability,” said Cathann A. Kress, vice president for agricultural administration and dean, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. “Thanks to the generosity of Pat Brundige, a longtime volunteer and advocate for OSU Extension, this facility will increase our engagement with the Franklin County community through educational programs and events for youth and adults.”

Franklin County Extension offers diverse programming in the areas of 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, community development, and agriculture and natural resources. Annually, more than 12,000 youths participate in enrichment programs and more than 6,000 adults learn about agriculture and natural resources related topics.

That was part of Ohio State University President Michael V. Drake’s message Monday to the second class of Buckeye Student Leadership Academy (BSLA) participants – Ohio high-school students who spend 3 ½ days on the Columbus campus to experience an intensive taste of college life.

“So if you want to be happy, healthy, engaged and live longer, then going to college is a good deal,” Drake said. “It’s really a way to maximize your human potential: You learn who you are, you train yourself, you teach yourself, you educate yourself to be able to do great things, and then the world has more options for you.”

Drake, and the academy, are selling these students on college – and not just at Ohio State. BSLA provides an opportunity for high-achieving first-generation, rural and/or underrepresented minority students to see what a college education has to offer and how to forge their own path to get there, wherever “there” may be.

“The hope is to better prepare these students for the college application process,” said Keith Gehres, director of outreach and recruitment for Undergraduate Admissions. “They will learn how to navigate applying to any college in the country.”

And though participation is not accompanied by guaranteed admission to Ohio State’s Columbus campus, program leaders maintain contact with the students during their senior year of high school and waive their application fee if they do apply to Ohio State.

In his welcome to the 110 BSLA participants, Drake told the students that Ohio State strives to educate the whole person, emphasizing excellence in four areas: academics, research/creative expression, character and leadership.

“We believe very much in character excellence – in who you’re going to be, how you’re going to conduct your life, what kind of person you’re going to be, what kind of friend, neighbor, co-worker or community asset you’re going to be,” he said.

“We do our best to … give you every opportunity to learn as much about yourself and the world and learn to be a really actively engaged person in the world.”

BLSA applicants are required to submit essays, academic information and details about their extracurricular activities, which is all good practice for the college application process.

Once on campus, participants learn about the college admissions process, financial aid options and campus resources, and attend personal development workshops on subjects ranging from budgeting to goal-setting and time management. They live in residence halls, eat at campus dining facilities and interact with current students, faculty and staff at cultural and leadership activities during their stay.

All aspects of the program – instruction, housing, meals, activities, transportation and parking – are free for the participants, who will complete this year’s academy Thursday.

Drake offered one other nod to Ohio State, ensuring the students that being a Buckeye doesn’t stop at graduation. After commencement, graduates join a community of 560,000 alumni thriving in Ohio, the nation and around the world.

“And wherever you go,” he said, “you’ll find Buckeye alumni doing great things.”

Today the United States Agency for International Development and The Coca Cola Foundation, through their Water and Development Alliance (WADA) global partnership, commemorated the launch of activities that will transform the lives of more than 70,000 rural Tanzanians. According to their press release, Coca-Cola Foundation and USAID are supporting project activities with a combined investment of more than $1 million, primarily focused on an innovative water access project.

For Marty Kress, executive director of the Global Water Institute at Ohio State, the announcement helps move the institute’s Sustainable Village Water Systems program forward.

“The Ohio State model for sustainable water systems being deployed through this WADA project is focused not just on the installation of wells but also on the deployment of sustainable operating systems,” Kress said.

According to USAID, Tanzania has been facing unprecedented water stress. Rural villages often rely on out-of-date and inefficient technology for their water systems. That can lead to lack of access to clean water.

The Global Water Institute has developed the Sustainable Village Water Systems model to develop sustainable and appropriately sized wells. Sustainable Village Water Systems include a clean source of renewable energy, improved sanitation at clinics and schools, and a direct linkage to economic activities such as agriculture, aquaponics or micro-manufacturing.

The WADA Tanzania project will install or upgrade solar-powered water systems while providing water service entrepreneur training and hyrology research in 36 villages identified by the Tanzanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation across the Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, Mara, Mwanza, Singida and Tabora regions. This work will be complemented by sanitation and sustainable agriculture activities implemented in collaboration with WaterAid.

“There can be too much emphasis in installing the well. Our model is installing the well and making sure it’s operational 10 years from now,” Kress said. So in parallel with this activity, GWI is already working with WaterAidto layer each village with health, sanitation and agriculture.

The key to success is a business model that requires ownership of the well and a commitment to investment in maintenance and support, Kress said. Under the Ohio State model, standardized systems using common parts and technology are critical for long-term sustainability

He said there is also a commitment to research.

“We are also funding hydrology research to create date base of hydrology resources for the Ministry of Water and Irrigation so in the future, we hope that every time we drill a new well, we have water table research that depicts the health of the aquifer before we drill down,” he said.

Kress said an eventual next step in the Global Water Institute’s mission is to take the model to Zambia and Kenya.

WADA Tanzania is being implemented by a consortium of partners led by Ohio State and managed in Tanzania by Majitech, an engineering firm that is a subsidiary of WorldServe International. Together, WorldServe International and Waterboys, an American charity founded by NFL athlete Chris Long, are contributing $1 million in co-financing to scale project activities.

The start of summer orientation is underway at the Columbus campus, and President Michael V. Drake offered a welcome and some words of encouragement to students.

“The first thing is to start to be ready to start,” Drake said. “Be ready at the very beginning to get going. You have wonderful classmates who are very talented, very focused and hardworking. They are going to be ready to start. And you want to be ready to start, too.”

Students and their families filled the Thurber Theatre at the Drake Performance Center to start a two-day immersion into the culture of Ohio State. Once again, this class is expected to be the most talented and diverse in university history. Ohio State has seen a record number of applications the last three years with climbing test scores and record minority enrollment.

First Year Experience Director Catherine Montalto pointed out that students in this new class come from across the country and the world. She said new students’ hometowns range from those with populations in the millions to communities where the citizens number in the dozens.

“You are unique individuals that bring to Ohio State talents and characteristics and interests and experiences that we really value,” she said.

New to students this year is the one phase of the university’s Digital Flagship initiative . Every first-year student on the Columbus and regional campuses receives an iPad Pro, Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil supplied in a protective case at the start of orientation.

Students also take academic placement tests, meet advisers and peer leaders and have a chance to enjoy lunch at the Ohio Union.

Fernando Esquivel, a Pittsburgh native, came to Ohio State because of the reputation of the College of Engineering. He plans to study mechanical engineering and said the first day of orientation was busy but useful.

“It’s been a smooth transition but it’s been exciting and nerve-racking,” he said. “I love the campus, where it’s at in a big city with a big opportunity.”

Drake also reminded students that their college experience would require dedication and hard work. But there would be help along the way.

“It’s meant to be challenging. You can do it but you have to put some effort into it,” he said. “From time to time, the challenges will be difficult and there will be other people who can help make it easier for you. And it’s very smart to use those services: friends, advisers in the dorm, people who you meet at first year experience, people in student life or counseling services.

“We have hundreds of people on campus whose full-time job is to make your life work better.”

A study by the Inter-University Council of Ohio finds Ohio public universities added $42 billion in income to the Ohio economy. That’s about equal to 6.7 percent of the state’s total economy.

The Ohio State University President Michael V. Drake joined university presidents from across the state at the Ohio Statehouse Tuesday at a press conference to highlight the report.

“We know higher education is a great investment for individuals,” Drake said.

The report captured economic data from the 2016-2017 academic year and asserts that higher education supported 558,841 jobs – or one out of every 12 jobs – in Ohio. Labor market analysis firm Emsi, developed the report for the council. The firm serves clients in higher education from around the world.

Some of the other economic findings in the report included: For every $1 students invest in public universities, they receive a cumulative return of $4.60 in higher future earnings. For every $1 of public money invested in public universities, taxpayers receive a cumulative return of $4.10 in benefits.

“By the year 2026, most of the in-demand jobs will require baccalaureate degrees,” Ohio State Sen. Randy Gardner said. “Higher education is of real value in the state of Ohio.”

The report is part of a statewide campaign designed to raise awareness of the value of public higher education and spur efforts to close the state’s increasing higher education attainment gap. The effort, called Forward Ohio, seeks to mobilize public support for greater investment in public higher education.

“Today we have an economic impact statement that demonstrates the way to move Ohio forward is through an investment in higher education and our students,” said Bruce Johnson, president of the Inter-University Council of Ohio.

Economics are not the only consideration. Drake said research into the benefits of higher education suggests that college graduates lead healthier and happier lives and live longer.

“From the founding of our first universities to the life-changing ideas emerging daily on today’s campuses, higher education has helped to make America the strongest country in the world,” he said.

As The Ohio State University prepares to launch the Digital Flagship initiative at the start of the new academic year, faculty from across the university are learning how to get the most out of some new tools. New first-year students at the Columbus and regional campuses will receive an iPad Pro, case, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard at orientation.

“When they first announced the Digital Flagship initiative, it was kind of overwhelming to think that all of our students are going to be getting this technology – and it was exciting, too,” said Melissa Beers, program director for Introduction to Psychology. “The goal of the program is to level the playing field with technology, so that every student has access to good technology coming into college. That’s really remarkable.”

The first group of Digital Flagship Educators have completed two sessions over four days, and the learning process will continue before the start of autumn semester. About 78 instructors went through the initial Digital Flagship Educators program. Instructors in the cohort will have one course section designated as “iPad required” by the registrar.

Beers worked with a team of psychology faculty that included two graduate students, an honors instructor and two faculty members from the regional campuses through the training.Bradley Okdie, associate professor of psychology at the Newark campus, said the training was well thought out and helpful. He said it also prepared instructors as they plan their classes for the fall.

“There is the one thing I think it did really well, that was telling us where we need to go if things were not going the way that we planned either in terms of in the classroom or in terms of the device management itself,” Okdie said. “But I think, more than anything, the training provided us a foundation for understanding what the iPad can be in the classroom and how it fits in with the pedagogy that we may already be teaching.”

Okdie said one of the apps preloaded on the iPad offers some interesting possibilities for his classes. He said students often struggle with the biology section in the psychology course work. He uses a slideshow to teach brain function and how neurons communicate, but he plans to change that approach.

“I can use an app called Explain Everything, which is essentially a digital whiteboard. So students can use the iPad pencil to draw and to produce audio and it’s all recorded,” he said. “So what I would ask them to do is to simply sketch a neuron along with its core components that they would have to learn for the class.”

That creative investment will likely lead to better learning on the part of his students.

“I think No. 1, they will find that entertaining. They’ll be motivated to engage in that activity. But No. 2, because it’s something that they are creating, because they’re going to spend some time on it, essentially they’ll learn more,” Okdie said.

Andre Plate, a graduate student in clinical psychology, has been an instructor for the introduction to psychology class for three years. He said the Digital Flagship sessions helped him think about how he’ll bring technology into the lecture hall that better resembles how students are using technology in the real world.

“Let’s try to teach this class where students can utilize this technology as a resource and in a way that is applicable and actually reflective of how they learn things outside their classroom as well,” Plate said.

Beers said it’s important to remember teaching comes first.

“We have to think about what do we want students to learn and accomplish and then how can technology help us to do that? That always has to be, with teaching and learning, the No. 1 priority,” she said. “This isn’t about teaching with iPads. It’s about teaching, and then there’s my iPad.”

Beers said the learning process for faculty will also lead to scholarly research. She is already planning a comparative study of the iPad-enhanced classes.

“I want to be clear. I want to be thoughtful about it. And I want to be careful about it, too,” she said. “That’s why early on in these discussions we said let’s think about designing a study, getting [Institutional Review Board] approval. And while we’re engaged in this work, we are also learning something that we can share with the broader community of scholars so that we can really share and report back and can learn from our example.”

One theme that emerged among the psychology team in the first round of training: This is just the beginning.

“I think we are on the cusp of something great here,” Okdie said. “Maybe that’s me being optimistic but I think, to the extent that we can get faculty and students to engage with this technology in the way that they should, to increase learning, I think this is a big deal. But’s going to require that both faculty and students work together to make this happen.”

William “Brit” Kirwan, former president of The Ohio State University and current chancellor emeritus of the University System of Maryland, delivered the 15th annual James F. Patterson Land-Grant University Lecture at the Ohio Union Wednesday. Kirwan’s lecture was focused on what he sees as America’s looming education crisis and the role land-grant universities, like Ohio State, can play in finding solutions.

“Simply put, as a nation we are not educating enough people at a level of quality to sustain our economy and to provide the equality of opportunity that is such a fundamental aspect of the American ethos,” he said. “I firmly believe this is the greatest long-term problem facing our nation.”

Kirwan said three issues are at the center of the crisis: the declining quality of K-12 education, a dire need for colleges and universities to serve more people from lower-income families and more students of color, and the rising cost of attaining a college degree.

He said the crisis not only challenges the vitality of the U.S. economy but the founding ethos of the United States as the land of opportunity.

Kirwan pointed to a recent study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce that found the U.S. economy will grow 25 million new jobs by 2020, and 65 percent will require a two- or four-year degree. At current graduation levels, the study projects the U.S. will fall short by 10 million workers with a post-secondary degree.

He said that trend comes as industrialized countries around the world are increasing college graduation rates. The heart of the U.S.’s world-leading economy over the last 50 to 60 years has been a highly educated workforce, Kirwan said.

“Clearly we are on the verge of losing that competitive advantage, which places our nation at risk, especially in an economy dependent upon brain power and well-educated, highly skilled workers,” he said.

Kirwan said higher education needs to address a question of economic equality. He said that currently, achieving the American Dream requires a college degree.

“Perhaps the most basic element of our national identity is the proposition that the economic strata of a person’s birth does not determine his or her station at the end of life,” he said.

Kirwan said universities must increase access to underserved communities to help reduce this inequality. He said this responsibility is at the heart of the land-grant mission.

“I want to commend Michael Drake and The Ohio State University for keeping faith with the land-grant values of this institution and for leadership in this area,” he said.

Kirwan, who was Ohio State’s president from July 1, 1998, to June 30, 2002, noted the university’s new strategic plan places an emphasis on access and affordability. Ohio State is also a founding member of the American Talent Initiative, a collection of colleges and universities committed to enrolling and graduating an additional 50,000 moderate- to lower-income students by 2025.

Kirwan said universities also need to address the rising cost of higher education through data and innovation. Expanding early college opportunities and seamless transfer from two-year to four-year schools will help, he said, but only go so far.

He said higher quality does not always require higher costs: In most business sectors, technology has helped bring down costs without hurting quality. He pointed to successful online courses that are allowing more students to enroll in classes at a lower cost.

“What’s very encouraging to me is the innovative thinking about course delivery some universities are engaging in to make high-quality degrees available to more students at a reduced cost,” Kirwan said.

While he is very concerned about the growing education crisis, Kirwan said he is an “incorrigible optimist” and was encouraged to see land-grant universities like Ohio State have recognized the problem and are working to find solutions.

The Patterson Lecture, hosted by the Office of Outreach and Engagement, brings to campus annually a prominent figure to speak to the range of challenges facing land-grant institutions in the 21st century and beyond. The lecture challenges the university and community audience to continue to use their knowledge and resources and work together to solve world issues.

University Engagement Recognition Awards

Ohio State presented its annual University Engagement Recognition Awards before the Patterson Lecture. The awards honor faculty, staff, students and community partners for outstanding achievement in meaningful partnerships that produce engaged scholarship and community impact.

The LiFEsports Initiative won the Distinguished Community Engagement Award. A partnership with Ohio State and community partners, the initiative is the second largest of its kind in the country, with over 650 local youths served each year.

The Distinguished International Engagement Award was awarded to the Greif Neonatal Survival Program. The Ohio State program has contributed to the global reduction in neonatal deaths through intensive and targeted training of local health care workers in Haiti and East Africa since 2013.

A full list of award winners is available at the Office of Outreach and Engagement website.

Researchers at The Ohio State University have previously used a nano-engineered texture based on the fuzzy leaves to devise self-cleaning glass and a mesh that separates oil from water.

Now, in the journal Colloids and Surfaces A, they report that they found a way to adapt the same nature-inspired coating to plastic-based synthetic leather. Both water and oil roll off the coating, which keeps the leather-like surface from getting sticky up to temperatures of 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit).

The coating could make for cleaner, less sticky furniture, automotive interiors, clothing, shoes and handbags—any products for which people use synthetic leather, said Bharat Bhushan, Ohio Eminent Scholar and Howard D. Winbigler Professor of mechanical engineering at Ohio State.

“Genuine leather has been an important material since the beginning of human history,” Bhushan said. “Today, the market for synthetic leather is growing because it’s less expensive and easier to work with. To our knowledge, this is the first time anyone has managed to fabricate synthetic leather that is not just water resistant, but super-liquiphobic—it repels both water and oil-based liquids.”

Synthetic leather is made from fabric coated with plastic, usually polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Both PVC and PU can be molded into flat sheets with grooves that give it a leather-like texture. Like genuine leather, synthetic leather is somewhat permeable to liquids. Unlike genuine leather, it gets sticky at high temperatures because heat softens the plastic surface.

Bhushan specializes in biomimetics, the science of creating materials and processes that mimic nature. Much of his work has been inspired by lotus leaves, whose bumpy surfaces naturally repel water.

As in their previous experiments creating water- and oil-repellant surfaces, the researchers tried to create a bumpy texture by spraying a coating of silica nano-particles on the surface of the synthetic leather.

But Bhushan and doctoral student Dev Gurera quickly discovered that the plasticizers in the synthetic leather—that is, the chemicals that give plastic its plasticity—prevented the nano-particles from sticking, especially inside the leather-look grooves. So they cleaned the surface with an ultraviolet light treatment commonly used in computer chip manufacturing.

The result: The nano-particles stuck to the cleaned synthetic leather, creating a bumpy surface. Then the researchers sealed the nano-particles with a silicone resin. The coating was mostly transparent, so the leather-like texture was still visible.

Bhushan and Gurera coated samples of PU and PVC and tested them for water and oil repellency and self-cleaning properties, as well as durability and heat resistance.

They squeezed droplets of oil and water onto the synthetic leather and tested how much the surface would have to be tilted for the droplet to roll off. Water rolled off with a tilt of 2 degrees and oil with a tilt of 4 degrees. Any tilt below 10 degrees is considered super-liquiphobic.

To see how wear affected the coating, the researchers scratched a groove into the surface by dragging a small sapphire bead back and forth over it 100 times. The tilt angle required to get droplets to roll off the scratched surface increased to 7 degrees—still super-liquiphobic—but only when the droplet rolled across (that is, perpendicular to the direction of) the worn-in groove.

When the leather was placed so that the droplet would have to roll inside the worn groove, the required angle for the droplet to roll off increased to 44 degrees. That sounds pretty bad, but it’s still better than the untreated PU and PVC surfaces, which remained coated with water or oil even when they were tilted to 90 degrees.

To test self-cleaning, the researchers sprayed black silicon carbide powder on the leather and measured how much of the powder could be washed away by a single water droplet. On untreated synthetic leather, the water washed away about 10 percent of the powder, while on the treated leather, 90 percent of it was washed away.

And the stickiness? The hottest temperature reported inside a closed car sitting in the sunlight is around 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit). At that temperature, the researchers said, the coating can’t maintain its integrity, because the PU or PVC beneath it begins to flow like an extremely viscous fluid. The coating did remain un-sticky up to 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit), so it could keep your legs from sticking to a car seat on most hot days.

It won’t prevent a very hot seat from burning you, however—so watch out. At least your favorite “leather” jacket will look and feel the same.

More than 400 alumni, faculty, staff, students and supporters filled a conference room at COSI Columbus Friday to discuss some of the great health challenges of the 21st century. The summit focused on building a healthier community – and for the audience, community meant their homes, central Ohio and the larger world.

Presentations and panels at the summit focused on preventive care and wellness as well as the nature and impact of addiction. Guests were entertained by a fitness course from Shelley Meyer, instructor of clinical practice at the  College of Nursing, and a session on mindfulness from Maryanna Klatt, professor of clinical family medicine at the Wexner Medical Center. President Michael V. Drake opened the summit with a reflection on the power of Buckeye Nation.

“I was thinking about the Arthur Ashe quote ‘start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.’” Drake said. “It lets us know that each of us, when we address these really large societal problems, each of us can do something to advance us forward. And it may not be enough to make a measurable or huge difference. But everyone making a little difference, adding a little bit, can make a big difference.”

Richard Carmona, 17th surgeon general of the United States and distinguished professor at the College of Nursing, moderated the summit and discussed the personal challenge of leading a healthier lifestyle.

“The difficulty is taking ownership and responsibility in well-being,” he said. “But if we don’t take care of ourselves, we won’t be around to take care of our children. And the cost is going to be pretty significant.”

Carmona introduced his colleague Bernadette Melnyk, dean of the College of Nursing, vice president for health promotion and chief wellness officer for Ohio State. Melnyk emphasized the importance of taking simple steps for better health, noting that many of the most lethal health problems were preventable through better self-care.

“We must act with urgency to do more. We must not wait until people are in crisis to do something,” Melnyk said.

Ohio State is a national leader in promoting health and well-being and has seen a decrease in health care spending on faculty, staff and students because of a culture of wellness, Melnyk said. The university has incentivized healthy behavior and it has paid off.

The summit also confronted the challenges surrounding addiction. Members of the university-run Generation Rx discussed the misuse of prescription medication. President’s Prize winner Alina Sharafutdinova, a recent graduate of Ohio State, talked about her project that seeks to fight substance abuse through education and engagement. Dean of the College of Social Work Tom Gregoire celebrated his own journey of recovery and his 39 years of sobriety.

Ohio State University Alumni Association President and CEO Jim Smith said the university’s broad reach is a powerful tool in addressing these issues. He asked the audience for their ideas to build healthier communities.

Some responses included:

• Find opportunities for Buckeyes to make changes in their own communities.
• Become a lifelong learner, be an advocate for healthy lifestyles and share that information.
• Focus on the youth and the next generations to be healthier.

At the end of a full day of presentations and discussion, those who attended the summit came away engaged and inspired.

Glennon Sweeney, senior research associate at the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, said she was impressed by the level of thought and conversation around these critical issues of health. She said the discussion at the summit will aid her work at the Kirwan Institute.

“There’s definitely not enough emphasis on health and well-being in our culture at large and particularly in our most disadvantaged communities,” she said. “Thinking about how we can take the energy from this event and focus on the most disadvantaged communities in central Ohio and work in partnership with them to build this culture of well-being is something that I’ve been thinking about all day.”

Drake said Ohio State should be at the center of addressing these issues. The university’s land-grant mission demands that Ohio State lead the quest for solutions.

“So what we’ll do is take what we’ve learned here today, incorporate that and take it out into the world to do good,” Drake said. “We will have the ability to harness the power of Buckeye Nation to make our whole world better.”

Trustees approved an $11.1 million master lease agreement with Apple, Inc, to obtain the learning technology needed for students, including distribution of an iPad Pro learning technology suite to new first-year students at the Columbus and regional campuses in fall 2018. The university has already been working on other parts of the initiative since it was announced in October 2017, including developing pilot courses, training educators and developing an iOS design laboratory. Seeadditional details.

Athletic ticket prices approved
The board approved reducing the individual student ticket price for men’s basketball to $9 for both conference and non-conference games from past pricing of $13 and $12, respectively.
Single game ticket prices would remain the same for the general public, ranging from $7 to $29 for most non-conference games, $10 to $46 for most conference games and $14 to $57 for premier games. Season ticket prices will remain the same, reflecting discounts off the combined total price of individual game tickets of 12 percent for the public and 20 percent for faculty and staff. See additional details.

Spring commencement degrees and certificates approved
Trustees approved the degrees and certificates to be conferred at spring commencement ceremonies on May 6, 2018, to students who have completed the requirements for their respective degrees and certificates.
The board also approved awarding two degrees posthumously: Caroline “Grace” Cotter, bachelor of science in agriculture, with the Latin honor of Cum Laude; and Nicolas Petrykowski, bachelor of science in agriculture.

Honorary degrees approved
The board approved the awarding of the honorary doctor of humane letters degree to Joan Baez, an American folk singer, songwriter and musician; the honorary doctor of science degree to Susan Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who will deliver the university’s spring commencement address; the honorary doctor of public service degree to Colin Powell, a retired four-star general in the United States Army and the first African American appointed as the U.S. Secretary of State; and the honorary doctor of humane letters degree to Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk and the French translator of his Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Degree revocation approved
The board approved the revocation of the presidential honorary doctor of education degree granted to William H. Cosby Jr. in 2001.

New degrees approved
Trustees approved the establishment of a doctor of philosophy in engineering education degree in the College of Engineering, which will build on the Department of Engineering Education’s work in engineering education research, emphasizing teaching as a way of knowing.

The board also approved the establishment of a master of applied neueroscience degree in the College of Medicine, which will prepare students for advanced job placement in a number of biomedical fields.

Construction contracts approved
The board authorized the university to enter into professional service and construction contracts for the following projects:

• Airport hangar. The project will construct an additional corporate exclusive-use hangar, including site utilities, taxiways, aircraft ramp, approximately 30,000 square feet of hangar space, an attached office/workshop and associated parking. Trustees approved a $200,000 professional services contract. Total project budget is $10.6 million, to be paid by university funds.
• Wexner Medical Center regional ambulatory facilities. The project will design an approximately 200,000-square-foot ambulatory building that will include ambulatory surgery, endoscopy, primary care, specialty medical and surgical clinics, and related support that could be deployed to additional future sites. Trustees approved $4 million in professional services contracts. Total project budget is to be determined and will be paid with health system funds.
• Campus Wi-Fi system. The project will install wireless access points across the Columbus campus, including Ohio Stadium and the Schottenstein Center. Trustees approved professional services and construction contracts totaling $18.6 million, to be paid with university and auxiliary funds.
• Postle partial replacement. The project will renovate existing classrooms and replace a portion of Postle Hall, and build an addition. Trustees approved construction contracts totaling $79.7 million, to be paid with development, university and state funds.

Utility system improvements approved
The board authorized Ohio State Energy Partners LLC to make capital improvements to university utility systems. Ohio State Energy Partners is the university’s energy concessionaire, created when Ohio State selected Engie and Axium Infrastructure to manage the university’s utility system.

• South Neil Steam Capacity Upgrade – design only. This project will upgrade 360 feet of steam piping in the South Neil tunnel to support the Postle Hall Expansion, renovate tunnel walls to accommodate new pipe anchors and abatement, and remove 800 feet of abandoned heating hot water pipe. The upgrade will enable steam supply to new buildings and renovations contemplated in the Health Sciences District. Estimated cost: $87,000.
• Postle Hall expansion utilities. The project will combine the scope of a chilled water extension project to include electricity, natural gas and steam utilities work to support the Postle Hall project. Estimated cost: $3.3 million.

Personnel actions approved
The board approved the following personnel appointments and reappointments:

• Alicia L. Bertone has been appointed dean of the graduate school and vice provost for graduate studies in the Office of Academic Affairs effective April 16, 2018 through June 30, 2021.
• Bradley J. Needleman has been appointed professor-clinical and holder of the Edwin H. and E. Christopher Ellison Professorship in the College of Medicine effective April 5, 2018 through April 4, 2022.
• Anil V. Parwani has been appointed professor-clinical and holder of the Donald A. Senhauser, MD, Chair in Pathology in the College of Medicine effective Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2021.
• Benjamin K. Poulose has been named professor and holder of the Robert M. Zollinger LeCrone-Baxter Memorial Endowed Chair in Surgery in the College of Medicine effective Aug. 1, 2018 through July 31, 2022.
• Mark Larmore has been reappointed vice president and chief financial officer in the Wexner Medical Center effective April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2021.
• Urban Meyer’s contract as head football coach in the Department of Athletics has been extended effective Feb. 1, 2018 through Jan. 31, 2023.

Foundation Report approved
Trustees approved the University Foundation Report as of Feb. 28, 2018, which includes the establishment of The Saul and Sonia Schottenstein Chair in Israel Studies; the Edwin H. and E. Christopher Ellison Professorship; The Dr. H. Lee “Buck” Mathews Designated Professorship in Marketing; The Dr. H. Lee “Buck” Mathews Professorship Fund in Marketing; two scholarships as part of the Joseph A. Alutto Global Leadership Initiative: the David C. Rader International Scholarship Fund and the Phillip and Suzanne Faulkner International Scholarship Fund; and 32 additional named endowed funds totaling $5.6 million in private support to the university.

Distinguished Service Awards approved
Trustees approved the university’s 2018 Distinguished Service Award recipients, who will receive their award at a time suitable to the university and the recipient. They are:

• Bobby Moser
• David Schuller
• Iris Wolstein

Heart center named
The board approved naming of the new Bob and Corrine Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia at the Wexner Medical Center Heart and Vascular Center in recognition of a transformational gift from Bob and Corrine Frick.

Garden named
Trustees approved naming the Browning Ampitheater Garden at Mirror Lake the Albert van Fossen, M.D. & Bonnie van Fossen Garden in recognition of the van Fossens’ significant contributions to support the renovation and restoration of the Mirror Lake district.

Laboratories relocated
Trustees approved relocating the David E. Schuller, MD, Laboratories from their current location inside the Tzagournis Medical Research Building to the Biomedical Research Tower, located at 460 W. 12th Ave.

Property acquisition approved
The board authorized the purchase of 31.6 acres of unimproved property located at the southeast corner of State Route 161 and Hamilton Road in Columbus, priced at $11 million. The property will be used for construction of an ambulatory care facility for the Wexner Medical Center, which will fund the acquisition.

Joint use agreement approved
The board authorized the university to enter into a 20-year joint use agreement with Tech Town New Market Inc. in order to expand the university’s partnerships and activities in the Dayton area. The university was allocated $250,000 in the 2017 state capital bill that is specifically designated for use by Tech Town New Market to design and build out space in the Tech Town Technology Park in Dayton. The Ohio Department of Higher Education requires a joint use agreement between the university and Tech Town New Markets Inc. before the state funding can be released.

Board officers elected
Trustees elected Michael J. Gasser as chair, and Timothy P. Smucker and Abigail S. Wexner as vice chairs. Blake Thompson was reappointed as secretary. The board also took a moment to recognize the service of trustees Janet Ried, Jerry Jurgensen and Lydia Lancaster, whose terms end next month.

Charter trustee reappointed
Trustees approved the reappointment of James D. Klingbeil as a charter trustee to the board for a second three-year term, beginning on June 6, 2018.

Board of Trustees committee appointments approved

The board approved the appointment of members to the following committees for 2018-19:

Academic Affairs and Student Life Committee:
Clark C. Kellogg, Chair
Cheryl L. Krueger, Vice Chair
Janet B. Reid
Timothy P. Smucker
Erin P. Hoeflinger
Abigail S. Wexner
Hiroyuki Fujita
Alan A. Stockmeister
H. Jordan Moseley
James D. Klingbeil
Janet Porter
Richard K. Herrmann (faculty member)
Alex Shumate (ex officio)

Finance Committee:
Michael J. Gasser, Chair
Brent R. Porteus, Vice Chair
W. G. “Jerry” Jurgensen
Jeffrey Wadsworth
Alexander R. Fischer
John W. Zeiger
Lydia A. Lancaster
Alan VanderMolen
Alex Shumate (ex officio)

Advancement Committee
Erin P. Hoeflinger, Chair
Alan VanderMolen, Vice Chair
Clark C. Kellogg
Cheryl L. Krueger
Brent R. Porteus
Alexander R. Fischer
Abigail S. Wexner
Alan A. Stockmeister
Lydia A. Lancaster
Janet Porter
Nancy J. Kramer
Craig S. Bahner
Kristin L. Watt (Alumni Association member)
Georganne M. Shockey (Alumni Association member)
James F. Dietz (Foundation Board member)
Gifford Weary (Foundation Board member)
Alex Shumate (ex officio)

Audit and Compliance Committee:
Timothy P. Smucker, Chair
W. G. “Jerry” Jurgensen, Vice Chair
Michael J. Gasser
Jeffrey Wadsworth
Hiroyuki Fujita
John W. Zeiger
H. Jordan Moseley
James D. Klingbeil
Lawrence A. Hilsheimer
Amy Chronis
Craig S. Morford
Alex Shumate (ex officio)

Governance Committee:
Janet B. Reid, Chair
Timothy P. Smucker, Vice Chair
Erin P. Hoeflinger
Hiroyuki Fujita
Lydia A. Lancaster
Alan VanderMolen
Alex Shumate (ex officio)

Talent and Compensation Committee:
W. G. “Jerry” Jurgensen, Chair
Janet B. Reid, Vice Chair
Michael J. Gasser
Erin P. Hoeflinger
Hiroyuki Fujita
John W. Zeiger
Lydia A. Lancaster
Janet Porter
Alex Shumate (ex officio)

Master Planning and Facilities:
Alexander R. Fischer, Chair
James D. Klingbeil, Vice Chair
Brent R. Porteus
Alan A. Stockmeister
H. Jordan Moseley
Robert H. Schottenstein
Alex Shumate (ex officio)

Wexner Medical Center Committee:
Leslie H. Wexner, Chair
Janet B. Reid
W. G. Jurgensen
Cheryl L. Krueger
Abigail S. Wexner
Janet Porter
David B. Fischer
Stephen D. Steinour
Robert H. Schottenstein
Alex Shumate (ex officio, voting)
Michael V. Drake (ex officio, voting)
Bruce A. McPheron (ex officio, voting)
Michael Papadakis (ex officio, voting)
K. Craig Kent (ex officio, non-voting)
L. Arick Forrest (ex officio, non-votIng)
David P. McQuaid (ex officio, non-voting)
Mark E. Larmore (ex officio, non-voting)
Elizabeth O. Seely (ex officio, non-voting)
Susan D. Moffatt-Bruce (ex officio, non-voting)
Mary A. Howard (ex officio, non-voting)
William B. Farrar (ex officio, non-voting)
Martha C. Taylor (ex officio, non-voting)
Amanda N. Lucas (ex officio, non-voting)

Policy renamed
Trustees approved renaming the university’s patents and copyrights policy as the intellectual property policy to better reflect the current intellectual property landscape.

Faculty rules amended
Trustees approved amendments to the Rules of the University Faculty regarding time needed to send agendas to University Senate members, duplication of keys or other devices, and control of dogs and other animals.

Amendments approved
Trustees approved amendments to the Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff of University Hospitals and amendments to the Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff of The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

Resolutions in memoriam adopted
The board adopted resolutions in memoriam for the following persons:

• Bernard Ulysses Bowman Jr., professor emeritus of medical microbiology and immunology, who died on Jan. 8, 2018
• Marjorie Murfin, professor emerita and former reference librarian in University Libraries, who died on Feb. 26, 2018
• David Honor Stansbery, professor emeritus in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, who died on Aug. 24, 2017

“We, of course, are deeply honored to be named the recipient of the 2018 “Lawyer as Problem Solver” Award by the American Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Section. This award reaffirms that while many persons of various backgrounds, skills and talents importantly contribute to strengthening civility and understanding among community residents, those of us privileged to be trained as lawyers – in traditions for advancing due process, ensuring fair treatment and securing equal dignity for all residents – have a distinctive opportunity and responsibility to engage,” said Joseph B. (“Josh”) Stulberg, Michael E. Moritz Chair in Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The project grew out of an April 2015 meeting of leaders and mediators throughout the United States with experience dealing with civil unrest in communities. The project utilizes a proactive approach to addressing community division: Communities are first asked to focus on the roots of deep community divisions while project members take a multidisciplinary approach to generating ideas to help communities create plans before divisive incidents erupt.

DCP’s signature work is its collaboration with groups in four cities: Columbus, Ohio; San Mateo, California; Rochester, New York; and Orlando, Florida. In Columbus, the majority and minority bar associations worked with the U.S. attorney’s office to lead the initiation of the Columbus Community Trust. The group’s all-volunteer steering committee has tested a pilot project concept with more than 50 stakeholders, including leaders and representatives from the mayor’s office, law enforcement, religious groups, civil rights organizations, and civic organizations.

“This project, a significant component of our nationally recognized Program on Dispute Resolution, reflects in its activities what each of my Moritz colleagues strives to do each day – contribute to the national conversation, challenges and rule of law dispute resolution processes in an effort to improve the quality of life of each of our community members,” said Alan C. Michaels, dean and Edwin M. Cooperman Chair in Law.

The project has created a toolkit for communities that includes three reports: Planning in Advance of Civil Unrest (2016), Key Considerations for Community Leaders Facing Civil Unrest (2016) and Divided Communities and Social Media (2017). A forthcoming 2018 report, Facing Hate, will focus on how community leaders can prepare and respond to hate incidents. DCP has also developed tools including a table top simulation and a community stress assessment test that successfully support planning in advance of civil unrest. This year, DCP will launch the American Spirit Initiative which will focus on dissemination and implementation of resources through pilot programs nationwide.

Grande Lum has served as the DCP’s director for the last two years. The steering committee is comprised of Nancy Rogers, Stulberg, Sarah Cole, Bill Froehlich, Susan Carpenter, Chris Carlson, Craig McEwen, Andrew Thomas, Sarah Rubin and Michael Lewis.

Daniel Clinchot, the college’s vice dean for education, explained to the Wexner Medical Center Board of Trustees Wednesday that Ohio State launched the intensive service-learning curriculum component in 2012, requiring students to devote a minimum of 30 hours to service in coordination with a central Ohio community agency. In addition, students are required to study and report on the impact of their efforts.

“Ohio State’s medical students are a powerful workforce fighting against health disparities,” Clinchot said.

On an annual basis, Ohio State’s medical students perform 12,000 hours of service and serve at least 2,000 central Ohio residents through this community health education project, said College of Medicine Dean K. Craig Kent.

Four students described their projects to trustees.

Kyle Smith, who is pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, worked at a physical therapy clinic on Parsons Avenue in Columbus that is run by students who are supervised by faculty. The clinic opened in 2015 in coordination with PrimaryOne Health and provides pro-bono services to underserved populations in central Ohio.

Smith recalled working for a year with a patient still recovering from a stroke whose insurance coverage had run out. By the time the treatment concluded, the man had made significant mobility improvements and could safely perform daily activities in his home, where he lived alone.

“This is one example of the impact we can have on these patients,” Smith said.

Grace Lartey was inspired to pursue health care as a career – and to focus on access to care – in part because of her own family’s problems accessing care in Ghana, which contributed to her mother’s loss of a pregnancy. Working with the local nonprofit Sisters Across Borders, Lartey and her classmates focused on reducing risk for cardiovascular disease in the Ghanaian community in north Columbus by conducting preventive screenings and providing education on nutrition and exercise.

“As a medical student, I am fortunate to be at a place like Ohio State so I can impact society through community health,” Lartey said.

Second-year medical student Jaron Hansen participated in the Health Sciences Academies, an initiative in seven Near East Side schools designed to improve student outcomes by encouraging a healthier lifestyle and promoting career development, especially in the health industry. The program, a partnership between Columbus City Schools, Wexner Medical Center and PACT (Partners Achieving Community Transformation), was launched in 2015.

Hansen and classmates held discussion sessions with 20 East High School students over four months, introducing them to health care-related hands-on activities and interactive experiences, and mentoring them along the way.

In a poster presentation, Hansen’s group reported that a survey of the students “indicated that our program had the greatest effect on increasing student confidence and desire to pursue a health professional career and interest in the Health Sciences Academies school club.”

Lauren Chen’s community health education project group teamed with an existing after-school and summer program for socioeconomically and academically disadvantaged youth in Columbus, many from families lacking access to quality education and healthy lifestyles.

The medical students developed a series of workshops on nutrition, physical fitness, substance abuse prevention and mental wellness that were integrated into the Healthy Asian Youth summer programming.

“Ultimately, we hoped to promote lifelong healthy behaviors and build rapport with the underserved community of Columbus,” the group reported.

Chen told trustees that follow-up data suggested their workshops made a difference: Participating children watched less TV, drank fewer sugary beverages and exercised more.

“I’m grateful and proud to be part of a medical school that has afforded me the opportunity to help kids grow up to be advocates for their own health,” she said.

Clinchot told trustees that current first-year students are working with the Franklin County Coroner’s office on a series of projects related to the opioid crisis in the region. The community health education component of the medical curriculum requires students to create programs that can be sustained by partner agencies or that can be passed on for students to continue in subsequent years.

Simon shared some stories and lessons from that career with a packed audience of students, faculty and staff at The Ohio State University on Tuesday. President Michael V. Drake interviewed the Grammy Award-winning musician in Weigel Auditorium.

Simon, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, discussed his upbringing in New York City and a musical beginning that was influenced by his father, a musician and band leader. Simon began writing and playing music as a teen and knew he was on to something when one of his songs became a favorite on his block.

“If other people would sing that song around the neighborhood, that’s a hit. If you can get someone to sing your song, that’s a hit,” Simon said.

Simon was in town as a guest for a class Drake co-teaches with Moritz College of Law Dean Alan Michaels. “The Civil Rights Movement and the Supreme Court” examines the Civil Rights era and uses music from the time as a reference point. Previous musical guests have included Mary Wilson of the Supremes and Jorma Kaukonen from Jefferson Airplane.

“Were you going to be a professional musician when you left college?” Drake asked.

Simon said he performed well on the exams to get into law school and started taking classes, but only for one year. The first recording of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” didn’t see much success, but a remixed version with electric guitar, bass and drums started to find an audience and eventually reached the top of the pop charts.

“That’s how I got started and then I’ve had a very successful career, for which I am very grateful,” Simon said.

Simon talked about the music that influenced his writing, including ska, reggae, Latin music and gospel. Songs like “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” had a cultural impact far beyond American radio. Simon said fellow musician Ruben Blades explained the importance of the music many years later.

“He said to me, ‘You have no idea what it was like growing up as a kid in Panama and to hear a Latin name coming through in an American pop song,’” Simon said. “It was a big deal.”

Simon’s music has always had a social connection, and he has invested in philanthropy to protect the environment and to provide musical instruments and instruction to children in public schools.

Drake and Simon connected through the Children’s Health Fund. Simon and Irwin and Karen Redlener founded the charity in 1987 after touring temporary housing for homeless families in New York City. Simon walked away recognizing the critical need for health care and funded a mobile medical clinic to serve the community. Drake and Karen Redlener were classmates in grade school and high school.

Simon is soon to be out on the road for his Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour, which will end in Madison Square Garden in September. Simon said he enjoys performing live but dislikes being away from home.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll keep my word on that,” he joked. “I’m past 75 now, I feel like I’m coming around third base. It’s time to be giving back. That’s my intention.”

The tour will not be the end of his musical career. He has a new album coming out this summer featuring re-recordings of some of his earlier music that he feels did not get proper attention.

Simon ended his conversation with an acoustic performance of “Questions for the Angels” and “American Tune” for the audience. Drake returned the favor by leading the audience in singing “Carmen Ohio.”

The Ohio State Meteorology Club hosted the 22nd Annual Severe Weather Symposium last week at the Ohio Union. The symposium brings together meteorologists from all across the country and from many different aspects of meteorology to deliver presentations and interact with students interested in the field.

“I think [the symposium] is really important, just the fact that we get the professionals in here with the students. It is a really tight-knit group of professionals,” said Meteorology Club President Justin Solze, a fourth-year atmospheric sciences major.

Guest speakers included Cory Mottice, forecaster for the National Weather Service office in Cleveland; Jeff Logsdon, science and operations officer for NWS Northern Indiana; and WTVG Chief Meteorologist Jay Berschback.

Experts discussed severe weather issues ranging from an unusual outbreak of tornados in Ohio in 2017 to the impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Logsdon focused his discussion on two issues: a powerful tornado that crossed 39 miles of Indiana and Ohio, and historic flooding that ravaged Indiana last summer. He hoped his presentation encouraged students to consider meteorology and to spend time in the field when they are doing their job.

“Hopefully [my presentation] gives them a taste for what it’s like to be in a severe weather operation at the National Weather Service,” he said. “I think the other benefit is the value of doing these storm damage surveys and the chance to get out there and see what this damage is and get a feel for the meteorology and tying it to structural damage.”

Solze said the interaction between students and professionals can pay dividends.

“It’s really good for students to network and get in on those internships early. I worked with the weather service over the summer and I probably wouldn’t have been able to do that if it wasn’t for this event. So I think it’s just really helpful for the students to get that connection.”

The connection is mutually beneficial. Logsdon said speaking to students also helps him professionally.

“It’s always interesting to talk to students that are interested in this type of thing,” he said. “And that sort of keeps my juices flowing and energized to keep doing this.” 

Kathryn Campbell-Kibler met a third-grade girl who made up her own language.

“She got a piece of paper and wrote out the symbols in her made-up language,” Campbell-Kibler said. “One of the things that struck me was that she had dots that indicated whether you read the text forward, backward or up or down. It was amazing.”

Campbell-Kibler, an associate professor of linguistics at The Ohio State University, met the girl at “Family Science Days,” a part of the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science that was held recently in Austin, Texas.

At Family Science Days, held in an exhibit hall in the Austin Convention Center, children of all ages visited booths hosted by scientists on topics from astronomy to zoology, all presented in an engaging and easy-to-understand way.

Campbell-Kibler was volunteering at the “Language Science for Everyone” booth co-sponsored by the Linguistics Society of America. The booth coordinator for the past three years has been another Ohio State faculty member, Laura Wagner, who is an associate professor of psychology and linguistics.

“If you’re going to reach hearts and minds, do it while they’re young,” Wagner said. “If we can get kids curious about language science early, we hope that it can spark a long-term interest. That’s what our booth is all about.”

About 1,000 people – mostly young children, but also their parents and other adults – stopped by the booth this year to get a “picture” of their voice taken or participate in a dialect map task, among other activities.

The enthusiasm of the faculty and graduate student volunteers at the booth was contagious, and they had no problems enticing visitors to stop by and sample some of the science.

“We want people to know that language is more than learning English and grammar. Language science includes biology, physics and psychology, too,” Wagner said.

Campbell-Kibler had kids (and some adults) say their name or other phrase into a microphone attached to her laptop. Software created a visual representation of their voice, which she printed off for them.

While children are thrilled to get a picture of their voice, it is more than a novelty. Campbell-Kibler uses this software in her research. The spectrograms created by the software allow her to see how a person pronounces certain vowel sounds, which is one focus of her research.

In the case of the girl with her own language, the picture of her voice sparked a conversation.

“We had a really great talk. I was so impressed with her that I gave her my card. We have a high school summer camp for linguistics at Ohio State and I told her if she was still interested in languages when she gets older, she has to come hang out with us,” Campbell-Kibler said.

The Language Science for Everyone booth wasn’t the only one at Family Science Days where Ohio State faculty and graduate students shared their love of science with the public.

Several Ohio State representatives also volunteered at the nearby Science Storytellers booth, which invited kids to interview scientists about their work.

“We want to provide a space for kids and scientists to sit down and have a conversation,” said Jenny Cutraro, founder of Science Storytellers.

In Austin, kids were given notebooks and suggested questions (such as “What questions are you trying to answer?” and “Why are you curious about that?”). They then pulled up a chair next to a scientist and started talking.

“We let the kids be in charge of the conversations. The scientists loved having a chance to talk in such an informal way,” Cutraro said.

Afterward, the children were invited to answer some open-ended questions about their conversation, such as “A scientist I interviewed is curious about…”.

Cutraro said that the results were fascinating, with kids writing things like “I was surprised to discover that scientists make mistakes.”

Those are the kinds of revelations that Cutraro said Science Storytellers is designed to bring about.

“Part of our goal is to pull back the curtain and let children see how science really works,” she said.

Whether at Science Storytellers or Language Science for Everyone, Ohio State’s linguistics faculty were visible at Family Science Days. But they don’t just take their show on the road. They also run The Language Pod at COSI Columbus, where they offer visitors many of the same interactive activities that were showcased in Austin.

“At COSI or on the road, the goal is the same: Help people understand all the cool things involved in language science,” Wagner said.

The inaugural Community Engagement Conference was held at the Ohio Union Wednesday and Thursday. While the focus of the conference was advancing a culture of wellness and health, the goal was to help identify and develop meaningful partnerships far beyond the university.

Ohio State’s Alumni Association, Discovery Themes Initiative, Office of International Affairs, Office of Outreach and Engagement, Office of Research, Office of Student Life, OSU Extension, University Libraries and Wexner Medical Center sponsored the conference.

Dozens of presentations focused on issues like food insecurity, medication safety, child care and addiction. President Michael V. Drake spoke to attendees on the first day of the conference and noted the gathering was at the core of the university’s land grant mission.

“We’re here to be able to educate people -- to be able to go into our communities and to uplift the quality of life for our neighbors, for our families, for our fellow citizens, people all throughout our region, all throughout our state and all across the country and the world,” Drake said.

Roger Rennekamp, director of OSU Extension and Associate Vice Provost for Outreach and Engagement Stephen Myers co-hosted the conference. They expect the conference will help improve lives because of the knowledge that was shared.

“For many of the faculty and staff who work in the 88 county Extension offices across Ohio the conference provided a venue for them to build relationships with faculty and staff from on-campus departments who shares similar interests,” Rennekamp said. “These new relationships will ultimately shorten the time it takes for new discoveries to make positive impacts on the lives of Ohioans.”

Myers agreed.

“It’s our mission to serve the public at the local, national and global level. So it really serves as a model of how we're going to be a land grant university in the 21st century and we believe that's by solving problems through meaningful partnerships with the community. As a result, the solutions will be more relevant, impactful and innovative. And this conference gives us a chance to network and learn about how to be more effective in developing those meaningful partnerships.”

One of the most pressing health issues in Ohio is an ongoing opiate abuse crisis. It was a topic addressed by speakers at the conference and during several break-out sessions. Keynote speaker Donna Shalala, the former secretary of Health and Human Services, said a holistic approach like the one presented at Ohio State is key to solving the problem.

“The opiate crisis going on right now cannot be solved by the doctors and the nurses. It requires a community partnership that embraces those that are afflicted and their families,” she said. “It gives them an opportunity for treatment as well as a life after that.”

One of the programs that recognizes the team approach to problem solving and the value of meaningful partnerships is Generation Rx. The partnership between The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and the Cardinal Health Foundation works to prevent the misuse of prescription medication.

Before presenting at the conference, Nicole Kwiek, co-director of Generation Rx, explained why partnerships matter.

“It’s not a one-sided affair, where we think the audience wants this, we think that schools are going to need this resource, we’re going to create it and hope they pick it up,” Kwiek said. “It’s actually using the expertise of our partners to know there is a need and how to address that need.”

The Community Engagement Conference served as an opportunity for networking and building connections outside of the university. But it wasn’t just for professionals -- students presented, participated and learned from the conference.

John Begala, former director for the Center for Community Solutions, presented “Big City Problems in Ohio’s Small Towns.” He said the state’s new graduates are critical to Ohio’s success.

“There are a number of young people here. Your energy and your commitment might find an outlet in places where you might not otherwise look,” he said. “For those of you from small towns, pursue and help create opportunities in these places.”

More than 800 people attended the two-day conference. It is expected to become an annual event at Ohio State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State University has selected two graduating seniors as recipients of the 2018 President’s Prize, the highest university recognition bestowed on exceptional students committed to making our world a better place through ambitious, transformational ideas and actions.

Alina Sharafutdinova, who grew up in Uzbekistan and now resides in Dublin, Ohio, and Anna Voelker, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, each will receive a $50,000 living stipend and up to $50,000 in startup funding. In addition to financial support, the President’s Prize recipients receive access to faculty mentors and other experts, as well as opportunities to explore project ideas with Ohio State alumni, friends and partners around the world.

Sharafutdinova will be working to combat the opioid epidemic through drug education, overdose prevention and addiction treatment in high-risk Columbus neighborhoods. Voelker’s project aims to increase access to science education for those with disabilities.

“These projects will uplift lives in meaningful ways for members of our community,” said Ohio State President Michael V. Drake. “Alina and Anna are intelligent, passionate and motivated to make the world a better place. They represent the best of Buckeye Nation.”

Sharafutdinova and Voelker were selected from among an incredibly strong group of applicants to enact their visions for change. Their academic and professional interests span the arts, health sciences, engineering, education and more.

“My family has experienced the pain associated with the opioid crisis, and that makes being awarded the President’s Prize even more special,” Sharafutdinova said. “My project will help to combat the epidemic through research-based educational training and community outreach. There is nowhere else I can imagine bringing this project to life than right here at Ohio State.”

“I am over-the-moon excited to be a recipient of the President’s Prize,” Voelker said. “My overarching goal for this project is to make science more accessible for people with disabilities through astronomy and other scientific outreach initiatives. People who are part of marginalized groups deserve equal access to science and all of the mind-blowing discoveries that it has to offer. They deserve to know that there is a need for them in science.”

The President’s Prize honors Ohio State’s founding purpose of offering an excellent education while elevating society through research, as reflected in the university motto Education for Citizenship. It is funded solely through donor contributions.

For more information on the prize, see https://presidentsprize.osu.edu/.

Students from Vets 4 Vets planted about 2,300 flags Thursday morning. Each flag represented the Ohio State students, faculty and staff who have served in the armed forces.

The student organization also invited the campus community to join them in planting flags for veteran friends and family members.

“We're helping out veterans who are just coming out of the military and are coming to take classes here and trying to progress in their life and in their education,” said Vets 4 Vets member Lawrence Kavulich. “We help them with that transition and also make sure that they know that they're not alone. There's a family here and it helps them out.”

Kavulich, a third-year aerospace engineering major, is also an Air Force veteran. He was out at 8 a.m. to help plant the flags and encourage others to join him. Kavulich said the help he has received at Ohio State has been critical.

“I think they do an amazing job. Last year in the fall, I had to leave the semester early because I was activated. I had to go on deployment,” he said. “The university helped me with my classes; they let me take my exams before I was deployed. They made sure all of my scheduling was in order. And when I came back from deployment they helped me transition back to classes.”

The Vets 4 Vets Flag Display is in its third year. The university’s annual Rock Ceremony dates back much further.

The ceremony recognizes the more than 1,000 alumni of Ohio State who died in service to the country as members of the armed forces. The tradition dates to 1919 when “Taps” was played once per week in memory of students who had lost their lives. That tradition has evolved into the Rock Ceremony, conducted by Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC units on campus.

Peter Mansoor, Colonel, U.S. Army (retired), and the General Raymond E. Mason, Jr. Chair of Military History, was the guest speaker at the ceremony. He noted the sacrifice Ohio State alumni have made in the protection of the nation.

“Our institutions of higher education, including The Ohio State University, are the envy of the world. But we only enjoy peace in the pursuit of happiness in our land because we are protected by those willing to serve and advance its interests. And, if necessary, to sacrifice their lives in the nation’s service,” Mansoor said. “Graduates of The Ohio State University have served in all of our nation's wars since the founding of the university in 1870.”

The Rock Ceremony is not just for students, faculty and staff. Veteran alumni return every year to witness the playing of “Taps,” a 21-gun salute and the wreath laying at a monument to service in front of Bricker Hall.

Army veteran and Ohio State alum Robert Darragh said he comes to the ceremony every year with his friends and fellow veterans Edward Land and Nelson Coleman.

“I wouldn’t miss this regardless of what the conditions are,” Darragh said. “I am always thrilled to see that the university is recognizing the veterans. I’m always thrilled that we have the ROTC detachment show up as well.”

The Veterans Day Silent Run is another way students honor those who have served. The 12-hour run begins at 6 a.m. with ROTC members running in a continuous loop around the Oval.

They carry the U.S. flag and a flag honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action.

Ohio State will observe Veterans Day on Friday. There will be no classes and offices are closed.

Following a late October Global Innovation workshop in Paraiba, Brazil, Ohio State representatives are leading an international global health congress in Doha, Qatar, this week and preparing to celebrate life-saving partnerships culminating in the registration of Ohio State’s Eastern Africa regional office as a nongovernmental organization in Ethiopia.

The timing of events has coincided with the observance of One Health Day on Nov. 3. One Health is a strategy to more fully understand and address the links between animal health, human health and the environment.

International congress

Scientists and policymakers from more than 30 countries are attending the 4th International Congress on Pathogens at the Human-Animal Interface (ICOPHAI) in Doha, focusing on how environmental change affects global health.

Wondwossen Gebreyes, executive director of Ohio State’s Global One Health initiative (GOHi), helped found the biennial congress in 2009 as a way to unite professionals who are dedicated to the One Health mission.

“The founding principle of ICOPHAI is to bring scientists and policymakers from around the world – and especially scientists from developing countries with scientists from the developed and industrialized world – to share knowledge and share experiences in an effort to address high-priority disease threats,” Gebreyes said.

Recent outbreaks have demonstrated that these threats are not confined to developing countries. Since the last ICOPHAI convened in Thailand in 2015, the spread of the Zika virus to southern American states heightened awareness of a disease previously associated with tropical Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. After reported symptomatic cases in the United States increased from 61 in 2015 to 5,102 in 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s participation in a global cooperative response helped reduce the number of U.S. cases to date in 2017 to 331.

“As a mosquito-borne infection, Zika is a clear example of what we are talking about at ICOPHAI this year: It is a disease emerging on a global basis that is connected to the environment,” said Gebreyes, also chair of ICOPHAI 2017. “Climate change is also highly important to what’s happening in terms of disease ecology and transmission.

“The future of One Health is becoming more and more critical because of current global dynamics. The human population is projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, and that is associated with increased urbanization and deforestation,” he said. “All of those factors have potential to increase the devastating impact of disease.”

Zika captures headlines, but the daily challenges in the developing world to prevent staph infections or raise food animals safely have a far greater impact on everyday life and pose dangers to community health. Among the presenters from 34 countries at ICOPHAI, Ohio State scientists and their collaborators are reporting on their work addressing those kinds of concerns, such as:

• Management and prevention of beef cattle diseases including bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis and antimicrobial-resistant salmonella strains.
• Dairy farm sanitation practices to prevent low milk productivity and milk-borne diseases that can spread from cattle to humans.
• Treatment strategies to prevent opportunistic infections in people with HIV/AIDS working in food production facilities.

Additional broad topics discussed at the 2017 international congress are:

• antimicrobial resistance and drug-related issues
• biosecurity, biodefense and disaster response
• identifying disease origins and developing vaccines using new technologies
• food-borne and water-borne diseases
• parasitic and environmental disease transmission from animals to humans
• capacity building, e-learning and outreach

Eastern Africa

What exactly is capacity building? Ohio State’s partnerships across Eastern Africa, and in Ethiopia in particular, are a good example of how it works and why it’s important.

Gebreyes spearheaded an initial partnership in 2010 between Ohio State and academic institutions, government organizations and service agencies in Eastern Africa to create sustainable collaborations in teaching, research and outreach aligned around the One Health approach. Ethiopia was primed for this kind of initiative at that time – the country had invested heavily in education infrastructure but experienced a major shortage of professionals with the proper skills to train a new pool of health-care practitioners. As the second-largest nation in Africa with the largest number of livestock, Ethiopia also presents valuable opportunities for the Ohio State community.

GOHi team: Getnet Yimer, Ashley Bersani, Tigist Endashaw, Emia Oppenheim, Kayleigh Gallagher, Wondwossen Gebreyes

At ICOPHAI 2017, the GOHi team reported on Ohio State’s progress in this massive One Health pursuit.

Three critical issues topped the initial agenda in Ethiopia: on-the-ground field work to improve screening and treatment for cervical cancer, develop a roadmap for the prevention and control of rabies as a model for the One Health platform, and make improvements in environmental health, food safety and food security.

Simultaneous activities focused on sustaining and extending the impact of those efforts by building research, training and outreach capacity to improve management of acute biological hazards like zoonotic diseases as well as chronic issues and chemical hazards that affect the human, animal and environment interface. Broad technical areas of focus include surveillance and monitoring, disease prevention and control in humans and animals, and education and advocacy.

One Health Summer Institutes consisting of training, projects and workshops led by Ohio State faculty from 13 different disciplines have been a mainstay of the initiative and have been supplemented by additional successes that GOHi has logged along the way. Ohio State has secured funding from several federal health agencies to support a TB clinical trial, leadership training for Ethiopian public health officials, and the extension of workshops on ethics, rabies prevention and antimicrobial resistance to the neighboring countries of Kenya and Tanzania.

From the very beginning, the benefits of the partnerships were designed to go both ways – the dozens of participating Ohio State faculty and students conduct highly relevant research, gain valuable clinical skills, enhance their own training capabilities and carry the lessons of once-in-a-lifetime experiential learning with them for the rest of their careers, Gebreyes notes: “A key part of our goal is to teach Ohio State students to be ready for anything they might encounter in their professional lives.”

Ohio State opened a regional office in Addis Ababa in November 2016 to manage activities throughout the region. On Saturday, Nov. 11, several university leaders and Ohio State contributors to the One Health work in Eastern Africa will join the GOHi team for a ceremony officially christening the new office and celebrating its registration as an NGO by the Ethiopian Charities and Societies Agency.

“This in itself is an example of our own capacity building,” Gebreyes said. “By pursuing NGO registration we have demonstrated our lasting commitment to the One Health mission in Eastern Africa, enabling our engagement with the citizens of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and others to take on a whole new dimension while providing sustainable opportunities for scholarly activities by the Ohio State community.”

The conference is a new initiative for the university. Donna Shalala, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, will be the keynote speaker for the first day of the two-day event at the Ohio Union on Jan. 24 and 25.

“We hope that maybe by bringing our off campus and on campus folks together we can have a more concentrated and well-coordinated effort in helping solve some of the problems that are facing our state today,” said Roger Rennekamp, director of OSU Extension.

The focus is on health and wellness because it’s an area where the university can make an impact Rennekamp said. He noted life expectancy in the country is no longer among the best in the world.

“Well we believe that health and wellness of a community is just essential for how families can thrive,” said Associate Vice Provost for Outreach and Engagement Stephen Myers. “And so we have a big effort at Ohio State University across many colleges that relate to health and wellness and we chose that to be our first theme for this conference.”

Myers said the conference is designed to provide faculty, staff, students and community partners with opportunities for professional development and networking. Conference organizers are currently seeking presenters focused on building and sustaining health-centered community engagement projects.

Myers said the conference fits Ohio State’s mission as a modern, land-grant university.

“If you look at the strategic plan, there's a strong emphasis on community engagement and I think that's because one of the big goals of this strategic plan is that in the 21st century, Ohio State is going to focus on solving the very complex societal issues that we face,” Myers said.

Rennekamp agreed.

“I truly believe that Ohio State is committed to solving the problems of the state of Ohio, the nation and the world,” he said. “And I think this really brings the three mission areas of the university together on campus: our teaching, our research and our commitment to community engagement in ways that make the world a better place to live.”

If you are interested in learning more about the conference or submitting a proposal, you can learn more at the conference website.

The Total Health & Wellness Center (THW), established in late 2012 as Ohio State’s first health practice to be run entirely by nurses, has been awarded Federal Qualified Health Center Look-Alike status by the Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Primary Health Care. Under this designation, THW is recognized as an organization that provides high-quality preventive and primary health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay.

With Look-Alike designation, THW will receive increased reimbursements, improve access to qualified health care providers, and develop a pharmacy with reduced pricing on prescription and non-prescription medications for patients.

“We are very dedicated to continuing to provide critically needed comprehensive primary care services to optimize health and well-being in our community,” said Bernadette Melnyk, vice president for health promotion and dean, College of Nursing. “Our team approach to care is led by nurse practitioners and includes interprofessional health professionals who are dedicated to providing the best evidence-based physical and mental health care.”

THW is located at University Hospital East and operated by The Ohio State University College of Nursing. Led by Director Candy Rinehart, the center offers a distinctive nurse practitioner-led comprehensive primary care practice with a multidisciplinary team providing an evidence-based approach to integrated physical and mental health care for people across the life span. The staff at the center is composed of family nurse practitioners, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and mental health counselors, pharmacists, dietitians and social workers, as well as nursing and other health science students.

“The Total Health and Wellness Center provides timely access to comprehensive health care for our local community for both prevention and chronic disease care,” said THW Board President Carolyn Slack. “The community’s response has been exciting and the practice is growing, primarily by word of mouth. The center and Ohio State are strong assets that our community trusts.”

THW serves neighboring communities in Columbus and Franklin County, including patients covered by commercial insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, and the uninsured. Services include:

• family practice care to individuals of all ages, including children and adolescents
• health and wellness screening and education
• management of new health concerns
• care and ongoing management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart failure and others
• routine physical exams, health and wellness screenings and vaccines
• basic women’s services, including pap smears and birth control, as well as plans to soon provide prenatal care
• health education to help reach optimal wellness
• mental health counseling and evidence-based programs for conditions such as depression and anxiety
• healthy lifestyle programs

The THW is the 50^th health center in Ohio to receive FQHC designation, which indicates it meets all of the eligibility requirements of an organization that receives a Public Health Service Section 330 grant, but does not receive grant funding. With this designation, the THW will ensure health care for underserved communities and vulnerable populations.

THW has provided nearly 16,000 patient visits since it was established. For more information, visit nursing.osu.edu/thw.

Westerville Area Resource Ministry hosted this year’s annual day of service on June 2 for the 38 SROP students, who helped the ministry fulfill its mission of “Restoring Dignity and Hope by Offering a Hand Up, Not a Hand Out.”

“The SROP students volunteered with passion and love. They asked insightful questions about social justice and about WARM, and to paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr., they are not silent about things that matter,” said Taylor Owens, director of volunteer services. “And, truly, ‘hunger’ matters.”

SROP is a signature program of the Graduate School at Ohio State. Its singular purpose is to expose highly talented undergraduates from underrepresented populations to graduate study at the Ph.D. level.

The annual day of service is a way for the visiting students to give back to the central Ohio community and strengthen friendships. They also discover that successful undertakings, whether a research project or a service, share common attributes: a compelling vision, a solid plan, and strong effort from all involved.

“I believe that events like this are important so we keep our humility and learn to be selfless,” said Myriah Wadley, a senior from Penn State University who is conducting research in agricultural studies at Ohio State. “We also gain a stronger connection to others. It breaks down the divide between us and them, eliminates stereotypes and makes us better human beings.”

Beloit College senior Kendra Weinrich, who is studying anthropology, said, “I learned that teamwork is a crucial component to success. Our combined efforts made it possible for us to accomplish a project much bigger than any one of us could do on our own.”

SROP students come to Ohio State from colleges and universities around the country for the eight-week program, where they are matched with an Ohio State faculty mentor who oversees their intensive research experience. They also participate in activities crucial to preparation for graduate school, including workshops on research skills, seminars on topics related to graduate education and professional development events.

“Every year I am impressed by the brain power and work ethic that the SROP students bring with them to Ohio State,” said Scott Herness, interim vice provost of graduate studies and dean of the Graduate School. “I am equally impressed by the care and concern they bring to their annual day of service. By any measure, they are a credit to the Graduate School and Ohio State.”

Below is information about Ohio State researchers and the projects they are working on as part of the Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative (HABRI), a statewide response to harmful algal blooms established by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) in 2014. Ohio Sea Grant, on behalf of Ohio State, the University of Toledo and ODHE, released the annual report today for the second year of HABRI funding. Eight additional colleges and universities across Ohio participate in this initiative.

Ohio State University projects in progress

A new weapon in the fight against microcystin. Environmental health scientists are searching for a more environmentally friendly way to reduce microcystins in both lake water and water treatment plants. Microcystins are a toxin produced by the cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, that cause harmful algal blooms. The possible solution: viruses prevalent in water that infect cyanobacteria. One virus type, called Cyanophage LEP, is known to interfere with the blue-green algae structure, destroying its toxic effects. Researchers hope to find a way to use these viruses to limit cyanobacteria near water intakes and possibly in the water treatment process itself.

Expert: Jiyoung Lee, associate professor of environmental health sciences and food science and technology
Additional expertise: Water quality; water testing; HAB-affected water; risks for human and animal consumption/recreation
lee.3598@osu.edu; 614-292-5546

Guidance for water treatment operators in the new world of algal toxins. Harmful algal blooms in drinking water sources bring a whole set of unknowns for water treatment plants—from algal toxins to extra organic matter clogging up intake mechanisms. Researchers across the state are testing water treatment techniques to guide operators on the most cost-effective options.

Expert: Allison MacKay, professor of civil, environmental and geodetic engineering, mackay.49@osu.edu; 614-247-7652

What do we know about HAB effects on fish? Scientists are developing methods to help state agencies like the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio Department of Natural Resources-Division of Wildlife better measure microcystins (algal toxins) in fish caught during the HAB season in Lake Erie and Ohio reservoirs such as Grand Lake Saint Marys. Their analyses have revealed that six of 73 fish examined in 2015 showed detectable levels of microcystin in muscle tissue (fillets), with all six being captured in Lake Erie (two walleye, yellow perch and white perch). During 2016, microcystins were found in 16 of 65 fish, with 14 of those fish being captured in Lake Erie (mostly in walleye and white bass). However, the levels detected were generally very low. Thus, if the current Ohio Department of Health fish consumption guidelines are followed, eating fish during the HAB season would not pose a risk to human health.

Expert: Stuart Ludsin, associate professor of evolution, ecology, and organismal biology/Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, ludsin.1@osu.edu; 614-795-7044

Farmer Sampling Network. Ohio State is working with 56 farmers in the western Lake Erie basin to collect data about the effects of crop selection, irrigation and soil management on phosphorus/nutrient runoff. Anecdotal evidence suggests there are ways to prevent runoff from the farms: One farmer has seen that cover crops have reduced runoff from his fields and confirmed his intention to use cover crops for water conservation and phosphorus runoff prevention in the future.

Expert: Greg LaBarge, field specialist – agronomic systems, OSU Extension, labarge.1@osu.edu; 740-852-0975

Additional experts

Marty Kress, executive director, Global Water Institute
Ohio State approach to challenges: combining technical solutions, stakeholder engagement, research and advocacy
kress.83@osu.edu; 614-688-1906

Justin Chaffin, research scientist, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory
Oversees water testing for Lake Erie islands at Stone Lab water quality lab; monitors HAB-affected water
chaffin.46@osu.edu; 419-285-1845

The initiative consists of more than 30 science teams working on different critical knowledge gaps identified by front-line state agencies that include the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Although research is still underway, the second-year report reveals that the state of Ohio has already benefited from the initiative:

• Early warning systems in Maumee and Sandusky bays have given water treatment plants a higher-resolution picture of what’s coming in from Lake Erie.
• HABRI research has provided new answers and practical guidance about producing safe drinking water for cities and towns dealing with algal toxins in their water sources.
• HABRI teams have provided the building blocks for agencies to understand the risks that algal toxins present for human health.
• HABRI has driven information sharing and priority setting between universities and agencies, positioning Ohio to better prevent and manage future crises.

A full PDF of the report is available for download.

“HABRI has put Ohio at the leading edge of coordinated HABs management compared to other state and even national counterparts,” said Beth Messer, acting chief of the Division of Drinking and Ground Waters for OEPA. “Being able to comment on the research projects from the proposal stage onward, we can make sure that the results will be applied and scalable—and often, we see water treatment plants are able to put preliminary data to use right away.”

HABRI is funded by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, with $4 million made available for two rounds of research funding (before matching funds by participating universities) since 2015. Ohio Sea Grant, which manages the research, is currently soliciting proposals for a third round of funding, which includes a $500,000 match from OEPA in addition to $2 million of ODHE funds.

“This is a complex issue, so we knew that we needed to attack it in an integrated way,” said ODHE Chancellor John Carey. “We put our university assets to work answering critical operational and policy questions that state agencies need to be able to protect the public and keep our water clean.”

HABRI comprises 33 expert research teams from Bowling Green State University, Central State University, Defiance College, Heidelberg University, Kent State University, Sinclair Community College, the University of Akron, the University of Cincinnati, and consortium leaders The University of Toledo and The Ohio State University. 

President Michael V. Drake helped with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday at the new  Northside Branch. The new library has been rebuilt on the site of the old branch – on North High Street just north of King Avenue – but at 24,900 square feet, it is three times the size.

“There is a real transformation that has been taking place in this community and this is another step forward,” Drake said.

The new branch has new learning areas, meeting rooms and a reading loft that offers a 180-degree view of High Street.

“Investments in our libraries pay us back over and over again. Generations of families will benefit from this welcoming space,” said Jeffery Lyttle, president of the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation Board.

The Northside Branch may have a new building, but the library has long been a partner with the university. Drake spoke about one program that helps Ohio seniors convert volunteer hours into college credit.

Ohio residents 60 or older can enroll in the “ GIVE back. GO forward” program and complete 100 or more hours of community service. They then earn a voucher for three free undergraduate credit hours at Ohio State. They can use the credit themselves or donate it to another Ohio resident.

The Columbus Metropolitan Library is one of the GIVE back. GO forward partners and uses volunteers to help children learning to read or in their homework assistance centers.

Martha Hewitt lives in the neighborhood around the new library. She said she had not heard of the program but was eager to learn more about it. The new building impressed her.

“It’s pretty incredible. I spend a lot of time at the library so I’m pretty excited about it,” she said.

The university also collaborates with the library through an intra-library loan agreement and the system’s leisure reading collection at Thompson Library. Drake said the library is a keystone of the neighborhood.

“What we’ve found is that libraries are a vital part of our communities, a vital part of our universities and our neighborhoods. They really are a place where people come together to learn and to interact with the broader world,” he said. 

Okay, Faurotopia isn’t real. But the Ohio Land Exchange program at the Knowlton School of Architecture is using the woes of this make-believe town to help Ohio communities solve a very real problem.

“We're trying to help them think more proactively and strategically about the kinds of opportunities that are presented by the presence of this essentially low-cost land in their community,” said Mattijs van Maasakkers, assistant professor of city and regional planning at the Knowlton School.

The fake town is part of a daylong workshop to help teach managers of county land banks how to think about vacant and abandoned property in a holistic fashion. The process includes collecting data about the vacant properties, mapping their locations and bringing together community leaders to find ways to buy and reuse the land.

Land bank managers from Trumbull, Cuyahoga and other counties across the state joined members of university Extension offices to simulate ways to solve the problems of Faurotopia – and in the process fix their own communities.

It’s a real problem in Ohio. A 2016 report by Greater Ohio Policy Center found that more than 20 cities of over 20,000 people have seen “significant” declines in population over the last 30 years. That’s leading to more abandoned property.

“It is a very large issue. We’re dealing with large areas of vacant land for a small to mid-sized city,” said Cassandra Clevenger, program manager for Garden Resources of Warren in Trumbull County.

Clevenger provides technical support to more than two dozen community gardens in the city of Warren, and is part of the management of the Trumbull County land bank. She said the data collection techniques developed by the Ohio Land Exchange would help her community.

“Everything with land reuse comes back to the soil,” she said. “If you’re going to put anything on there, if you’re going to put people on there, you need to know what’s going on.”

The Ohio Land Exchange is the brainchild of van Maasakkers and landscape architecture faculty Kristi Cheramie and Jake Boswell. A pilot program in Lima has helped that town get its arms around the problem.

Students from the Lima campus helped map the details on more than 700 tax-delinquent properties around the city. They also engaged community organizations from arts groups to hospitals about possible uses for the land. The method helped find more opportunities for the vacant lots.

“What we are trying to do with this process is to help decision-makers move from a situation where they are confronted with high levels of tax delinquency and are simply trying to take down as much dilapidated housing as they can and then worry about reuse later,” van Maasakkers said.

Now the program leaders hope to spread this assistance across the state. The Ohio Land Exchange has been awarded a Connect and Collaborate grant to extend the program to counties throughout Ohio by collaborating with Extension offices and the local land banks.

Clevenger said the help can’t come soon enough.

“We have more houses to bring down, which will only create more vacant land,” she said. 

“Framework 2.0 imagines exciting possibilities for the future of our campus,” said President Michael V. Drake, MD. “We are committed to supporting faculty, staff and students across disciplines as they work to advance knowledge and uplift communities.”

The framework is guided by five principles: collaboration, innovation, high-quality facilities, connectivity and sustainability. The university will consider five planning and programming studies at the April 7 Board of Trustees meeting:

• Interdisciplinary research building — innovative and modern environment to serve Ohio State scientists and partners in multiple disciplines; would be located in envisioned research corridor on mid-west area of campus
• Arts District at 15th Avenue and High Street — high-quality, modern learning environments for interaction across arts disciplines; would include theatre and music performance spaces while opening the university’s front door and connecting to the heart of the University District
• Health Sciences education — upgraded and flexible facilities to create a collaborative campus for interprofessional education throughout the Health Sciences disciplines
• Inpatient services — best-of-class hospital facilities and inpatient clinical space with a focus on teaching, research and evidence-based health care and design
• Outpatient services — best-of-class ambulatory facilities and clinical spaces with a focus on teaching, research and evidence-based health care and design

These planning studies are necessary to understand the fundamental elements of the potential projects, including scope and programming details, that will allow the university to develop cost estimates. Individual projects will be reviewed thoroughly at planning, design and construction phases with qualifying projects subject to board approval.

Priorities will be guided and informed by the university’s strategic plan currently being developed as well as its sustainability goals, said Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce A. McPheron.

“Our charge as educators is to think big and create and share new ideas,” McPheron said. “We are carefully studying what will enable Ohio State to be on the leading edge of knowledge creation and dissemination across all disciplines.”

The planning studies also envision the future of health care at Ohio State.

“It is exciting to explore how we can advance our teaching and research in the health sciences and our academic medical center,” said Sheldon M. Retchin, MD, executive vice president of health sciences and CEO of the Wexner Medical Center.

“Our goal in everything we do is to improve the experiences of our students, faculty, staff and patients — and to be at the forefront of innovations in health care.”

In other Framework 2.0 updates, construction continues in the Mirror Lake District. An advisory team of faculty, students and staff has discussed designs and education ideas. The restoration of Mirror Lake and the surrounding district, including Pomerene and Oxley halls, will return the area closer to its historical form, emphasize modern standards for sustainability and improve stormwater management and biodiversity.

Keith Myers, associate vice president of planning and real estate, reiterated the evolving nature of Framework 2.0.

“Concepts in Framework 2.0 represent a vision for potential investments,” Myers said. “We continue to work actively to explore and shape the future of higher education.”

Both are projects of The Ohio State University’s Humanitarian Engineering Center, a university initiative dedicated to creating technology that helps people.

Kevin Passino, director of the center, says that technology used primarily with people in mind is beneficial to every single one of us. The goals of the center, he says, are “the promotion of human dignity, human rights and human fulfillment.”

Officially formed in 2014, but stemming from humanitarian projects in Passino’s home department of Electrical and Computer Engineering dating back to the 1980s, Ohio State’s Humanitarian Engineering Center comprises an undefined and ever-changing group of students and faculty. There are typically 150-200 active students in the group each year, and the center draws from eight different student organizations.

Passino said the center prides itself on its interdisciplinary work with partners in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, the College of Social Work, the John Glenn College of Public Affairs and International Studies.

What exactly do these humanitarian engineers do? Each year, the center’s work is divided among about 10 trips around the world and ongoing local projects in Columbus. Despite the vast array of project descriptions ranging from building wheelchair ramps for underserved Columbus citizens to installing solar panels in schools in Haiti, the students on each trip are required to take a course in humanitarian engineering that blends technical and cultural information specific to the destination with a broad overview of the humanitarian engineering concept.

Projects also often result from the classroom-based capstone course in which engineering students put together their own project proposals. These courses are crucial to the values of the center, which are centered on the importance of learning about the people they are working with in order to come up with the most appropriate and culturally relevant technology.

Appropriate technology and cultural sensitivity is incredibly important to Michael Hagenberger, associate professor of civil, environmental and geodedetic engineering, who leads trips to Tanzania and works with the Maasai people near the foothills of Kilimanjaro.

On a trip last August, Hagenberger took a group of students to lay the groundwork for an infrastructure project that will pipe in water from the Pangani river to a Maasai village. This project is a joint effort by local nongovernmental organization (NGO) Kilimanjaro Hope as well as the Global Water Institute at Ohio State.

What makes this different from the numerous other water projects on the African continent? Hagenberger says it’s the local population’s level of commitment and involvement: Each decision is made in conjunction with the people being served. He and his team are not interested in building infrastructure and leaving, but instead have set an indefinite timeline that will involve yearly return trips to help maintain the water system and assist with the development of sustainable financial support until the Tanzanian government provides a way to regulate and fund it.

“This level of commitment is important because temporary aid in these areas is not always sustainable and can neglect a crucial aspect of cultural sensitivity,” he said.

Department of Engineering Education Professor Roger Dzwonczyk expresses similar sentiments. During spring break 2016, he took a team of student engineers to work on a project that began three years ago – the installation of solar panels in a Haitian school with no electricity located in a village west of Port-au-Prince. Dzwonczyk made sure to commit to a project that worked with an in-country partner, the Torch of Hope Foundation, as well as buying all supplies and materials in country to stimulate the local economy. In addition, his students work hand-in-hand with students from the local university, American University of the Caribbean, to do the project. After the project was completed this spring, the school now has enough solar power to provide lights, fans, cell phone charging and the ability to run a refrigerator or a water pump.

Here at home, Betty Lise Anderson directs a K-12 engineering outreach program. This team of students and faculty goes to local schools, libraries and summer camps and brings materials and simple projects that students can do. The Ohio State students themselves come up with the project ideas, usually as a capstone project.

A student with her LED light display

Projects have included developing paper speakers run with cardboard, a battery and wire; a flashing LED light; a circuit game; and an infrared heart-rate monitor. Many of these projects allow for school children to take their finished work home. What matters the most, says Anderson, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is that kids can build it, see that it works and feel successful. The outreach program is primarily directed at underserved schools and has served 12,456 students since 2008.

The Humanitarian Engineering Center is composed of engineers who want to make a difference, and are not content to study only the theory in their fields.

“I’m not concerned with my students getting their Ph.D.s in research,” Hagenberger notes. “I’d much rather have a student who gets a Ph.D. in helping people. I’ll feel like I’ve done my job.”

For more information, including giving opportunities, about the center, contact Kevin Passino at passino.1@osu.edu.

– Renee Shaffer is an intern in the Office of Media and Public Relations. This summer, she is participating in the Advancement Career Exploration (ACE) internship program in University Marketing.

The Ohio State University unequivocally supports diversity and inclusive excellence. As has been the case for years, the university will take part in the Columbus Pride Festival and Parade, including a campus-wide group of faculty, staff, students and senior officials led by President Michael Drake. A student pep band and the university police chief are also attending the #ColumbusStrong Rally on Thursday. The spirit program made the difficult decision to withdraw Brutus due to expressed safety concerns. Ohio State looks forward to participating throughout the events.

Snyder’s appointment at Ohio State is effective June 1. He will serve as the initiative’s executive director.

Known as InFACT, the Initiative for Food and AgriCultural Transformation pursues holistic approaches to ensure good food for all. Its work is based on collaboration across the sciences, engineering and humanities, as well as the engagement of external partners in government and private industry. President Michael V. Drake has said Ohio State will invest nearly $100 million to address food security over the next decade.

InFACT is part of the Discovery Themes Initiative at Ohio State, which is dedicated to using the university’s unmatched breadth and expertise to pursue solutions to the most important challenges of our times. Begun in 2012, Discovery Themes is the most ambitious academic effort ever undertaken at Ohio State.

For the past 15 years, Snyder has been executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, one of the largest sustainable agriculture organizations in the nation. The group works to improve the economic viability, environmental soundness and social responsibility of food and farming systems in the state. In addition, Snyder has been involved in national policy issues, including work on federal regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act.

“For 25 years PASA has toiled in the trenches of our food system to improve conditions for farmers, community-based food entrepreneurs and a growing audience of informed consumers who care where their food comes from,” Snyder said. “Now, I am eager to see how much more substantial change can be achieved through engaging the very significant resources and vast partnerships available, working within a world class institution like Ohio State.”

Snyder will lead InFACT with Faculty Director Casey Hoy, who leads a team of more than 70 faculty members from across the university who conceived and launched the initiative. The team has begun hiring 30 new faculty colleagues with diverse expertise to support this academic, ecological and cultural transformation by creating linkages among Ohio State’s many disciplinary and interdisciplinary strengths. Hoy, based at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center on Ohio State’s Wooster campus, holds the Kellogg Endowed Chair in Agricultural Ecosystems Management.

Estimates are that 1 in 9 people worldwide is chronically malnourished, and that 1 in 7 Ohio households reports food insecurity.

“Making real progress on food security will require changes in both human culture surrounding food and the science and technology of how we produce, distribute, and prepare it,” Hoy said. “With Brian Snyder’s proven ability to build capacity in organizations like PASA and our existing momentum in building capacity within Ohio State, we are well positioned for a positive impact on food security for all.”  

“It is with great pride that we present Gene Smith with this year’s James J. Corbett Award,” said NACDA Executive Director Bob Vecchione. “From his days as a student-athlete, Gene has honed his skills and become a bona fide leader in intercollegiate athletics. To this day, despite his hectic schedule and numerous responsibilities at Ohio State, Gene continues to support NACDA and its many initiatives and has become a driving force behind the John McLendon Foundation.”

The Corbett Award is presented annually to the collegiate administrator who "through the years has most typified Corbett's devotion to intercollegiate athletics and worked unceasingly for its betterment." Corbett, athletics director at Louisiana State University, was NACDA's first president in 1965. Additionally, Smith will receive an honorary degree from the Sports Management Institute (SMI), an educational institute sponsored by NACDA and the universities of Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Southern California and Texas.

“I am both honored and humbled to receive an award named for James Corbett from an organization as highly regarded as NACDA,” said Smith. “After my first year in athletics administration, Mike Cleary reached out to engage me in NACDA. I would not be where I am today if not for Mike, NACDA, and the many colleagues from whom I have been blessed to learn over the past 33 years."

Smith has been the athletics director at Ohio State since 2005, and was elevated to vice president and director of athletics in January 2014. He oversees one of the nation’s most comprehensive and most successful collegiate athletics programs. Under Smith's leadership, the Ohio State athletics department has thrived, winning a myriad of conference and national, individual and team, athletic championships and awards. Concurrent to athletics excellence has been the remarkable academic achievement by student-athletes during Smith's tenure. Smith's focus on academics - higher individual and team goals, additional academic support services, and recognition of excellence - has shifted the department's culture to reflect his philosophical focus on the total student-athlete.

In 2007, he served as president of the Division 1-A Athletic Directors Association. He also served on the Basketball Academic Enhancement Group, a 27-member panel charged with developing strategies to enhance academic performance and graduation rates in Division I men's basketball.

In addition to being a NACDA past president, he also has served on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee for five years (serving as chair in 2010-11), the NCAA Management Council, the NCAA Committee on Infractions, the NCAA Executive Committee, the NCAA Football Rules Committee, the President's Commission Liaison Committee, the NCAA Baseball Academic Enhancement Task Force and the National Football Foundation Honors Court, among others.

In June 2015, Smith was added to the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium as a member of the CARE Consortium Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The board helps provide input relative to the understanding of concussion-related issues. He also currently serves on the NCAA Men's Basketball Oversight Committee (2015-18).

Prior to his time at Ohio State, Smith served as director of athletics at Arizona State, Iowa State and Eastern Michigan. A Cleveland, Ohio, native, Smith attended the University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship. He played four years of football as a defensive end for the Irish and was a member of the 1973 Associated Press national championship team. Smith and his wife, Sheila, have four children, Matt, Nicole, Lindsey and Summer, and six grandchildren. 

Volunteers assemble food kits.

With special visits from the Ohio State University Marching Band and Brutus Buckeye, the group created more than 5,000 food kits for Arizona families. The kits contained donated items from the food bank, along with Cheryl’s Cookies donated by Kroger in honor of the Brutus 50th Celebration scholarship. 

Organized teamwork.

Ohio State also provided tomato seeds engineered by the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to include in home gardening kits to promote sustainable food sources.

Shelley Meyer and Paqui Kelly, wives of Ohio State and Notre Dame head coaches, respectively, and their families led the two opposing team schools side-by-side as friendly supporters.

This is the fourth time Ohio State has performed bowl game community service at St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, and in 2002, Ohio State was the first university to host a bowl game service project with the food bank. Ohio State’s Office of Student Life has planned bowl game community service for 18 years, always extending an invitation to the opposing team.

This year's pre-bowl activities also featured an Ohio State University Alumni Association community service event. More than 100 alumni came together to support the cleanup efforts of Old Town Scottsdale, helping beautify the neighborhood.

They were joined by special guests Andy Gurd, Archie Griffin, the Alumni Club of Phoenix and Mayor of Scottsdale Jim Lane.

Each year, the three-day annual farm show showcases the latest and greatest in agricultural innovation, and this year will be no different, said Chuck Gamble, manager of the Farm Science Review, sponsored by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.

“We pride ourselves in setting the bar for having the best of the best in agricultural equipment and technology on display at our show every year, coupled with our world-class educational programming,” he said. “There’s always something for everyone.”

Highlights for the 2015 Farm Science Review include:

*Field 2 Faucet Water/Nutrient Research Tours: Learn about new joint projects between Ohio State and Beck’s Hybrids featuring research on water quality and nutrients, nutrient use efficiency for nitrogen and phosphorus, precision agriculture and compaction, and high-yield factors. Shuttles to the research plots depart between gates I and J on the west side of the exhibit area.

*Ride and Drive Activities: JCB, Titan Tire and Ford Trucks will have equipment on-hand for attendees to drive and experience the latest in field and road conditions. This area is located near Conservation Avenue and Wheat Street.

* Live Streaming of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Demonstration — A live stream of the unmanned aerial vehicle field demonstrations (daily at 12:30 p.m.) will be on display for attendees to watch their data collection capabilities in action. Shuttles to the field demonstrations can be boarded off of Friday Avenue at the west end of the exhibit area.

* Climatologist On-Site: Visit the Firebaugh Building at 384 Friday Ave. to talk with a climatologist from Ohio State’s Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and evaluate the National Climate Assessment and U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit.

*“I’m a Farmer - Not a Spokesperson!” Social Media Panel: Join a panel of farmers and agribusiness professionals to learn how to take advantage of existing social media programs, digital tools and the panel’s experiences so that you can help shape the future of agriculture. The panel discussion takes place on Sept. 23 at 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Morton Building, 513 Land Ave.

* New Grain Bin and Tower: Brock Grain Systems has three new additions to its lot this year with the construction of the largest grain bin, leg and tower on the show site, completed prior to the 2015 show. The Brock exhibit lot is located at 638 Soybean Ave.

Advance sale tickets for the Farm Science Review are $7 at all OSU Extension county offices and many local agribusinesses. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Show hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 22-23 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 24.

Farm Science Review is known as Ohio’s premier agricultural event and typically draws more than 130,000 farmers, growers, producers and agricultural enthusiasts from across the U.S. and Canada annually. Participants are able to peruse 4,000 product lines from roughly 620 commercial exhibitors and engage in educational workshops, presentations and demonstrations delivered by experts from Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, which are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college.

For more information about the Farm Science Review, visit fsr.osu.edu