WINTER 2024 FEAR IN THE WATER • LOOKING BACK AT THE PAC WINTER 2024 LOOKING BACK AT THE PAC How the breakup of the Pac-12’s predecessor echoes in today’s events. p. 42 THE SISTERS OF SUSPENSE A steamy combo of romance and mystery catapults two alumnae to the bestseller lists. p. 50 BEYOND FEAR Ride along with the OSU researchers working to change sharks’ reputation and replace our ignorance with awe. p. 32
SANDY, ’67, AND AL HANSEN, ’68, have long known the joy and laughter that pets provide us every day. So after losing four dogs to cancer over the years, they decided to plan an estate gift that will one day establish an endowed chair in cancer research as well as an oncology equipment fund at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine. “The amount of joy a pet brings to a family is immeasurable,” they say. “We’re hoping our gift will allow future pet owners to spend a little more time — whether it be another year, month or week — with their pets.” You, too, can make a meaningful difference at OSU through your will or trust. Contact me to learn more. Jennifer Milburn Office of Gift Planning 541-231-7247 Gift.Planning@osufoundation.org Furry friends with longer lives. HINGE SCORE / SIDE GLUE
Winter 2024 1 C ON T E N T S WINTER 2024 FEAR IN THE WATER • LOOKING BACK AT THE PAC WINTER 2024 LOOKING BACK AT THE PAC How the breakup of the Pac-12’s predecessor echoes in today’s events. p. 42 THE SISTERS OF SUSPENSE A steamy combo of romance and mystery catapults two alumnae to the bestseller lists. p. 50 BEYOND FEAR Ride along with the OSU researchers working to change sharks’ reputation and replace our ignorance with awe. p. 32 In Every Issue On the Cover The magazine of the Oregon State University Alumni Association F E A T U R E S PHOTO BY LOUISE JOHNS WINTER 2024 THE QUAD VOICES P.12 President Jayathi Murthy talks about the impact of Pac-12 conference realignment. And four perspectives on what should be preserved as college sports change. NEWS P.15 A banner year for OSU research; Corvallis campus earns arboretum status; PRAx debut performance schedule announced; and more. RESEARCH P. 21 Teaching humanoid robots social skills; OSU zebrafish research gets big boost; wave energy testing facility takes shape. CULTURE P. 27 Online classes bring a new kind of music education to unexpected places; OSU Chamber Choir tours Europe; upcoming events. OUR COMMUNITY ALUMNI NEWS P.49 How a steamy combo of romance and mystery catapulted sisters to the bestseller lists; Q&A with Morgan Eckroth, champion barista and social media influencer; gifts for animal lovers; and updates from alumni near and far. ← Cover by illustrator Tim O’Brien. 2 PHOTO ESSAY 5 EDITOR'S LETTER 7 PUBLISHER'S LETTER 8 LETTERS 58 IN MEMORIAM 64 BACKSTORY 32 Fear in the Water Ride along with the Oregon State researchers working to change sharks’ reputation and replace our ignorance with awe. By Cathleen Hockman-Wert 42 The First Time the Western Conference Fell How the breakup of the Pac-12’s predecessor echoes in today’s events. By Kip Carlson HINGE SCORE / SIDE GLUE
2 ForOregonState.org/Stater MOME N T S In the basement of Nash Hall, more than 250,000 fishes are tucked away alongside another few thousand specimens from OSU’s bird and mam‑ mal collections. Their bones and bodies fit neatly in cabinets, float in alcohol‑filled jars, and are stowed in stainless steel vats on wheels or — in the case of one juvenile thresher shark—an industrial walk‑in freezer. Why bother with all these feathers and fins? “They provide a permanent library of biodiversity so we can study how animals have changed COLLECTED CURIOSITIES
Winter 2024 3 PHOTO ESSAY gical history that is absolutely critical to maintain in the wake of global change.” In addition to being loaned out to researchers across the world, specimens also turn up in class‑ rooms for students to examine and sketch. OSU’s virtual teaching collec‑ tions contain thousands of specimen images and 3D models that bring similar experiences to Ecampus students. Sign up for a tour, volunteer or donate to help expand and protect the collections, by going to ichthyology.oregonstate.edu. over time — where they lived, how they have adapted, even what they ate or what parasites were on them,” says Selina Heppell, the head of OSU’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences. “It’s an important record of biolo‑ PHOTOS BY STEPHEN WARD
CREDIT TK HELPING ORGANIZATIONS UPSKILL EMPLOYEES WITH AN EYE ON TOMORROW A new report* shows that 92% of recent graduates of online degree programs reported achieving a positive career outcome directly attributable to their degree. 45% of respondents reported a salary increase 32% said their workplace confidence increased 28% received promotions * Wiley University Services, “Voice of the Online Learner,” June 2023 Respondents selected their top three career outcomes. These figures highlight the real-world impact of online learning and its ability to pave the way for career growth. There is immense value in upskilling and reskilling the workforce for organizations who want to recruit and retain talented employees. Here’s the good news: Addressing real-time industry needs is where Oregon State thrives. We collaborate every day with organizations in Oregon and beyond to deliver corporate and workforce education solutions that upskill and reskill today’s professionals — from full degree programs to three-course microcredentials. Connect with our expert team to learn how OSU’s high-quality online and site-based learning opportunities and customized tuition benefit programs can prime your company for success. ecampus.oregonstate.edu/workforce ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT
Winter 2024 5 FRom the eDitoR ILLUSTRATION BY JOÃO FAZENDA Winter 2024, Vol. 109, No. 1 PuBlisheRs John Valva, executive director, OSUAA; vice president of alumni relations, OSU Foundation Julie Lambert, ’85, chair, OSUAA Board of Directors eDi toR Scholle McFarland GRaDuate assistaNt Katherine Cusumano DesiGN coNsultaNts Pentagram Austin, DJ Stout, Davian‑Lynn Hopkins Des i GNeR Teresa Hall, ’06 coPy eDitoR Charles Purdy aDDRess chaNGes ForOregonState.org/Address letteRs aND QuestioNs stater@osualum.com 877‑678‑2837 Oregon Stater 204 CH2M HILL Alumni Center Corvallis, OR 97331 aDVeRtisiNG Kayla Farrell‑Martin Kayla.Farrell-Martin @osufoundation.org 541‑737‑4218 aDVisoRy couNcil Nicole “Nikki” Brown, ’04, Tillamook Vicki Guinn, ’85, Portland Tyler Hansen, Tucson, Arizona Lin Hokkanen, ’82, Portland Colin Huber, ’10, Albany Chris Johns, ’74, Missoula, Montana Ron Lovell, Gleneden Beach Jennifer Milburn, ’96, Albany Elena Passarello, Corvallis Mike Rich, ’81, Beaverton Roger Werth, ’80, Kalama, Washington Oregon Stater (ISSN 0885‑3258) is published three times a year by the Oregon State University Alumni Association in collaboration with the Oregon State University Foundation and Oregon State University. Contents may be reprinted only by permission of the editor. When I was 5, my dad took me to see Jaws at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, Tennessee. He was head of a music school and a big fan of composer John Williams, so we went to every movie with a Williams score. That this particular flick might be inappropriate for a child who had just eaten king crab and swilled down five ShirleyTemples hadn’t crossed his mind. But as soon as the giant shark closed in and the little boy on his yellow raft went under, my dinner came up in glorious maraschino red all across the seats in front of us. After that, I was afraid of the ocean, afraid of the pool, afraid of the bath. (Somehow, I’d gotten the idea that sharks could swim up pipes. They can’t, right?) I wasn’t alone in my terror. Jaws shredded our sense of safety in the water on the way to becoming the highest-grossing film of its time, with more than 128 million tickets sold. A public policy professor at the University of Sydney coined the term “the Jaws Effect” to describe the set of beliefs shaped by the movie: sharks seek and attack humans,these encounters are always fatal and the only way to save people is to kill sharks. The results were devastating. “I truly and to this day regret the decimation of the shark population because of the book and the film,” Steven Spielberg told BBC Radio in 2022. For this issue’s cover story — “Fear in the Water,” on page 32 — our writer, Cathleen Hockman-Wert, spent two days on a research boat with an Oregon State University team that seeks to change the narrative. The story includes spectacular photographs by Louise Johns (daughter of Chris Johns, ’74). The Big Fish Lab, based in Newport and led by Assistant Professor Taylor Chapple, aims to counter fear with respect and ignorance with knowledge. I was surprised to learn just how little the scientific community knows about even the most basic shark facts, from where they give birth (yes, most give birth to live babies) to why they migrate, to how long they live. Without these key pieces of information, no one is sure of the true extent of sharks’ role in keeping balance in the ocean ecosystem, or how best to protect them. The enthusiasm of Chapple’s students is infectious, as I learned one afternoon at the dissection of a shark accidentally caught in a fisher’s net. (The squid beak found inside its stomach drew a lot of oohs and ahs.) Many of these students participate in outreach events, encouraging the public to support this research and be more open-minded about sharks. I do have a new appreciation for sharks after reading the story, and I hope you will, too. But I’ll stay on shore, thank you. Blame my dad’s favorite movie composer: Duunnn dunnn... duunnn dunnn... dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn! Scholle McFarland Editor, Oregon Stater THE JAWS EFFECT
CREDIT TK When others take flight, Beavers Unite. Help support OSU during conference realignment: • fly the flag • wear the colors • watch the games on TV • buy tickets to all sports • attend the bowl game • write your elected officials Learn more: ForOregonState.org/Unite
Winter 2024 7 FROM THe PUBLIsHeR ILLUSTRATION BY JOÃO FAZENDA I have been a fan of Pac-12 teams my entire life. Oregon State is one of the three Pac12 institutions that educated my wife, my son and me. We’ve run onto home fields in jubilation, ridden red-eye flights to make it by tipoff, shrieked at buzzerbeaters, tailgated with old friends and instant chums, cried in frustration and prayed for miracles. We’ve booed mascots riding horses, coaches named Chip and bands who think they’re funnier than they actually are. We’ve witnessed national champions, Heisman winners, Olympians and legends. We’ve cheered walk-ons, returning injured warriors and those who play for love of the game. The dismantling of a conference that’s defined the West’s athletic footprint for more than a century was shocking and sad. To us the “Conference of Champions” was perfect, with natural and intense regional rivalries, similarly constituted academic institutions and unparalleled success. The Pac-12 experience created multiple generations of passionate fans and almost mythical lore. Our school songs, points of pride and memories are intricately tied to athletic tradition. I’ll miss our rivals, as I imagine many of you will. It was a gut punch seeing OSU cast aside in the conference realignment wreckage created by television greed, conference bungling and misguided priorities. I’ve heard from countless alumni — many of whom aren’t typically sports fans — who are angry, sad and nervous. Still, I have confidence in OSU’s feistyyet reasoned approach so far. As I write this in October, there’s not much clarity about the immediate or long-term impact on OSU or our new best friends at WSU. That is, except for this: Beavers are resilient. We don’t need a different uniform each week to prove our value. We show up in orange and black, no matter our record. We bring our children and grandchildren to meet Benny and know that this alone makes it a great day. We fiercely root for victories and hurt when those don’t come. But never do we let television networks define us. We are Oregon’s university — one of the most interesting and productive research universities on earth. An OSU degree illustrates smarts, diligence and a deep sense of pride. OSU alumni help students find jobs and support research that enhances our economy and drive discovery. Our rivals’ shocking choices don’t change any of that. Beavers are so united in our pride and perseverance that we started a media campaign about it: “When others take flight, Beavers unite!” No matter what happens in this next chapter, we’ll be right there with our friends and loved ones, with Benny, wearing orange and black, blasting our chain saw and showing the world what Beaver Nation is all about. Go Beavs! John V lv Publisher, Oregon Stater WHEN BEAVERS UNITE OFF I CeRs Chair, Julie Lambert, ’85, Aptos, California Vice Chair, Dan Jarman, ’88, Lake Oswego Treasurer, Bob Bluhm, ’82, Portland MeMBeRs Jay Boatwright, ’78, Sacramento, California Sharada Bose, ’84, M.S. ’88, Milpitas, California Claire Conroy Brown, ’00, Los Angeles, California Jim Coats, ’93, Portland Mary Coucher, ’83, Lake Oswego Eric Feldhusen, ’02, Salt Lake City, Utah Sean Gordon, ’13, Stockholm, Sweden Conrad Hurdle, ’96, MAT ’97, Portland Pam Johnson, ’83, Dallas, Texas Kelley Kaiser, ’93, MPH ’99, Corvallis Doug Kutella, ’98, Lake Oswego Keith Leavitt, ’88, Wilsonville Holly McKinney, ’91, Bend Lee Miller, ’80, Blodgett David Molina, ’04, Portland Jayathi Murthy, OSU president, ex officio Victoria Thanh Nguyen, ’95, MAIS ’06, Portland Candace Pierson-Charlton, ’73, Ed.M. ’02, Corvallis Denver Pugh, ’97, Shedd Johnathan Riley, ’09, Portland Michele Rossolo, ’01, Portland Lori Rush, ’78, Dallas Shawn Scoville, OSU Foundation president and CEO, ex officio Syesha Holliman Thomas, ’02, Seattle, Washington Marcia Torres, ’01, Clackamas Michael Whitten, ’12, Portland Jessica Wolfer, ’10, M.S. ’11, Newberg ADDRess 204 CH2M HILL Alumni Center Corvallis, OR 97331 541-737-2351 osualum@osualum.com ForOregonState.org sOCIAL MeDIA Facebook: facebook.com/ oregonstatealum X/Twitter: @oregonstatealum Instagram: @oregonstatealumni Sign up for the bi-weekly Beaver Lodge newsletter at ForOregonState.org/ BeaverLodge
8 ForOregonState.org/Stater l e t t e R s FALL 2023 TRADITIONS ISSUE FALL 2023 PLANT ING HOPE Master Gardeners help cancer survivors cultivate healthy habits and community. p. 24 RESER RENEWED An inside look at the stadium’s evolution. p. 32 THOSE IRON, STRENGTH YIELD. WILL NEVER THEIR OF OSU! O L D HAILTO HAIL! HAIL! HAIL! HAIL! LD! CELEBRATING TRADITIONS The fall issue’s wraparound cover — with its lively representation of Oregon State’s fight song alongside retro and modern Benny Beavers — struck a chord with alumni and friends besieged by media coverage of the dissolution of the Pac-12. (We even received a touching request from one family asking to use the cover for a memorial service invitation.) Many readers wrote to ask how they could get a poster. Your wish is our command. If you’d like to see Benny on your wall, make a donation of $25 or more to the OSUAA Oregon Stater fund at Give. ForOregonState.org with a note requesting a poster. Kudos and Memories I always look forward to reading the Oregon Stater. The article “The Ghost of Waldo Hall” [in “Becoming Beavers”] caught my attention, as I resided there as a freshman and sophomore from 1962 to 1964. The article states that Waldo housed women for 60 years, having opened in 1907. I don’t know when it changed to men, but I can assure you it did, as the testosterone level was pretty high when I was there. I had a room on the fourth floor and loved it. We were saddened when it was closed and our fun group dispersed to alternate housing options. If there had been ghosts, they must have been in hiding during my stay. —WALT BAMMANN, ’ 66 As an alum of OSU, I really enjoyed the fall issue of the Stater. Excellent stories — well written, great graphics. [“Becoming Beavers”] brought back wonderful memories of my education there. Thank you! —PENNY SILAGI ZEGA, ’ 77 My mother, Jackie Moss Murdoch, ’74, passed earlier this year, and it was terrific to see her name listed in the “In Memoriam” section after a coworker who graduated from OSU shared the magazine with me. We had talked about the cover, which was striking, and piqued my interest in the Master Gardener program article. That led me to the excellent profile of Nick Daschel,which kept me reading to the back of the book, which leads us here. You have a terrific magazine, and I will look forward to borrowing it from my coworker in the future. —TAYLOR L.M. MURDOCH [In “Becoming Beavers”], it states that Benny’s costume changed in 1964. It actually changed in 1965. Sue Wiesner Kofel, the head of the Rally Squad, asked me to wear the costume when the person she had picked talked too much. I found the costume too warm to wear for an entire game, so the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity — a service fraternity to
Winter 2024 9 which I belonged — fin nced n upgr de. The new costume w s sewn by Ann H ll o the Home Ec Club, who w s the sole member to volunteer.Ann nd I m rried in 1966 nd re still together 57 ye rs l ter. A picture o me in the costume in 1966, during my senior ye r, is tt ched. ALAN WERNER, ’ 66 The Bomb Lives On Just the mention o Togo’s rest ur nt brought b ck some very ond memories — including, o course, memories o gre t s ndwiches th t my mily nd riends consumed there during my our ye rs t OS . And then on top o it, you o er the recipe so I c n m ke my own #20! (I c n only hope th t I get close to the origin l.) Th nks. P.S. I m en oying the new look o the m g zine, too. BRAD HUGGINS, ’ 77 My now husb nd took me to Togo’s on one o our first d tes nd sked i I w nted to sh re Bomb. I didn’t know wh t it w s, but wh tever he suggested w s going to be wonder- ul to me. Im gine my stress trying to m int in cool, poised c de while de ling with the drippy, messy Bomb! Th t s ndwich is one o the e rliest memories o our lives together.Th nk you or sh ring the recipe! CARRIE ARASU, ’ 94 Beyond Westward Expansion In “Wol T les,” [student Lucind Boyle]wrote,“Millions o bison once gr ced the pr iries o North Americ . However, to m ke w y or westw rd exp nsion, the .S. government encour ged their m ss sl ughter until only h nd ul rem ined.” Bu lo were killed or re sons deeper th n westw rd exp nsion. Aside rom hunters, nd “sportsmen” nd r ilro d bu lo shooters (like “Bu lo Bill” Cody), there w s the im o controlling N tive Americ ns by elimin ting ood nd resources.Th t w s the ugly underside o “m king w y or westw rd exp nsion” — n underside c rried out in p rt by the .S. Army nd government.Through the killing o bu lo, Indigenous people could be orced to move or be put on reserv tions. As one Army colonel o th t er put it, “Kill every bu - lo you c n! Every bu lo de d is n Indi n gone.” DAVID L. MINGER, PH.D. ’18 Editor’s note: In addition to David’s poignant letter, we received notes from a couple of readers saying that the wolves photographed with this article looked suspiciously like coyotes. Rest assured, alumnus and former N tion l Geogr phic editor Chris Johns, who led the Yellowstone trip, vouches for their enormous, completely-not-coyote-like size. In his words: “They are definitely wolves. No doubt about it.” Sharing Science Molly Rosb ch’s rticle [“Where Science Meets Art”] discussed something] desper tely needed in wildli e nd isheries m n gement. I retired recently ter dec des o being the person between the scientists nd the “re l” people, org - nizing nd le ding public meetings with Al sk ’s Indigenous vill ges nd st te/ eder l scientists. The scientists would m ke present - tions with l ngu ge not common to their udiences. I would encour ge N tive elders to sh re their own knowledge, with little success. In gener l, the Indigenous cultures I w s involved with were visu lly oriented. M ybe the communic tion str tegy Rosb ch describes would be the nswer. M ybe — dre ming now — biologists would be required to t ke rtwork nd people w reness cl sses when e rning science degree. Th nks g in or gre t rticle nd n interesting m g zine. VINCE MATTHEWS Pac-12 Reaction Disgusting. Th t is n underst tement or the sel -serving desertion o the P c-12 by the m ority o ( ormer) member schools in the r ce or medi de ls. The ssertion th t Oregon St te thletics h s no ppe l is equ lly pp lling. The deb cle is, however, microcosm o l rger economic problems. The only “winners” in con erence re lignment re the m ority sh reCOURTESY OF ALAN WERNER THAT SANDWICH IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST MEMORIES OF OUR LIVES TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE RECIPE! ← When Alan Werner (pictured here) sought help from the Home Ec Club to upgrade Benny’s costume, little did he know he’d end up falling in love. Share Your OSU Love Story From the love-of-your-life to your best-friend-for-life, Oregon State is a place where many deep relationships are forged. We’re looking for great tales of love both romantic and platonic for an article that will run in the spring issue. Share yours with us at stater@osualum.com.
10 ForOregonState.org/Stater L E T T E R S holders nd CEOs o the medi conglomer tes th t re driving this bus. The Disneys, He rsts, Foxes, Murdochs, Apples nd Am zons o the corpor te world h ve no business dict ting the tes o public educ - tion l institutions. When thletic con erence le dership nd the NCAA llow them to do so, we get v lu tion b sed solely on potenti l fin nci l g in or those medi moguls. The enormous sc le o corpor- te c pit list enterprise h s resulted in ll m nner o h rm to l bor, consumers nd the environment. The college sports fi sco going on should open our eyes to wh t else we endure when we put ourselves t the mercy o corpor tions. ERIC R. EATON, ’ 83 Everywhere OSU Greetings rom E stern Oregon! I w nted to sh re this recent picture o three OS lums rom the whe t h rvest ields o Grieb F rms in Lexington, Oregon. [See below.] Go, BEAVS!!! GERI GRIEB, ’ 85 B ck rom the Army in the 1950s, I h d the ch nce to ttend Oregon St te College or St n ord on the GI Bill. I chose OSC. Being third gener tion logger, I worked summers s logger. The College o Engineering prep red me or rew rding c reer s m nu cturing engineer. Our m in progr m w s the SLBM — subm rine l unched b llistic missile system — o Lockheed. We were prime contr ctors or the tr nsporters o the b re rocket engine nd the completed missile — Pol ris through the Trident II, D-5. I I’m not we ring n OS c p, you’ll find me in N vy c p, SS D ll s. Th nks to Sen tor M rk H tfield, I visited met ls institute in Moscow nd Norinco pl nt in Chin . Go, Be vs! DON ALANEN, ’ 59 Memorable Mentors I h ve very positive memories o my time in the School o Educ tion’s Counselor Educ tion progr m. I went on to finish our m ster’s degrees nd two doctor tes, but my time t OS is lw ys remembered s one o my vorite le rning experiences. While ll the culty in th t progr m were excellent, I lw ys ound my m or pro essor, Dr. Glenn Cl rke, to be stell r. His person l touch nd pro ession l model guided me or dec des s ment l he lth clinici n nd university pro essor. I used to meet him or co ee when I would come b ck to Oregon or visit, but I h ve lost touch with him over recent ye rs. He cert inly sh ped my person l nd pro ession- l li e in very dyn mic w ys. I m gr te ul to OS or providing such qu lity experience with superior culty who re lly c red bout their students. I find the Stater to be very empowering nd m lw ys excited to see so m ny diverse degrees o ered t one university. I still h ve the “D m right! I m Be ver!” bumper sticker in my o ce. CARL LLOYD, M.S. ’82 Editor’s note: We do our best to connect alumni with the professors who changed their lives but were unable to find Professor Clarke. Please write if you have information. Send letters and comments by email to stater@osualum.com or by mail to Oregon Stater, OSU Alumni Association, 204 CH2M HILL Alumni Center, Corvallis, OR 97331. We edit for clarity, brevity and factual accuracy. Please limit letters to 225 words or less. COURTESY OF GERI GRIEB ↓ Geri Grieb, ’85, Logan Grieb, ’21, and Kylene Briggs, ’20, (top to bottom) at work on the family farm. HELP SOLVE HISTORY’S MYSTERIES Candice Jackson Amens wrote in to tell us that the woman to the left of this classic Benny photo is her aunt Grace Jackson, ’55. Many images in OSU Special Collections and Archives don’t include student or faculty names. Please let us know at stater@osualum.com whenever you spy someone you know! is her aunt
Winter 2024 11 T H E QUAD PHOTO BY KATTERLEA MACGREGOR A student walks a path through McNary Field on a foggy October morning in Corvallis. INS IDE VOICES P. 12 NEWS P. 15 RESEARCH P. 21 CULTURE P. 27
12 ForOregonState.org/Stater Vo i c e s ALTEZA FILMS IN THE ACCIDENTAL LIMELIGHT PRESIDENT JAYATHI MURTHY ON THE CHANGING FACE OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS AND ITS IMPACT ON OSU. As told to Scholle McFarland Why should alumni care about the departure of most of our peer universities from the Pac 12 even if they don’t care about sports? This is the neighborhood we’ve been connected to for 108 years. Up and down the West Coast, we share a culture and a geography and a way of life. My first visit to Corvallis was as a part of the Pac-12 Engineering Deans. It had nothing to do with athletics and everything to do with academics — with community and an exchange of ideas within the Pac-12. This identity matters. Could you talk about the impact of not being in a Power Five conference? You’ve said revenue could decline as much as 44%, or about $41 million. One big difference between a Power Five and, say, a Group of Five conference is media rights payments. The other big factor is, of course, the viewership. When we play the competition in the Pac-12, we get seen. If you go to Seattle or LA or the Bay Area, our teams have visibility. That said, the future of college athletics is wide open. This extraordinary concentration of resources among fewer and fewer schools threatens the entire enterprise. If all you’re going to do is look at viewership and football, then you don’t have community, you don’t have academics, you don’t have the holistic development of students. And if those drop away, this simply becomes minor league professional athletics, as opposed to actual student-athletes. At that point, you have to ask what the role of a university is in this anyway. If we do lose that much money, how will that be felt? What I worry most about is student- athletes and the commitment to scholarships for them. I mean, they chose to come here and we guaranteed them support, and we have to be able to deliver.These folks are depending on us to see them through college, and we can’t just blow up their lives. The other big concern is being able to compete at the highest levels of play, which means having coaches who are talented, nationally relevant and who can coach our students to greater success. Of course, there’s also facilities, student mental health services, academic services. That’s the reason that we’re looking to the Oregon Legislature for help and looking at our own budgets internally. We’re trying to see if there are ways for us to shore up the enterprise while we look for solutions. Visibility might be something people aren’t thinking about if they don’t watch football. How do you see that part of the puzzle? ↑ President Murthy watches the Beavs win against UCLA during Homecoming weekend. Follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @OregonStatePres.
Winter 2024 13 PRESIDENT Q + A PERSPECTIVES OSU ATHLETICS It’s such a strange thing that the way a university gets seen nationally on ESPN or Fox or anywhere really is through athletics. I mean, I could have a bunch of Nobel Prize winners on the field, and major national channels wouldn’t show them. This is the reality of it and why the visibility question is so important to us right now. And yet this entire story has shone light on us and on Washington State. I am conscious that we are on the national stage, and we’ve got to take advantage of this particular time to tell our story so people can see how good these institutions actually are. At the heart of that is the authenticity of fans, the commitment of students and how much emotion is invested in these two schools. I want to be sure how much these schools matter in their communities, how much the communities depend on them is visible and on full display. You’re not only OSU’s president, but also you earned a degree from the only other school left in the Pac 12. How does that feel for you? I got my master’s degree atWSU.That was myvery first stop in the United States. I got on a plane in India and I flew across the world. (Fortunately, I did know that there were two Washingtons, so I didn’t end up in the wrong place by mistake, as some cont inued HOLDING THE LINE Q: IN THIS TIME OF TRANSITION, WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT COLLEGE SPORTS THAT YOU THINK IS WORTH PRESERVING BUT PEOPLE DON’T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT? ALEXIS SERNA, ’08 Director, OSU’s Beyond Football Stability for ath‑ letic department and conference employees. There’s always going to be instability within this industry — it comes with the territory. But now, many of us who work with student‑ athletes are won‑ dering: What will this organization look like in the near future? Will this position still be here? How do we retain quality employees with all this uncer‑ tainty? We all want to help our student‑athletes have the greatest experience. Now we also have to manage thoughts of an unknown future. COLLEEN BEE School Head, College of Business; Pac-12 Faculty Athletics Representative What is missing from much of the conversation is how these transi‑ tions will impact the academic experience and well‑being of student‑athletes. We don’t have a complete under‑ standing of the impact of these changes — from increased travel to missed class time — but we do know many will challenge the balance between athletics and ac‑ ademics. I would like to preserve student‑athletes’ campus experi‑ ences and aca‑ demic success, as well as prioritize their physical, mental, social and emotional health. RAEGAN BEERS Sophomore, Women’s Basketball Player I think something worth preserving is playing both home and away rivalry games. At colleges across the country, rival‑ ries bring together communities and strengthen pride. Playing your rival team at home with the fans around you — just like others have through the years — is a feeling you can’t get any other way. Every game has a story, and preserving those traditions is an important aspect of college sports. MITCH CANHAM, ’11 Pat Casey Head Baseball Coach Change is a con‑ stant in life and college athletics is no different. We need to not only arm our young student‑athletes with tools for responding and adapting, but also our staff and communities. This means talking about what’s right, developing mental skills to handle adversity, respecting our community and being involved in it, as well as shar‑ ing our history to remind us how special we are and to take pride in that. I AM CONSCIOUS THAT WE ARE ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, AND WE’VE GOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PARTICULAR TIME TO TELL OUR STORY.
14 ForOregonState.org/Stater Vo i c e s PRESIDENT Q + A people have!) After a long journey — 36 or 37 hours of flying — I ended up in Spokane, missing every single connection. There was no flight to Pullman until the next day. I didn’t have enough money or knowledge to find a hotel room. So I’m sitting on the airport floor, and a janitor finds me and shows me a couch to sleep on in one of the upstairs offices. I was struck by that hospitality. I’ll tell you that my time at Washington State was a very good time. It was also my first exposure to American sports. I went to football and basketball games. That’s where I learned the fun of it. I am deeply appreciative of these schools and these communities. Do you see any unexpected silver linings in this? After all the stress and the concern, it’s brought together our community. And I don’t just mean all our campuses. I mean the broader Beaver community. Every time I fly, invariably there are people on the plane who will share a “Go Beavs!” The other thing, of course, is the limelight. We are in the limelight now, and it’s a chance to tell our story. Everybody is truly shining. This coming together is really important because we have important work to do. Our strategic plan is very ambitious. It’s a huge lift, and it’s going to need everybody’s talent and everybody’s energy to make it happen. But if it does, what’s coming up is pretty darn amazing. Is there anything alumni and friends can do right now to support OSU? First of all, people should come to games, which they are. We’ve had so many soldout games. I would love for that energy to see us through this period. The second thing is to tell our story in terms of how excellent we are athletically and academically. Tell that story with pride. A lot of what we’re trying to get done athletically requires their speaking out, particularly to their legislators.We are looking for their support as decisions get made, particularly in Oregon’s February short session. So, if this issue is important to you, if you see how much athletics does for our students and studentathletes, if you’re committed to seeing our student-athletes supported, then we need your help. Write to your representatives. Editor’s note: Learn more about how to write Oregon legislators at thebeavercaucus.org. THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND LENGTH. cont inued OSU FOUNDATION Every day, two in five college students experience food insecurity, skipping meals to make rent, keep the lights on and buy required textbooks. The alumni community has the power to help solve this. This holiday season, give to end student hunger. BeaversFightHunger.org No student should have to choose between textbooks and groceries.
Winter 2024 15 BRANCH OUT Corvallis campus gains arboretum status. Dan Blanchard, M.S. ’23, has too many favorite green areas on campus to list in one breath. There’s the courtyard between Dearborn and Shepard Halls, where you can find astonishing magnolias. There’s lower campus, home to two blue atlas cedars planted in 1892. In fall, multiple species behind West Hall turn scarlet. “My passion is woody plants,” Blanchard says. He can handily reel off the names and ages of trees all over campus, like a sugar maple, pictured here, that dates back some 70 years. As a graduate student, he began mapping campus trees (some 8,000 of them).Thanks to his efforts — part of a project led by faculty member Ryan Contreras — the Corvallis campus is now accredited as a Level II arboretum. Take a tour at campusarb. oregonstate.edu. —Katherine Cusumano News PHOTO BY JAN SONNENMAIR
16 ForOregonState.org/Stater N ews OSU SETS RESEARCH RECORD ANOTHER BANNER YEAR FOR AWARDS FUNDS A WIDE ARRAY OF INNOVATIVE PROJECTS. By Oregon Stater Staff Cultivating climate-smart potatoes. Improving underwater vehicles. Maintaining a massive repository of oceanic sediment core samples. Support for these projects, among many others, buoyed Oregon State University’s research awards in the past fiscal year to $480 million — a 32% increase over the previous year and new university record. The total is more than all other Oregon comprehensive public universities’ awards combined, cementing OSU’s reputation as the state’s premier research institution. “The state, region, nation and world look to Oregon State University to advance solutions-based research to address earth-scale problems,” said OSU President Jayathi Murthy. “Research awards recognize the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and staff and the strategic investments being made by our research office to expand OSU’s capacity to meet some of today’s most pressing opportunities and challenges.” The 2023 figure was bolstered by a big jump in funding from U.S. government agencies. Of the total, 89% came from federal organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. (Learn more in “Funding Breakthroughs.”) Among the recipients was a team of researchers investigating the climate impacts of the potato industry in the Pacific Northwest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded it $50 million — the largest individual award of this fiscal year — to study soil health and develop new practices for potato cropping alongside farmers and Native American tribes. OSU also received $4.6 million from the NSF to continue hosting and to digitize the OSU Marine and Geology Repository. One of the nation’s largest collections of oceanic sediment cores, it documents changes in climate, biology, volcanic activity and more, giving researchers insights into Earth’s history. President Murthy has said her aim is for Oregon State to double its research expenditures — a key barometer used by major universities to measure research productivity.This year’s expenditures reached a university record high of $367 million, a 23% increase over the previous year. It was the 19th time in 21 years that expenditures rose, according to Irem Tumer, OSU’s vice president for research. Research expenditures are strongly indicative of impactful results, Tumer said. Dollars are “invested in laboratories and field work with the goal of advancing knowledge that helps make life better for people through greater health and resilience for communities, economies and the environment.” Oregon State researchers’ efforts have yielded big results. For example, scientists led by Bert and Emelyn Christensen Professor Xiulei Ji developed an electrolyte that raises the efficiency of the zinc metal FUNDING BREAKTHROUGHS Where did OSU’s record-breaking research awards come from, and what parts of the university did they go to? Here’s a breakdown with data from the university’s Research Office. Federal Government Foreign Government Nonprofit Industry Federal Appropriations State and Local Gov. Coll. of Ag. Sciences Coll. of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences Coll. of Forestry Coll. of Engineering Research Centers and Institutions Other $426,668,844 $109,357,181 $117,684,552 $75,647,960 $36,380,899 $25,178,287 $115,750,802 $853, 354 $12,236,329 $12,367,260 $11,005,461 $16,868,433 Award Sources TOTAL: $479,999,681 Award Recipients
Winter 2024 17 HANNAH O’LEARY, ’13, ’19 F U N D I N G BEAVER BRAGS QUOTE, UNQUOTE “Those folks in Pullman and Corvallis are in markets that the rest of the country scoffs at, but those of us who are in broadcasting know how special they are, how important they are to the fabric of the market. They are like Green Bay and Buffalo are to the NFL. You need them just as much as you need New York and LA.” Brock Huard, a commentator for Seattle Sports and Fox, speaking about college football television deals. NINE $1.5 100% No. 1 YEARS MILLION NEARLY IN OREGON is how long Oregon State’s Ecampus has appeared in the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the best online under‑ graduate programs. was awarded to OSU researchers to lead a team of scientists and engi‑ neers on a three‑year project to develop and test a swarm of auton‑ omous robots that can explore under melting ice shelves. efficiency is what OSU scientists are seeing after adding a new elec‑ trolyte to zinc batteries, a significant breakthrough in the quest for better ways to store renewable energy. for innovation is how U.S. News & World Report ranks OSU in its newest lists. The university was named the 38th most innovative school in the nation. anode in zinc batteries to nearly 100%. The discovery could pave the way to an alternative to lithium-ion batteries — an environmental and economic boon, as their production relies on shrinking supplies of rare metals such as cobalt and nickel. The work is part of a global quest for battery chemistries that can store solar and wind energy when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. REPORTING BY STEVE LUNDEBERG, ’85 ڿ The NSF awarded OSU $4.6 million to host and digitize the Marine and Geology Repository, home to more than 12,000 oceanic sediment cores.
18 ForOregonState.org/Stater N ews JACOB ADAMS B R I E F S UNSTICK NEGATIVE THOUGHTS Teen trapped in a negative thought spiral? It turns out, telling them to “think positive” is only part of the solu‑ tion. A study by OSU’s Translational Imagery, Depression and Suicide Lab found that, for teenagers, visualiz‑ ing something positive — places they want to travel or their friends — is a significantly more effective distrac‑ tion than merely thinking affirming words. Researchers hypothesize that imagery is more immersive and requires more effort, and therefore creates a stronger emotional response. NEW CRISIS HELPLINE NOW OPEN The rate of suicide for farmers is three and a half times higher than the national average, according to the National Rural Health Association, and the rate of deaths by suicide in Oregon has been higher than the national average since at least 2001. To help, the Oregon Legislature has provided $300,000 to the OSU Foun‑ dation to establish an endowment for a new crisis helpline. The Oregon AgriStress Helpline, run by the OSU Extension Service, is available 24 hours a day at 833‑897‑2474. The voice line can be accessed in 160 languages; the text line is available for English, Spanish and Vietnamese speakers. The helpline serves Oregon’s farmers, farm workers, ranchers, fishers, foresters and their families. OSU is the first academic institution and the first land grant university to partner with a state on a project like this. To support the project’s ongoing mission, go to Give.For OregonState.org and select Rural Mental Health Fund in the “I want to give to” menu. PRAx SETS THE STAGE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW FOR THE ARTS CENTER’S DEBUT SEASON. By Katherine Cusumano Last fall, a ghostly, 80-foot-tall resin and yellow cedar sculpture rose among giant sequoias on the fringe of the Memorial Union Quad. Emeritus, by John Grade,was brought to campus for 14 months by the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts, or PRAx — the new, 49,000-square- foot, $75 million multidisciplinary space that will host performances, exhibits and more starting this April. “That was kind of our warning shot,” said Peter Betjemann, professor of English and the Patricia Valian Reser Executive Director of PRAx. That is to say, it was an indicator that the new space’s programming won’t be limited to the building itself but will instead spill onto campus in unexpected ways. The center, Betjemann said, aims to bring together the arts, sciences and technology through events and installations. ۄ OSU’s new arts center is taking shape in Corvallis. Its first season of music, theater and art launches in early April.
Winter 2024 19 THE ARTS IN PRINT Among the highlights of its first season are an all-day open house event on April 6, marking the official grand opening. During the day, visitors can explore the gallery installation Sonic Booms: How the Sound and Science of Technology Created Pop Music. Come evening, the Indigenous jazz trumpeter Delbert Anderson (Navajo/Diné) and his quartet will headline a program that also includes vocalist Julia Keefe (Nez Perce) and the OSU Jazz Ensemble. The event is one of many focused on the intersections of Indigenous history and jazz. “Indigenous musicality and Indigenous rhythms have a really interesting place in the history of jazz,” Betjemann said. “One of the goals of PRAx is to think in deeper and more broadly representative ways about the history of art and the history of music.” Betjemann also pointed to the three-week run, from April 22 to May 11, of Slumberland, a theatrical piece in virtual reality by the Swedish performing arts company Bombina Bombast. To create the performance, the troupe interviewed 140 children about their experiences with technology and insomnia. Participants “move through this Dali-esque world,” Betjemann said, representing the bedrooms of the children who were interviewed. On May 17, the author of the bestselling nonfiction book Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer, will give a reading when she receives the 2024 Stone Award for Literary Achievement. The season wraps up with the Grammy-winning Mariachi Divas on May 31 and the OSU Chamber Choir on June 8. Though future seasons will be organized around themes, like artificial intelligence, Betjemann said this time “the theme was ‘Let’s explore everything that this new space can do.’” See the complete lineup of artists and activities, and buy season tickets as well as tickets for individual events, at prax.oregonstate.edu. 1. Larry McMurtry: A Life By Tracy Daugherty, professor emeritus, School of Writing, Literature, and Film Oregon State’s New York Times bestselling author, Tracy Daugherty, brings us this biography of the late Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award‑ winning novelist and screenwriter responsible for enduring tales of the American West such as Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show, Terms of Endearment and more. This is a big story about a big life, full of the Texas plains as well as entertaining anecdotes populated with a who’s who of literary and Hollywood stars. As Publishers Weekly put it: “This is worth saddling up for.” Learn more: bit.ly/larry-mcmurtry. 2. A Self-Portrait in the Year of the High Commission on Love By David Biespiel, Oregon State’s poet-in-residence Two best friends share a wild night in this novel that explores the tensions between ambition and faith and duty and desire, as well as the conse‑ quences of choosing one over another. Learn more: bit.ly/biespiel-love. 3. Forest Park: Exploring Portland’s Natural Sanctuary By Marcy Cottrell Houle, M.S. ’82 A haven for wildlife and humans alike, Portland’s 5,200‑acre Forest Park offers more than 70 miles of trails within the city limits. Rediscover its beauty with this guide to 21 hikes. It’s a perfect present for outdoorsy Portland Beavers dreaming of spring. Learn more: beav.es/forest-park. 4. The Jackson County Rebellion By Jeffrey Max LaLande, MAIS ’81 Go inside a little‑known populist insurgency that captured national attention as it seized rural Oregon in 1932. This tale of demagogues fanning rage about conspiracies and the corruption of the elite might prove eerily familiar to today’s readers. Learn more: beav.es/jc-rebellion. 1 2 4 3 BOOKS BY BEAVERS
CREDIT TK “As a first-generation college student from a single-income family, there’s just no way I would have been able to afford college without crushing amounts of debt if it weren’t for scholarships.” — FAITH TOWNSEND, ’25 Oceanography and environmental sciences OSU FOUNDATION Beaver Leadership Circle WHILE AT OSU, Faith Townsend discovered a passion for science and earned her scientific diving certification through OSU’s scientific diving program and the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. This fall, she’s surveying declining kelp forests off the Oregon coast, learning how changing ocean temperatures and a surge of sea urchins is impacting their delicate ecosystem. LEARN MORE about how Beaver Leadership Circle donors create transformational opportunities for students: ForOregonState.org/BeaverLeaders
Winter 2024 21 KEYS TO HUMAN DISEASE NIH grant will modernize OSU’s zebrafish research. When it comes to unlocking insights into a host of human diseases, from muscular dystrophy to cancer, scientists have found the key in a small freshwater fish.The zebrafish shares 84% of the genes associated with human diseases. It’s also transparent as it develops, giving researchers a literal window into the effects of chemicals on its body as they unfold. Robyn Tanguay, a University Distinguished Professor in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, pioneered the idea of using zebrafish for toxicology studies. This fall, her lab was awarded a $7.5 million NIH grant to modernize its building and facilities, stimulating OSU research for decades to come. —Scholle McFarland ReseaRch PHOTO BY LYNN KETCHUM
22 ForOregonState.org/Stater R e s e aR c h THE SOCIAL ROBOT Humanoid robots will need social skills. College of Engineering researchers are here to help. BY > KEITH HAUTALA A generation ago, science fiction writers imagined a highly mechanized workplace of the future, where factories would hum with the spinning gears and servomotors of an army of robot workers. Many industrial and manufacturing occupations that had come to be seen as too physically demanding, dangerous or repetitive for humans to perform would be completely automated, the writers speculated. Freed from such drudgery, people
Winter 2024 23 THIS PAGE: DAVIAN-LYNN HOPKINS; NEXT PAGE: SHIVANI JINGER R O B O T I C S would trade their positions on assembly lines for seats behind control panels, as they took on even better jobs as technicians, programmers and engineers. “That future is more or less already here, today,” said Andy Dong, head of the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering in Oregon State’s College of Engineering. But there’s a twist: Robots aren’t just turning up in factories anymore; they’re also being pressed into service for tasks that require more of a “human” touch when workers are in short supply. As average life expectancies grow and birthrates diminish around the world, many countries, including the United States, are facing the reality of shrinking workforces supporting larger and larger populations of older adults. This “graying” trend has resulted in labor shortages, with increased needs in areas such as elder care. Bill Smart and Naomi Fitter are among several College of Engineering faculty members who specialize in human-robot interaction. This rapidly growing field seeks to answer fundamental questions about how an increasing number of robotic helpers can be successfully integrated into our daily lives — for example, delivering medications in hospitals or helping older adults in their homes. It’s hard to know how effective these robots are at interacting with people — or to conduct statistically significant user studies — when researchers are all testing different models. To that end, Fitter and Smart are collaborating on a $5 million effort by the National Science Foundation to accelerate robotics research by making standardized humanoid robots available to the scientific community. “A big hurdle in robotics research has been the lack of a common robot to work with,” Smart said. “It’s tough to compare results and replicate and build on each other’s work when everyone is using a different type of robot. Robots come in many shapes and sizes, with different types of sensors and varying capabilities.” Oregon State is partnering with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s GRASP Laboratory and Semio, a Los Angeles–based software company specializing in robotics applications. The project involves building and distributing 50 robots using the Quori platform, developed through the NSF’s Computer and Information Science and Engineering cont inued AUTOMATING THE FUTURE A NEW ENGINEERING OPTION AND LAB PREPARE STUDENTS FOR WHAT’S AHEAD. By Keith Hautala Many companies now use robots alongside humans to make work faster, safer and less physically demanding — you might see robots moving pack‑ ages around a warehouse or picking parts from a conveyor belt for shipping, for example. Although many of the more “robotic” aspects of these tasks are well understood, the often subtle interactions between robots and humans are still an area of active research. ¶ To better pre‑ pare graduates to take the lead in this transformation, the College of Engineering has added a new indus‑ trial automation engineering option. And as of fall term, students pursuing this option have a dedicated space where they can learn and work. With generous support from Ali Piyarali, ’84, the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering remodeled an old lab on the third floor of Rogers Hall to create the school’s Industrial Automation Lab. The facility features new workstations, a shared soldering station and dedi‑ cated space for building and storing projects. ¶ New cameras, projec‑ tors, screens and a fleet of mobile robots will also make it possible for undergraduate and graduate stu‑ dents to get firsthand experience with these new technologies, and to see how more traditional engineering integrates with industrial automation and intelligent robots. This combi‑ nation of traditional and emerging tech‑ nologies is designed to ensure that Oregon State graduates remain sought after nationally and interna‑ tionally.
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