CFAES Connect: January 2017

  1. RSVP Today! 2017 Alumni Awards Lunch

    Alumni Awards Lunch 11:30 a.m. March 4 at Fawcett Event Center
    The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences invites you to its annual alumni awards lunch at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 4, 2017.
     
    The 2017 lunch and recognition program will be held in the grand ballroom of the Fawcett Event Center, 2400 Olentangy River Rd., on the Columbus campus.
    The program is as follows:
    • 11:30 a.m. – Registration
    • 12:00 p.m. – Buffet Lunch
    • 1:00 p.m. – Recognition Program

    Ticket Price: $35.00 per guest. Parking is complimentary in the Fawcett Event Center parking lot – vouchers will be emailed prior to the event and will also be available at the front desk to place on your vehicle dashboard. Business Attire.

    Register for this event on or before Friday, February 24, 2017, by visiting go.osu.edu/CFAESAlumniAwards (User ID and Password required) or by phoning 800-762-5646 or 614-292-2281 (7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday; and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday) and speaking to a Customer Service Agent for assistance. Guests who are not alumni of The Ohio State University or those having difficulty registering online should phone the Customer Service Center for assistance.

    For non-registration related questions, please phone the CFAES Advancement Office at 614-292-8635 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or email CFAES-events@osu.edu for assistance.

    CFAES Alumni Awards Luncheon 11:30 a.m. March 2, 2017 at the Fawcett Event Center

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    2017 CFAES Alumni Award Recipients

    Meritorious Service Award
    John C. “Jack” Fisher, BS, MS (1967, 1969) Columbus, OH
    Dan Wampler, BS, Ph.D. (1980, 1983) Cincinnati, OH
    Jill Pfister, BS, Ph.D. (1976, 1983) Springfield, OH
     
    Distinguished Alumni Award
    William Hildebolt, BS, MS, Ph.D. (1966, 1967, 1969)
    Winston Salem, NC
    The Honorable Brian Hill, AAS, BS (1984, 1986) Zanesville, OH
    Lewis Jones, BS (1965) Grove City, OH
    Isaac “Ike” Kershaw IV, Ph.D. (1993) West Jefferson, OH
    Kurt Loudenback, BS (1983) Sioux Falls, SD
    John O’Meara, BS, MS (1978, 1983) Worthington, OH
    Ron Overmyer, BS, MS (1966, 1972) Oak Harbor, OH
    Lawrence “Larry” Piergallini, BS (1977) Dillonvale, OH
     
    International Alumni Award
    Albert T. Modi, Ph.D. (1999) Scottsville, South Africa
     
    Young Professional Award
    Katy Endsley, BS (2004) Baltimore, OH
    Chanun (Mo) Somboonvechakarn, BS, MS (2007, 2009)
    Bangkok, Thailand
  2. CFAES Social Hour with Buckeyes is this week!

    In the Columbus metropolitan area? Drop by this social networking event hosted by the CFAES Alumni Society Board.

    What: Gather and reconnect with fellow Columbus area alumni over complimentary appetizers
     
    Who: You (we hope) and other professionals who share a love for the Buckeyes and graduated from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
     
    When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, January 26
     
    Where: Miller's Ale House, 1201 Olentangy River Rd. Columbus, OH 43223 (between W. 3rd and W. 5th avenues) 
     
    Questions?  Contact Ellen Gilliland at ellengilliland@gmail.com.
     
  3. Big 10 Ag Alumni Reception 2017 in D.C.

    Big 10 Conference
    In the spirit of institutional cooperation, the Big Ten schools with agricultural programs are once again gathering our alumni and friends in the Washington, D.C. area for a special event at the National Press Club 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, March 6, 2017
     
    Now in its seventh year, the reception has been a great success with alumni and friends networking across institutions and enjoying one another's company. We look forward to seeing everyone again (and some new faces)!
     
    Please join us for a reception and enjoy the fellowship of alumni and friends from the colleges of agricultural sciences and natural resources representing the Big Ten. Reconnect with college deans, administrators, faculty and staff from your alma mater. Learn how our colleges are working cooperatively on behalf of land-grant institutions.
     
    Cost is $20 per person.
    Heavy hors d'oeuvres and open bar.
    Reception is 6 to 8 p.m.  at the National Press Club, 529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20045.
     
     
     
  4. Alum assumes role as Ohio State ATI director in April

    Kristina Boone

    Access, affordability and excellence are three major reasons the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute’s incoming director sought the position.

    Kristina M. Boone, Communications and Agricultural Education department head in the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University, will start her new role with ATI April 1.

    “The radical concept of a land-grant university is that of accessibility, and ATI reflects this like no other institution,” Boone said. First-generation college students make up 62 percent of ATI’s student population, and 35 percent are identified as low income. As with other regional Ohio State campuses, ATI’s tuition is lower than that on the Columbus campus, making it more affordable.

    The measures of student success, the access to internships and the hands-on learning opportunities all point to excellence, Boone said.

    Boone received her MS and PhD from Ohio State in agricultural communication and extension education, respectively, and her undergraduate degree from Texas Tech. She served as a watershed extension agent with Ohio State University Extension and co-led a water education program during her graduate program.

    “I’m excited about returning to Ohio State University in this new and different capacity. The campus is well positioned because of the strategic planning initiatives,” she said.

    As ATI director, Boone will be responsible for managing administrative, human and financial resources. She will provide leadership for all programmatic and administrative functions, including on-campus teaching, emerging e-learning instruction, research, service, engagement, marketing, student services and student recruitment.

  5. Stone Lab scholarship recipient enjoys evolutionary experience

    Adam Cupito with a salamander on his forearm

    When Adam Cupito started his course in evolution at Stone Laboratory, he knew he would see real-life examples of how evolution changes animal populations, but he had no idea that he would be evolving himself.

    A junior at The Ohio State University majoring in Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife, Adam was selected for Stone Laboratory’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Scholarship Program, which pays for students’ tuition, room and meals for one of the lab’s five-week courses. The deadline for applications is February 6, 2017 for the summer 2017 REU program, which runs June 18-July 22.

    The Cincinnati native knew he wanted to study science in college after his first high school biology course, but until he attended Stone Lab in June and July of 2016, he hadn’t had much up-close experience with animals.

    That quickly changed as he started working on his REU project with Dr. James Marshall on the survivorship rates of Lake Erie island birds and as he began going on field trips with Marshall’s Evolution class.

    "Stone Lab is a great place to see evolution in action," Adam says, describing trips to Kelleys Island to look for fossils and hunt for salamanders. “All the field work we did was tied into the concepts we were learning. The class was a really good mixture of lecture and hands-on field work.”

    For his REU project, Adam set up mist nets in an attempt to recapture birds that had been previously banded and compiled data from six years of bird observation conducted at Stone Lab. He used that data to estimate survival rates for red-winged blackbirds and American robins.

    “This was the first year in the data set that it has provided usable estimates,” Adam says of the long-term research project. “We hope to come across better findings as the project goes on. Every year is equally as important as the other since it’s long-term.”

    Being able to discuss his findings with an avian professor and gain research experience was invaluable for Adam.

    “The REU program is the best deal you can get. You get that really great one-on-one experience,” he says. “Having that scholarship and the privilege of being able to attend Stone Lab at low to no cost is incredible.”

    Recently, Dr. Marshall encouraged Adam to submit the findings of the project to a scientific conference. If it is accepted, it will be his first experience presenting research in a professional setting – an important stepping stone to a career in science for Adam, who intends to apply to grad school.

    “I hope to get into a master’s program that really suits my interests and accelerates my career path after that in something related to wildlife.”

    In the short term, Adam is focusing on finishing up his studies and is staying connected with Stone Lab alums as secretary of Buckeye Friends of Stone Lab, a club for Ohio State students.

    Learn more about Stone Lab’s REU program at go.osu.edu/REU.

    -- Lisa Aurand Rice, Ohio Sea Grant Communications

  6. CFAES connection to Ohio forestry chronicled in new exhibit

    BUILDING OHIO STATE: From Forest to the Renovation of the Thompson Library

    Save the date. An opening reception is 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 1 for Building Ohio State: From Forest to the Renovation of the Thompson Library, a new exhibit examining the shared history of Ohio's forests and The Ohio State University.

    A fascinating story told by the exhibit is that of the 2009 renovation of the Willam Oxley Thompson Memorial Library, the university's main library, built in 1913. White oak lumber harvested from an Ohio forest became part of the redesign. As the state's land-grant institution, Ohio State has been able to foster forestry research, share that knowledge with our citizenry and educate future foresters.

    The reception and the exhibit are on the 11th floor of Thompson Library, 1858 Neil Avenue Mall, on the Columbus campus. Remarks are scheduled for 4 p.m. and tours will be provided by Ohio Forestry Association Vice President Adam Conway.

    The exhibit is free to the public and runs through May 14. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with reduced hours during break.

    Learn more here.

  7. Ockerman acclaimed for dedication, student impact

    OSU President Michael V. Drake with Professor Herbert W. Ockerman

    Dr. Herbert W. Ockerman recently celebrated his 55th year at the Ohio State University by doing what he has done since his first day on the job: educating students. 

    Ockerman, a professor in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, keeps in touch on a daily basis with his former pupils — many of whom hold impactful roles around the world. It's a living legacy of service stemming from a focus on food security and expanding to other philanthropic efforts.

    Read more.

  8. CFAES faculty, alum Balasubramaniam honored

    Dr. Bala Balasubramaniam

    Dr. Bala Balasubramaniam was awarded the 2016 Asian Institute of Technology Alumni Association (AITAA) Distinguished Alumni award in the category of Academic and Research Excellence.

    He was nominated by the AITAA United States Chapter.

    This award follows an honor he received in August when he was elected a fellow in the International Union of Food Science and Technology.

    Balasubramaniam received his PhD Agricultural and Food Engineering from The Ohio State University in 1993.

    He received his Master's degree in post-harvest technology from AIT in 1989. AIT is located in Bangkok, Thailand.