Each month staff in the Office of University Relations report on Ohio State research and connect reporters with experts across the University. They then monitor articles that mention Ohio State in the 50 largest U.S. and select world media markets. The dozens of articles each month are just one indication of the high profile the University enjoys in the national media.

Several prominent media sources reported on the recent work of William Marras, professor of industrial, welding, and systems engineering, and Catherine Heaney, professor of public health. Their research suggests that high levels of workplace stress may make it more likely that employees will injure their backs while lifting heavy objects. Coverage included: London Daily Telegraph and Reuters News Service, Dec. 2; Scripps Howard News Service, Dec. 5; CBS Evening News, Dec. 6; Chicago Sun-Times, Dec. 13; Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 21; Denver Post, Dec. 31; New York Times, Jan. 14; National Post, Jan. 15; Chicago Tribune, Jan. 21; Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, Feb. 5; Tampa Tribune, Feb. 18; First for Women, Feb. 19; Self, March 2001; and MenÕs Exercise, May-June 2001.

An Oct. 20 Washington Post article noted that Ohio State recently signed on with the company LabBook to use its genomic browser. This will allow researchers to access public genetic databases such as GenBank and licensed private databases such as that of Celera Genomics.

The Oct. 20 Washington Post gave a favorable review to"James Welling: Photographs 1974-1999," a show that was organized by the Wexner Center for the Arts and was appearing in Baltimore. The March 18 New York Times included a major review article examined the lasting architectural impact of the Wexner Center as it reaches its 10-year anniversary.

Jerry Mendell, professor and chair of neurology, was quoted in an Oct. 22 Associated Press article about the status of experiments testing gene therapy as a cure for people with muscular dystrophy. Experiments were stopped after the death of a patient undergoing gene therapy at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Oct. 23, mentioned that Ohio State is one of several U.S. universities vying to be a national leader in the field of nanotechnology.

President Brit Kirwan was quoted by the Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 25, about a court case questioning the legality of affirmative action programs at the University of Michigan. Kirwan said"an adverse ruling for Michigan would threaten our affirmative action programs."

The Oct. 26 Chicago Tribune discussed a poll by Gerald Kosicki, interim director, and Lewis Horner, research associate at the Center for Survey Research, of likely Ohio voters that found Al Gore and George W. Bush locked in a tight race.

A poll conducted by the Center for Survey Research that found George Bush was leading Al Gore in the presidential race in West Virginia was the subject of articles in the Associated Press, Oct. 27, and the Portland Oregonian and the Houston Chronicle, Oct. 28.

Timothy Jost, professor of law, was quoted in the Dallas Morning News, Oct. 27, about the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court would decide whether HMO members have the right to seek an independent medical opinion if their insurer denies a treatment or test.

The Oct. 28 Economist included an article about Bruce Weinberg, assistant professor of economics, and his economic analysis of selling prices for paintings that concludes that the leading painters of different eras produced their best work at different ages.

An Oct. 29 Los Angeles Times article was about research by Tschera Harkness Connell, serials coordinator, University Libraries, that found people who search for answers to questions on the World Wide Web may not find what they are looking for most of the time.

Articles about a speech that U.S. Defense Secretary William S. Cohen delivered at The John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy ran in several papers. During the speech, Cohen discussed a terrorist bombing of a U.S. Navy ship in Yemen. Coverage included the Associated Press, Oct. 30, and the New York Times and the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Oct. 31.

Working Mother, November 2000, included an article about research by Brad Schmidt, associate professor of psychology, that identified a gene that may contribute to the development of psychological disorders such as clinical anxiety or panic attacks. Articles about research by Schmidt that found college students held in high esteem by their roommates were happier and had fewer physical problems than those who were not liked as much were carried by Reuters News Service, Nov. 1; Copley News Service, Nov. 27; Toronto Sun, Dec. 2; and the Detroit News, Jan. 2.

Research by James Brudney, professor of law, was featured in the Nov. 1 Philadelphia Inquirer. Brudney found that U.S. appeals court judges who graduated from elite colleges were 30 percent more likely to rule against unions in labor law cases than were judges from less selective colleges.

Gregory Good, clinical professor of optometry, was quoted in the Denver Post, Nov. 4, about how the best reading lights can be adjusted in terms of brightness to deliver the right amount of light.

John Kessel, professor emeritus of political science, was quoted in the Nov. 5 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the various scenarios that could have occurred if one presidential candidate didnÕt win a majority of votes in the Electoral College. Kessel was quoted in the Nov. 20 Christian Science Monitor about how President Gerald Ford managed relations with Congress in light of the fact that he had no public mandate and was not even elected by the people. The Monitor quoted Kessel again on March 22, in an article about how President BushÕs success may depend on how he handles the threatened economic downturn in the country.

The Nov. 9 Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Ohio StateÕs Web site is a good source of information for gardeners and others who are looking for information about growing plants.

Diana Mutz, professor of journalism and communication and political science, was quoted in the Nov. 10 New York Times and the Nov. 11 International Herald Tribune about how multiple recounts of data are considered desirable and necessary when conducting research, but probably are not desirable in presidential elections.

Herb Asher, professor emeritus of political science, was quoted in articles about problems with the punch card balloting system, which caused controversy in the presidential election in Florida. Coverage included: CNN, Nov. 11; the Detroit News, Nov. 12; Miami Herald, Nov. 15; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nov. 16; and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Nov. 19. Asher was quoted in the Jan. 19 USA Today about how President George W. Bush needed to have some early accomplishments in his administration in order to show his leadership skills to a skeptical public.

Michael Les Benedict, professor of history, was quoted by Gannett News Service, Nov. 12, about what the 12th Amendment says about the Electoral College and how the college goes about electing the president. Les Benedict was quoted in a Jan. 19 Washington Post article about why U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist decided the court had jurisdiction in the controversial case that ended manual recounts in FloridaÕs presidential voting.

The Nov. 12 Washington Times quoted Stephen Schaal, professor of internal medicine, in an article about the danger heart arrhythmias can pose to young athletes.

Rene Alvarez, medical director of cardiac transplantation and assistant professor of internal medicine, was quoted in the Nov. 13 Memphis Commercial Appeal about how a recent Israeli study may prompt physicians to treat anemia in heart failure patients more aggressively. The study found that those with the most severe heart failure were most likely to be anemic.

Research by Linda Bernhard, associate professor of adult health and illness, and Sharon Christman, doctoral student, was the subject of a Nov. 14 Toronto Sun article. Their research suggests women who hold onto the hand rails of stair-climbing machines may use less energy and get a poorer workout.

A Nov. 14 United Press International article was about research by Douglas Nelson, associate professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology. Nelson found young birds can not only recognize the songs of their own species, but they also detect and show preference for learning the songs of their particular subspecies.

Robert Hamlin, professor of veterinary biosciences, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Nov. 16, and the Arizona Republic, Dec. 4, about some of the new drugs that are needed to help chronic ailments in older cats and dogs.

Stephen Cecchetti, professor of economics, was quoted in several media markets recently. Cecchetti was quoted in the Los Angeles Times and the Toronto Globe and Mail, Nov. 17, in articles about how higher energy prices are pushing up household expenses this winter and creating the risk of higher inflation. Cecchetti was quoted in the Dec. 18 Wall Street Journal about how rising housing costs may push retail prices up in the coming months. The Dec. 18 Business Week mentioned research Cecchetti co-authored that found investors use a rule of thumb for decision making that makes them overly pessimistic about the likelihood that good times will continue. As a result, they are afraid to own stocks. Cecchetti wrote an op-ed article for the Jan. 3 Financial Times arguing that if Europe wants to emulate U.S. growth, it must produce rather than consume information technology. The Jan. 7 Chicago Tribune quoted Cecchetti about how the recent interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve Bank suggests the Reserve believes the economy is worsening. Cecchetti was quoted in the Jan. 23 Wall Street Journal about how leading economic indicators suggest that the U.S. economy is continuing to slow. The Jan. 26 Financial Times quoted him about whether the lack of financial markets expertise so far in the Bush administration would affect the governmentÕs ability to cope with the next big financial crisis.

Steven Conn, assistant professor of history, wrote an op-ed column for the Nov. 18 Philadelphia Inquirer about prospects for growth in the Chinatown neighborhood of Philadelphia.

A Nov. 19 New York Times article mentioned research by Emily Ravenwood, doctoral student in English. Ravenwood examined the effects of vulgarity in the television show South Park and why the show is dismissed as"low art."