Outreach Project Database unveiled

The University's P-12 Project and Office of Outreach and Engagement are launching an Outreach Project Database, a Web-based, searchable database that allows users to sort through hundreds of OSU outreach projects, programs and partnerships. With over 400 records, the complete database includes health and safety, economic development, P-12 education, and other general outreach areas.

With two different search interfaces, OSU's P-12 Project and Outreach and Engagement hope to reach their respective audiences with familiar language. P-12 community members can search by school subject area or grade level, while the broader community can search by classification, OSU department/college, or county.

In this spring 2000 photo, OSU student Syna Kuttothara, left, demonstrates a DNA testing technique to Linden-McKinley High School students during a College of Biological Sciences DNA workshop. The outreach project involves several area high schools and is listed in the P-12 database. By Jo McCulty

Visit the P-12 Project Web site at www.osu.edu/p12 and click on the "Search the P-12 Database" link, or go to Outreach and Engagement's interface at www.osu.edu/outreachprojects/index.php

For further information, e-mail the P-12 Project office at p12@osu.edu.

• The P-12 Project is assisting the Columbus Public Schools in gathering information about the OSU activities involving Columbus schools buildings and students. Many projects and activities have been documented; however, many other outreach activities remain unaccounted for. Ohio State faculty and staff are encouraged to look at the O&E/P-12 database at www.osu.edu/outreachprojects/index.php and make sure that all of the known projects are listed. If they are not, contact 247-6252 or renshler.4@osu.edu and supply the project/activity contact name or suggestions of ways to gather information within the appropriate department (for example, through annual reports or school publications).

Upchurch to address diversity forum

Activist and author Carl Upchurch will be the keynote speaker for the College of Education's Seventh Annual Diversity Forum and Graduate Student Symposium on May 31. Upchurch is founder of the National Council for Urban Peace and Justice, headquartered in Columbus. He is the author of the memoir Convicted in the Womb: From Prisoner to Peacemaker.

Forum and symposium registration begins at 8 a.m. in 100 Ramseyer Hall. The keynote address will be from noon-2 p.m. in St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 30 W. Woodruff Ave.

For details or registration, contact April Peters at 292-1936 or Apeters10@aol.com.

Ergonomics Institute lecturers announced

The Institute for Ergonomics' continuing Guest Lecture Series is featuring three speakers this month.

On May 23, Nadine Sarter, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, will present "Human-Centered Design: More Than Meets the Eye." At the same seminar, Cable Green, director of educational technology, College of Pharmacy, will present "Visualizing Conceptual Change: The Role of Concept Mapping in Social Construction of Understandings in Collaborative Online Learning Communities." The seminar will be held from noon-1 p.m. at 281 Baker Engineering.

• Fadi Fathallah, director of the Occupational Biomechanics Laboratory and a member of the University of California Agricultural Ergonomics Research Center, will discuss "Agricultural Ergonomics Research in California" from 1-2 p.m. May 31 in 263 Dreese Laboratories. Fathallah earned his Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering from Ohio State.

Both seminars are free and open to the public. For details, contact the institute at 292-4565 or ergonomics@osu.edu.

Forums to explore future of technology

The fourth in a series of Technology Days forums, Managing Data and Knowledge, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 29 in 140 Pfahl Hall. Richard Katz, vice president of EDUCAUSE and executive director of EDUCAUSE Advanced Research Center, will deliver "The E-volution of Higher Education." Additional speakers are Charlie Moran, vice president, education industry consulting, Blackwell Consulting; and Joseph J. Branin, director of OSU Libraries.

• The fifth in the forum series will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 30 in 140 Pfahl Hall. Scheduled to speak is Jay Boisseau, director of Texas Advanced Computing Center, University of Texas-Austin. The forum also includes a panel discussion and a second speaker to be announced.

For details, visit the Web at http://cio.ohio-state.edu/planit/techdays.html.

Geography seminar scheduled for June 6

A Geography Colloquium Series presentation focusing on graduate student research will be held at 3:30 p.m. June 6 in 1080 Derby Hall. Changshan Wu, Department of Geography and the Center for Mapping at Ohio State, will deliver "Estimating Population Distribution for Transit Planning Using Integrated GIS and RS Technologies." All are welcome.

For details, visit the Web at http://geog-www.sbs.ohio-state.edu/colloquia/2001-02.

Retirement forum dates on HR Web site

The Office of Human Resources offers a retirement planning forum to help new employees decide which retirement plan to select. During the session, benefits consultants will address issues to be considered when deciding between PERS/STRS and ARP, and will compare key features of the ARP to PERS/STRS.

A list of retirement forums is now available on the HR Benefits Web site. For details, visit http://hr.osu.edu/benefits/retforums.htm. Employees unable to attend one of these sessions during their 120-day enrollment period may schedule a personal consultation by contacting a benefits consultant at 292-1050 or benefits@hr.osu.edu.

OSU-WID presents trade debate

OSU-Women in Development will present "Should We Promote Free Trade or Fair Trade?" from 4:30-6 p.m. May 23 in 100 Agricultural Engineering Building. A reception will follow. The debate will consider how free trade and fair trade each contribute to social welfare and women's empowerment.

Debaters are Thomas Klak, Department of Geography at Miami University, and Luther Tweeten, OSU Department of Agricultural, Economic and Development Economics. The moderator is Anthony Mughan, Department of Political Science.

The Mershon Center and the Office of International Affairs also sponsor the debate.

For details, contact Cathy Rakowski at 292-6447 or rakowski.1@osu.edu.

Spring commencement marchers wanted

Faculty members wishing to participate in the spring commencement processional June 14 in Ohio Stadium should notify their college dean's office by May 24. Faculty must register in order to participate in the processional. Details about faculty reporting times and assembly location on commencement morning will be released later in OSUToday.

For details, call the Office of Commencement and Special Events at 292-9051.

OIT suggests summer e-mail adjustments

Before leaving campus for summer break, faculty and staff must determine how their OSU e-mail is to be handled. The Office of Information Technology is encouraging users to unsubscribe from all mailing lists if they don't plan to read e-mail regularly. Those planning to read it through a local Internet Service Provider should fill out the forwarding request form found on the Web at http://8help.ohio-state.edu/mail_forwarding.html.

For details or assistance, contact 688-HELP(4357) or 8help@osu.edu.

Native American Powwow is May 25-27

The 20th annual Moon When the Ponies Shed Memorial Day Weekend Powwow will be held May 25-27 at the Jesse Owens Recreation Center West, 1031 Carmack Road. Gates open each day at 10 a.m. Dancing will begin with a "Grand Entry" of all the dancers each day at 1 p.m. A second "Grand Entry" will occur at 7 p.m. May 25 and 26. The event includes music, dancing, arts, crafts and foods.

For more information, contact Native American Student Services at 292-0524.

Wilson to deliver ICRPH lecture

Ara Wilson, assistant professor of women's studies, will present "Sex, Temperament and the Ethnography of Global Capitalism" from 12:30-1:30 p.m. May 24 at the George Wells Knight House, 104 E. 15th Ave. Participants should bring lunch; beverages and dessert will be provided.

This is the fourth and final talk in the "How and Why We Do Research" monthly series sponsored by the Institute for Collaborative Research and Public Humanities, in which scholars in the humanities explain how they conduct their research and what motivates them to do it.

For details, contact Elizabeth Lantz at 688-0265 or 247-6336 (FAX).

Women in Science Day is May 24 at Ohio State

Women in Science Day for junior high school students will be held from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. May 24 at Ohio State. The event is sponsored by the Association for Women in Science of Central Ohio.

Ellen Mosley-Thompson, professor of geography, will give the keynote address at noon in the Ohio Union East Ballroom. About 200 students from 21 schools are expected to attend.

For more information, visit the Web at www.awisco.ohio-state.edu.

Langdale to address Metropolitan Club

Richard S. Langdale, founder of Next Cool Thing Ventures and executive director of the proposed Fisher College of Business Center for Entrepreneurship, will be the guest speaker at a June 5 Columbus Metropolitan Club forum. The forum will be held from noon-1:15 p.m. at the Athletic Club, 136 E. Broad St. Langdale will discuss his work with Fisher College and his vision of a center that supports research and education in entrepreneurship and serves as a resource for entrepreneurial development.

To make a reservation, call 545-3220; for details, call 464-3220.

Hostas, pancakes in store for Arboretum

Chadwick Arboretum is holding a Hosta Collection Dedication and Pancake Breakfast at 10 a.m. June 8 at the Lane Avenue Gardens.

For details, call 688-3479 or visit the Web at chadwickarboretum/osu.edu.