June 2006

What's going on at Ohio State?

Ohio State students become alumni at spring commencement. Med Center researchers debunk a common myth about sex during pregnancy. A marine biologist goes to Hawaii to discover why only some coral survive after a weather catastrophe. An Ohio State-educated veterinarian helps a Kentucky Derby winner. Ohio State joins a Mexican college to help Ohio employers and migrant laborers work together. The best and brightest undergraduates show off research projects that range from hard science to the arts. The university's extension office offers advice on an old summer pastime: grilling. Alumni have a chance to be published in Ohio State's literary journal. The Alumni Association offers tailgate parties and tickets to away football games. And Ohio State President Karen A. Holbrook announces she's stepping down.

Congrats, new grads!

At June commencement in the 'Shoe, 7,643 students earned their degrees and became Ohio State alumni.

View a slideshow, and listen to the sounds of commencement. And find out about the cream of the crop this school year: 16 inspiring students--including four Fulbright Scholars and three National Science Foundation Graduate Research fellows--who won top national scholarships.

Mythbusters

The old wives' tale has been around for decades: Pregnant women who are ready to go into labor can speed up the process by having sex.

Ohio State's Med Center has debunked that claim. A recent study found that women who had sex during the last three weeks of pregnancy actually had their babies a few days later than women who abstained.

Find out why. And get more information about pregnancy from the Med Center.

Survivor: Hawaii

Why do weather disasters such as El Niño kill some coral, but not others?

The question puzzled Ohio State geologist Andrea Grottoli and other marine scientists, so Grottoli went to Hawaii to find out.

She found out that "rice" coral has a survival strategy--gluttony--that allows it to repair itself while "finger" coral die.

Find out more about the coral study. Grottoli's research is just one reason why Ohio State was recently named the ninth-best public research university in the United States.

Vet Med grad helps Kentucky Derby winner heal

Photo: Sabina Louise Pierce, University of Pennsylvania

Vet Med alum Dr. Dean Richardson (DVM, 1979) became the world's best-known horse surgeon following his intricate operation on Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro on May 21. In a six-hour surgery, Richardson repaired three shattered bones in the 3-year-old colt's right rear leg, after an injury the day before the Preakness Stakes.

Read more about Barbaro's surgery and Ohio State's equine program.

Destination: Mexico

Language. Culture. Farming practices.

Differences between Ohio agri-business owners and Mexican migrant workers can make working relationships rocky.

Ohio State is working with Mexico's premier agricultural college, Colegio de Postgraduados, to improve those relationships--a crucial task in a state with at least 91,000 Mexican immigrants.

Find out what Ohio State Extension Educators learned on a recent 10-day tour of Mexico.

Research = Fun

Andrew Dahlem graduated from Ohio State in 1982 with a degree in wildlife biology.

But his ties with the university didn't end there. Now a vice president at the drug company Eli Lilly, he recently returned to campus to judge the Denman Forum for Undergraduate Research--and he liked what he saw.

"Ohio State is one of the places that our company has found, where great scientists come from," Dahlem said. "It's a pleasure for me to come and participate today in seeing the beginning of new science."

Watch students sum up their projects, from science to theatre. And see the winners in each category.

Grill 'em up

When you fire up the grill this Fourth of July, think about throwing some squash and mushrooms alongside those burgers and brats.

Grilling is great for veggies: The intense heat sucks the moisture from them, concentrating their flavors and caramelizing their sugars. Plus, it's a great way to get some of your recommended daily two-and-a-half cups of veggies during the summer.

Read an Ohio State dietician's advice on marinades, cooking times, and grilling methods. And find out how to keep picnics safe from food poisoning.

Attention all writers

Sitting on an unpublished essay or short story?

Ohio State wants to hear from you.

The Creative Writing Program is accepting entries for its second Alumni Writing Contest. In addition to priceless bragging rights, the winner will get $500 and will be published in Ohio State's literary journal.

Find out how to apply.

Time to hit the road

Alumni Association members can celebrate away games in style this football season with Buckeye Bash packages: pre-game parties and two football tickets per household. (Texas Bash doesn’t include game tickets.)

Check out the football schedule. Then, apply for a Bash and find out where to stay with fellow Buckeye fans.

Not an Alumni Association member? It’s easy to join.

President Holbrook to retire in 2007

President Karen A. Holbrook announced June 7 that she will retire as president when her contract expires at the end of June, 2007. She became Ohio State's 13th president in October, 2002.

Read more.