Ohio State's news, experts and events give you more on the news

News

Farm Markets move to Entertainment Farming - Entertainment farming is becoming a big part of the farm market experience, and the fall harvest season offers one of the biggest opportunities for farm markets. More farm markets offer hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins, straw mazes, petting zoos and other entertainments to attract customers. Rob Leeds, agriculture and natural resources agent at the Delaware County office of The Ohio State University Extension, offers information about entertainment farming and the farm market experience. Leeds also has a farm market of his own near Ostrander, Ohio, offering hayrides, pumpkin picking and other activities to draw customers. Contact: Rob Leeds, Delaware County office, Ohio State University Extension, (740) 368-1925.

Experts

Middle East peace is unraveling - Terrorism in Yemen, recent fighting between Palestinians and Jews may be the death knell for the Middle East peace process. Two Ohio State experts in international politics say the situation is looking less hopeful with each passing day. Contact:Donald Sylvan, Political Science, (614) 292-3235; or Richard Herrmann, Political Science, (614) 292-8196.

Ohio State researcher collaborates with Nobel winner - The 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded last week to Alan MacDiarmid of the University of Pennsylvania. But an Ohio State researcher continues work on projects related to the work for which MacDiarmid won the prize. Art Epstein, director of Ohio State's Center for Materials, has collaborated on more than 200 papers with MacDiarmid. Epstein's work at Ohio State in conductive polymers, light-emitting plastics and polymers for fiber optics communications are now OSU patented technologies. Eight years after the discovery of conductive polymers, Epstein and collaborators discovered the first "plastic" magnet, which has evolved into a new field which may impact future technology just as significantly. Contact:Art Epstein, Center for Materials Research, (614) 292-1133.

Events

Glued to the tube with Glenn - Oct. 17. Future public servants will get some pointers as they watch the third presidential debate with someone who's been there. Tomorrow night (10/17), senator, astronaut and one-time presidential candidate John Glenn will join some 40 students from Ohio State's John Glenn Institute Living-Learning Program as they tune in the debates from 8 to 11 p.m in Room 400, Stillman Hall, 1947 College Rd. Glenn will discuss his own experiences on the campaign trail with the students, all of whom are interested in public service, regardless of academic major. Contact: Courtney Velker, John Glenn Institute, (614) 292-4486.

ABC puts OSU in national spotlight - Oct. 17. The Ohio State University will shine in the national spotlight on Tuesday (10/17) when the university hosts an ABC News broadcast. The beautiful Orton Hall Library will be the setting as a 20-member focus group views and then discusses the final presidential debate. The network has followed each televised debate with reaction from a group of undecided voters and has tapped Ohio State as the site of the final focus group. The earlier post-debate broadcasts came from Oakland University (Michigan) and the University of Tampa (Florida). Members of the focus group come from the Columbus area and are chosen prior to the event. Following the debate, voters will be asked how it affected their opinions. The broadcast from Ohio State is expected to begin at around 10:40 p.m. on Tuesday.

Newest Technologies featured at Ohio State Tech Expo - Oct. 17. Roderick Chu, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, will address the role of technology in higher education at an 8:30 a.m. breakfast, Tuesday (10/17) in the Ohio Union Main Lounge, 1739 N. High St. Chu's speech will kick off Ohio State's 6th Technology Expo, taking place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Union's ballrooms. Tech Expo showcases the latest technology-based products and services available to the university community. Among the exhibits: The Classroom of the Future and the Office of the Future. Contact: Melinda Sadar, 292-8298.

Class Requires Debate Viewing - Oct. 17. Students enrolled in an Ohio State political science class are taking an in-depth look at the 2000 presidential campaign. Taught by political science professor Herb Asher, the distance education course originates in Columbus and is sent to other regional locations via two-way audio-video links. Discussions take place each Tuesday from 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Students in the class, titled "The Process and Politics of the 2000 Presidential Campaign," are required to view several other programs, including the one vice presidential and three presidential debates, and two programs featured on WOSU-TV, "The 30-Second Candidate" and "Frontline: The Choice 2000." Contact:Herb Asher, Political Science, (614) 292-1484.

Conference on Judicial Politics - Oct. 19-21. Scholars of political science and law from around the country will gather in Columbus to discuss the latest issues and research concerning the U.S. Supreme Court and other judicial institutions from around the world. The Conference on the Scientific Study of Judicial Politics is supported by the National Science Foundation and The Ohio State University. Contact: Jeff Grabmeier, University Relations, (614) 292-8457.

Buckeye Family Fiesta - Oct. 20-22. This weekend, students at The Ohio State University will welcome their families to campus for Family Weekend 2000 (10/20-10/22). More than 500 families from 25 states will visit the Columbus campus. Families and their students can go on a spooky moonlight tour of campus Friday night (10/20). Saturday, families can go to an OSU vs. Iowa tailgate party and then enjoy a night of Lantino dancing in Larkins Hall. Sunday, President and Mrs. Kirwan will host a breakfast from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Ohio Union East Ballroom, 1739 N. High St. Contact:Barbara Rich, Parent Association, 292-9153.

OSU and Lowe's join to revitalize a neighborhood - Oct. 21. Revitalizing the neighborhood east of Ohio State is the goal of the College of Human Ecology and Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse on Saturday, October 21. From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., employees from Lowe's six Columbus stores and Human Ecology students and alumni will repair, paint, and relandscape two aging owner-occupied homes (owners of the two homes happen to be named Thelma and Louise). Contact: Janet Ciccone, College of Human Ecology, (614) 292-5338.

They've got legs and they know how to use them - Oct. 22. Radiologists at The Ohio State University Medical Center will spend four hours examining legs on Sunday (10/22) in an effort to identify a life-threatening disease that may otherwise go unnoticed in millions of Americans. The screening, called "Legs For Life," will help diagnose peripheral vascular disease (PVD), a common and potentially fatal disease caused by blocked or reduced blood flow to the arteries in the legs. PVD is an early warning sign of future heart attacks and strokes. Legs will be screened from noon to 4 p.m. in Rhodes Hall Auditorium. Contact:David Crawford, University Medical Center, 293-3737.

Cancer Center director named to Institute of Medicine. Clara Bloomfield, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and deputy director of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University, has been elected to the membership of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), one of the highest honors awarded to medical researchers. Bloomfield was among more than 50 medical professionals named Monday (10/17) to the IOM. Admission into the IOM - as well as the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering - is considered one of the top achievements a researcher can attain. Recently, Bloomfield co-chaired an international group of scientists that radically changed the World Health Organization's classification of cancers of the blood, resulting in a new classification to evaluate leukemias and lymphomas that will allow better diagnosis, treatment and chances of survival. She was the first researcher to suggest and then prove that adults, including the elderly, who were suffering from acute leukemia - long thought to be fatal - could be cured through chemotherapy.

The person listed as Contact will have the best information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story--Elizabeth Conlisk, (614) 292-3040; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385; Lesley Deaderick, (614) 292-0569; Melinda Sadar, (614) 292-8298; and Karissa Shivley, (614) 292-8295.

Compiled by Amy Murray, University Relations, (Murray-Goedde.1@osu.edu)