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

The secret to academic success? Hours and hours of study! - Improving a lackluster grade point average takes more than a few extra hours of study each week. In fact, a study of 79 college students found that a one-letter-grade increase in quarter GPA was associated with a 40-hour increase in weekly study time. "A lifestyle change has to happen before an impact is made on a student's grades," said Carl Zulauf, a study co-author and professor of agricultural, environmental and developmental economics at Ohio State. "A few extra hours of study each week isn't going to do it." Overall, the study found that each additional hour spent studying per week meant only a 0.025 increase in GPA. The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of College Student Development. Contact: Carl Zulauf, (614) 292-6285.

Experts

No tortillas and chips this week -- Have you checked the source of those tortilla chips you're about to dip into the salsa? Kroger and a number of other food distributors have pulled Mission Foods products from their shelves after learning that some of their house brands are included in a massive food recall. The products may contain a genetically engineered variety of corn known as StarLink that isn't approved for human consumption because of questions about its potential to cause allergic reactions. A complete list of the recalled products is available at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ENFORCE/ENF00666.html While Mission recalls the questionable products, an Ohio State food industry expert says the FDA does not make distinctions between genetically altered and regular corn. Winston Bash, head of the Food Industries Center at Ohio State, says while buyers can specify they want corn that is not genetically altered, it is impossible to tell the difference without stringent testing. And although the altered corn is not approved for human use, it is approved for animal or industrial use, which means it won't be long before it is in the food chain. Contact: Winston Bash, Food Industries Center, (614) 292-7004

Ohio utilities face deadline to reduce smog - OSU experts can help. - The state of Ohio has promised to make sure that Ohio utility companies greatly reduce pollution from coal-fired power plants by 2004. Nitrogen oxide emissions from the plants are blamed for respiratory problems. Under a plan submitted to the U.S. EPA, Ohio will reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions from more than 163,000 tons a year to 50,000 tons per year. While acceptance of the pollution reduction plan continues to be the subject of a legal battle with the U.S. EPA, Ohio officials have agreed to comply while continuing to work to overturn the mandate. How can utility companies clean the emissions and reduce smog? Two Ohio State University professors of chemical engineering are conducting research on reducing emissions from coal-fired plants. Contact: L.S. Fan, (614) 292-7907 or Umit Ozkan, (614) 292-7907

Events

Black tradition in American dance - Nov. 8-9. America's leading archivist of Black Dance, Joe Nash, will present a lecture-slide series at Ohio State on Wednesday and Thursday (11/8-9). A former lead dancer with Pearl Primus and Donald McKayle, Nash is the curator of the largest single collection of books, dissertations, articles and memorabilia related to dance in the African American culture. Nash will discuss "Babmoula to Ballet (the evolution of the African American Presence in Concert Dance) at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday (11/8) in Sullivant Hall Studio and Theatre; and "Spirituality in American Modern Dance" at 3:30 p.m. On Thursday (11/9), he'll present "The Aesthetic of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre at 11:30 a.m. in Room 35, Hitchcock Hall. The event is sponsored by the departments of Dance, Theatre, and African American and African Studies. Contact: (614) 292-7977

Center offers diabetes screening - Nov. 9. The African-American and African Studies Community Extension Center, 905 Mount Vernon Avenue, offers "Know Your Risk: Diabetes Awareness, " from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday (11/9). Part of the 30th year celebration of the center, the event includes free diabetes screenings, glucose and foot screenings and education tables. Participants may talk with diabetes experts from the OSU Medical Center and University Hospitals East. The event is sponsored by the hospitals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and the Department of African-American and African Studies community extension center. Contact: (614) 293-5213.

Conference will focus on minority festivals - Nov. 13-14. "Successful and Safe Minority Festivals and Events," a two-day conference co-sponsored by Ohio State and the U.S. Department of Justice, will be held next Monday and Tuesday (11/13-14) at the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road. Panelists from law enforcement, student affairs, local governments, the hotel-motel industry, and others will discuss the challenges of hosting events such as Ohio State's African American Heritage Festival and similar events in Atlanta, Myrtle Beach and Daytona Beach. The conference will explore issues related to African-Amerian festivals that attract large numbers of college-age participants. Contact: Elizabeth Conlisk, (614) 292-3040

Diversity Lecture Series offers advice for success - Nov. 13. Donald Brown, director of OPTIONS through Education and AHANA at Boston College, will present "How to Succeed in Graduating Students of Color: The Boston College Experiment," as part of Ohio State's 2000-2001 Diversity Lecture Series. Brown will deliver the lecture at 9 a.m. on Monday (11/13) in Room 4 of the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road. For a schedule of upcoming speakers, click on www.osu.edu/diversity; or Contact: Frank Hale, (614) 688-4255, orTrina Phillips, 688-4240.

Ohio State gears up for big game against Michigan - through Nov. 18. Beat Michigan Week activities this year include a blood drive and a fundraising drive for breast cancer research. The 19th annual OSU/Michigan Blood Battle offers donors a chance to donate blood in the name of their favorite team. The campus collecting the most blood wins. Ohio State leads the competition, which began in 1982, with a 10-8 record.

E-Commerce comes to the farm. Your local roadside market might have a page up on the World Wide Web, and farmers are increasingly buying seed and supplies from Web-based concerns. It's a fledgling, but growing, business that continues to allow farmers to expand upon their entrepreneurial abilities. Still, success on the Web isn't a sure thing, and it takes careful planning to avoid pitfalls. Contact: Extension technology specialist Nathan Watermeier, (614) 688-3442, and the Fisher College of Business associate professor of marketing, Curtis Haugtvedt, (614) 292-6228.

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)