96-08-09 Story Tips for Local News Media STORY TIPS University Communication offers this list of potential news stories on the Columbus campus. We'll update this listing every other week during the summertime. This and every University Communications news release is available on the Internet and World Wide Web. To access by Internet, you may reach us through either OASIS (Ohio State Information System), the Columbus Freenet or World Wide Gophers. Select News and Weather, then Ohio State University News Releases, then News Releases from University Communications. Our Web address is http://www.acs.ohio- state.edu/ Choose News Releases from The Ohio State University, then News Releases from University Communications. TIRED OF COVERING THE STATE FAIR? MATH PROFESSOR EXPLORES 4TH DIMENSION--Aug 10. Thomas Banchoff of Brown University will give an Arnold Ross Lecture for high school students on "Higher-Dimensional Geometry and the Internet" in 131 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Ave. Banchoff, a prize-winning teacher, is a lively speaker who is one of the first people on Earth to interact with geometry's fourth dimension, the shadow created by three-dimensional objects. Banchoff first became interested in the fourth dimension as a teenager, while reading a Captain Marvel comic book. He has translated his work into video images that are often surprising and beautiful. Clips of the videos are available upon request. Banchoff's lecture is just one event of a three-day conference Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 9, 10 and 11) on Ohio State's Columbus campus to celebrate the 90th birthday of mathematician and mentor Arnold Ross, professor emeritus of mathematics. Ross still teaches gifted high school students each day during the summer at Ohio State. Since 1957, alumni of Ross's summer workshops have gone on to win numerous awards in their fields, including the Cole Prize in Mathematics, awarded only every five years. The American Mathematics Society acknowledges Ross's work with young people with two Arnold Ross Lectures each year for high school students and their teachers. Distinguished mathematicians gear their presentations to a younger audience. To interview Banchoff or Ross, call and leave a message for Gloria Woods at 292-4975, or Daniel Shapiro at 292-5894. STAFF MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE IN 1996 PARALYMPIC GAMES IN ATLANTA-- Aug. 17-26. For the second time this summer, athletes from around the world will compete in Olympic games in Atlanta, this time in the Paralympic games, competition for athletes with physical disabilities. Joining these athletes is Kim Martin, asst. director of The Ohio State University Department of Recreation and Intramural Sports' adapted recreational sports program, who will compete as part of the USA Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team. Martin, who has won five medals in international competition since joining the women's wheelchair basketball team in 1990, also plays for the defending national champions Minnesota Rolling Timberwolves basketball team. Martin will depart for Atlanta Aug. 13. CONTACT: Kim Martin, 292-7671. TEACHERS TEST TEACHING SOFTWARE--Aug. 5-16. Sixteen Ohio teachers are participating in a 2-week Schoolnet Software Review Project at Ohio State's Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (ENC), 1929 Kenny Rd. The teachers are evaluating software for grade kindergarten through 4th. grade. Once trained these teachers will conduct professional development activities for other teachers throughout their area. The Schoolnet Software Review Project is sponsored by the State of Ohio Schoolnet Plus program. Schoolnet Plus is interested in facilitating the use of the best possible software by teachers using computers in their classrooms. While at ENC, the teachers will review nearly 200 curriculum software programs that are part of ENC's National Repository. CONTACT: Peg Hanley at 292-9984 or via email phanley@enc.org CAMPUS HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICIALS MEET--Aug. 26-28. Issues facing campus environmental health and safety officials are increasing each year. The Midwest College and University Environmental Health and Safety Conference will be hosted this year by Ohio State at the University Ramada Inn, 3110 Olentangy River Rd. Speakers from various midwestern universities, engineering and environmental firms will discuss a range of topics including laser safety, environmental remediation, environmental risks and safety in burial sites and laboratory ventilation systems. CONTACT: David Kos, Office of Environmental Health and Safety, 292-1284. BODY IMAGE TASK FORCE TARGETS DANGEROUS BEHAVIORS--Faculty and staff are being recruited to join the OSU Body Image Task Force. The group will focus on risky behaviors such as disordered eating, obsessive exercise or weight training, substance abuse and other compulsive behaviors that threaten both physical and psychological problems. The group hopes to use education, research and outreach to encourage healthy behaviors related to body image by challenging the prevailing norms and providing resources to the campus community. Task Force Chair Nancy A. Rudd, an associate professor in the College of Human Ecology, says these risky behaviors cut across a broad population of young people throughout the university and are not always readily apparent. CONTACT: Nancy A. Rudd, Consumer and Textile Sciences, College of Human Ecology, 292-4385. The person listed as the contact for each item will have the best information about the story. However, feel free to call on our news services staff for assistance with these or other Ohio State news stories. Amy Murray, 292-8385; Ruth Gerstner, 292-8424; Tom Spring, 292-8309, and Tracy Turner, 688-3682. -Compiled by Amy Murray, University Communications, (Murray- Goedde.1@osu.edu). [Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu) Fri, 9 Aug 1996 14:59:32 -0400] All documents are the responsibility of their originator.