May 2006

What's going on at Ohio State?

An Ohio State professor creates "Autotelematic Spider Bots"--robots that act like ants, walk like spiders, and see like bats. Older siblings aren't really smarter, after all, university researchers discover. The Bright Forever, Ohio State Professor Lee Martin's second novel, is a Pulitzer finalist. Admissions officers give high school students a to-do list designed to help them get into college. Students invest millions of dollars on behalf of the university, and do better than the professionals. Researchers find hope for the earliest cancer detection yet. A center for black men is named after former Buckeye football player Todd Bell, who died last year. And get out your calendars: Class reunions are scheduled for a football weekend in September.

Attack of the Spider Bots

Ken Rinaldo created his Spider Bots using wire, plastic, and microprocessors, but he said the robots--his latest masterpiece of high-tech art--still are capable of an "emotional response": They "sing" to each other, and their infrared eyes look directly at people.

"When you approach these robots and they see you, they twitter to you," said Rinaldo, a professor in Ohio State's Art and Technology program. "You know that they see you because they look right at you."

Watch the bots interact with each other, and learn more about how they work.

Oldest and smartest? Not anymore

Depending on your birth order, a new Ohio State study is either a huge disappointment or a reason to cheer.

Researchers have determined that older children are no smarter than their younger siblings, citing flaws in studies that have found otherwise.

Find out what family factors do affect children's intelligence.

Ohio State writer is a Pulitzer finalist

Lee Martin grew up in a small Illinois town where most people expected to marry, start a family, and get a job or join the military right after high school.

Martin, director of Ohio State's Creative Writing Program, always knew he wanted to leave the area and become a writer. But his upbringing stayed with him: His second novel, The Bright Forever, is set in fictional Indiana town not far from where he grew up.

The book was recently named a Pulitzer finalist.

Find out more about Martin and his novel.

How kids get into college

If you're a parent, you've probably wondered whether your child is on the right track to getting into college--preferably, with some monetary help.

Ohio State's Office of Undergraduate Admissions has some advice for high school students: Schedule high-level math and science classes, take the ACT and SAT tests in your junior year, and--most importantly--apply, apply, apply.

More advice on getting into college and finding scholarships.

Students play the stock market

In the 16 years that Fisher College of Business students have been investing Ohio State money in the stock market, university officials have stepped in to overrule their decisions only three or four times.

That trust has paid off: Since 1990, students have turned $2 million into $20 million, often besting the S & P 500, a benchmark measure of stock market performance.

In turn, students get a résumé booster that helps them land jobs at prestigious investment banking firms such as Cantor Fitzgerald and Goldman Sachs.

Find out what students and a professor say about the program.

A new hope in the battle against cancer

A shot and a series of ultrasounds: If only finding early stage cancer were that easy.

Ohio State researchers say such a technique is on the way, after a study that paired nanotechnology research with the ultrasound machine.

"We ultimately want to identify disease at its cellular level, at its very earliest stage," said Jun Liu, assistant professor of biomedical engineering.

Learn more.

Center for black men named after Todd Bell

Todd Bell is best known for his talents on the football field: A defensive back, he played for Coach Woody Hayes at Ohio State before embarking on an NFL career with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles.

Fewer people know that Bell, who died of a heart attack last year, also was passionate about creating a campus center for undergraduate African American men. His dream became a reality with the opening of the African American Male Resource Center, which was recently renamed in Bell's honor.

Learn more about Bell and the center.

It's reunion time

One of Ohio State's great traditions is getting a makeover.

Starting this year, Reunion Weekend will be held in September, giving alumni the chance to take in a Buckeye football game when they come back to campus to reconnect with old friends.

This year's reunion is September 1 and 2, the weekend the Bucks face off against Northern Illinois.

Check out the schedule of events, or call (800) 862-5827 for more information.