Understanding the Amish: Persistence and Change

You are cordially invited to the next Emeritus Academy lecture, featuring

Joseph Donnermeyer
Professor Emeritus
School of Environment and Natural Resources

presenting his lecture:
“Understanding the Amish: Persistence and Change”

Learning about the Amish by watching a TV reality show about them is akin to claiming one is a Veterinarian (or alternatively, an entomologist) after viewing a full-length cartoon version of Charlotte’s Web. This lecture will guide the audience on a journey from the outer to the inner characteristics of the real Amish, who today represent one of the fastest growing religious groups in US society.

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017
Lecture: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Open to Public
Business Meeting and Refreshments to Follow

Grand Lounge
Faculty Club
181 S. Oval Dr.
Columbus, OH 43210

Click here for more information.

 

Big Impact: Why Impactful Reporting Matters and How to do it Better

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Office and the CFAES Grant Development Support Unit invite faculty members, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers to attend the workshop “Big Impact: Why Impactful Reporting Matters and How to do it Better.” Please note there are two sessions available – the Tuesday session is specifically geared toward new faculty members.

BIG IMPACT: Why Impactful Reporting Matters and How to do it Better
We are all responsible for reporting the impact of our research and extension activities. This dynamic and engaging workshop will help you hone your ability to tell your story so that the work you do and its impact reaches a broad audience. By the end of the workshop, you will:

  1. Have a greater appreciation for the critical role impact statements play in the success of agricultural research and Extension;
  2. Gain knowledge, skills, and experience needed to write high-quality impact statements and/or evaluate impact statements and identify the strongest ones;
  3. Be better prepared to clearly and concisely respond to inquiries from leadership, congressional staff, media, stakeholders, and others; and,
  4. Have a better idea of how strong impact statements can be leveraged across multiple platforms for diverse audiences.

Sarah Lupis is the Assistant Director for the Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors and the Program Director for the Impact Writing Initiative of the Multistate Research Fund. In these roles, she elevates stories about work being done by Agricultural Experiment Station researchers and Extension specialists and helps set the direction for education and information campaigns for the land-grant university system at the national level. Ms. Lupis graduated from the University of Massachusetts and Utah State University and previously worked as a science communication specialist for the National Park Service, a USAID-funded research program on livestock and climate change, and Colorado State University’s Institute for Livestock and the Environment.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017
This session is now open to all faculty and post-doctoral researchers, however it will be geared specifically to new faculty members. Please note that this session is extended and will be a full two hours (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.). Lunch will be provided for those who register before Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Click here to register to attend as soon as possible.

Date: Tuesday, November 7
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – this is an extended First Tuesdays session
Location: Ag. Admin. 250A, Columbus and Research Services 209, Wooster (video linked)
Attendance is limited to 35 in Columbus and 15 in Wooster

Wednesday, November 8, 2017
This session is geared toward all faculty, post-docs, and graduate students.

Click here to R.S.V.P. to this session as soon as possible.

Date: Wednesday, November 8
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: Longaberger Alumni House – Mount Leadership Room (first floor), 2200 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43210
Transportation: Transportation from the Wooster campus to the Columbus campus will be provided for those who register before Thursday, Nov. 2. Please indicate on the Qualtrics survey if you will need transportation.
Parking: Please use the attached parking pass in the LAH lot if you do not have an OSU parking permit.
Attendance is limited to 50.

LAH Parking Pass

Implicit Bias and Mitigation Strategies Training

The next Advising Development Series workshop will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 14 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center.

Implicit Bias and Mitigation Strategies

Kathy Lechman, PhD, Director, Equity and Inclusion, will facilitate this training.

The Objective of Unconscious Bias Training: Everyone has unconscious biases. This is a natural fact of being human. To help participants identify and understand their biases and to provide them with practical strategies for using that understanding to improve their performance.

Please RSVP to Julie Miller at miller.4325@osu.edu to attend and also visit Project Implicit site to complete 3 to 5 of the tests prior to Nov. 14.

Disability Services Training

Worker’s Compensation, Short and Long Term Disability, Transitional Work Program, Family Medical Leave – Have questions?  Get Answers!

Disability Services Training
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Parker Food Science and Technology, Room 114
2015 Fyffe Court, Columbus, Ohio 43210

OSU Integrated Absence Management and Vocational Services will present an overview on how each service applies and the process to follow. Presenters will share what to do if an employee is injured at work; when is an employee eligible for short and long term disability; what is the transitional work program; which time leave codes should an employee select when off work? And more…

Click here to register.

Enhanced YP4H Program and New Incentives for 2018

New in 2018, Your Plan for Health (YP4H) will feature enhancements through a new vendor partner, Virgin Pulse. The program will be more personal, mobile and focused on healthy habits with a new online platform and phone app. These enhancements mean it will be even easier to participate and will include more reward opportunities. An email with more detail will be sent to employees in advance of Open Enrollment. With Open Enrollment beginning Nov. 1, it’s important for employees to know that YP4H will offer more ways to help manage their health care costs. See more at HR Connect.

What you need to do:

  • Go to YP4H Incentive Program page to learn more about the YP4H enhancements and incentives.
  • Complete a PHA and biometric screening either with a primary care provider (download form) or at an on-campus event by Nov. 30, 2017.
  • Join an Open Enrollment webinar or sign up for a benefits forum.

New Online Job-Related Risk Assessment Tool Launches

The Office of Research and the Office of Environmental Safety are launching a web-based tool for conducting risk-based assessments — the Online Risk Assessment Tool (ORAT). It replaces the existing Occupational Health Registry on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Because it is important that you understand the potential risks associated with your research/job-related duties, the ORAT will walk you through the process for assessing potential risks due to contact with animals, hazardous agents, operations or environments.

If you have completed the Occupational Health Registry in the past, you will receive a notification near your next annual renewal date prompting you to complete the ORAT. If you have never completed an assessment but need to do so, please utilize the ORAT beginning Nov. 1.

Click here for more information.

EHS Safety Brief – Hearing Protection

Attached is a new “Safety Brief” poster from OSU Environmental Health and Safety.

This safety brief features “Hearing Protection”. Noise-induced hearing loss usually progresses unnoticed over a period of years. Hearing protection devices should be worn to reduce noise exposure where noise levels reach 85 decibels or higher. In this edition of the Environmental Health & Safety brief, learn OSHA’s exposure limits and how to protect your hearing.

Hearing Protection

Click here for more information on CFAES employee safety.

Discovery Themes Provost’s Lecture

J.D. Vance, best-selling author of Hillbilly Elegy, will propose a hands-on approach to problems facing his native state of Ohio—opioid addiction, under-preparedness of the workforce, and domestic instability— on Tuesday Nov. 7 at 4:30 p.m. in Mershon Auditorium.

Through his nonprofit organization, Our Ohio Renewal, he’ll tackle issues that shaped his upbringing in Middletown. Vance is an Ohio State alumnus and a scholar in residence in the Political Science Department. The lecture is free but registration is requested.

Click here for more information and to register.

Foods for Health Discovery Theme Seed Grant RFP Released

The FFH Seed Grant Competition is a university-wide initiative with a primary goal of advancing the use of metabolomics-based technology in food and nutrition research for the improvement of health. Successful proposals will focus on food and nutritional metabolomics, are innovative, collaborative, create value, result in presentations at professional meetings and peer-reviewed publications, and catalyze the submission of competitive extramural grants. The proposal deadline is January 8, 2018

Budget:
As many as five proposals will be awarded with a maximum of $25,000 per award for direct costs during a 12-month project period. No faculty salaries, fringe benefits or capital equipment (>$2,500 purchase price) will be supported. Travel essential for research is permitted, whereas travel expenses for professional meetings is not. Funds will be available for a 12-month project period with earliest starting date of March 19, 2018. Award funds will be incrementally transferred to the PI’s unit to initiate the investigation (60 percent) and after receipt of an acceptable progress report at 6 months (40 percent).

Eligibility:

  • One tenure track member of the faculty will serve as principal investigator (PI) along with one or more collaborating Co-PI(s). A minimum of one co-PI must be from a different department than the PI.
  • PI recipients of previous FFH Seed Grant Awards are not eligible to serve as PI for the 2018 competition. However, there is no restriction on the number of proposals for which an individual may serve as co-PI.
  • Co-PIs may include OSU faculty, research scientists and post-doctoral researchers.
  • New collaboration distinct from ongoing activities.

Click here to access the RFP.

Secrest Arboretum Curator Announced

Good afternoon, CFAES community. I am pleased to announce the appointment of Jason Veil as curator of the Secrest Arboretum. He will begin on January 16, 2018.

Jason brings nearly 20 years of experience in both the green industry and public garden management to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Most recently, he served as curator of horticulture for The Trustees of Reservations where he coordinated the initial documentation, improvement, and promotional efforts of 11 diverse public garden properties across the state of Massachusetts.

Jason has a bachelor’s degree in urban forestry from Penn State University and a master’s degree in plant collections curation and management from the University of Delaware.

I want to thank the faculty and staff who participated in the search committee. This position is extremely important to the college and the community of Wooster. We were fortunate enough to have a competitive pool of candidates, and their work helped identify the individuals that were best suited for this position.

I believe Jason’s education and experience along with his enthusiasm and compassion for plants will not only enhance the Secrest Arboretum but also inspire the next generation of horticulturists. Please join me in welcoming Jason to CFAES and the Wooster community.

Regards

Dave

David A. Benfield, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration
Director, Wooster Campus

Ohio Fruit News – October Issue Available Online

The Ohio Fruit News is put together by a team of Ohio State experts in fruit production and protection to provide timely and important plant pest and seasonal information. The goal is to reach as many of our diverse fruit growers in Ohio as possible!

Within this edition, articles with updates on tree development, stink bug impact, and blackberry production can be found as well as additional resources found on the last page.

Click here to check out the October issue.

CFAES IT Services Review – Update

In late August, we shared that the college was undergoing a CFAES IT Services Review. Below is an update on the planning process including decisions that have been made.

Since August, we developed and vetted several options for how we move ahead in addressing the recommendations. While some of you have not heard from us since the last update, the decision-making process included meeting several times with a small group of chairs/unit directors for feedback on the options and feedback from other units who partner with the Office of Chief Information Officer (OCIO) in various ways for Managed IT Services. Matt DeVore has also been an important partner in the process. After evaluating the options and carefully considering recommendations and feedback, the Dean has decided to move ahead with significant change in how CFAES approaches IT services. Managing IT and digital strategy has become increasingly complex and expensive. Centralizing Managed IT Services with OCIO will allow us to focus college IT staff on our unique IT needs. Our goal is to ensure a robust IT strategy and approach to management.

Below is a summary of plans for next steps with IT services:

  1. We have completed initial planning and will increase our partnership with OCIO to engage them more fully in strategic planning and management of our IT infrastructure and operations. We will kick off the expanded partnership as of Nov. 1 and work through a 60- to 90-day planning period. Expect an 18 to 24 month transition period, completed by 2020.
  2. This is not a reduction in CFAES IT Services employees, but it will involve change. That change  impacts our IT staff and those they currently serve. This impact has been an important concern in our planning.  There are rumors about layoffs that are not part of the plan. We anticipate individual IT responsibilities and expectations will change, and will work with each staff member and their supervisor on what that change will look like.
  3. Details are to be determined. The first phase is planning details of what the partnership will look like, HR changes, and a change management plan.
  4. Matt DeVore has agreed to lead transition, working closely with both OCIO and CFAES teams in a change management role.

We will update all CFAES faculty and staff as decisions are made and plans unfold.

InFACT Linkage and Leverage Seed Grant Program – Oct. 31 Deadline

The Initiative for Food and AgriCultural Transformation (InFACT) invites you to submit proposals for our Linkage and Leverage seed grant program.

Please see the RFP for more information. A few important points are noted below. Questions may be directed to Nicole Pierron Rasul, InFACT Program Coordinator (pierronrasul.1@osu.edu).

Grant Cycles, Application Deadlines, and Funding Available
Three grant cycles will be offered during the 2017-2018 academic year with multiple awards funded each cycle. Grant proposals received by the following deadlines will be considered for funding, subject to the availability of remaining uncommitted funds:

  • October 31, 2017
  • January 31, 2018
  • April 30, 2018

The amount of funding for a single award may vary from a minimum of $1,500 to a maximum of $35,000. We expect a total of $250,000 to be available for all awards over the three cycles.

Eligibility
Teams of faculty, staff, students, and external partners may apply, with one member of the team identified as the project director. If a project director does not hold an OSU appointment (faculty or staff), they must have an OSU faculty or staff member as a co-director, and that person will be responsible for fiscal management of the grant.