“100 Years of Research and Beyond”
Stephen W. S. McKeever
Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer
Oklahoma State University
For more than 100 years, Oklahoma State University 's land-grant mission has served as our guiding light in academics, extension and research. Those dedicated to this mission—then and now—have established this university as one exhibiting excellence on all these fronts. In celebration of Oklahoma's Centennial and OSU's annual research week activities (February 19-23), I want to reflect on OSU's vision for research and the part it has played in shaping this great state for more than a century.
As an agriculture and mechanical engineering school, OSU scientists set out to serve Oklahomans engaged in farming and ranching. The legacy of those pioneers forms the basis for our modern research initiatives. No doubt those early-day scientists felt the same sense of personal satisfaction experienced by OSU scientists in today's research environment. In that respect, not a lot has changed. What has changed is the nature and the magnitude of the problems we face.
The challenges are more global and have greater consequences. Yet, our scientists seem more determined than ever to solve the most urgent problems. OSU's scientists excel at delivering life-saving research where it is most needed, by improving the quality of life of all our citizens and for future generations, and through cutting-edge research that advances technological innovation leading to new companies, new jobs and a more robust economy. What more can we ask?
Jacque Fletcher, OSU plant pathologist, discovered that the resources needed to address a national priority—microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity—exist right here in Oklahoma . She proposed and will direct the National Institute for Microbial Forensics and Food & Agricultural Biosecurity (NIMFFAB) to perform research not being done anywhere else in the country. E. coli outbreaks, mad cow disease and the anthrax scare indicate the relevance of this type of research. Fletcher's insight and expertise were instrumental in making this happen.
Recently, President Bush and Governor Henry addressed the need to produce alternative fuels in response to the nation's energy demand. OSU's “grassohol” research led by Ray Huhnke, professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering, will play an important role in reducing the country's gasoline consumption by producing ethanol from switchgrass. A recent OSU study predicts a 100-million-gallon-year biomass-to-ethanol conversion facility would provide over $25 million to local farmers and create 30 new jobs.
An interdisciplinary research team from the OSU-Center for Health Sciences and OSU-Stillwater has collaborated to develop ways to capture information from biomedical signals. The result is the OSU Center for Biomedical Signal Analysis and Integrative Diagnostics, and it promises to advance diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. In the fall, OSU-Okmulgee will launch the Nanoscientific Instrumentation Technology Program to train high-performance technicians needed by industries migrating to nanotechnology. And, one of our newest research ventures—the University Multispectral Laboratories, a National Sensor Testing Facility in Ponca City and Stillwater—will attract federal funding and new business to the region by providing comprehensive sensor testing and evaluation services.
I have to mention three prestigious awards given to OSU researchers in 2006:
? Donna Branson received the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation Award for development of life-saving body armor used by the U.S. military in Iraq . Branson says the experience has been life altering. She is directing the new Institute for Protective Apparel Research and Technology.
? Elizabeth Catlos was named the Geological Society of America's Top Young Scientist for research related to crustal plates colliding in the Himalayas and extreme crustal extension in western Turkey . Catlos says understanding the geology of a region will help researchers better understand devastating natural disasters and predict future events.
? Jim Smay received the President's Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for a ‘rapid prototyping' process he perfected using different ceramic materials for a myriad of applications: new dental materials, bone scaffolds and photonic band-gap structures and sensors. Smay was also recognized for his outstanding education outreach program targeted at Native American high school students in Oklahoma .
What's notable about the myriad of research programs at OSU is the part they play in enriching our lives while growing a stronger, more vital economy for Oklahoma 's next 100 years.
