My name is Joey Hulbert and I are graduate student in BPP. Zhian Kamvar and I have a science communication radio show on KBVR that features graduate students. The program has existed since February 2012 and we have probably already featured students in your program.
We are currently looking for graduate students to feature over the summer. We would greatly appreciate it if you could share the following message with the graduate students in your programs.
Everyone I’ve spoken to over the last few days has deemed the 1st Annual CIA (Chemistry is Awesome) Party to be a huge success. I would personally like to thank everyone who helped make it all happen and share some links to the press coverage we’ve been made aware of so far. THANK YOU!! – Luanne
Originally printed in Terra Magazine – Courtesy of Nick Houtman
Professor Rich G. Carter (left), co-founder and CEO of Valliscor LLC, confers with Rajinikanth Lingampally, a research associate at Oregon State. (Photo: Chris Becerra)
A good recipe depends on high-quality ingredients. That’s as true in industry (electronics, food products, chemical manufacturing) as it is in our kitchens. So when two Willamette Valley chemists developed methods for producing industrial chemicals with exceptional purity, they saw a business opportunity. The result is a new company: Valliscor. Co-founded in 2012 by Rich G. Carter, professor and chair of the Oregon State University Department of Chemistry, and industrial chemist Michael Standen, Valliscor produces organic building blocks for the pharmaceutical, electronics and biotech sectors. Its first product is a compound known as bromofluoromethane (BFM). BFM is a critical ingredient in the synthesis of fluticasone propionate, the active component in two popular medications: Flonase, a nasal spray; and Advair, an asthma inhaler. “The company was created to exploit the synergy between industrial know-how and academic innovation,” says Carter. “Valliscor harnesses licensed technology from Oregon State and from industrial partners to provide unique and cost-effective solutions for producing high-value chemicals. We can provide ultra-high purity materials that are superior to those offered by our competitors.” Before founding Valliscor, Carter and Standen had collaborated on numerous projects over the past 10 years, including the commercialization of an “organocatalyst” called Hua Cat, an advance in environmentally friendly chemical manufacturing. The OSU Research Office and the Advantage Accelerator program have been key to the company’s growth, Carter adds. “We’ve had great mentorship and guidance from the Advantage Accelerator leadership: Mark Lieberman, John Turner and Betty Nickerson. When we get stuck on a problem, they are just a phone call away.” The Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) supported the company in 2012 with proof-of-concept funding and guidance from commercialization specialists Jay Lindquist and Michael Tippie and from Skip Rung, ONAMI executive director.
Academic Affairs is offering compensation and course development support during Fall 2014 for redesign of established undergraduate classroom courses as hybrid courses to be offered in Spring or Summer 2015. These funds are in support of participation in a hybrid faculty learning community and course redesign. Academic Affairs will allocate $2,000 per course to each participating faculty member. Proposals are due June 12. See Request for Proposals; contact cub.kahn@oregonstate.edu if you have questions.
The Beaver Champion Award is given each year at University Day to an individual or individuals for outstanding effort and achievement of excellence, extra effort beyond that requested, and performance of the highest quality. The President’s office invites nominations for the 2014 Beaver Champion Award, which will be awarded on University Day. Please send your letter of nomination to President Edward Ray, Office of the President, 600 Kerr Administration Building, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331.
