Author Archives: Zhian Kamvar

About Zhian Kamvar

Zhian got his Ph. D. in the department of Botany and Plant Pathology ( advisor: Dr. Niklaus Grünwald) developing software tools for genetic analysis of clonal populations. He has had a passion for radio ever since he started in 2004 at Truman State University’s radio station: KTRM, Kirksville. Beyond being a scientist and radio host, he speaks intermediate Korean and enjoys baking, writing music, listening to the Screaming Females, and watching bad SF/Horror movies.

When you can’t see the soil for the forest

Did you know that December 5th is World Soil Day? It’s only fitting that we would feature Kris Osterloh, a 3rd year Ph. D. student of Jay Noller in the department of Crop and Soil Science.

A soil core is carefully measured in the field. The data from this core and the surrounding ecology will help construct a model to understand the soils in the Willamette Valley National Forest

A soil core is carefully measured in the field. The data from this core and the surrounding ecology will help construct a model to map the soils in the Willamette Valley National Forest

Soil is more than just dirt in the ground, it’s rich and vibrant with life, and there are many, many different types of soil on this planet. Our soil is the reason civilization can exist, or as FDR so eloquently put it:

The Nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.

– Franklin D Roosevelt, 1937

Tonight at 7PM, Kris Osterloh will talk about his passion for soils and his research using computer models to rapidly map and understand the development of soils in the Willamette National Forest. With this knowledge in hand, we can understand how we can better manage the land to protect the soil and everything that comes from it.

Tune in Sunday, December 6th at 7PM Pacific on 88.7FM or stream at http://kbvr.com/listen to hear Kris’ tale of adventure, leadership, and science!

Kris Osterloh pauses for reflection in the field

Kris Osterloh pauses for reflection.

The ABCs of colony health

Think about the last time you bit into a nice, juicy apple. The crisp flesh and sweet flavor has been enjoyed for centuries. These are quite literally the fruits of the labor of pollinators. Since the mid-2000’s, however, honeybee health has been quite a concern with the onset of a widespread phenomena known as pollinator decline that includes such disorders such as Colony Collapse Disorder. One potential culprit for pollinator decline is the use of neonicotinoid insecticides, which are a new class of systemic insecticides.

Stephanie measuring the protein content of bees' hypopharyngeal glands (which produce food for the honey bee larvae) in response to the pesticide treatments

Stephanie measuring the protein content of bees’ hypopharyngeal glands (which produce food for the honey bee larvae) in response to the pesticide treatments (photo courtesy S. Parreira)

Stephanie scrapes newly-emerged honeybees for experimentation

Stephanie scrapes newly-emerged honeybees for experimentation (photo courtesy S. Parreira)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight at 7PM PST, Stephanie Parreira, a Masters student in the department of Horticulture, will talk with us about how she became interested in colony health. In particular she’s interested in finding out how neonicotinoids affect colony health when they consume it from pollen. Tune in on 88.7FM or stream at http://kbvr.com/listen to find out how a first-generation college student came to do first class research to help understand our pollinators’ plight.

Yes, This is being recorded: Having a conversation about 21st century technology with 20th century tape recordings

In the 21st century, the advent of cell phone video recordings and social media has made it easier for the voices of protesters to be heard. From the Arab Spring to the Ferguson protests, new technology has been instrumental in showing the world an unfiltered glimpse into the events as they happened. This method of communication did not exist before, but it had influences.

Tonight at 7PM PST, we speak with Rich Collins, a Masters student in the School of Writing, Literature, and Film about the influence of Zora Neale Hurston, Hunter S. Thompson, and gonzo journalism on the documentation of 21st century protests. We’ll walk through Collins’ journey about how his passion and deep interest for gonzo journalism has lead him to trying to studying literature and culture here at Oregon State University.

Tune in on 88.7FM in Corvallis at 7PM PST or you can stream it live online at http://kbvr.com/listen

The way you(r medicine) move(s through you)

When you take medicine for a headache, it goes through your stomach into your bloodstream. The blood with the medicine eventually goes to your head, relieving you of your pain. Of course, on the way to the brain, the medicine also has to move through other organs including your liver and your heart. How is this medicine affecting your body? How is your body affecting the medicine on its journey? How long does the medicine linger in the other parts of your body? These are the questions that Oregon State University graduate student Wenjing Li is trying to answer. Her research combines pharmacology and statistics to create a mathematical model of how medicine travels through the body.

Tonight, at 7PM PST, Wenjing Li will talk about her journey combining her love of math and background in pharmacology to studying pharmacokinetics here at Oregon State University. On the way, we will discuss the opportunities she has encountered and the many challenges she has faced as an international student from China. Listen to the conversation on 88.7FM in Corvallis or stream live at http://kbvr.com/listen

Adélie Penguins and the fight for survival on the final frontier

There are very few places on the earth’s oceans that have not felt human impact. In Antarctica, just south of New Zealand, the Ross Sea is one of the most pristine marine ecosystems, host to a vast array of marine life including sea stars, jellies, Orca whales, and Adélie penguins. This final frontier, away from human influence, makes it the perfect place to study the impacts of climate change.

Adiéle penguin jumping on to an ice sheet.

http://ocean.si.edu/slideshow/trip-south-antarctica%E2%80%99s-ross-sea (4th image) Photo Credit: John Weller

On Sunday, July 12, 2015 at 7PM (PST), Peter Kappes of the department of Fisheries and Wildlife will tell us about his journey that lead him to studying Adélie penguins on the Ross Sea. From endangered suckers in the Klamath to seabirds on remote islands in the pacific, we will learn how his >10 year journey led him to his research on how the change in sea ice levels might affect the breeding success of Adiéle penguins. In Antarctica, the land is protected, but the sea is not. This research has the potential to change that.

Be sure to tune in at 7PM (PST) on 88.7FM in Corvallis or stream us on the web at http://kbvr.com/listen.