PSU Magazine Spring 2002

N O U N D T H E P A R K B L O C K S What's brewing in biotechnology food laboratories Genetically m dified produce that resists pests, survives drought, and stays fre h longer in the supermarket has private industry's stomach rum– bling in anticipation of profits, while university scientists are alivating over the research challenge. Whether you think genetically modified (GM) food is a good idea or not, biotech compa– nies and univer ity laboratorie are busily cooking up new foods together. But if they are uccessful, who will benefit-industry, academia, or the public? Dave Ervin, profe or of envi– ronmental sciences, aims to find out with a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He is heading a team of researchers who will as ess if relationships between univer– sities and private biotechnology com– panies serve the public good or if they might result in products being less available for public use. "There is very little information available to describe how the univer– sity-firm relationships are function– ing," says Ervin. He and researchers from Oregon State University, Univer– sity of California-Davis, Clark on University ( ew York), the Wallace Center for Agricultural and Environ– mental Policy of Winrock Interna– tional, and the Farm Foundation expect to find many kind of relation- "Reaching Bovana" is the name given by PSU students to their creation in the Kows for Kids fund-raising campaign in Portland. The students decided their kow's interior was more exciting than the exterior, prompt– ing them to cut it in half and insert a monitor that plays a high-speed video of the inner workings of Portland. The PSU kow is now grazing in Pioneer Courthouse Square until an auction in July. Proceeds from Kows for Kids will go to New Avenue for Youth and Trillium Family Services. 2 PSU MAGAZINE SPRING 2002 hips-ones where all partie benefit and others where the balance i off and one entity is taking advantage of the others. The study will not judge whether GM foods are good or bad. "We'll try to assess the relationships that are influ– encing the kinds of projects c ming out," he says. Project investigators will interview and urvey univer ity and industry personnel and test socio– economic model . Their findings will be used to identify problems and poten– tial po licies to foster the development of products with traits that promote widespread public benefit , including improved environmental conditions. Miss America to address graduating class of 2002 PSU tudent Katie Harman will share insights from her reign as 2002 Miss America with graduating Portland State tudents at the 2002 Spring Commencement ceremony. The event will take place June 16 at 10 a.m. in the Ro e Garden Arena. I "I am delighted that Katie Harman has accepted our invitation to speak at commencement," say President Dan Bemstine. "At a time of national challenge, Katie has ri en to the occa– sion and inspired millions." As a national spokesper on and advocate for women with breast cancer, Harman travels the country increasing awareness about upport needed by these women. She i pursu– ing degrees in speech communication and vocal performance from Portland State and received more than 75,000 in scholar hip a si tance with the Miss America titl . Approximately 2,500 graduating students and 400 faculty will partici– pate in thi year's commencement ceremony, which is expected to last two hours and 30 minutes.