May 25, 2004 News Releases
Released 5/21/04
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 5-21-04
DEPT.
OF COMMERCE HONORS UTAH STATE'S INNOVATION CAMPUS
LOGAN, Utah – The U.S. Department of Commerce named Utah
State University's Innovation Campus winner of the 2004 Economic
Development Award for successfully starting 53 new companies
since its inception 18 years ago that now generates more than
$75 million in annual revenues.
In payroll alone, the 1,950 employees linked to Innovation Campus
are worth more than $50 million to Utah's economy and $250 million
based on the standard economic multiplier of five, said M.K.
Jeppesen, associate vice president for research and Innovation
Campus director.
The commerce department's Economic Development Administration
(EDA) oversees the annual awards program.
Nominations from around the country are reviewed by a seven-member
EDA selection panel. Utah State's Innovation Campus was selected
for the Rural Economic Development Award, along with the City
of Lincoln, Ala. Generally, 12 organizations are nominated from
among seven categories, said an EDA spokesman.
Utah was honored by the EDA last year, when the Utah Smart Site
Program received the 2003 Excellence in Economic Development
Award in the category of Innovation and was a finalist in the
category of Regional Competitiveness.
Bob Olsen, EDA Denver regional director, said of Innovation
Campus during his April visit that it was extremely well-managed.
"Integrating university activities with private activities
seems to work well at the Innovation Campus," Olsen said.
"Utah State also seems to have made the Innovation Campus
and its economic development goals a top university priority."
The EDA award winners represent the best and brightest of today's
research-based, market-driven economic development organizations,
said David Sampson, EDA assistant secretary. The Rural Economic
Development Award was rough competition; a virtual tie between
Innovation Campus and the City of Lincoln.
The runner-up finalist in the same category is the Joint Industrial
Development Authority of Wythe County, Va. Other category winners
include City of San Diego Community and Economic Development;
Goodwill Industries of South Florida; and Maryland Department
of Business and Economic Development.
Utah State President Kermit L. Hall said the award underscores
the "innovation" that drives Innovation Campus, which
is now poised more than ever for growth.
"It is an example of how the research university stimulates
economic development and makes a direct contribution to the
state's economy to the tune of millions of new dollars,"
he said. "We appreciate the national recognition this award
is giving us."
The selection came at the end of an intense competitive process.
"We recognize that it's going to prompt even greater demand
for the services Innovation Campus provides that will require
additional development of land associated with the Agricultural
Experiment Station," Hall said.
It is a future forged in partnerships that is key to continued
prosperity, according to Utah Gov. Olene Walker. Earlier in
the year, the governor challenged Utah State University and
the University of Utah to combine research efforts, where possible,
to develop stronger economic partnerships with the state. A
plan is expected to be unveiled this fall.
In the Spring 2004 edition of Wasatch Digital iQ magazine, Walker
said Utah's technology sector looks brilliant and is an untapped
resource. "We’ve got to enhance that dimension …
and make that partnership between the private sector and the
research universities even stronger."
Utah State Vice President for Research Brent Miller said the
award reflects the attention Innovation Campus is attracting
of late, inspired by Hall's vision to partner the university
and the research park's innovation.
Miller called the recently completed master plan of the adjacent
38-acre campus "tremendously exciting," pointing to
an improved Utah State University campus with stronger academic,
business and government partnerships.
The new master plan includes an estimated 30-year blueprint
with an expansion to 150 acres, and an increase of 10,000 employees,
compared to 5,000 currently employed at Utah State. It is estimated
that these new workers will increase Cache Valley's population
by at least 35,000 people. During this period, Innovation Campus
is expected to expand to 5 million square feet, about what Utah
State University is today.
This growth is expected because of the research connection and
the high caliber of people this combination attracts, said Teresa
McKnight, Innovation Campus manager. "It’s what sets
us apart from other organizations," she said. "We
have solid relationships and support with Utah State's top faculty
and student researchers."
Past winners include the New Community Corporation Technology
(Newark, N.J.), Grissom Redevelopment Authority – Grissom
Aeroplex (Peru, Ind.) and the City of Englewood, Colo.
Award winners have been invited to highlight their successful
strategies at EDA's national conference "The Innovation
Imperative: Translating Ideas into Regional Prosperity,"
June 8-10 in Washington, D.C. The awards presentation ceremony
will be June 9 in the courtyard of the Rayburn House Office
Building on Capitol Hill at 6 p.m.
To find out more information about Innovation Campus and its
collaborative organizations, visit www.usu.edu/innovationcampus,
or call McKnight at (435) 797-9606.
Date: May 21, 2004
Contact: M. K. Jeppesen, (435) 797-1227
John DeVilbiss, (435) 797-1358
Writers: Ashley Stolworthy, (435) 797-1355
Anna McEntire, (435) 881-1323
John DeVilbiss, (435) 797-1358
TEEN WORKSHOPS
FOR ANIMATION/CLAYMATION AND VIDEO DOCUMENTARY
LOGAN — The summer season is about to begin, and parents
will soon pose that age-old question — "what can
the kids do?"
Two workshops designed especially for teenagers provide a good
possibility. Presented by the Alliance for the Varied Arts (AVA)
and co-sponsored by the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation and the
education program of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art
at Utah State University, the workshops are designed for two
age groups and are taught by Utah State faculty member Alan
Hashimoto and his team.
Session one is June 28 to July 2 and is open to 12- to 14-year-olds.
Session two is July 19-22 and is designed for 15- to 17-year-olds.
The workshops run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be held at
AVA, 35 W. 100 South, Logan.
"Internationally renowned computer graphics artist Alan
Hashimoto and his team will guide students through the steps
to create a short film," said Nadra Haffar-Peragallo, education
coordinator at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art. "State-of-the-art
digital equipment and animation and editing software has been
generously funded by the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation and will
be used in the workshop."
Based on the theme of pets, students attending the workshops
will concentrate their animation and documentation efforts to
promote an awareness of Four Paws Rescue and shelter, Haffar-Peragallo
said. Four Paws is a private, nonprofit organization that rescues
dogs and cats and places them in loving, responsible homes.
It was founded in June 2000 in Cache Valley by Lisa Shaw.
Screenings of the films take place at the workshops' conclusion.
The films will also be shown during the school year for increased
exposure to the Four Paws message.
In session one, participants spend five days experimenting with
various techniques involved with animation and claymation, including
storyboarding, still-shot video production and manipulation
of images through specialized computer software. Students will
work in teams and will create a short film by the conclusion
of the workshop.
In session two, the older students spend four days learning
the techniques of creating a short documentary film. The workshop
covers the techniques of interviewing and on-site video production
using a variety of digital media.
Tuition for session one is $144 and tuition for session two
is $120. The minimum enrollment of 10 students is required by
June 1. To register or for more information, contact AVA at
(435) 753-2970 or Haffar-Peragallo at nadra.peragallo@usu.edu
or (435) 245-0259.
May 21, 2004
Contact: Nadra Haffar-Peragallo (435) 797-8207
Writer: NEH museum
PLANT DISEASES
101
LOGAN — Gardening gurus may notice abnormalities in the
landscape this time of year and wonder what disease or insect
has invaded their space. A basic understanding of plant diseases
is the first step toward solving plant problems.
According to Loralie Cox, Utah State University Cache County
Extension horticulturist, a plant disease may be broadly defined
as any instance when a plant differs from a normal, healthy
plant, either in function or structure. Gardeners must be familiar
with a healthy plant to understand if there is a problem.
"A diseased plant may be shorter, have fewer leaves, have
abnormal coloration, wilt, die prematurely or not produce flowers
or fruit," she said. "Whatever causes the disease
is called a plant pathogen and may either be living or non-living.
A living (parasitic) plant pathogen can be a fungus, bacteria
or virus. Non-living (non-parasitic) plant pathogens include
frost, hail, herbicides, high temperatures, drought or overwatering."
Plant disease is an interaction between the host plant and a
pathogen in an environment favorable for growth of the disease
organism, Cox noted. Three things must be present for a disease
to develop — a host, the pathogen and a favorable environment.
If one of these elements is missing, the disease cannot occur.
Smart gardeners should do away with one of these elements before
problems have a chance to develop.
"A plant that is adequately watered, fertilized and maintained
will resist the incidence of disease and insect attack more
readily than a plant under stress," she said. "Plants
that are outside their natural habitat tend to become stressed.
For example, quaking aspen are native to the high mountain areas.
They grow on north-facing slopes in well-drained, fertile soil
and cool temperatures. When transplanted into valley locations
with poor-draining soils and high summer temperatures, they
struggle to survive. Removing the host and replacing it with
a plant more suited to the area would eliminate development
of diseases specific to stressed quaking aspens."
Plant selection is one way to effectively control many diseases.
Modifying the environment is another way to create conditions
that are unfavorable for disease development, said Cox.
"If certain fungal diseases develop in cool, moist conditions,
gardeners should avoid overwatering during cool periods in the
spring and fall," she continued. "If a disease has
a tendency to overwinter in plant material, diseased branches
or leaves should be removed and destroyed before the pathogen
has a chance to spread. Root diseases that develop in wet soils
are eliminated by creating good drainage or rescheduling irrigation.
Diseases that favor high humidity, such as powdery mildew, can
be reduced by thinning or spacing plants to allow proper air
circulation."
Take the time to correctly identify the disease and the plant
that is affected. This will help tremendously in determining
control measures, Cox concluded.
May 21, 2004
Writer: Julene Reese, 435-760-9302
Contact: Loralie Cox, 435-752-6263
ASK A SPECIALIST:
DO YOU HAVE SAFETY TIPS FOR ATV RIDERS?
Four-wheel all terrain vehicles (ATVs) are popular recreational
and work vehicles for millions of Americans. The U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission determined that between 1997 and 2001,
the number of ATV riders increased 36 percent, from 12 million
to more than 16 million.
During this five-year period, ATV riding time increased 50 percent
to almost 2,400 million hours annually. With this increase in
popularity, annual ATV injuries jumped 104 percent, from less
than 50,000 to almost 112,000.
Excessive speed and loss of control are common reasons for ATV
accidents, and there are specific groups of riders more prone
to injuries. These groups include youth under the age of 16,
inexperienced operators during their first year of driving and
recreational riders.
Parents should make sure children are properly trained before
riding ATVs and supervise them when they ride.
Consider these safety guidelines for ATV riders.
• Ride at a controlled speed. This should be done within
the operator’s abilities and within the capabilities of
the machine.
• Wear appropriate safety equipment. This includes a
helmet, shatter-resistant eye protection, long pants, a long-sleeved
shirt, gloves and boots that cover ankles. Utah law requires
riders under the age of 18 to wear helmets.
• Make sure drivers are licensed or certified. Utah law
requires ATV operators to have a driver’s license or,
for youth under the age of 16, a safety education certification
earned by completing an ATV course. Only youth eight years and
older may legally operate an ATV on public lands, and youth
under the age of 16 must be supervised by an adult when operating
an ATV.
• Do not carry a passenger unless the ATV is designed
to do so.
• Do not travel on paved roads. ATVs are not designed
to operate on pavement.
• Be cautious when riding in the dark. Because visibility
is decreased, operators should drive slowly and carefully.
• As with any vehicle, drivers should not operate ATVs
when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Regularly maintain ATVs to ensure safe operation.
For a brochure on ATV safety and training, contact the Utah
Division of Parks and Recreation Off Highway Vehicle Education
office at 801-538-7433 or 800-OHV-RIDE. The brochure, Highlights
from Utah Off-Highway Vehicle Laws and Rules, is also available
at www.stateparks.utah.gov/ohv/laws.htm. It describes the requirements
for ATV registration, age and education, equipment, helmets,
safety, courtesy, ethics and appropriate and prohibited riding
locations in Utah.
For assistance concerning ATV registration, contact a Utah Division
of Motor Vehicles office or call 801-297-7780 or 1-800-DMV-UTAH.
Visit http://extension.usu.edu/cooperative/aska/ to see other
“Ask A Specialist” columns.
Direct column topics to Julene Reese, Utah State University
Extension, Logan, UT 84322-0500, 435-760-9302; julener@ext.usu.edu
May 21, 2004
Answer by: Richard Beard, Utah State University Extension Agricultural
Engineering Specialist
utah
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