College of Public Health and Human Sciences

Read on to learn more about the value of social media, marketing and communications in higher ed.

• Speeding Up Science is a video profiling an Oregon State University ichthyologist's use of social media to collaborate with his peers around the world.
  "The fact that we can spend just a little part of our days interacting with each other builds a personal connection that I think is an important part of the networking that's at the center of the scientific enterprise" - Dr. Sidlauskas
• Scientific American has a 5-ish part series Social Media for Scientists
  • Part 1: It's our job
  • Part 2: You do have time
  • Part 2.5: Breaking stereotypes
  • Part 3: Win-Win
  • Part 4: On the road
  • Part 5: It's time to e-volve
• Science and the Public - Why every lab should tweet is a companion slideshow to the Social Media for Scientists series and is about more than just twitter. I (Alan) would consider it a personal favor if you take a few minutes to look through this one.
• As Students Scatter Online, Colleges Try to Keep Up focusses on the difficulty in communicating with students given the fragmentation of messaging tools.

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

We value feedback from students and future alumni and encourage you to take the CPHHS Graduation Survey. Your feedback will help us improve the Oregon State University experience for future students and better serve our alumni.

Watch for an email from Dean Tammy Bray inviting you to take the survey. The email will be sent to your ONID account or to the alternative email you provided the university.

The CPHHS Graduation Survey is confidential and will take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

As a thank you for completing the survey, you can enter your name into a drawing to win:

• One of five $20 Starbucks gift cards or
• One of two college "Swag Bags"

Thank you in advance for your participation. We look forward to helping you celebrate this exciting milestone!

Please direct any questions to JoAnne Bunnage

American Society of Safety Engineers Fellowship for doctoral students in the Environmental & Occupational Health and Safety Program at Oregon State University.

Purpose

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is committed to creating a vibrant future for the field of occupational safety and health. Towards that end, ASSE has created a PhD fellowship opportunity in conjunction with Oregon State University to fund tuition costs for two PhD candidates admitted to Environmental & Occupational Health and Safety Program in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University.

The ASSE wants to ensure that there are enough qualified educators to teach the next generation of occupational safety and health professionals that have been schooled in formal academic research practices and pedagogy.
 
This fellowship program is also intended to support doctoral students who will conduct evidence-based research in the economic and financial analysis of occupational health and safety issues.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Basic Requirements
The ASSE doctoral fellowship program is only open to applicants that are natural or naturalized citizens of the United States. All candidates must have attended a higher education program in the United States. Proof of citizenship and a copy of the individual’s bachelor’s and master’s degree diploma will be required upon final offer.

2. Acceptance to Oregon State University
In order to apply for this fellowship, the applicant must initially apply to Oregon State University’s PhD program in Public Health with a concentration in Environmental & Occupational Health and Safety. For more information on the PhD program application requirements, please see the PhD graduate program page

3. Academic and Professional Background
Applicants for this PhD fellowship may have an academic and professional background in Public Health, Business, Engineering or other allied discipline.

4. Personal Statement and References
In addition to the OSU PhD program application materials, the applicant must submit a 2 page personal statement describing why they believe occupational health and safety is an important issue for the United States. In addition, the applicant must produce at least 2 references that can be contacted by OSU to validate the applicant’s intentions to teach and do research upon completion of their doctoral program.

Terms of Appointment

The fellowship recipient must enroll in the PhD program at Oregon State University as a full-time student for a period of three years.

Application Deadlines and Award Notification

All applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2014. All applicants will be notified of their status by May 30, 2014.

Week 5 means it’s almost time to meet with your academic advisor if you haven’t already done so this term.

Priority registration for fall term begins May 19, and your advisor can help you choose from different options and opportunities. To get ready, put together a list of potential classes for the fall term and any questions you may have. You can review your record to date and build a potential plan via MyDegrees.

In addition to other elements of the Baccalaureate Core, you should be making progress toward OSU’s first-year skills courses — including writing I, speech and mathematics — to be completed in your first 45 credits at Oregon State.

Make that advising appointment, and have a great week!

Not sure what to ask your advisor? Here are some things to consider:

• You’ve completed most of your first year. Think about what’s been working for you, what isn’t and what you’d like to do about it.
• How well does your current academic path fit with your interests, values and abilities?
• If you plan to stay on your current path, how can you take your involvement to the next level? Talk to your advisor or professors about internships, research and other opportunities to advance your experiences and skills.
• If you are hesitating or reconsidering your path, consider this listing of colleges and majors and talk with your advisor about next steps.
• Have you felt a spark so far this year? If so, where does it lead? Do you have new  questions, actions or goals as a result?

You’ve likely completed some midterms by now, and with those grades, you should have an idea of how well you’re doing in your classes. If you’re not sure, check the MyGrades area of Blackboard and/or contact your professors after class, during office hours or via email.

The best-case scenario is that you’re happy with your grades, and if so, continue doing what’s working. But if your grades could be better, you can take action to improve things before the end of the term.

When you contact your professors, ask for specific ways you can do better in their classes. It might be improving your listening, note taking or time management habits.

You can also get help from the Academic Success Center, Writing Center and Collaborative Learning Center (CLC). If you’re living on campus, take advantage of the weekly tutoring sessions in your residence hall. If you’re taking classes online, contact the Ecampus Student Services Center for assistance.

Still, there may be instances where even if you’re giving a class your best effort, you’re still concerned about your grade and how it might affect your GPA. Remember you have options, and your advisor can help you choose the right one:

• Consider changing your grading basis from A-F to Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) if it’s a bacc core class or not required for your major, minor or option. A grade of S — the equivalent of a C- or above — counts as credit toward graduation, but neither an S nor U grade affect your GPA. Changing to an S/U requires an advisor’s signature.
• Consider withdrawing from the class. This should be a last resort if you, your professor and/or advisor believe you’re not likely to pass. Keep in mind, however, that to retain your financial aid, you must remain a full-time student (12 credits or more) in most cases. A grade of W will appear on your transcript.

The deadline for switching to an S/U or W is Friday, May 17, so act now, and have a good week!

Last chance for S/U or W

Still thinking about an S/U or W for any of your classes? This is the week to decide.

The deadline for changing your grading basis to S/U  is 5 p.m. Friday and withdrawing from a class via the Web is 11:55 p.m. Friday. Your advisor can help you make the right decision, plus changing to an S/U requires an advisor’s signature, so contact your advisor today.

Summer is nearly here!

Deadlines for end-of-term papers and projects are rapidly approaching, so if you have any questions, contact your professors during office hours or ask after class. As always, the Academic Success Center, Writing Center, Collaborative Learning Center (CLC) and Ecampus Student Services Center are also ready to help.

Don’t forget to take care of yourself during Dead Week and finals. Take a break when you need to. Go work out at Dixon. Eat well. De-stress at the Mind Spa in Snell Hall. And get enough sleep. Pulling an all-nighter can leave you so tired you don’t remember what you spent all night studying.

Remember the Learning Goals for Graduates you first heard about when you arrived at Oregon State? They’re intended to guide your college experience so you’ll graduate with a well-rounded set of skills to succeed in your chosen career and your life beyond. With the academic year nearly over, take another look at the LGGs and your progress so far in achieving them.

As you wrap up the spring term and the academic year, congratulate yourself on your successes and don’t be too harsh on yourself for things that didn’t go so well. This whole first-year process is about growth and adjustment. Talk to your advisors if you have questions or concerns about moving forward next year.

And once you’re through with finals, by all means, enjoy the summertime. See you in the fall!