The Mid-America Cooperative Council and MSU Product Center are hosting a two-day forum for Michigan cooperative board and management staff members. The 2007 Cooperative Education Forum for Directors and Senior Management will take place Aug.
The MSU Bug House buzzed Wednesday, and it wasn't just the bees. Kids shuffled from cage to cage, eyes glued on the critters inside.
It wasn't until he went to college at Massachusetts Institute of Technology that Vincent Young discovered his interest in research. And it wasn't until he came to MSU that he realized his interest crossed into departments many medical doctors wouldn't dream of studying. Young, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine/Infectious Diseases at the College of Human Medicine and the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, is working on microbial ecology research, studying bacteria communities. However, Young is trained as a medical doctor, and the other researchers often work with bacteria in the soil, not in the human body. "We had to do a lot of convincing of the National Institute of Health that a person who is normally working in soil can contribute to medical fields," Young said about the struggle acquiring the grant he recently received from the institute. For Young, the idea of being a medical doctor originated growing up in Buffalo, NY. "When I was little, I was always thinking, 'You know, it would be kind of fun to be a doctor because you're going to help people,' and research wasn't anything I was exposed to when I was little," he said. So the idea to be both a doctor and a researcher came when he discovered the MD/doctorate programs that exist, which train students as both doctors and scientists, he said. "It's the idea that I learned both about the disease - and in medical school you have to learn a bit about the basic science of the disease - but I realized ? how did people find all this so we can try to design new therapies or have a new understanding of disease?" Young said, adding that he did an MD/doctorate program at Stanford University. For Young, the best part of the job is the social aspect. "If you just look at the type of research I do where I'm collaborating with people in crop and soil sciences and microbiology - for me, some of the best things about coming to work is when I get together with my colleagues and we get to talk about the science," he said. Basics of Research: For most of Young's career, he has been focusing his studies on disease-causing bacteria located in the human gastrointestinal tract.
Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives announced Wednesday plans to create five task forces that would allow more direct contact and input from taxpayers. Starting this month, the task forces will travel across the state, holding public meetings for citizens and political experts to discuss issues facing the state for the Republican's new agenda.
The 28th annual Ag Expo will feature a Project GREEEN exhibit about the benefits of native plants. Running July 17-19 at the northwest corner of Farm Lane and Mt.
Farmers interested in improving Michigan's soybean crop and can enter the 2007 Michigan Soybean Yield Contest. Contestants will provide researchers with data on planting, harvests, and pest and crop management to help increase yields and profitability.
The Michigan Supreme Court has declared July to be Juror Appreciation Month in an effort to raise awareness about jury service. "It's an occasion that's been declared by the Michigan Supreme Court to recognize people who have served on juries and to recognize the importance of jury service and its role in democracy," said Marcia McBrien, public information officer for the Michigan Supreme Court. Forty-one courts in 28 counties will participate, including Lansing's 54-A District Court. "It's understandable (duty) is not the way people want to spend their time," McBrien said.
The MSU Bug House will host an open house for the general public 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday in room 147 at the Natural Science Building.
From how grass gets cut to what's being used to scrub toilets, some university departments are turning to more environmentally friendly ways to run MSU. In the everyday tasks to operate a major university, employees are making small changes to protect the environment, which also can end up saving money. Instead of using diesel gasoline, mowers now use biodiesel fuels when they mow grass on campus, said Gerry Dobbs, the grounds maintenance manager. Biodiesel fuels, which can be made from soybean oil, burn cleaner than diesel fuels, Dobbs said, adding that they also use biodiesel lubricants, oils and grease for other equipment. The department mows most areas every other week to save on fuel. "On a population-dense campus, we're especially concerned about carbon emissions," Dobbs said. Department workers mow highly visible areas of campus more frequently, such as the area near the Administration Building, and use a higher blade so grass doesn't need to be mowed as often, Dobbs said. Walking south of the Red Cedar River, some passers-by may even notice "no-mow zones" where the grass is tamed as little as once a year. "With the 'no-mow zones,' we're trying to create a habitat for birds, beneficial insects and other native species," Dobbs said. He said higher grass helps prevent runoff of fertilizers and other substances into the river. Other departments use substitutes to help clean up the environment. MSU custodial services use a "green" cleaner for tasks like washing the floors, said Gus Gosselin, director of building services. To see another way MSU officials make an effort to help the environment, look up. The university is experimenting with "green roofs" on top of the Plant and Soil Sciences and the Communication Arts and Sciences buildings. The flat roofs are covered with a membrane that decrease energy costs, protect the buildings from extreme weather and help hold storm water, said Brad Rowe, a horticulture associate professor. The larger, 3,500 square feet of roof atop the Plant and Soil Sciences building helps hold storm water.
In an effort to balance the state's budget, 20 of Michigan's 138 state forest campgrounds have been temporarily shut down Monday. The decision came after $75,000 was eliminated from the state's Department of Natural Resources Recreation and Trails Program. The cut means fewer camping spots and more canceled trips, which could hurt northern Michigan's economy, said Rep.
Students can renew their MSU Student Alumni Foundation membership for the 2007-08 school year and enter to win a $50 gift certificate to Spartan Bookstore in the International Center or Eastwood Towne Center, 3003 Preyde Blvd., in Lansing.
As the camera captured her every move, Eileen Zimmerman walked toward a penny on the ground Tuesday afternoon. It was the opening shot of film as the 16-year-old acted in a short movie about a girl who finds a not-so-lucky penny during MSU's weeklong Digital Cinema Day Camp.
The Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, a nonprofit, trail-advocacy organization, is hosting a mountain bike ride called Michigander Bicycle Tour on July 14-20.
The list of celebrity victims includes Pamela Anderson, Naomi Judd, Mickey Mantle, James Earl Ray and Steven Tyler. But hepatitis C, a deadly virus which affects more than 4 million Americans, now will be tackled by a new Michigan task force. The Hepatitis C Advisory Task Force will advise the governor and Legislature on policies for reducing the risk of hepatitis C, said T.J.
The last time Carol Facca saw her first child alive was 20 years ago. Her then 3-month old son, Kyle, died at day care of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, on the first day Facca returned to work from maternity leave. "After Kyle was born, I felt like I knew what life was all about.
The blue police cruisers that roam the streets of East Lansing soon could become more like the talking car David Hasselhoff fought crime in during the 1980s - Knight Rider. While the East Lansing Police Department's patrol cars will not shoot back sarcastic one-liners, officers will be able to talk to their cars, if the East Lansing City Council approves a contract at tonight's meeting to install upgrades to the fleet's on-board computer systems. If the contract is approved, each cruiser's computer will be updated with voice recognition software and other upgrades, which would create a hands-free link between the driver and the information he or she needs. "The biggest thing is officer safety," said Juli Liebler, East Lansing's deputy police chief.
A new bill is being considered in the Michigan House of Representatives that would levy a tax on phones is coming under fire from Michigan's telephone companies. The bill would place a monthly charge of $1.35 on every phone in the state including landlines, cell phones, and Voice over Internet Protocol. The Telecommunications Association of Michigan launched a print and radio ad campaign Thursday intended to raise awareness about the bill and how it could affect Michigan residents if passed. Called "Hang Up the Phone Tax," the campaign is aimed at informing voters about what the bill does so they can call their legislators, said Scott Stevenson, president of the Telecommunications Association of Michigan. "The state is trying to shift $200 million on the bills of telephone users," Stevenson said.
Fundraisers come in cans. The 10 cents refund received on bottles and cans will go to a greater cause with the MSU Women's Resource Center "Cans for the Cure" bottle drive. Collection bins are set up and the bottle campaign will run until Oct.
For Freddie Cunningham, kids are crucial to a successful concert. "They have that natural energy and enthusiasm, and adults sometimes have gotten too sophisticated and cool to do that," said Cunningham, lead singer of the Root Doctor band, which performed for East Lansing's Live!
If you had 24 hours with the Stanley Cup, what would you do? "I would date the Cup.