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DAILYBAROMETER
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2015 VOL. CXVIII, NO. 7
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Experts speculate how Corvallis may be affected by Cascadia earthquake
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By Lindsay Free
Experts urge Oregon residents to prepare for Cascadia earthquake, give tips on how By Lindsay Free
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
When the New Yorker published its now-viral article about the Cascadia subduction zone, people began to panic about the impending earthquake and tsunami. Entitled “The Really Big One”, the article painted a dismal picture of what life will be like after the quake, estimating that everything west of Interstate 5 would be ‘toast.’ But how worried should we really be? “It will not be pretty,” said Chris Higgins, a civil and construction engineering professor at OSU whose work includes researching the performance of structures during earthquakes. “But, I’m not willing to say it’s as bad as what was projected.” The Cascadia subduction zone separates the Juan de Fuca plate and the North American plate and is about 1,000 kilometers long, running from Cape Mendocino, California all the way up to Northern Vancouver Island. Tension is slowly building as the Juan de Fuca plate moves forward and wedges beneath the North American plate. At some unknowable moment, the tension will exceed the fault’s frictional strength and the fault will slip, resulting in a massive earthquake. Oregon has a lot to do to be prepared for a natural disaster of this magnitude. Unlike Japan, where earthquakes are a common occurrence, much of Oregon’s infrastructure isn’t
When the big one hits, how we’ll fare in the aftermath may be determined more by human nature than Mother Nature. “We are aggressively naïve when we want to be,” said Patrick Corcoran, a faculty member in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, as well as the Coastal Hazards Outreach Specialist through the OSU extension office in Clatsop County. Corcoran’s job is to educate people about coastal hazards, and how to adapt their lifestyles and behavior to become more resilient to these risks. A key part of this is getting OSU’s research into the hands of community leaders and helping them utilize it to benefit their areas. Essentially, Corcoran works to align people’s behavior with the risks of living in an area where large scale earthquakes and tsunamis can occur. This, as it turns out, is much easier said than done. Because the ground hasn’t severely shaken here since the last Cascadia earthquake struck in 1700, generations upon generations of people in the Pacific Northwest have never experienced an earthquake. This has led to a complete lack of what Corcoran calls ‘earthquake culture,’ or a culture in which earthquakes are expected and conversations about them have been normalized. This is perhaps why so many people are finding it difficult to think about the
See Aftermath | page 3
Graphic by eric Winkler | THE SUMMER BAROMETER
As the threat of a large earthquake from the Cascadian subduction zone gets increased press and attention, Oregon State researchers respond to how Corvallis might be affected and comment on how to prepare.
See Prepare | page 3
Oregon State University aids farmers, hires slug researcher Oregon farmers facing a surge of cropconsuming slugs will get help finding solutions from Oregon State research n
By Julianna Cooper
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Courtesy of Robin Rosetta
An Arion species of slugs dine on garden greens in a Tigard garden in May 2005.
New technologies emerge from OSU
News, page 4
Plans are underway at Oregon State University to appoint an entomologist specializing in slug research to study and control growing slug populations in order to lessen their damage to Oregon crops. This new position was made possible by a recently approved $14 million in added funding from Oregon legislature. The money is to be distributed to OSU’s agricultural experiment stations, extension service and forest laboratory over the next two years. While farmers have been familiar with slug-caused damage for decades, it has become puzzlingly prevalent in recent years. To address the issue, Sujaya Rao, associate department head for crop and soil sciences, organized a “Slug Summit” in Salem earlier this year, where farmers and researchers gathered to discuss possible causes and solutions to this persistent issue. Summit attendees determined reduced tillage and constraints on field burning as feasible contributing factors to the increased prevalence
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of slugs. Additionally, Rao said that the increase can be attributed in part to recent changes in weather. This year’s mild winter had little effect on slugs, whereas Oregon’s multiple snowfalls last winter left far fewer survivors. “The slugs have been a problem, but their numbers are higher now,” Rao said. Oregon farmers are perplexed by the recent rise in damage by this pesky mollusk. Some of the most common forms of slug control include nematodes which infect and kill slugs, natural predators and pellet baits containing the pesticide metaldehyde. However, current methods of eliminating slugs seem to be less successful than in previous years. Though the reasons for the pest increase are debatable, the Slug Summit made at least one thing clear: Not enough research has been done to effectively resolve this issue. For this reason, many OSU faculty members feel that the creation of the new research position will be of great value. Jay Noller, department head of crop and soil sciences, expressed his support. “This was a clear case where our stakeholders were heard, the Oregon legislature See SLUG | page 2
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2•Wednesday, August 5, 2015
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Innovative chemical testing procedure at OSU n
Local company creates revolutionary chemicaldetecting wristbands By Jason Owens THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Researchers at Oregon State University are breaking new ground in an effort to better understand exposure to harmful chemicals. MyExposome, Inc., a local Corvallis company founded by OSU researchers, has designed silicone wristbands that monitor the chemicals that the wristband and its wearer come into contact with. Individuals can wear the wristbands for a designated period of time and send them back in to be tested for the presence of several chemicals. The chemical being tested for, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as those used in consumer products, personal care products, pesticides, and phthalates can be useful, but they can also be harmful when people are exposed to excessive amounts. According to MyExposome’s website their goal is “to enable both citizen scientists and researchers to make the invisible, visible.” Currently, MyExposome is testing for more than 1,400 chemicals in a single wristband. These testing methods are monitoring the presence of all 1,400 chemicals at the same time, as opposed to previous testing methods which look for a narrow range of chemicals. Up to this point, testing methods have been limited to sampling air for contaminants in static places, and
Nicki Silva
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Kevin Hobbie, assistant director of OSU’s Food Safety and Environmental Stewardship, and Steven O’Connell, senior scientist at MyExposome, Inc., talk about the possible impact the wristbands could have in the public health field. were primarily used for population level testing. With this new technology, data is collected from individuals rather than static locations, aiding researchers in studying myriad environments specifically. This method is being referred to as personal passive sampling. Kim Anderson, co-founder MyExposome and director of the Food Safety & Environmental Stewardship
Program at OSU, has researched passive sampling for nearly twenty years. Anderson explained that the difference in this testing when compared to previous testing methods is that personal passive sampling is concerned with an individual’s exposure. “We want to know about your exposure, your commute, your lifestyle, your home, and your travels. We
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Kim Anderson, director of the Food Safety and Environmental Stewardship program, demonstrates the parts of a mass spectrometer involved in the chemical desorbtion process for the wristbands. Anderson places a wristband in the micro-chamber and thermal exactor, which thermally desorbs and bakes the wristband.
SLUG n Continued from page 1 demonstrated leadership, and OSU responds and thus continues fulfilling its Land Grant mission,” Noller said. Noller expects to see a reduction in slug damage where farmers are able to adopt crop-focused strategies created by the new faculty member, and hopes to see the research effort succeed so thoroughly that the problem eventually disappears altogether. Students will have the opportunity to take part in finding solutions for Oregon farmers as well. According to Noller, the new faculty member will serve on undergraduate and graduate student research committees. There will be need for
think it is important to understand your environment on an individual level” Anderson said. Steven O’Connell is the senior scientist at MyExposome, Inc. The wristbands were developed in part through O’Connell’s doctoral dissertation in the field of toxicology here at OSU. “We felt like we could make a bigger impact by expanding this technology into a commercial market,” O’Connell said. O’Connell explained that keeping a technology like this within an academic setting comes with limitations. MyExposome is trying to increase the scale of production by developing the wristbands as a commercially available product in order to make each testing application less expensive to the end-user. This could potentially allow more testing to be done by a wider variety of consumers. Kevin Hobbie, a researcher specializing in public health in epidemiology and cofounder of MyExposome, believes that the impact the wristbands might have in the field of public health could be enormous. “I think the wristband could change the way we view public health as a society,” Hobbie said.
The information gathered by the wristbands may be a motivator in re-thinking the way we look at public health, occupational hazards and other procedures that involve the use of chemicals. Because data collected about chemical exposure on an individual level is unprecedented, most of the data collected through personal passive sampling will be baseline data – data that researchers use to analyze subsequent data. In a study conducted by Anderson and O’Connell published by the American Chemical Society in 2014, several wristbands were worn by workers employed in hot asphalt settings on rooftops. The results of the study showed that workers were exposed to significant amounts of at least 25 different PAHs. This study was one of the first conducted using this type of technology. Its findings suggest that there is a great opportunity here for those that are concerned about environmental science, public health, toxicology and workplace safety to use this data to establish a conversation about the chemicals we are exposed to in different locations. Jason Owens, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
students to rear and study slugs in the lab, as well as in field work projects, and applying for research grants. “We really want to have as many students as possible engaged in all of our research efforts, slug management included,” Noller said. While Oregon agriculture’s slug problem may remain unbeknownst to most, OSU has heard Oregon farmers’ needs, and determined this to be a high priority issue. OSU will begin the hiring process immediately, but according to Rao, it could take between six and eight months to fill the position. Faculty expects to have a slug researcher on board by 2016. Julianna Cooper, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
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to play it by ear.� Gas fires caused by broken gas lines are very common during earthquakes, and can be more destructive to houses than the quake itself, so Higgins also suggests installing earthquake gas shut off valves. The valves, called Northridge valves after the 1997 Northridge earthquake in California, automatically turn off gas in the event of an earthquake, are unobtrusive, and are relatively inexpensive. Corcoran suggests preparing a ‘go bag’ filled with the supplies needed to be selfsufficient following the quake. Individuals should consider where they might be when the earthquake occurs, and personalize the bag to their own lives and specific needs. Discussing the earthquake and making preparations for it will help the Northwest to build an ‘earthquake culture’ in which we can expect the earthquake, but not obsess over worst-case scenarios. Research about the Cascadia subduction zone has greatly improved knowledge about the quake, but a gap still exists between what researchers know and what the average community knows. “To me, the most important early steps we need to do and spend resources on is bringing people’s education and behavior in line with what we know is going to happen,� said Corcoran, “As valuable as the actual research has been, a commensurate investment in educating people on that science would be equally valuable.� The days of denial are over. The Cascadia earthquake is coming, and what Pacific Northwesterners choose to do, or choose not to do, to prepare for it will be evaluated by future generations. “We need to align our behavior with what we know is coming,� Corcoran said. “But it’s human nature to not want to do that.�
Cascadia. The Cascadia Lifelines Program coordinated by the OSU School of Civil and Construction Engineering is working with agencies like the Oregon Department of Transportation and Northwest Natural Gas to determine how to lessen the impact of the earthquake. “Lifelines are the critical systems and facilities that our community depends on each and every day to function. Think of roads, bridges, electrical networks, water lines, sewer, telecommunications, natural gas lines,� said Scott Ashford, director of the program and a civil and construction engineering professor at OSU. The Oregon legislature recently passed two bills that will help address the problem of Oregon’s ill-prepared infrastructure. Senate Bill 85 allows local governments to set up financial assistance programs for property owners seeking to make seismic upgrades, and House Bill 5005 allocates $175 million for seismic improvements in schools that are in particular danger of collapse or damage during an earthquake. While these are steps in the right direction, there is still much to be done to prepare Oregon for a natural disaster the size of Cascadia. “Find me a disaster proof place where you’d actually want to live—I don’t know that it exists,� said Higgins. “There are risks everywhere.�
impending Cascadia earthquake. “What I’m trying to do is get people to prepare, and not to be so scared,� Corcoran said. “People tend to toggle between attitudes of ‘I don’t think this will happen at all so I don’t have to do anything,’ to ‘it will be so bad that there’s nothing I can do.’ Both of those positions are psychological denial mechanisms to deal with reality.� The focus on worst-case scenarios, especially by the media, has led to a fatalistic attitude in many Pacific Northwesterners. However, the worst-case scenario is not the only possible scenario. It is not guaranteed that the next earthquake is going to be a magnitude nine or higher, which is the number often touted by the media. Instead, Corcoran says the next earthquake will be somewhere in the range of a magnitude eight to a magnitude nine something. That is good news, as the impact of a magnitude eight is far less than the impact of a magnitude nine. For those who were panic stricken after reading the now-viral New Yorker article about the Cascadia subduction zone, Corcoran said, “media tends to make things hyperbolic and go to the extremes. The function of research, and certainly the function of the OSU extension service, is to help community members temper media interpretations of research with the actual research.� As Corcoran explained, rather than dwelling only on the worst possible scenario, it can be helpful to think of the Cascadia subduction zone as similar to a diagnosis of diabetes. Like diabetes, the Cascadia subduction zone and its hazards will never go away, but fortunately it is still very possible to live a happy and productive life. The first step that the Pacific Northwest
needs to take towards managing its ‘diagnosis’ is to accept that the area has large earthquakes, which will possibly happen in our lifetime, and almost certainly happen in the lifetimes of our children. Once the risk is expected and accepted, precautions can be taken to manage it. These can be as simple as doing evacuation drills, or more elaborate, such as moving schools out of the tsunami inundation zone. Preparing for Cascadia doesn’t have to be one enormous project—it’s about small steps. Corcoran believes the single most important thing students can do to prepare for the quake is to take a first-aid class. It is also important to have conversations with family and friends about the earthquake, and come up with a plan for what to do if it occurs. While the Corvallis area does not need to worry about being hit by a tsunami, residents should still be mindful of tsunamis when visiting the coast. Corcoran recommends simply being aware of your surroundings while near the coast and knowing where you would go if a tsunami occurred. A quick Google search for ‘Oregon Tsunami Clearinghouse,’ part of the State of Oregon Department of Geology, yields easy-to-use maps of coastal evacuation routes, including an iPhone app that can be used on the go. Chris Higgins, a civil and construction engineering professor whose work includes researching the performance of structures during earthquakes, recommends having separate plans for what to do if the earthquake happens while you’re at work, home or school. “It seems like an insurmountable task. But it’s not hard to put together an earthquake kit. It’s not hard to learn what the evacuation route is,� Higgins said. “If you have a plan, your chances of being successful are much better than if you’re just going
the reality does not have to be. “If we do nothing, it will be bad,� Higgins said. “But if we work collectively over time, it won’t be as bad as we perceive it to be.� Higgins is currently working on a project that will test how well bridge columns built in the 1950s that have been retrofitted with titanium would perform in an earthquake. This kind of research can then be applied to real life structures and help to better prepare Oregon’s bridges for earthquakes. Fortunately, the amount of knowledge about earthquakes and how to construct buildings that will perform well in them has greatly increased. In 1945, Oregon’s steel code was only about 25 pages. Today, it fills two four-inch-thick volumes. Thanks to new knowledge gathered by data from past earthquakes in other areas, analytical models and tests done in laboratories like OSU’s wave research lab, modern structural engineers are able to construct buildings that will perform much better under large scale earthquakes like
Prepare n Continued from page 1
ary sources. House fires are very common during earthquakes due to broken gas lines, and can be more damaging to property than the actual earthquake. To minimize this risk, Higgins recommends installing earthquake gas shut off valves. The electrical grid will likely be damaged in the earthquake, and Corvallis should expect to be without electricity, running water or sewer systems for some time. People should expect that they will have to be self-sufficient in the aftermath of the quake. In regards to the number of potential injuries and fatalities in Corvallis, it will depend on when the earthquake strikes. If the earthquake were to occur during summer, when Corvallis’ population is smaller, there will be fewer potential casualties. If the earthquake strikes during a Saturday football game when Reser Stadium is filled to capacity, it could be a different story. While estimates for what Corvallis will be like in the aftermath of the Cascadia earthquake are rather bleak,
equipped to handle large-scale quakes. Higgins compares it to evolution. “If there were no lions, you’d have lazy gazelles,� he said. “Gazelles have evolved to be the best they can be in the environment they have to work in, because the lions force the gazelles to be really strong. The same is true for buildings.� Because the Cascadia subduction zone only produces earthquake on an approximately 243 year cycle, Oregon’s buildings haven’t had to go through the same kind of natural selection process as buildings in areas with more frequent earthquakes. This means that many ‘weak’ buildings that would have been knocked down by small earthquakes have been able to remain standing. Older buildings with unreinforced masonry, like many in downtown Corvallis, will likely not perform well during the earthquake.
Many of OSU’s buildings were built before the hazards of the Cascadia subduction zone were known, and were not designed with earthquakes in mind. Unfortunately, retrofitting historic buildings is expensive and complicated. Bridges are another major vulnerability. Most of Oregon’s bridges were built as part of President Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System. This project began in 1956, when no thought was given to potential seismic activity in the area. These bridges were not designed to withstand earthquakes, and likely will not perform well during the Cascadia earthquake. Due to these kinds of structural weaknesses, it is likely that Corvallis will suffer significant damage during the quake. Regarding the year the earthquake occurs, Higgins said, “I doubt that Oregon State will have a graduating class. And maybe not the year after that.� In addition to the structural damage inflicted by the earthquake itself, there would be damage caused by second-
Aftermath n Continued from page 1
Wednesday, August 5, 2015•3
4•Wednesday, August 5, 2015
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Nicki Silva
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Nicki Silva
At the probe station, the Amorphyx team tests the device performance, as demonstrated by Jose Mendez, a graduate student in material science.
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Jose Mendez, a graduate student in material science and Amorphyx team member, examines at 6 inch wafer they hope to use in LCD screens.
Developing ideas today, innovating tomorrow n
OSU startup company works to create new display technology By Calvy Yue
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Current and recent Oregon State University students are part of a company that is working to successfully create cutting-edge display technology in the near future. This technology comes in the form of an alternative to the silicon semiconductor used in liquid crystal displays, more commonly known as LCDs, and substituting for electronic devices made with amorphous metals. The material lends its name in the creation of Amorphyx’s company name. The integration of the product into the display industry, according to the Amorphyx website, will cut production costs by about
40 percent. This would allow companies in the industry to start making profit from these products, as opposed to losing millions annually. Amorphyx is a spinoff from OSU’s Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry, and continues to near its fourth year of operations. The organization has since received numerous sources for funding, including a $250,000 grant from the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI). OSU continues to allow Amorphyx use of its facilities for research and development through its fee-forservice program. Much of the company’s work in their research comes from their use in the Materials Synthesis and Characterization Facility in Owen Hall. David Dickson, the Intellectual Property and Licensing Manager for OSU,
says that this partnership isn’t unusual. “Whenever we license technology, we try to cover expenses,” Dickson said. “In that sense, it gives startups a bit of flexibility.” According to Sean Muir, an OSU chemistry doctorate and founding employee of Amorphyx, the company plans to generate initial revenue by selling evaluation wafers to potential clients of interest.
“We plan to generate revenue by going after the LCD industry but we see flexible displays as the future,” said Muir, the vice president of digital technologies. “Selling evaluation wafers is a big step for Amorphyx.” CEO and co-founder John Brewer said that running Amorphyx is unique and unlike most other companies he has had experience with. “We’ve had amazing accomplishments in (the past) six months,” Brewer said. “But it comes down to the people. We can get the equipment and all that stuff, but these people are valuable.” The company currently has a total of ten employ-
ees, half of which are in the Oregon State University Research and Development crew. They contribute their efforts by developing products for testing and building a prototype. Jason Anderson, a senior within the chemistry department, said that he was given the opportunity to work for Amorphyx during his careers in chemistry class, where Muir was the guest speaker. “I’ve enjoyed the experience,” said Anderson, who has worked for Amorphyx since his sophomore year. Dylan Kearney, a former OSU materials science undergraduate, said that he likes the environment he is given. “I’ve worked at Intel before, and it’s similar,” Kearney said. “But I like the feel of a startup; you have a lot more ownership and care a lot more.” Anastasia Engebretson, a former OSU graduate in mechanical engineering, said that she worked for a big company before and didn’t like it. “I found this job through a posting,” Engebretson said. “It’s been interesting so far.” Muir, as the head of R&D, has been one of the longest
Nicki Silva
members of the company and has contributed to the company for the past few years. “I once thought I was going to be a professor,” Muir said. “But since Amorphyx I have come to love the startup environment. Now you’d have to fire me to get rid to me.” In his commitment to his work, Muir said that he has made a promise not to own a TV in his house until he has made it himself. Brewer said that some employees, like Anderson, perform a variety of tasks that aren’t always in their field of study, but everyone does their parts and contributes to the success of Amorphyx. “It gets complicated, yet it’s working,” Brewer said. “These students don’t look like Babe Ruth going in, but they get Babe Ruth results at the end. I think they’re doing a brilliant job at that.” Brewer says that he is looking forward to hiring people with a similar commitment and quality in their work ethics. Calvy Yue, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
A 6 inch wafer, Amorphyx hopes to subsitute as an alternative to the silicon semiconductor use in LCD screens.
Nicki Silva Nicki Silva
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Dylan Kearney, OSU alum and process engineer for Amorphyx, checks the Tasker-Chiang magnetron sputtering system in the electrical computer engineering clean room, which deposits thin films.
| THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Jose Mendez, a graduate student in material science, peers through the photo-lithography mask aligner, where Amorphyx team members pattern the devices.
The Summer Barometer 5 • Wednesday, August 5, 2015
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Previewing the season: The fourth quarter By Brian Rathbone
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
CAL
WASHINGTON
OREGON
Game time: Saturday, Nov. 14 in Berkeley, CA. Head Coach: Sonny Dykes 6-18 (entering third season at Cal) 2014 record: 5-7 (3-6 Pac-12) Most recent game story: It was supposed to be a memorable day in Reser Stadium for the Beavers when they took on a California team that had lost three-straight games. Sean Mannion was within 200 yards of becoming the all-time leader in passing yards in the Pac-12. While Mannion ended up breaking the record, there was little fanfare as Golden Bear defense shredded the Beaver defense with a balanced attack with 269 yards on the ground and 277 yards in the air. The Beavers scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to take a 31-27 lead early in the fourth quarter, but then surrendered 18 straight points after taking the lead in a 45-31 losing effort. Offensive player to watch: QB Jared Goff Sean Mannion’s passing record may be very short lived, since being given control to the “Bear Raid” offense as a true freshman Goff has put up absurd passing numbers, passing for 3,508 yards as a freshman and 3,973 as a sophomore – one of the 19 school records he already holds. Despite Previous games the gaudy passing 2014: Cal 45 @ OSU 31 numbers, Goff has 2013: OSU 49 @ Cal 17 a career record of 2012: Cal 14 @ OSU 62 6-18 after going 2011: OSU 6 @ Cal 23 1-11 his fresh2010: Cal 7 @ OSU 35 man season and improving to 5-7 a season ago. Expectations will be high in 2015 for Goff as he is in the early Heisman talk and potentially a high draft pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Defensive player to watch: DL Russell Ude Cal had the best offense in the conference of any team not named Oregon, they scored over 38 points per game, which is very impressive. Unfortunately they had the worst defense in the conference, surrendering nearly 40 points per game. That is not a recipe for a winning team. If Cal wants to take another step forward in Sonny Dykes’ third year they need to improve their defense. Enter incoming freshman Russell Ude. The four-star recruit should help them improve those numbers. Cal finished dead last in the conference with only 16 sacks, that in turn led to the Cal finishing last in pass defense. Russell an linemen who can lineup in different positions to create mismatches which will help them improve the poor pass rush and pass defense. What to expect in 2015: Cal is going to score points. They have shown that since Sonny Dykes took over in 2013. More often than not teams beat them by winning a shootout or by stopping their offense completely. Oregon State is going to enter 2015 as one of the youngest and inexperienced teams in the Pac-12. This will be the 10th game for the Beavers and the question becomes have they made enough strides on offense to where they can win a high-scoring affair or can their defense can reach a level to where they can slow down the potent Cal offense?
Game time: Saturday, Nov. 21 in Corvallis Head Coach: Chris Petersen, 8-6 (entering second season at Washington) 2014 record: 8-6 (4-5 Pac-12) Most recent game story: Oregon State went into Seattle looking for redemption against the Huskies after getting blown out 69-27 the previous year. But once again the Huskies gave Oregon State a beating, 37-13, winning for the third straight year against the Beavers. The Huskies used the explosive players early scoring on plays of 54 and 68 yards to jump to an early lead. They then dominated the line of scrimmage gaining 226 yards on the ground while holding the Oregon State ground attack to 46 rushing yards. Offensive player to watch: WR Jaydon Mickens Oregon State witnessed firsthand how dangerous of a player Jaydon Mickens can be with the ball in his hands in 2014 as he finished the game with 125 on seven touches (five catches, two rushes) and two scores. Entering his senior season with the Huskies he has accumulated. With the quarterback position on flux, look for the Huskies to lean on Mickens to build on his impressive career where he has hauled in a 145 catches for 1495 yards and 10 scores, he has also added 146 yards on 25 carries for two scores in three seasons in the purple and gold. Defensive player to watch: S Budda Baker Budda Baker lived up to the hype his freshman season at Washington. The former Army AllAmerican and one time Oregon commit earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors as he finished with 80 tackles, seven passes defended and an inception. Entering his second season he already finds himself on several postseason awards Previous games: watchlists: 2014: OSU 13 @ UW 37 Paul Hornung 2013: UW 69 @ OSU 27 (most versatile), 2012: OSU 17 @ UW 20 Chuck Bednarik 2011: UW 21 @ OSU 38 2010: OSU 34 @ UW 35 (2OT) (Defensive Player of the Year), Bronko Nagurski (Best defensive player) and Jim Thorpe (top defensive back). Don’t be surprised if Baker lines up in the offensive backfield for the Huskies, as he took reps at running back during spring practice. What to expect in 2015: Washington is entering the second year of the Chris Peterson era. Prior to accepting the job at Washington, Peterson was considered one of the premier coaches for the dynasty he built while at Boise State. The Huskies were an impressive 8-5 in Peterson’s first year, but were 0-4 against ranked opponents – two of which were decided by a touchdown or less – if the Huskies can improve against the better teams in the conference they could become a dangerous threat in the Pac-12 North.
Game time: Friday, Nov. 27 in Eugene, OR Head coach: Mark Helfrich 24-4 (entering third season at Oregon) 2014 record: 13-2 (8-1 Pac-12) Pac-12 and Rose Bowl Champions Most recent game story: After a heartbreaking defeat against Ducks in one of the all-time greatest Civil Wars in 2013, that the Ducks ultimately won on a touchdown in the closing seconds at Autzen Stadium, there was a lot to be optimistic about for the Beavers entering 2014 rendition of the Civil War. However that hope was crushed almost immediately as the Ducks jumped out to a 30-0 lead in the first half. Marcus Mariota turned the game into a Heisman Trophy highlight reel as he carved up the Beaver defense for six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) as the Ducks cruised to a 47-19 victory for their seventh straight victory over the Beavers. Offensive player to watch: WR Previous games: Bralon Addison 2014: UO 47 @ OSU 19 Oregon’s 2013: OSU 35 @ UO 36 offense was good 2012: UO 48 @ OSU 24 last season, really 2011: OSU 21 @ UO 49 good, actually. 2010: UO 37 @ OSU 20 And they did so without their top receiver, Bralon Addison who suffered a knee injury before during spring practices. In 2013, he received honorable mention and had one of the better seasons in Oregon history finishing with 61 receptions, 890 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He also is a threat as a returner with two career punt returns for scores. Defensive player to watch: DL DeForest Buckner After flirting with the idea of entering last year’s NFL draft, the second-team All-Pac-12 performer decided to return for his senior season in Eugene. After leading the Ducks in tackles-for-loss a season ago with 13. Buckner, who finds himself just outside of the first round according to ESPN Todd McShay’s way-too-early mock draft could see himself rise up the draft board if he can build off his impressive junior season. What to expect in 2015: Oregon has built a machine in Eugene. It doesn’t matter if they have a fullback (Jeremiah Masoli), a arena league backup (Darron Thomas) or a NFL franchise quarterback (Marcus Mariota) playing quarterback, the Ducks have put together one of the top programs the past decade. The Ducks have a stable of elite running backs returning, arguably their best and deepest receiving corps in program history and a defense that improved throughout the season under first-year defensive coordinator Don Pellum. For the Beavers to win this game they will need to play their absolute best, Oregon is that good. Brian Rathbone
On Twitter @brathbone3 sports@dailybarometer.com
6•Wednesday, August 5, 2015
sports@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-2231
Madrigal has big plans at Oregon State Incoming freshman Nick Madrigal turns down pro contract to play for Pat Casey, Oregon State baseball By Brian Rathbone
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
“Wow, this guy is small.” That was what Oregon State and current Corvallis Knight infielder Christian Donahue first noticed about his new teammate Nick Madrigal. That’s big talk coming from the 5-foot-9 165 pounds Donahue talking about the 5-foot-8, 160 pound Madrigal. But once the two took the field, Donahue noticed Madrigal played beyond his years and his size. “We got on the field and he started doing his thing and he can really play,” Donahue said of his future teammate at Oregon State. “You can’t underestimate his size, he plays the game hard and has very good baseball instincts. “His maturity level on the field, he is way above his age in the way he plays and the way he goes about his game.” Madrigal was a standout player at Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, Calif. He earned all-state honors, which earned him a spot on the USA Baseball National Team, where he hit .481 and did not strike out once for the USA team, which won the gold medal in Mexico in 2014. Madrigal was a sought after prospect and was all set to come to Corvallis and play for Pat Casey and the Oregon State baseball program. But when those plans were put on hold after being selected in the 17th round of the MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians – he needed time to weigh out his options. Despite the looming decision, the moment was cause for celebration. “When I finally heard my name I was pretty excited, it was kind of a relief,” Madrigal said. “I was just excited with the family, we weren’t really thinking about what decision we were going to do, it was just an exciting day.” When the fanfare ended, the countdown started and he had to make a life altering decision: go to college or start his professional career. After getting his name called, he had a
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You can’t underestimate his size, he plays the game hard and has very good baseball instincts. Christian Donahue OSU Infielder
little over month to make his decision. “It was pretty stressful through the whole process,” Madrigal said. “I talked to my family and they said what ever decision you do we are going to support you.” If he was stressing over the decision, it was not evident by the way he played for the Knights this summer. Playing shortstop, second base and occasionally moving to centerfield, he has hit .301 with seven extra base hits while swiping 31 stolen bases through 38 games for 28-20 Kights. Donahue saw no signs of the tough life decision was weighing on him. “He took it day-by-day and he came out every day and I don’t really think it was on his mind,” Donahue said. “I couldn’t see any signs, he came out everyday and played his ass off.” Although it wasn’t made official until July, 17th – the final day to sign with a major league team – Madrigal knew that he would be playing his college ball in Corvallis. “I knew it had a pretty good to pass up Oregon State,” Madrigal said. “This is a special place and I’ve always wanted to play for coach Casey.” With the entire infield from last year’s second-place Pac-12 team, Madrigal will have his work cut out from him to crack the starting lineup. He could move to the outfield if that what it takes to help the team win games. Unlike his stature, the goals Madrigal has are anything but small. A chance to play in and win the College World Series was too good of an offer to pass up. “It was great to be drafted,” Madrigal said. “But I have bigger and better goals ahead of me here at Oregon State.” Brian Rathbone, sports editor On Twitter @brathbone3 sports@dailybarometer.com
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After winning Pac-12 Freshman on the Year, the expectations are high for Mary-Kate Marshall in her sophmore season as the Beavers look to make another run in the tournament.
Five burning questions: How good can the volleyball team be in 2015? By Brian Rathbone THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Can they continue to climb up the Pac-12 rankings? In 2013 the Oregon State volleyball team went winless in conference play, ending the season on a 20 game losing streak. In 2014, however, the Beavers saw a major improvement, winning nine conference games and being selected to the NCAA tournament where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. The question becomes if they can follow up their banner season and rise up the conference rankings even more? Last season eight teams all finished within four games of each other, can they find ways to win a couple more games and break the double-digit win barrier? If so, the Beavers will once again find themselves in the tournament. Will Jessi Seumalo live up to the family name? The Seumalo name has become one of the more famous names in Oregon State athletics the past five years. Her father was the defensive line coach for nine years, her older brother Andrew Seumalo was a defensive linemen and team captain on the 2012 Alamo Bowl team and her brother Isaac Seumalo is considered one of the top linemen in the conference despite missing all of last season with a foot injury. Jessi Seumalo is
not too shabby of an athlete herself, earning AllRegion honors as a freshman and sophomore at the College of Southern Idaho and help her team finish third in the NJCAA National Championships. Can the Beavers make another tournament run? Oregon States run to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament was surprising, considering they finished with a losing record and seventh place finish in the Pac12 standings. But much like the 2007 baseball team that would end up winning the national championship with a losing record in conference play, the volleyball team starting playing their best in the post-season. 2014 was a historic year for the volleyball team as they won the program’s first two tournament games. The 2015 season can help cement the program as a team on the rise in the Pac12 with another run the the tournament. Who is going to fill the roles left by four seniors? The Beavers got stellar play from their seniors a season ago, especially from Arica Nassar and Tayla Woods. Nassar finished the season with the third best attack percentage in school history at .347. She is also a wall behind the net as she led the team with 160 total blocks and became the only the second player in school history to total 1,000 kills
Women’s Volleyball
What: Oregon State vs. Witchita State Where: Honolulu, Hawaii When: Friday, Aug. 28 at 7:30p.m.
and 500 blocks in a career. Woods had one of the best seasons in program history as she tallied 1,285 assists last season (sixth best in program history) to add to her 3,153 career total (fourth highest in program history). Incoming freshman Kayla Ellis, who was named an Under Armour All-American and two-time Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year, is a player who could step in and help fill the void left by the four seasons. Can Mary-Kate Marshall build off a successful freshman season? Part of the reason Oregon State had such a historic year a season ago was due to the play of outside hitter Mary-Kate Marshall. Earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, he had 540 kills and a 4.22 kill per set rate – the fourth highest season total in OSU history. When Marshall is at her best, so is the team, when she accumulated 20-plus kills in a game the Beavers had a record of 9-1. If she can elevate her game to another level, the Beavers could find themselves taking another step forward as a program. Brian Rathbone, sports editor On Twitter @brathbone3 sports@dailybarometer.com
Baseball notebook: Conforto with a first career homerun n
Updates on former OSU baseball players who are having success at the professional level By Brian Rathbone
THE SUMMER BAROMETER
Conforto goes yard Michael Conforto hit his first career homerun on Monday in the NewYork Mets 12-1 victory over the Miami Marlins. With runners on first and second, Conforto smoked a 3-1 pitch over the fence in right-center. The three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year is batting .261 with eight runs score and six RBI in seven games this season with Mets.
Dylan Davis 2X Dylan Davis saw Conforto hit a bomb on Monday and then raised his former high school
and college teammate by hitting two homeruns in his first two at-bats for the Augusta GreenJackets, the single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. He also plated five runs in the GreenJackets 16-14 victory over the Lexington Legends.
Matt Boyd gets the start for the Tigers Former Oregon State pitcher Matt Boyd will get the start for the Detroit Tigers against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday at 4 p.m. Boyd was traded to the Tigers as part of the David Price deal that sent him from the Toronto Blue Jays to Detroit. This will be Boyd’s third career start and first since his nightmare of a start against the Boston Red Sox where he gave up eight runs before recording an out. Brian Rathbone, sports editor On Twitter @brathbone3 sports@dailybarometer.com
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Wednesday, August 5, 2015•7
Courtesy of the official daily show website
W
The Day that“Late Night”Died
hat a heart-wrenching week! This is the week that late-night television loses the best of them all. Thursday night marks Jon Stewart’s final show as host of “The Daily Show.” He has been an icon and staple of comedy for the last 16 years. Although I’ve only really been watching regularly for the last three years, I still marvel at all that he has done. For 4 nights a week, I would gladly anticipate 11 p.m. to hear Stewart’s take on whatever was going on in the news that day. Whether it was targeting the hypocrisy of Fox News, the pathetic actions of Congress or the foulness of Chicago style deep-dish pizza, you could count on Stewart taking on a subject with biting wit, making you feel a little bit better about the world. Under Stewart’s tenure, “The
Derek Saling A&E Columnist
Daily Show” has taken off and become engrained in our culture. Although people should still, very much so, get their news from a variety of sources and mediums, Stewart was always a reliable source for information, easily recieved in a unique and clever way. Even though it is a comedy show, polls from Fairleigh Dickinson University indicate that “Daily Show” viewers are often more informed on certain issues than those who get their news from cable TV. Political comedy will now come in the form of John Oliver’s mascots, or Larry Wilmore’s panel or Bill Maher’s smugness.
From a selfish standpoint, I am angry. How could he do this to any of his avid followers? What gives him the right to “spend time with his family” while I sit at home having to watch re-runs of South Park? Conservative media and figures might be rejoicing, but the rest of us will mourn. One way to do this is going to “The Daily Show” website and watching old episodes or video compilations of Stewart at his best. He could make you laugh, but he also has the ability, better than any host on TV, to get serious. The day of the Chattanooga shooting, I watched and read a lot of news, but nothing connected more than Stewart’s opening monologue. His voice resonates with so many, myself included, that we’re going to have to find a new consoler onscreen. At his finest was after
9/11 as he came back on air. Even though I was just a child, going back and watching what he had to say is still touching. I would recommend everybody to go on YouTube and give it a watch. Stewart’s departure marks a devastating nine-month run of late-night TV departures, with the loss of him, Stephen Colbert, Craig Ferguson and David Letterman. Colbert will still be around (not in character though), Ferguson was never bound to stick around much longer and Letterman had become lazy in his later years. So, Stewart leaving hurts more than them all. From an entertainment standpoint, those five were the best of all the late night shows. Until Colbert comes back in September, we’re left with two Jimmy’s who basically try to just make videos that will go viral (plus Jimmy Fallon is the worst
interviewer on TV, it’s pathetic), Seth Meyers, James Corden, Larry Wilmore, who all have nothing special to boast, and Conan. So I guess I’d suggest Conan by process of elimination. Stewart’s replacement, Trevor Noah, will be starting at the end of September. I don’t know much about him, however, he seems to be pretty funny. I’ll definitely give him a chance, but he’s coming out of the biggest shadow there is. For now, I’m just appreciative that I could enjoy the greatness of Jon Stewart while I had the chance. t
Derek Saling is senior in English. The opinions expressed in Saling’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer’s staff. Saling can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
Cream on Chrome: Ratatat’s “Magnifique” Priding themselves on simplified embellishments to their experimental rock “coolness,” the Brooklyn natives that compile the duo, Ratatat, Mike Stroud and Evan Mast, released yet another “unconventional” piece to add to their discography: “Magnifique”. With their fifth studio album now in full swing, already several weeks under its belt since its release in early July; I have grown to adore how the group has since matured from their first studio self-titled album, “Ratatat.” The 2004 debut release, in my opinion, lacked an extensive range of depth. Now, the duo’s new album has a “coming-of-age” retrospective homage to ‘80s style infusions. Much of the album is laced with heavy synthesizing and classic “big hair” guitars that can surely bring yearning for more of a “coolas-a-cucumber” vibe that the previous decade embodied. Their well-received single, “Cream on Chrome” manipulates traditional electronica into a warping wave of nostalgia and funk. As the song progresses, the beats become easily engrained into your head and somehow are easily recognizable as a Ratatat piece if heard faintly in the background of a busy city, much like “Loud Pipes” from their 2006
Skye J. Lyon FORUM and A & E Editor
album, “Classics.” This ambient noise gets placed easily into the canon of music most adored by Stroud and Mast: a simple beat that can transcend across any time period, any trend in music and be instantaneously revered by their fans. Much on the opposing side of the spectrum, track 4, “Abrasive,” falls echelons short of being anywhere near an immediate classic. The piece can easily be mistaken for a lackluster sound heard when playing an 8-bit Nintendo game; the only redeeming factor, however, was the incorporation of an influx of mellow guitar riffs nearing the song’s conclusion. Not to say this piece is not appreciated for its somewhat “clichéd” effort, it simply cannot contend against heavy hitters such as “Countach,” “Cream on Chrome,” or the titletrack, “Magnifique.” Nonetheless, “Magnifique” in its entirety, fluidly weld the best of soft harmonies and coarse synth and guitar reverberations
Courtesy of the official ratatat website
to create an overall strong body of artistry. Whether you are grabbing an Americano in SoHo, enjoying the Chelsea Saturday market or visiting a hip bar in the heart of Brooklyn – Ratatat’s creations are best enjoyed with a shot of the city in hand. t
Skye J. Lyon is senior in liberal studies with an emphasis in creative writing and ethnic studies. The opinions expressed in Lyon’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Lyon can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
8•Wednesday, August 5, 2015
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