↗ Mike Gaulke pilots a simulated research ship at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. 16 ForOregonState.org/Stater N EwS 1/4 $ 4.2 1st 122,500 NEARLY MILLION THE OREGONIANS of OSU undergraduates — 7,209 last fall — are the first in their families to go to college, an increase of about 6% from last year. was awarded to OSU researchers to lead a national project studying the bacterial disease killing honeybees and imperiling the pollination of crops like blueberries and almonds. mental health coordinator focused on serving the university’s veterans and military-connected students was hired for the Corvallis campus this fall (Donald Phillips, ’16). took part in OSU Extension’s statewide flower and vegetable seed giveaway, the Grow This! Oregon Garden Challenge, last spring. This is its fifth season. KARL MAASDAM, ’93 BEAVER BRAGS It also includes startup funding, support for faculty and graduate students, and funding for early-stage research that has significant potential impact but may be considered too risky to receive other types of funding. An endowment will supply ongoing stability for the center. The Gaulke Center will take advantage of the resources of the JenHsun and Lori Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, a research and education facility expected to open in 2026, which will house one of the nation’s most powerful supercomputers and feature team-based approaches to solving challenges in areas such as oceanography, climate science and water resources. For example, Oregon State researchers are currently working on devel- oping robotic boats that help measure glacier ice melt, as well as an autonomous swarm of robots that can independently explore under ice shelves using artificial intelligence. “Our future lies in the ocean, and it’s very clear that we need to change how we care for it,” Mike Gaulke said. “It’s very exciting to see how advanced technologies can provide tools and approaches for addressing problems.” The Gaulkes were inspired to make their most recent gift because of their lifelong love of the ocean. “We have had the opportunity to sail, dive and swim in oceans around the world, and we have seen dramatic changes within our own lifetime — from the disappearance of sharks to coral bleaching,” Mike Gaulke said. “From the massive worldwide problem of junk in the ocean to the opportunity of harnessing sustainable energy, there are so many challenges to address. We believe OSU is the ideal place to invest in creating solutions, and we hope others will join us.” Their gift is part of Believe It: The Campaign for OSU. — Michelle Klampe cont inued FROM THE MASSIVE WORLDWIDE PROBLEM OF JUNK IN THE OCEAN TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF HARNESSING SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, THERE ARE SO MANY CHALLENGES TO ADDRESS.
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