Research, scholarship and creative activity at Oklahoma State University
If you’re an OSU alum, you might think of the difference your time as a student here made in your life and career. Maybe you attribute it to one or a few favorite professors, or maybe it was the entire experience.
If you’re a student, perhaps you’re still asking that question. Or maybe, much like our alums, you already have an answer for how OSU is helping to change you into the person you want to become.
If you’re a faculty or staff member at OSU, you might think about the ways that your employee compensation and benefits allow you and your family to enjoy a quality of life that might otherwise be difficult to attain. Or perhaps you think of the ways that you get to be a part of positively transforming OSU students as they go through their educational journeys under our collective guidance.
If you’re a business owner or elected official, you might first think of the ways OSU creates economic prosperity by being a major regional employer, and producing graduates prepared to meet the workforce needs of today and tomorrow.
There is a thread that underlies and even extends beyond the impacts mentioned above. OSU is a top tier research university. How does that explain or extend these ways that OSU makes a difference? It all comes down to individual people with the talent and drive to solve tough problems. As a top tier research university, OSU attracts
and equips faculty with world-class research expertise, enabling them to carry out their gamechanging research projects here — in front of and alongside our students, thus preparing to be the next generation of problem-solvers; and in ways that often attract state, federal and private sector partners who sponsor yet more research to advance societal and business goals.
As you begin reading each story, I challenge you to turn our magazine’s title into the question: How does OSU Research Matter? Each story will introduce you to some of our superstar researchers and research mentors as they go about changing the world … one research project at a time. These are the same superstars who drive the intellectual culture at OSU, creating that transformative atmosphere that OSU alumni recall so fondly.
I know — and I think you will agree — that OSU Research Matters in how our institution impacts our students, our community, the State of Oklahoma and beyond.
GO POKES!
Dr. Kenneth W. Sewell Vice President for Research
PHOTO
ERIC PRIDDY
Taking to Heart
Angelique Robinson’s journey leads to mouse heart surgery, a Goldwater win and a future in veterinary research.
Wheat Reimagined
OSU Agriculture is transforming wheat into a healthier, more resilient crop — and a new kind of food solution.
OSU’s supercomputing power is accelerating breakthroughs in microbiomes, medicine and livestock genetics. 44
Purging Plastics
OSU researchers help confirm the presence of nanoplastics in human tissue using advanced chemical analysis. 54
Lasting Legacy
From pioneering online MBA delivery to shaping topranked programs, Dr. Ramesh Sharda leaves a lasting mark on the Spears School of Business.
On the cover: Dr.
PRESIDENT
Dr. Jim Hess
VICE PRESIDENT
Dr. Kenneth W. Sewell
EDITOR
Sydney Trainor
COPY EDITOR
Jordan Bishop
ART DIRECTOR
Dave Malec
DESIGNER
Cody Giles
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jordan Bishop, Alisa Boswell-Gore, Mack Burke, Elizabeth Gosney, Hallie Hart, Tanner Holubar, Jeff Hopper, Desa James, Kirsi McDowell, Page Mindedahl, Darby Rains, Kinsey Reed, Sydney Trainor and Erin Weaver
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Mitchell Alcala, Desa James, Gary Lawson, Adam Luther, Ellie Piper, Eric Priddy, Kinsey Reed, Phil Shockley, Jason Wallace and Cole Weiberg
OSU Research Matters is published annually by Oklahoma State University and is produced by the Office of the Vice President for Research.
For details about research highlighted in this magazine or reproduction permission, contact:
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH 405.744.6501; VPR@OKSTATE.EDU RESEARCH.OKSTATE.EDU
Brett Carver, the Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year, marks wheat head rows at OSU.
(Cover photo: Mitchell Alcala)
MATTERS
of the
HEART
OSU undergraduate’s research journey from California dreaming to cardiology breakthroughs
When Angelique Robinson transferred to Oklahoma State University from a tiny junior college in rural California, she had no idea she’d end up performing heart surgery on mice.
She also didn’t expect to find a future in veterinary cardiology, earn a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship or become one of OSU’s most active undergraduate researchers.
But that’s what happens when you start saying yes.
“I used to be the person who said no to everything,” Robinson said. “Do you want to go to the grocery store? No. Do you want
to go roller skating? No. But when I came to OSU, I realized that saying no made me feel miserable. I decided I was going to say yes to everything, and that changed everything.”
Today, Robinson is working on four active research projects, including a groundbreaking heart regeneration study in neonatal mice under assistant professor Dr. Jiyoung Bae. She was just 19 when Bae, newly arrived on campus, invited Robinson to perform the complex surgeries herself.
“We induce a heart attack in one-dayold mice, then study how they recover,” Robinson said. “We want to understand
why young mice can regenerate heart tissue, but adult mice and humans can’t.”
The answer, it turns out, may be in metabolism. Baby mice rely on glucose metabolism, while adult mice shift to using fatty acids. Robinson’s current project examines the role of an enzyme, PFK-2, in this metabolic shift and what it might mean for recovery after cardiac events.
“This work inspired me to want to study swine heart regeneration next,” she said. “Pig hearts are much more similar to humans, physiologically. When I’m eating my bacon in the morning, I can’t help but think about it.”
Robinson is also researching with psychology professor Dr. Stephanie Sweatt. The two are currently examining models and applications of personality pathology, with recent work specifically concerning the classification of personality pathology constructs and extensions of personality models to constructs not described in previous diagnostic manuals.
Robinson’s path into this world of elite scientific inquiry didn’t follow the traditional route.
She skipped high school altogether as her rural community didn’t have a school nearby with a strong curriculum and enrolled directly into Mendocino College from middle school. After initially committing to another university, Robinson’s plans changed suddenly when her mother and brother were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare terminal illness.
“They’re the only known people in the world with this specific mutation,” Robinson said. “At a medical conference, they talked about how it affects the heart, and I was fascinated. I didn’t see it in my family at the time, but I do now. That really sparked my interest in cardiology.”
After arriving at OSU, Robinson started exploring every opportunity she could find, in large part, for encouragement from faculty mentors. During a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Tennessee sponsored by the National Science Foundation, she was surprised to learn how many opportunities were available at OSU that she hadn’t yet tapped into.
“It’s been amazing to see how much OSU is already doing through Extension and outreach in rural areas. I’m excited to be a part of that.”
Angelique Robinson
“They were like, ‘You’re kind of sleeping on your own faculty,’” Robinson said. “They gave me a list of professors to contact, and when I got back, I started reaching out.”
That experience led her to Dr. Justin Talley in entomology and Sweatt in psychology, among others. Her interests now bridge cardiology, entomology and behavioral science, with plans to explore how insect-borne pathogens might influence heart health and recovery in both animals and humans.
“Within one semester, it was clear to me that Angelique had tremendous potential, and my goal was to keep her in the lab during the remainder of her training. Angelique is one of the two most professional and dedicated students I have worked with in my career,” Sweatt said.
She’s also active in communityengaged research with Dr. Joshua Butcher at the College of Veterinary Medicine through OSU’s Rural Scholars Program, where she’s studying diabetes,
nutrition and health in rural Oklahoma, particularly within Choctaw Nation communities.
“I’ll be in Latimer County throughout the year, working with high school students and community partners,” she said. “It’s been amazing to see how much OSU is already doing through Extension and outreach in rural areas. I’m excited to be a part of that.”
Robinson has had no shortage of research opportunities, and she continues to use those opportunities to give back to the community in Oklahoma.
“It is rare for students at the undergraduate level to have the opportunity to conduct research projects that have truly life-saving implications,” said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, OSU vice president for research. “Angelique has been able to engage in some extremely impressive work during her time here at OSU, and I am confident her future has even greater things in store.”
Now entering her senior year, Robinson is majoring in entomology and psychology, with multiple minors and concentrations. Her next step? A dual DVM-Ph.D. program, combining veterinary medicine and research, a path she hadn’t imagined possible just a few years ago.
One moment along the path sticks out for making her journey less daunting. During her first semester, a professor she’d only briefly met during orientation remembered she was out of state. When fall break approached, he invited her and any other out-of-state students to a barbecue at his home.
“I hadn’t talked to him in weeks, but he remembered me and my mom,” she said. “It made me realize I wasn’t just a number. I was someone people cared about here.”
That sense of belonging matters deeply to Robinson, who said OSU became the place where she felt seen, heard and supported.
“I always tell people that I wanted to find a place that would make room for me on the sidewalk, literally and figuratively,” she said. “And at OSU, they do that tenfold. Not only on the sidewalks of Hall of Fame Avenue, but in every part of my journey.”
Angelique Robinson skipped high school and enrolled directly into Mendocino College in California from middle school before coming to OSU.
Printing Potential
OSU’s Ramesh to explore 3D printing innovations with NASA scientists
Dr. Sri Ramesh, assistant professor for the School of Industrial Engineering and Management in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University, has been awarded a NASA Established Program to Simulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) travel grant.
The grant provides funding for faculty to spend up to three days and two nights with NASA scientists to explore research collaboration and forge direct partnerships at NASA Centers and Mission Directorates.
Ramesh’s research focuses on advancing the science and technology behind additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, specifically for creating micro-scale functional devices.
Inspired by the unique challenges that designing and producing functional micro-scale devices presents, Ramesh’s research is set to open new possibilities for advancements with the devices.
“These devices are not just prototypes; they are fully functional components that can sense, communicate and perform tasks,” Ramesh said.
By improving the understanding of how to fabricate these devices, the research aims to enable innovation in fields like space exploration, health care and computing, pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 3D printing.
Ramesh will be visiting NASA Goddard Space Flight Center located in Maryland. The main goal of his trip is to meet with researchers and interact with the ongoing projects and breakthroughs at Goddard.
Ramesh highlighted the educational benefits of this project.
“This project will provide an excellent opportunity to directly observe the challenges and solutions NASA is working on in additive manufacturing for electronics,” Ramesh said. “By seeing these real-world problems firsthand, I’ll be able to bring relevant examples back to the classroom,
helping students align their research to address similar challenges. Additionally, I’ll be able to share insights on potential internship opportunities at NASA, guiding students on how they can get involved and contribute to cutting-edge work in the field.”
Beyond its applications in space research, the technology developed through this research has the potential to revolutionize several other application areas. For example, in health care, it could enable more efficient diagnostics, such as detecting infections or providing point-of-care diagnostics.
“This research will position OSU as a key player in advancing cutting-edge technology that supports NASA’s space exploration initiatives,” Ramesh said. “By contributing to the next generations of 3D printing technologies, OSU will help drive innovation that supports space missions.”
From left: Shihab Shakur, Dr. Sri Ramesh and Neshat Hojjati are working to enable innovation in space exploration, health care and computing by pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 3D printing.
The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Laboratory at OSU specializes in creating microelectronics and biomedical tissues.
Why collect asteroid samples?
Four essential reads on what these tiny bits of space rock can tell scientists
China’s Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission launched in May 2025, en route to the asteroid Kamo‘oalewa (2016 HO3). The country joins the United States and Japan, whose space agencies have both successfully retrieved a sample from an asteroid to study back on Earth.
Several space missions have flown by asteroids before and gotten a peek at their compositions, but bringing a sample back to Earth is even more helpful for scientists. The most informative analyses require
having physical samples to poke and prod, shine light at, run through CT scanners and examined under electron microscopes. These missions require detailed planning and specialized spacecraft, so to shed light on why agencies go through the trouble, we compiled four stories from The Conversation U.S.’s archive. These articles describe the ways asteroid sample return missions generate new scientific insights at every stage — from the collection process, to the container’s return to Earth, to laboratory analyses.
Scan the QR Code to read this story that cites OSU faculty expert Brian Elbing, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
STORIES PAUL K. BYRNE, BRIAN ELBING, TIMOTHY J. MCCOY, VALERIE PAYRE, SARA RUSSELL AND ELIZABETH A. SILBER PHOTO
¡Unidos Se Puede!
Cox wins 2024 OSU Public Impact Research Award
By tackling one of education’s most critical challenges — keeping students in school and on a path to success — Dr. Ronald Cox, professor of human development and family science, is transforming the lives of countless families across Oklahoma.
For his groundbreaking work in creating United We Can! — a program that enhances academic achievement, empowers families and strengthens peer relationships among middle school students — Cox was honored with the 2024 Oklahoma State University Public Impact Research Award during the University Awards Convocation on Dec. 12.
This recognition highlights Cox’s commitment to research that extends far beyond academia, addressing realworld problems with solutions that bring communities together and create lasting change.
“I am very honored to receive the Public Impact Research Award,” Cox said. “OSU has made innumerable, exceptional contributions to Oklahoma and the world through its tripart research, instruction and extension mission. I feel very privileged and honored that my work has been recognized as being among those contributions.”
Cox, an OSU Extension specialist and the George Kaiser Family Foundation chair in Child and Family Resilience, started a research study in 2009 to combat school dropout rates. With funding from OSU’s then College of Human Sciences, he began by conducting a statewide needs assessment, gathering insights through surveys, focus groups and interviews with Hispanic families and service providers.
This foundational research led to the creation of ¡Unidos Se Puede! (United We Can!), a family-based, yearlong program tailored specifically
for Hispanic immigrant families.
Unlike other programs adapted from traditional U.S. models, this program was uniquely developed with the needs of Hispanic immigrant families in mind. The program aims to foster academic success, reduce risky behaviors like substance use and provide a pathway to high school graduation and higher education for Hispanic adolescents.
“I believe that it is fundamental to the human species to seek out activities that provide a sense of meaning and purpose to life,” Cox said. “I have been fortunate to have been surrounded by a team of wonderful colleagues, exceptional staff and insightful administrators all focused on improving the lives of children, youth and families in Oklahoma. I am very grateful to OSU for the opportunity to conduct the kind of
“OSU has made innumerable, exceptional contributions to Oklahoma and the world through its tripart research, instruction and extension mission. I feel very privileged and honored that my work has been recognized as being among those contributions.”
DR. RONALD COX PROFESSOR OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY SCIENCE
community-based research that makes an immediate and enduring impact in the lives of Oklahomans.”
For its first decade, United We Can! served approximately 200 youth and their parents annually across four Tulsa public middle schools. Recognizing its success, Tulsa Public Schools requested an expansion of the program to benefit students of all ethnic backgrounds. Cox and his team adapted the model for African American and other minority families, training TPS parent involvement facilitators to deliver the program in 20 additional schools. United We Can! is expected to reach the entire TPS district, providing a replicable model for other school systems nationwide.
“The parent and family workshops and training, the student mentoring and the student enrichment opportunities have provided an immeasurable benefit to the community we served in Tulsa Public Schools,” said Dr. Laura Grisso, TPS executive director of language and cultural services in a letter of support. “This program has facilitated connections and building of relationships between schools and families as well as helping to shape the futures and aspirations of our students as they progress through PK-12 education and plan for postsecondary opportunities.”
Since 2013, Cox and his team have directly delivered the program to more than 2,000 families, with ripple effects extending to siblings and other family members. Despite the difficulty in quantifying its full impact due to its community-based implementation, the program has significantly influenced countless lives.
Cox’s innovative work exemplifies how research can address societal challenges and create lasting change, making his recognition with the Public Impact Research Award a well-deserved honor.
OSU Vice President for Research
Kenneth Sewell presents Dr. Ron Cox with the 2024 OSU Public Impact Research Award at University Awards Convocation.
HIDDEN HEALTH RISK
Exercise interventions address overlooked body characteristic
Two College of Education and Human Sciences faculty have teamed up to put their expertise in health and human performance to work.
Dr. Sam Emerson, associate professor of nutritional sciences, and Dr. Bree Baker, assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation, are studying the effects of exercise on underlying metabolic dysfunction risk factors.
“Dr. Baker and I are interested in how we can improve human health,” Emerson said. “I typically focus on metabolic health, and she focuses on physical function and how to help people be able to continue performing daily living activities even at an older age.”
Funded by the 2026 American Heart Association Institutional Research Enhancement Award, the two-year
project aims to provide students with meritorious research experience in undergraduate and graduate programs.
“Dr. Emerson and I have complementary backgrounds, so collaborating on research is particularly important for Oklahomans’ health, as programs that include both dietary and exercise interventions are most effective,” Baker said.
As just the second study of its kind, the research evaluates Normal Weight Obesity in men — a common but often overlooked clinical population, by both physicians and academics.
Clinical obesity determinations are often derived using the body mass index equation, considering an individual’s height and weight but not the body fat to muscle mass ratio.
It is estimated 30-50% of adults in the United States that have a healthy weight as defined by BMI still have
elevated body fat, placing them in the category of NWO and putting them at risk for developing long-term health implications.
While some effort has been made in understanding the risk profile of this population, including metabolic values, inflammation and gut health, a clear indicator has yet to be found for why NWO is developed. As a result, there is not a widely prescribed treatment plan for restoring body composition and improving overall health. One factor that has been isolated is low muscle mass, which is protective to the body.
Emerson and Baker hypothesize there may be a link between testosterone imbalances and individuals developing this particular profile — and exercise may be implemented as a restorative measure.
Since the group is considered normal weight, weight loss alone would not be
It is estimated 30-50% of adults in the United States that have a healthy weight as defined by BMI still have elevated body fat, placing them in the category of Normal Weight Obesity and putting them at risk for developing long-term health implications.
the best way to reduce risk for future cardiovascular disease. Reducing body fat in tandem with increasing muscle mass may put individuals on the right track.
The aim of the study is to first understand the metabolic component of how someone ends up with elevated body fat and low muscle mass without developing traditional obesity, and secondly to address the body composition imbalance and get them to a healthier state.
Two interventions are being tested. Aerobic exercise is typically more effective in decreasing body fat, and resistance exercise aims to improve muscle mass.
The team is interested in comparing the interventions to see which one not only restores body composition better but improves some of the downstream health outcomes, such as diabetes and heart disease.
“Logic suggests individuals will probably benefit from a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise,” Emerson said. “This is a first step
toward treating this population that will need fine tuning over time. We still have a lot to learn.”
Throughout the study, a total of 32 men with NWO will be recruited.
Control participants without the condition will also be recruited — these individuals will include both lean controls with a normal body weight and body fat ratio, as well as controls with traditional obesity.
The markers being measured are hormone levels, muscle, fat and metabolic health.
Participants with NWO will be randomly assigned to complete 12 weeks of either aerobic or resistance training.
After the completion of training, body fat and muscle improvements will be evaluated to determine which exercise regimen was more effective in balancing hormone profiles. The team will investigate results to identify further markers that may be indicative for the development of NWO.
In a true collaborative effort, the research is being conducted through
Baker’s Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Aging and eXercise (MAAX) Lab and Emerson’s Laboratory for Applied Nutrition and Exercise Science (LANES), playing to the strengths of each. LANES collects metabolic values and MAAX Lab conducts physical function measurements and facilitates the training regimens.
While Emerson and Baker are directing the research project, the day-to-day work is being executed by students.
Representing nutritional sciences are Andrea Aguirre Camorlinga — a master’s student studying dietetics research — and Tyler Godsey, a second year Ph.D. student studying nutritional biochemistry and chronic disease.
Health and human performance doctoral students Nick Spokely and Shawn Allen are working under Baker’s supervision, with Allen serving as lead for their stake in the study.
Godsey conducts study visits for LANES, drawing blood, running dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans to measure body composition, and assisting with collection of metabolic
measurements. He is charged with helping participants understand their results collected during appointments.
Godsey said thanks to the complexity of the project and collaboration with KAHR, he’s been able to conduct hands-on research. He encourages students to connect with professors about research opportunities.
“As graduate students, we wish to mentor emerging scientists to prepare them for their future careers — and there’s no better experience than in the lab,” Godsey said.
Aguirre Camoralinga has supported the study by coordinating with participants, assisting in screening protocols, and doing technical work centrifuging, pipetting and analyzing blood samples, running resting metabolic rate tests, and VO2 submaximal tests assessing oxygen uptake.
“These tasks reinforce classroom concepts and expose me to the type of evidence-based practices that dietitians must be familiar with in both clinical and research settings. Overall,
this involvement is helping me become a more competent, detail-oriented and research-informed practitioner,” she said.
On the human performance side of the study, Spokely is interested in how lower-body muscle quality, derived from gray-scale ultrasonography, improves following the interventions.
To analyze this, he collects ultrasound and functional performance data, reads the images and helps in training participants.
“Muscle quality is an emerging measurement that may have significant clinical impact, such as being used as a tool to predict fall-risk in older adults,” Spokely said. “More research is needed, which is why these data sets are important to study.”
Allen aims to be a positive force in this transformation and to help the public understand the physiological shifts underpinning these trends. With plans for a career in academia, his function as the lead researcher on a major project offers him a fresh perspective on his future path after graduation.
Left: Ph.D. candidate Shawn Allen and undergraduate student Bryan Medrano (MAAX Lab) work to set up a participant for muscle strength testing. Right: A study participant demonstrates muscle power with a medicine ball.
His responsibilities in the study encompass end-to-end data management, enhancing his skillset in research, organization and mentorship.
Allen acquires and curates all functional performance datasets; captures and processes ultrasound imaging; designs, implements and oversees participant training programs; and coordinates schedules and logistics.
“I am very excited to be working with Dr. Emerson and his lab,” Allen said. “It is our hope that we will develop a relationship with LANES that can be carried forward and benefit the health and human performance students who come after Nick and me.”
Undergraduate students are directly engaging with participants in pre- and post-testing by taking height, weight and blood pressure measurements, evaluating energy expenditure and observing heart rate throughout training. In the lab, they are inputting and managing data, processing blood samples and conducting metabolic assessments.
Many of these undergraduates are pursuing careers in medicine, and this work provides experience in research and a baseline understanding of conditions they may treat in their futures as health care professionals.
“Our graduate students are the lifeblood of any study and without them research production at OSU would grind to a standstill,” Baker said.
“This
project allows Dr. Emerson and my students to continue gaining valuable scientific experiences while working with research participants across the lifespan as we all aim to improve health outcomes for Oklahomans.”
Current participants in the study report increased motivation to exercise and more energy throughout the day. The study allows for a better understanding of personal body condition and provides detailed health assessments on hemoglobin levels, cholesterol and muscle mass — all free of charge.
The supportive, professional and encouraging team of graduate research students has created a positive experience and a desire to maintain exercise regimens after the program’s end.
Baker hopes by the end of this study there will be better screening practices for Oklahomans who may be at risk for underlying metabolic dysfunction, research-backed potent exercise interventions prescribed to improve current and long-term health outcomes, and data that will allow for the application of larger funding opportunities to help their team expand the impact of the study across Oklahoma.
TO PARTICIPATE
The paid study is actively recruiting men age 40 and older in the Stillwater area for a 12-week program.
Participants who screen for Normal Weight Obesity are incentivized with a total of $485, paid over the course of the 12-week program.
Pre-testing will be completed followed by 12 weeks training for 30-45 minutes three days per week. In addition to the monetary award, participants receive free supervised exercise training and valuable personal health data through DEXA scans evaluating bone density, body fat and muscle mass.
Submitting screening information does not guarantee selection. Qualifying factors must be met.
AHA-NWO Hormone Study Screening Form:
Manuscripts and Medicine
Borland’s research studies role of women and art in shaping health care practices in medieval households
To Dr. Jennifer Borland, the appeal of medieval art isn’t just its history — it’s the untapped potential.
In a discipline often dominated by Renaissance and modern art, she found space to ask bold questions about gender, medicine and the body, carving out a path that bridges the Middle Ages with today’s cultural conversations.
Borland, professor of art, graphic design and art history at Oklahoma State University, recently won the 2025 Karen Gould Prize in medieval art history and the Best First Book of Feminist Scholarship of the Middle Ages for “Visualizing Household Health: Medieval Women, Art, and Knowledge in the Régime du corps.”
This book explores images found in medieval manuscripts and focusing on women and health care represented through an artistic perspective. This award recognizes Borland’s exceptional work and innovative approach to evaluating the relationship between
medieval manuscripts and household health.
“I knew very early on that I wanted to study art history,” Borland said. “I’ve always been really interested in art, and when I realized that there was a field of study where you get to look at amazing artwork, think about it, explore its impact on the different moments of culture ... I think that has always been really appealing to me.”
Many of the images throughout the manuscripts and Borland’s book show the role women played in household medicine. From food preparation to cupping therapy and childbirth, women played a central role in distributing these care practices to family members.
“We tend to think of the past as primitive, but these manuscripts show an incredible depth of knowledge, creativity and care. There’s a lot we can still learn from that,” Borland said.
The original text is said to have been compiled in 1256 for the countess Beatrice of Savoy. Aldobrandino of
Siena, Beatrice’s personal physician, is the attributed author. The French text provided medical advice and information to elite and domestic households.
“The book is really focused on seven illustrated copies,” Borland said. “I think it was being able to kind of unpack these images, really look at them closely, think about what they’re conveying and how they are kind of expanding what the viewers and users of these manuscripts would have been understanding about what the content was, and then also thinking about who might have used the books.”
Writing books about art history can be a very long process because of all the images used and all the research. Eventually, the book was submitted to Pennsylvania State University Press in 2020 to be printed. It was finalized in 2022.
This book took 12 years to compile all the different images and research for all the various pieces for each manuscript. Borland traveled to New York, England and France to physically look through the manuscripts and analyze the images.
“It’s the most rewarding thing, the day that you get your book and you have it in your hands, and it’s a real thing. It’s very fulfilling,” Borland said.
Borland found a way to combine the history of medicine, art history and gender studies into a compelling and engaging book that teaches readers how health care was managed in the medieval household. This award recognizes the humanities at OSU and demonstrates the contributions of art historians to our understanding of history and culture.
“They weren’t just making things for their own self-edification — there was purpose, intention and meaning behind every image,” Borland said. “And I think that gives us a different way to think about the role of art in society and culture.”
STORY DARBY RAINS | PHOTOS JASON WALLACE AND PROVIDED
Detail view of book cover: “Visualizing Household Health: Medieval Women, Art, and Knowledge in the Régime du corps.”
Dr. Jennifer Borland is the recipient of the 2025 Karen Gould Prize in medieval art history and the Best First Book of Feminist Scholarship of the Middle Ages for “Visualizing Household Health: Medieval Women, Art, and Knowledge in the Régime du corps.”
An
eye for an eye: People agree about the values of body parts across cultures and eras
The Bible’s lex talionis – “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:24-27) – has captured the human imagination for millennia. This idea of fairness has been a model for ensuring justice when bodily harm is inflicted.
Thanks to the work of linguists, historians, archaeologists and anthropologists, researchers know a lot about how different body parts are appraised in societies both small and large, from ancient times to the present day.
But where did such laws originate?
According to one school of thought, laws are cultural constructions — meaning they vary across cultures and
historical periods, adapting to local customs and social practices. By this logic, laws about bodily damage would differ substantially between cultures.
Our new study explored a different possibility — that laws about bodily damage are rooted in something universal about human nature: shared intuitions about the value of body parts.
Do people across cultures and throughout history agree on which body parts are more or less valuable? Until now, no one had systematically tested whether body parts are valued similarly across space, time and levels of legal expertise — that is, among laypeople versus lawmakers.
Scan the QR Code to read this story coauthored by OSU psychology
graduate student Yunsuh
Nike Wee and faculty
Daniel Sznycer and Jaimie Arona Krems.
STORY YUNSUH NIKE WEE, DANIEL SZNYCER AND JAIMIE ARONA KREMS
Changing the Tune
Music education student researches composer representation
When Katelynn Biggs turns on the car radio, she’s not listening to Beethoven.
Few people are. The German composer and pianist is an all-time great, but there have been composers of all races and genders since then.
People aren’t rushing to the theater to watch Shakespeare anymore. Movies and plays have added newer content over the years. So, why are orchestras stuck in the 1800s?
Biggs, a music education senior, researched that very question this spring at the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music.
Biggs’ studies primarily focused on prescribed music lists for high school
concert bands in the region. The PMLs are what every student in the state plays when they perform at competitions and, therefore, spend hours and hours with the music. As a French horn player, Biggs narrowed the research down to just that instrument.
What Biggs found was quite revealing. Most PMLs included classics like Beethoven, Mozart and Strauss, but few, if any, included newer compositions or even female-composed pieces.
“In my paper, I found there were 289 solos on the Texas PML, but only two were composed by women,” Biggs said. “And it’s Barbara Aren’s ‘Intro to Scenarios’ and Mary Shindler’s ‘Flee as a Bird.’ So it’s just 0.7% of the list, which
was the most extensive. Texas had a lot of pages to click through, but it severely lacked female representation.”
A native of Joshua, Texas, Biggs was familiar with playing the same compositions over and over to prepare for these contests. It became tiring, and when she arrived at Oklahoma State University, she found that playing the same music continuously in high school didn’t adequately prepare her for college.
Dr. Sarah Sarver, assistant professor of music theory, advised Biggs on her research and noted that even the college curriculum is still trying to modernize.
“One of the criticisms of the music theory field is that historically, when I was a student, it was locked into a
OSU music education senior Katelynn Biggs researched the lack of newer, diverse compositions in high school prescribed music lists.
particular canon of composers, such as Beethoven and Mozart,” Sarver said. “It would sort of peter out, depending on where you went to school and how far you would get. You would maybe end in the late 1800s and then take an extra course to look at some composers around the beginning of the 1900s.
“... So now there’s been a big push in the field to incorporate music by underrepresented composers, women, people of color, and different styles of music. So it doesn’t just have to be Western European music in terms of popular music. I’m of the mind that if someone’s making music, they’re making music.”
Biggs also studied the PMLs for Arkansas and Oklahoma, finding that Arkansas was also severely lacking in female horn compositions, while Oklahoma hadn’t updated its repertoire since 2001.
“Oklahoma gets around it by saying you can also pick whatever you want,” Biggs said. “But if you have an educator who does not play that instrument, I wouldn’t know what to choose for a saxophone player to add representation to their repertoire. I would go off the list, but the list has not been updated since 2001.
“Many Oklahoma kids play the same solos yearly because they have CD backing tracks, so you don’t have to pay for an accompaniment, which is good, but you play out of the same book every single year. What are they working for?”
Biggs presented her work at three conferences: the Mid-South Horn Conference in Jonesboro, Arkansas; SHE: Festival of Women in Music in Fayetteville, Arkansas; and the College Music Society South Central Conference in Oklahoma City, where she won the second-place student presentation award.
“My research was really about integrating women’s written composition into that list that hits the same technical benchmarks as a solo written by Strauss or Beethoven or the classics, which need to be played,” Biggs said. “But also, you can introduce your students to something new that hopefully they can connect to more on a personal level, because everyone plays Beethoven, everyone plays Strauss.”
A native of Joshua, Texas, Katelynn Biggs found only two of the 289 French horn pieces for her state’s prescribed music list were composed by women.
“How can we make our students feel represented, heard and seen? It’s by including different cultures. Everyone wants to see themselves doing what they have always dreamed of doing.”
KATELYNN BIGGS
MUSIC EDUCATION SENIOR
Recently, Biggs worked as a marching band technician and hopes to go into the education field, where she can make an impact at an early age.
“How can we make our students feel represented, heard and seen? It’s by including different cultures. Everyone wants to see themselves doing what they have always dreamed of doing,” Biggs said. “If you get that started with students when they’re young, instead of just notes on a page and get them started with feeling connected to the music, it can grow them into such amazing musicians.”
As far as what compositions schools and states can start incorporating, Biggs and Sarver said they are out
there, but you just have to look. Music isn’t limited to the classics, with film compositions or pop music being areas students can learn from.
Sarver said women have always been involved in music, like Clara Schumann or Fanny Hensel, but historically, not all female musicians received credit or profited for their work. Nowadays, female composers are everywhere, but their music isn’t being promoted nearly as much as the classics.
“It’s not just about increasing the number of works written by women. It’s about giving students a chance to personally connect to pieces of music,” Biggs said. “Meaningful change starts with educators, adjudicators,
music committees and the students themselves advocating for greater representation through intentional programming.”
Sarver said the lack of representation on the PMLs stems from the pieces being familiar items that the people who make the lists grew up with.
“They’re only playing the things that they grew up hearing. And if we’ve only programmed pieces by men, it’s just perpetuating the problem,” Sarver said. “It’s something that we continually need to work on so that performing a piece written by a woman or other underrepresented composer isn’t something that we celebrate because it happens so rarely.”
Biggs will next present at the College Music Society National Conference in Spokane, Washington, in late October. She hopes that someday, people can turn on the radio and hear some newer compositions, perhaps by someone who benefited from playing newer music when they were in high school.
“I’m not trying to diminish what they did in the olden days. They wrote beautiful music,” Biggs said. “But music changes with time, too. … As time goes on, we have to follow along with it.”
Katelynn Biggs recently worked as a marching band technician and hopes to go into the education field.
“When products of the wheat breeding program stand a better chance against nature than the facilities used to create them, we know it’s time to upgrade.”
Brett Carver, OSU Regents Professor & Wheat Genetics Chair
OSU is doubling down on its efforts to nourish and feed the world by modernizing and improving the Agronomy Research Station, home to one of the world’s top wheat breeding programs. The research station is located on the west side of campus along Highway 51, and includes 28 buildings used for classroom instruction, greenhouse trials, research, Extension efforts and support services.
Thank you to our top investors. Together, we will ensure OSU Agriculture remains at the forefront of discovery.
- Oklahoma Genetics, Inc.
- Oklahoma Wheat Commission
- Ben Rempel
- Carol and J.B. Stewart
- Shirley Farm
To learn more or make a gift to the Agronomy Discovery Center scan here, or contact Teresa Gustafson at tgustafson@osugiving.com.
Wheat is in the air in Oklahoma — in more than just the literal sense.
With over 4 million acres planted in Oklahoma each year and more than $500 million in annual state revenue from grain production, the state’s top crop commodity is a primary topic of conversation in the agricultural sector.
And who is at the forefront of these conversations? Oklahoma State University Agriculture.
“The OSU Wheat Improvement Team has been a cornerstone of innovation and resilience in wheat production,
not only across Oklahoma but around the world,” said Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture.
“Their groundbreaking research and collaborative spirit have elevated wheat yields and strengthened food security. Their work exemplifies the land-grant mission, transforming science into realworld impacts.”
Since Plant and Soil Sciences Regents Professor and Wheat Genetics Chair Dr. Brett Carver founded the Wheat Improvement Team 27 years ago, he has become one of the most recognized faces nationwide in the
wheat breeding and genetics sector. The team of 10 OSU scientists is dedicated to improving protection against fungal, bacterial and viral diseases, and insect species and improving wheat’s tolerance to drought and low soil pH. The wheat breeding program has commercially released 39 varieties since 2000.
In the past 25 years, OSU Ag Research’s wheat breeding program has kept stripe rust and leaf rust at bay in wheat crops with varieties like Gallagher, Smith’s Gold, Green Hammer, OK Corral and Paradox; created durable
dual-purpose wheat with varieties like Endurance, Duster, Gallagher and Doublestop CL+; released varieties that offer tolerance to the grassy weed herbicide Imazamox (Doublestop CL+ and Orange Blossom CL+); and discovered an altered version of what is now one of the most important diseaseresistant wheat genes in breeding programs across the world.
OSU’s wheat team hasn’t stopped there.
“We intend to develop more durable genetic packages that offer longerlasting protection against leaf rust
“The OSU Wheat Improvement Team has been a cornerstone of innovation and resilience in wheat production, not only across Oklahoma but around the world.”
Dr. Jayson Lusk VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN OF OSU AGRICULTURE
and stripe rust and provide stronger protection against a relatively new nemesis — Septoria nodorum blotch,” Carver said.
Food solution providers
While the team continues to breed stronger wheat varieties, they are taking on the challenge of making wheat an even healthier product and a solution to food industry problems.
In 2012, the WIT began working with a genetic protein called Bx7oe, and the varieties that resulted from this work had a shocking effect. Flour from OSU’s Paradox, Breadbox and Firebox wheat varieties – dubbed OX wheat – provides a high level of dough strength while maintaining flexibility.
“Dough strength and extensibility are important in making bread, and the value of this wheat comes from having a certain level of dough strength that did not previously exist in hard red winter wheat,” Carver said. “We are emphasizing something other than yield
without sacrificing yield. There’s an opportunity for everyone in the industry to gain value from this wheat.”
Use of the wheat flour additive called “vital wheat gluten” has increased over the past 20 years. OSU has partnered with Oklahoma-based Shawnee Milling Company and Farm Strategy, a food supply chain consultant, to research the potential of the three wheat varieties as a natural, flour-based alternative to wheat flour additives.
If they successfully establish OX wheat as a food additive substitute, it could mean an entirely new food commodity system in which wheat producers are established as food solution providers. The WIT continues to study the OX wheat varieties by identifying genetic mechanisms responsible for the OX wheats’ gluten strength.
Tapping into healthier wheat
In recent years, the WIT bred a purple wheat variety with Smith’s
Gold and an OSU white wheat called Big Country. The resulting variety contained 20 micrograms per gram of anthocyanins.
Anthocyanins give dark-colored foods, such as blueberries and black beans, their color pigment, and they benefit health by creating antioxidants in the human body. The anthocyanin content in red wheat is about 6 micrograms per gram compared to berries, which have about 20-25 micrograms per gram. Carver hopes to soon release the purple wheat variety to the commercial market.
The WIT is also studying and breeding with two wheat varieties from the United Kingdom and China that are high in arabinoxylan polysaccharides in hopes of increasing fiber in other varieties. The team should have genetically stable high-arabinoxylan experimental lines in the field for testing within two years. The average American consumes 16 grams of fiber per day with the recommended amount being 25 grams.
“We can potentially increase the fiber in wheat by 1 to 3 grams per serving,” Carver said. “If we combine that with other solutions like resistant starch, we could get up to 20 grams of fiber per day without a significant change to our dietary choices.”
OSU wheat breeders and geneticists have continued this groundbreaking research with increasingly out-ofdate technology and infrastructure. That’s why OSU Agriculture’s latest initiative is planning and fundraising for the new OSU Agronomy Discovery Center to upgrade OSU’s existing Agronomy Research Station with a new headhouse, 10 research greenhouses and a multipurpose Research and Education Center.
“The new laboratories and greenhouses at the Agronomy Discovery Center will revolutionize OSU’s wheat research and breeding efforts by enabling faster genetic breakthroughs,” said Dr. Scott Senseman, associate vice president of OSU Ag Research.
Growing the Land-Grant Legacy
Oklahoma State University has received a historic $250 million state funding appropriation to support the construction of a new, state-of-the-art veterinary teaching hospital.
This critical investment — the largest state appropriation in university history — combined with $79 million allocated in 2023, marks a significant step forward in advancing the future of veterinary education, food security and public health in Oklahoma.
The new 255,000-square-foot facility will replace the existing 145,376-square-foot veterinary hospital, which was built to serve 60 students but now supports more
OSU receives historic $250M investment to build world class veterinary teaching hospital Scan the QR Code to read this story.
than 150. With this expansion, OSU will address one of the most urgent infrastructure needs in its veterinary program while expanding its ability to train the next generation of veterinarians.
This spring, OSU President Jim Hess made securing investment for a new veterinary teaching hospital a key priority, noting its crucial impact not just for OSU but for the state. Veterinary medicine is a cornerstone of Oklahoma’s economy and public health, and Dr. Hess said this transformational investment directly supports OSUs land-grant mission to serve the state’s needs.
STRIDE TOWARD HEALING
Groundbreaking foal research sheds light on joint infection treatments
With foaling season comes hope and excitement as the start of a new year and all the possibilities the horses could bring.
A new foal has a bright future ahead unless they start experiencing symptoms of depression, dehydration and multiple cardiac stressors. All of those signs could lead the foal to be diagnosed with septicemia.
The leading cause of illness and death in newborn foals, septicemia is a bacterial infection of the bloodstream.
One of the most devastating outcomes of septicemia in foals is septic synovitis — bacterial invasion of joint spaces. These infections are notoriously difficult to treat and, if not aggressively managed, can cause irreversible joint damage.
“Despite prompt intervention, survival rates still range between 42% and 89%, and many foals suffer from lasting performance limitations,” said Dr. Mike Schoonover, professor in equine surgery and sports medicine.
At the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, a dedicated team of equine specialists — like its counterparts in human medicine — is continually working to refine treatment protocols and develop more effective strategies to combat disease.
Drs. Schoonover and David Wallace, equine surgery resident, conducted a study on the efficacy and safety of concurrent systemic administration and intravenous regional limb perfusion of amikacin in healthy neonatal foals.
IVRLP is a technique that offers a targeted approach to antimicrobial delivery.
A tourniquet temporarily isolates the limb’s blood circulation while a dose of antimicrobial is injected directly into a superficial vein. Once administered, the antimicrobial diffuses into the limb’s tissues, achieving very high concentrations until the tourniquet is removed, allowing normal blood flow to resume.
Amikacin, an antimicrobial commonly used for IVRLP in horses because of its spectrum of activity against common orthopedic pathogens, was studied.
In the spring of 2023, Schoonover and Wallace started their study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of concurrent systemic and IVRLP antimicrobial treatment in eight neonatal foals, 3 to 7 days old.
While IVRLP treatment is often used clinically in adult horses and foals, research on the technique in young, neonatal foals is lacking.
“There are many published experimental studies evaluating IVRLP in adult horses; however, no studies have been published evaluating the efficacy and safety of IVRLP in neonatal foals,” Schoonover said.
Antimicrobial therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for sepsis and septic synovitis; however, systemic administration alone often fails to achieve the antimicrobial concentrations required to eliminate the infection in joint tissues.
Increasing the systemic dose beyond those recommended risks side effects such as nephrotoxicity, particularly in newborns with immature organ systems.
“Giving higher than recommended doses of a drug like amikacin can systemically damage the kidneys, especially in young foals whose organs are still developing,” Wallace said. “But if we don’t give enough, we risk subtherapeutic concentrations, which will not clear the infection and can lead to antimicrobial resistance.”
To navigate these hurdles, veterinarians often treat septicemic foals suffering from septic synovitis by administering antimicrobials both systemically and locally. However, the dose of antimicrobial given by each route can vary substantially between practitioners due to the lack of research on the topic.
In the spring of 2023, Schoonover and Wallace started their study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of concurrent systemic and IVRLP antimicrobial treatment in eight neonatal foals, 3 to 7 days old.
The treatment protocols consisted of administering amikacin at the currently recommended dose, divided between systemic and IVRLP routes. Two-thirds of the calculated systemic dose was administered intravenously, and onethird of the calculated systemic dose was administered by IVRLP to either a forelimb or a hind limb.
Blood and joint fluid samples were collected at various time points over 24 hours and the amikacin concentrations were measured. Each foal underwent the forelimb and hind limb IVRLP protocol in random order, 48 hours apart.
As anticipated, both IVRLP protocols resulted in comparable blood amikacin concentrations over 24 hours and achieved peak concentrations considered to be effective in treating sepsis caused by common bacterial pathogens in foals. Additionally, trough amikacin concentrations within the range considered safe for once-daily dosing across multiple days were observed.
Reaching low trough levels of systemic amikacin is critical, particularly for treatment courses extending over several consecutive days.
Interestingly, not all the results were straightforward.
Although concentrations considered therapeutic were observed in joint fluid from the carpus, tarsus and forelimb fetlock joints, lower, possibly sub-therapeutic concentrations were observed in that from the hind fetlock joint. Reasons for this disparity are not completely apparent, but Schoonover and Wallace have some theories they plan to investigate further.
Despite this anomaly, the study indicated that both IVRLP methods can be safe and efficacious in the treatment of sepsis with concurrent septic synovitis in neonatal foals.
“Through this study, we were able to show that this combined method of amikacin delivery can work effectively in neonatal foals. We observed therapeutic
Dr. David Wallace and Dr. Mike Schoonover prepare a foal for IVRLP treatment at the OSU VMTH.
concentrations in most of the joints we studied, while still achieving the necessary peak systemic concentrations,” Wallace said.
This study lays the groundwork for a new era in neonatal medicine. Future research could explore variations related to IVRLP in foals, such as antimicrobial type and dose, administration techniques, tourniquet type, and more.
“This is just the beginning,” Schoonover said. “Now we have a model for others to build on.”
Schoonover and Wallace collaborated with other faculty members within the college. Drs. Megan Williams, associate professor of equine surgery; Jared Taylor, professor of pathobiology; and Lara Maxwell, professor of physiological sciences, each played an invaluable role in the research.
This study was supported by generous funding, including $20,000 from the 2023 OSU President’s Fellows Research Award and a $15,000
grant from the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Research Advisory Committee. These contributions were instrumental in facilitating every stage of the research.
At OSU, faculty members are committed to advancing the field of veterinary medicine.
The investigation into IVRLP is just one example of how our equine specialists are leading efforts to improve neonatal care. This study deepens understanding of how to treat joint infections safely and effectively in septic neonatal foals and lays the foundation for future breakthroughs in equine medicine.
With continued research, collaboration and support, the veterinary community is one step closer to safeguarding horses’ soundness, health and longevity.
Donor Recognition
This study was supported by generous funding, including $20,000 from the 2023 OSU President’s Fellows Research Award and a $15,000 grant from the OSU Research Advisory Committee. These contributions were instrumental in facilitating every stage of the research.
Sterile supplies are prepared for IVRLP, including fluids, bandaging materials and infusion equipment, used to administer localized antimicrobial treatment in equine patients.
WORLD WAR ZOOS: HUMANS AND OTHER ANIMALS IN THE DEADLIEST CONFLICT OF THE MODERN AGE
JOHN M. KINDER
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
DEATH OF HOMETOWN: POLITICAL ELITES AND THE FATE OF NATIVE PLACE IN MODERN CHINA
YONGTAO DU
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
DUANE A. GILL, LIESEL A.RITCHIE, NNENIA CAMPBELL
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
SPORTSCASTING IN THE DIGITAL AGE: MORE THAN THE GAME
JOHN MCGUIRE
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
OSU MAINTAINS PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION AS CARNEGIE R1 INSTITUTION
Oklahoma State University has once again secured its designation as a Carnegie R1 research institution, reinforcing its position among the top research universities in the nation.
The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching published the 2025 Research Activity Designations on Feb. 13, unveiling an updated methodology that brings transparency to the classification process.
“This reaffirmation of OSU’s R1 status is a testament to the dedication
of our faculty, researchers and students who are pushing the boundaries of discovery,” said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, OSU vice president for research. “As a land-grant institution, our mission is to conduct research that directly benefits our communities, industries and the broader society. Maintaining R1 status enhances our ability to attract toptier talent, secure competitive funding and expand the impact of our research enterprise.”
Continuing the land-grant mission to broaden the reach of research at Oklahoma State University, Vice President for Research Kenneth Sewell was recently elected to the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Council on Research Executive Committee.
The executive committee is comprised of three cohorts of senior research officers, elected for a three-year term by COR members. Dr. Sewell will serve a three-year term as part of the Class of 2027 cohort.
“I am honored to be elected by my peers around the country to serve on the COR Executive Committee,” Sewell said. “It allows me to represent
SEWELL ELECTED TO APLU COUNCIL ON RESEARCH THAPA NAMED SPEARS BUSINESS VICE DEAN FOR FACULTY, GRADUATE PROGRAMS, AND RESEARCH
The Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University has named Dr. Brij Thapa as vice dean for faculty, graduate programs, and research.
Thapa brings extensive experience as a widely cited scholar, an established leader and an innovator for academic programs. For the past five years, he served as a professor and head of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, housed in Spears Business.
OSU’s interests on the national stage, while also providing me a unique avenue of ‘giving back’ to a professional community that has supported my professional development over the past 15 years.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as vice dean for faculty, graduate programs, and research at the Spears School of Business,” Thapa said. “This is a chance to contribute directly to the strategic goals and to shape the future based on people, processes and priorities.”
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EVOLUTIONARY ECONOMICS PER L. BYLUND SPEARS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
NARRATIVE WORLDVIEWS OF CENTRAL AMERICAN MIGRATION: A MULTI-VANTAGE APPROACH
JARED JOHNSON, SKYE COOLEY ASYA COOLEY, ROBERT HINCK COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
90 WAYS OF COMMUNITY: NURTURING SAFE AND INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS WRITING ONE POEM AT A TIME SARAH DONOVAN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SCIENCES
MOVING TOWARDS ACTION ANTI-RACISM IN LEADERSHIP LEARNING
CAMERON C. BEATTY, AMBER MANNING-OUELLETTE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SCIENCES
THE PAPER ANNIVERSARY
DINAH COX
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHING NEW VENTURES
BRUCE R. BARRINGER SPEARS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
THE RICH EARTH BETWEEN US: THE INTIMATE GROUNDS OF RACE AND SEXUALITY IN THE ATLANTIC WORLD, 1770-1840
SHELBY JOHNSON
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
BIOLOGY AND INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF TURFGRASS DISEASES
GARY W. BEEHAG, NATHAN R. WALKER, PERCY T.W. WONG, JYRI KAAPRO
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
JIANG AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS NSF CAREER AWARD
Dr. Zheyu Jiang, assistant professor in Oklahoma State University’s School of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, was recently awarded the CAREER Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Jiang, who started at OSU in 2021, is the recipient of a $500,000 NSF grant that runs through the end of 2029. His research focuses on developing advanced computational models and AI methods to digitalize modern agricultural production, increase crop yield, reduce water and energy consumption and improve sustainability.
FOLTZ RECEIVES
PRESTIGIOUS NSF CAREER AWARD
Dr. Mary Foltz, an assistant professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University, is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award.
“I was speechless when I found out I got the NSF CAREER Award,” Foltz said. “I had spent a year working on my application alongside a good friend who was also applying to the same program. She had found out she got hers shortly before, and we were both so excited. We had really hoped one of us would get it, but when we found out we both got it, we were in disbelief. What are the odds, we thought? I am so grateful to have had an
“The idea is to combine sensor data and mathematical models to create a synergistic effect,” Jiang said.
“I’m very grateful to receive this prestigious award. I proposed a lot of tasks with both research and education and how they integrate.”
accountability partner and experienced the ups and downs of this process with a friend.”
Foltz will receive $549,852 in funding over a five-year period to study how farming practices impact the environment and the resilience of crops in a changing environment.
OSU CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR RECEIVES 2025 CATALYSIS RESEARCH AWARD
Dr. Jeffery White, professor and BP Chair in the School of Chemical Engineering at Oklahoma State University, has been awarded the 2025 Great Plains Catalysis Society Research award.
The GPCS Research Award recognizes White’s impactful contributions as a researcher and educator in the field of catalysis.
“To be recognized by the excellent colleagues throughout this region is gratifying and humbling, particularly in light of the outstanding prior recipients of the award,” White said.
White’s research in catalysis and spectroscopy began during his graduate studies, where a faculty mentor, who later became his Ph.D. advisor, introduced him to the field.
“Recently, we’ve used our desire to understand the fundamentals of how certain industrially important catalysts work, coupled with collaborations with industrial partners, to improve catalysts to work with a wider range of feedstocks,” he said. “These include feedstocks which might be considered waste materials, and feedstocks that are either rich in water or generate water during reactions. Historically, catalysts have not been able to convert these types of feeds with acceptable selectivity or conversion.”
4 FACULTY RESEARCHERS
Dr. Yong Cheng — assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology
Dr. Yu Feng — associate professor of chemical engineering
Dr. Liz McCullagh — assistant professor of integrative biology
Dr. Matteo Minghetti — associate professor of integrative biology
MICROAGGRESSIONS IN MEDICINE
LAURIE FREEMAN, HETHER STEWART COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF THE LEARNING CURVE: A LABORATORY MANUAL AND SOURCE BOOK CHARLES I. ABRAMSON, IGOR IGOREVICH STEPANOV, RILEY J. WINCHESKI COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
MEDIATED MORMONS: SHIFTING RELIGIOUS IDENTITIES IN THE DIGITAL AGE
ROSEMARY AVANCE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
THE LENGEST NEOI STEPHANIE CHOI COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Quantifying Curiosity
OSU’s investments in computing are redefining research
In the last 50 years, research has shifted from lab experiments involving test tubes to computational methods using supercomputers.
This advancement in technology has revolutionized research. It allows scientists to rapidly analyze DNA sequence data, identify pathogens and conduct microbiome research more efficiently and at a higher volume. Through critical investments in technology and expertise, Oklahoma State University’s biocomputational research spans multiple disciplines, generating insights into how living systems function at a molecular level and answering questions too difficult to answer through experiments alone.
Dr. Pratul Agarwal, associate vice president for research (Cyberinfrastructure), serves as director of OSU’s High-Performance Computing Center — a critical component of biocomputational research.
At the simplest level, Agarwal and other researchers look at genome and protein sequences and ask, “Is this a special gene?” or “What does this gene do?”
That is a biocomputational analysis called bioinformatics — information coming from biology.
“Over time, bioinformatics analysis has become very advanced. With supercomputers, it is now possible to compare entire genomes from one species to another species, one bacteria
to an entire community of bacteria,” Agarwal said.
That’s on one end of the computations; on the other end, the data can be used to make models of organs and organisms. And see how they behave over time.
Currently, the pharmaceutical industry is interested in modeling air-pathways found in human lungs to determine how medications are distributed in the lungs when inhaled, according to Agarwal.
“Genes can be very unique to organisms,” Agarwal said. “By looking at certain genes, we can map out the pathogens. So, in many cases the labbased diagnostic analysis comes from bioinformatics calculations.”
Dr. Joy Scaria and his research team use OSU’s computational resources to sequence gut microbiomes from various angles.
As a College of Veterinary Medicine physiological sciences professor, Agarwal studies cancer.
He is looking at an oncogene — aka mutated gene — present in humans that causes cancer when not regulated correctly. Specifically, looking at why mutations in the K-RAS protein cause a variety of cancers.
“We’re using supercomputers, computational biology, and trying to understand how we can think about designing new drugs and medication,” Agarwal said.
In 2024, Dr. Tyrell Conway, regents professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, received an NIH Institutional Development Award (IDeA) to establish a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, creating the Oklahoma Center for Microbiome Research.
The center’s focus is on understanding microbiomes and their impact on human health.
A microbiome is a community of microorganisms, like the trillions of
bacteria in our gut, each with its own DNA.
Conway’s team studies these complex mixtures by sequencing all the DNA in a sample — often from feces — and then working with Agarwal’s team to analyze the data using bioinformatics.
Each bacterial genome contains about 5 million DNA bases made up of the A, T, C and G letters you might remember from biology class, and researchers sequence each one many times over to accurately reconstruct the full genetic picture.
“Basically, we can’t do our job without the computer firepower that they bring to the job and the way that they look at computational problems,” Conway said. “It’s a resource that we can’t live without in the business of microbiome research, because the complexity of the data sets and the complexity of computing on them.”
Dr. Joy Scaria, Walter R. Sitlington Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases in the Department of Veterinary
“It dramatically sped up the results we could share with producers — what used to take a year now took just a few weeks.”
DR. DARREN HAGEN
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL AND FOOD SCIENCES
Dr. Tyrrell Conway leads the Oklahoma Center for Microbiome Research. His team uses OSU’s supercomputer to sequence DNA in fecal samples to study the microbiome.
Pathobiology, is also conducting groundbreaking microbiome research.
His team is studying the gut microbiome from various angles, including how the loss of protective microbes can lead to infections like Clostridium difficile and salmonella, how microbes or lack of might contribute to conditions like obesity, and how microbes can influence mental health and interfere with treatments for disorders like autism and depression by altering the metabolism of brain chemicals like dopamine.
Microbiology has shifted from a traditional lab science to a data-driven field, thanks to affordable sequencing, advanced computing and AI — making supercomputing infrastructure essential.
The computing power makes advanced experiments and complex hypotheses possible.
“It might sound simple asking how many species are in the gut or what a healthy microbiome looks like, but that’s actually a hard question,” Scaria said. “Think about it: we have a global population of 7 billion, and even though we’ve sampled 50,000 people, that’s still a tiny fraction.”
Analyzing gut microbiome data from tens of thousands of people produces petabyte-scale datasets that exceed the computing capacity of most labs, Scaria noted.
“Having access to the supercomputing cluster at OSU allows us to generate novel hypotheses directly from massive data analysis, which we can then rigorously test in the lab,” Scaria said.
Dr. Darren Hagen, associate professor of animal and food sciences, analyzes genomes of livestock animals to identify genetic variants causing diseases or traits.
Hagen compares genes in sheep, goats and cattle to the similarities and differences in the species.
His studies involved investigating a form of dwarfism in black-faced club lambs by sequencing sheep genomes and using computing power to pinpoint a single DNA mutation out of 3.2 billion bases that caused the condition.
“It dramatically sped up the results we could share with producers — what
Dr. Pratul Agarwal serves as director of OSU’s High-Performance Computing Center — a critical component of biocomputational research. The supercomputer, housed at the OSU-Stillwater campus, is the largest in Oklahoma and several nearby states.
used to take a year now took just a few weeks,” Hagen said.
Another project involves sequencing genomes from cattle, bison and their hybrids to study how DNA is spatially organized within cells. By comparing genetic folding patterns across species, tissues and parental origin, the team aims to better understand how genome structure influences gene function.
Hagen uses OSU’s supercomputer to store and process terabytes of data, crucial for his bioinformatics work.
“One of the things I love about my job is having access to so much data and storage — I don’t have to start from scratch every time, which can take months,” Hagen said. “If I think of a new question or something that interests me, chances are we already have the data to explore it. Maybe it’s not perfect, and
we don’t always get the exact answer we want, but I’ve got the tools, and there’s no shortage of problems to tackle.”
None of this cutting-edge research would be possible without smart, longterm investments in technology.
To put it in perspective, the human genome alone is about three gigabytes of data — enough to fit 80 genomes on an iPhone. But researchers at OSU are analyzing data from millions of bacteria, which means working with terabytes and even petabytes of information.
OSU invested in enough data storage to hold the equivalent of 5 million hours of Netflix.
This ability to process and store genetic information more affordably and efficiently is driving a revolution in biology and health research.
“Thanks to Pratul’s office, university investment and the support from the computing team, I can focus on the research I care about instead of the behind-the-scenes stuff that keeps everything running,” Hagen said. “The real limitation isn’t the data anymore ... OSU has done a great job investing in that infrastructure, and without it, my research would be a lot slower, and I’d be spending way more time on things I don’t want to do. I just want to do the science.”
Are animals smart?
From dolphin language to toolmaking crows, lots of species have obvious intelligence
It’s a fascinating question that intrigues millions of pet owners, animal lovers, veterinarians and scientists all over the world: Just how smart are animals?
Scientists once believed a brain with billions of neurons was a requirement for intelligence. After all, that’s why you’re able to think — neurons are the nerve cells in the brain that connect and transmit messages to each other.
For the record, the human brain has about 86 billion neurons. For comparison, dogs and cats have less than one billion.
Yet the more that scientists like me study animal emotion and cognition — the ability to learn through experiences and thinking — the more we find that humans are not very special at all. Many nonhuman species can do these things too.
Right now, there’s no agreement on how to decide whether a particular animal species is intelligent. But most scientists who study animal cognition have observed that many animals are able to solve problems, use tools, recall important information about their environment and recognize themselves in the mirror.
Scan the QR Code to read this story by
OSU’s Leticia Fanucchi, clinical assistant professor of veterinary medicine.
OSU researchers helps confirm presence of plastics in human tissue
For more than 60 years, plastic production has steadily increased to the point where it has become one of the most widely used synthetic materials on Earth.
There is so much plastic in the world that studies have now confirmed the presence of nanoplastics in human tissue samples.
Researchers from Oklahoma State University’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology participated in a study led by the University of New Mexico to study human tissue and confirm the presence of plastics in the samples.
OSU collaborated with UNM, Duke University and the Universidad de Valle in Colombia to publish the study in one of the most prestigious scientific journals, Nature Medicine, on Feb. 3, 2025.
Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella, associate professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Dr. Justin Scott, a postdoctoral researcher with CIVE, studied tissue samples from UNM using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS). This method allowed them to study a material’s chemical compound and confirm the presence of nanoplastics in brain, kidney and liver tissues.
They studied samples of patients provided by UNM who had been autopsied from 2016-24.
Gonzalez Estrella and Scott have worked on similar research in the
Dr. Justin Scott (left) and Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella studied human tissue samples in an effort to find microplastics. The duo used a method of pyrolysisgas chromatography-mass spectrometry to reaffirm findings made by the University of New Mexico.
Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella examines a sample for potential microplastic contamination in his lab in the Advanced Technology Research Center at OSU.
There is so much plastic in the world that studies have now confirmed the presence of nanoplastics in human tissue samples.
past, identifying nanoplastics in materials such as soil, biosolids and wastewater, and studied nanoplastics in tissue samples previously. The two of them published a paper in February 2024 in Toxicological Sciences on detecting plastics in placenta tissues in collaboration with UNM.
“What really motivated us to do this is the fact that this cohort of researchers is driven by not only trying to find accumulations on plastics but also mechanisms on how the plastic gets into tissue,” Scott said. “We are basically doing a project in which we’re trying to find exposure of routes, accumulation routes and the toxicity studies into what happens to them in the environment.”
Their approach using py-GC/MS can identify 12 different polymers. They use what they refer to as a surrogate method to remove organic material, use a dye called Nile Red on the material and use a fluorescent microscope to identify the particles, which can be confirmed as plastic under this light.
“In instances where there’s a sample that needs to be studied, it gives you kind of a spectrum of what’s happening in certain samples,” Scott said.
OSU researchers studied five brain samples from people who had dementia and confirmed the presence of plastics.
They reaffirmed what their colleagues at UNM had found, including the fact that brain samples from people with dementia had a higher concentration of plastic than other types of tissue.
Older samples had less plastic than newer ones, suggesting a steady increase over time.
Gonzalez Estrella said more research is needed to better understand how exactly plastic gets into the body. He said there are many everyday situations where plastic could be consumed, and it is unknown exactly what leads to plastic consumption.
“There’s a lot of things that we consume that come in plastic food packages,” Gonzalez Estrella said. “A lot of food is covered in plastic or rubber. The important thing to understand is that new materials on the market aren’t necessarily going to be the source of that plastic because it is quite contained. It’s brand new and has all the plasticizers. But once you start using that plastic, it is exposed to the environment (for example, solar radiation) or reusing a plastic after its structure has been compromised, it can become brittle and then start to release smaller particles and so on. That’s one of the things that can increase plastic consumption.”
Gonzalez Estrella was proud to utilize OSU’s expertise in py-GC/MS to further confirm the presence of nanoplastics. UNM has used visual microscopy to identify larger plastic particles in organs, but this method excludes nanoplastics. Being able to use py-GC/MS to confirm the presence of smaller plastic particles in tissues gave the research a more cumulative result.
“We were seeing the same thing instead of us being one lab that sees the same trend as another lab,” Gonzalez Estrella said. “But it further validated it through different ways to study the same thing. The nature of this type of approach is to make sure that you are getting similar results through different means.”
He said the lab is advancing its capabilities to be able to further identify potential problems of nanoplastics in the body. One of the next big pushes will be developing more sensitive techniques to provide more definitive results.
Dr.
ANNOUNCES NEW INSTITUTE FELLOWS
The Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University announced the 2025 cohort of Institute Fellows — distinguished scholars whose research and academic leadership are advancing energy security through innovation and research. These Fellows represent diverse disciplines, including technology, economic policy, advanced chemistry, safety engineering and international trade relations. Their collective expertise embodies the Hamm Institute’s mission to provide solutions for secure, affordable and stable energy for the U.S. and our allies.
“These Fellows embody the collaborative spirit of the Hamm Institute. Their leadership in research and education is shaping the policies and technologies needed to power the world responsibly and reliably.”
DR. ANN BLUNTZER PULLIN HAMM INSTITUTE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
science
studies energy security, global trade and political-economic networks
studies enterprise risk management, energy finance and the intersection of technology and financial systems
focuses on the WaterEnergy-CO2 nexus and subsurface resource sustainability
process safety and chemical engineering specialized expertise in process safety and pipeline integrity
in fault mechanics and reservoir
economics
Dean of Spears School of Business with globally recognized research in energy and financial economics
mechanical engineering and manufacturing
leads a U.S. Department of Energy-funded program on advancing industrial energy efficiency and workforce development
and
chemistry leads innovative research in photosynthesis-inspired catalysis and environmental remediation
Dr. Betty Simkins
Dr. James Payne
Dr. John Schoeneman political
Clint Aichele
Dr. Javier Vilcáez geology
Andrew Ranson global trade Director of OSU’s Wes Watkins Center for International Trade Development, with expertise in strategy and economic development
Dr. Prem Bikkina petroleum engineering leads research on enhanced oil recovery and carbon storage
Dr. Xiaofeng Chen geology specializes
integrity
Muhammad Jujuly geology specializes in fault mechanics
reservoir integrity
Dr. Hitesh Vora
Dr. Jimmie Weaver
ONLY SO
ON
“THERE’S MUC H HELIUM EARTH.”
How OSU’s Helium Recovery System is leading innovation in sustainability
After a time of uncertainty and scarcity — when consumers were stockpiling toilet paper and hand sanitizer — things eased into normalcy in 2022.
But that’s when a different shortage began plaguing the Oklahoma State University Department of Chemistry.
Due to widespread shortages, helium suppliers nationwide cut the amount of helium consumers could typically purchase. Because liquid helium is essential for conducting chemistry research at OSU, Drs. Margaret Eastman and Jimmie Weaver were challenged to think outside of the box to keep their department’s work going. The result was Oklahoma’s only helium recovery system (HRS) that liquefies recovered helium gas.
The HRS allows OSU’s helium users to recycle their helium output on-site to reduce the amount of gas that boils off into the atmosphere, which renders it useless. This then increases the supply of helium available for use in campus systems.
“There’s only so much helium on Earth,” Weaver said. “You can’t create it. It is one of the most abundant elements in the universe, but it is all up in space and floats up out of our atmosphere. We only get more through nuclear decay.”
Without the normal amount of liquid helium, faculty were being forced to evaluate their operations and make a decision about the future of their work.
“When we hit this crisis, it was either find a way to get a system built and move to sustainability where we’re using less helium from outside, or collapse,” Eastman said. “If we had collapses — like other programs did — that would have been very unfortunate for the future.”
Among the biggest needs is using liquid helium to cool the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance instruments, or NMR spectrometers, that comprise OSU’s Statewide NMR Core Facility.
Helium is critical for running OSU’s Nuclear Magnetic Resonance instruments like this one in OSU’s Statewide NMR Core Facility.
“When we hit this crisis, it was either find a way to get a system built and move to sustainability where we’re using less helium from outside, or collapse.”
DR. MARGARET EASTMAN ON RECENT HELIUM SHORTAGES’ EFFECT ON OSU RESEARCH
NMR spectrometers use magnetic fields to study the structure of molecules. The only way to get a high magnetic field is to cool the magnet down to cryogenic temperatures.
“Nuclei have spin and charge, and that makes them like little magnetic moments, but you don’t really see that until you put them in a magnetic field,” Eastman said. “In the magnetic field, those little magnetic moments have different energy states, and you can put radio frequency radiation on to get transitions between those states.
“The reason that it’s so useful to chemists and for molecular structure is because of the chemical shift that distinguishes signals from different types of chemical groups.”
With OSU’s HRS being the only recovery system in the state of Oklahoma, it required Eastman to learn from others around the country how to connect magnets to the system.
“Luckily our spectrometer manufacturer had come out with a manual that I got from someone in the company that gave some recommendations and then I searched online for information and recommendations,” Eastman said. “So, I gathered all of that information and kludged it together into what we have.”
Once the team had a plan, they had 980 feet of piping laid to connect the system with their machines. The twoinch diameter piping consists of 820 feet of medium density polyethylene (MDPE) and 160 feet of copper.
The piping connects the recovery system to six NMR magnets — four in the NMR Facility and two owned by faculty in chemistry and chemical engineering — and two rooms available to the Department of Physics.
At most, the helium recovery system can store 400 liters of liquid helium.
“The mother dewar holds 250 liters, and the transport dewar holds 150,” Eastman said, explaining that a dewar is an insulated vessel for holding liquid helium. “We’d never likely meet the maximum capacity because helium is always moving through.”
Both Weaver and Eastman said that by installing a system for recovery, they are working toward sustainability and long-term cost savings.
“The system is really going to pay for itself, as the cost of helium has gone up about 400% in the last 12 years or so,” Weaver said, noting that a specific dollar amount of savings is still difficult to nail down. “The very clear benefit is that we are able to maintain our fleet of instruments, protect our colleagues, and position ourselves for growth.”
According to Weaver, the HRS insulates the university from both potential future helium shortages as well as cost variability due to geo-political shifts.
“OSU’s NMR Facility and spectrometers used by research groups from multiple departments across campus are now better prepared to weather whatever comes,” Weaver said.
Weaver explained that because of the support from the College of Arts and Sciences, university administrators and his department, OSU was able to overcome what could’ve been devastating research setbacks.
“I truly am so grateful for the wisdom of our administrators to support the undertaking,” Weaver said. “The chemistry department contributed, and hard choices had to be made about
budgets. There was broad agreement amongst the faculty that this was mission critical.
“Roughly half the faculty in the chemistry department use these instruments daily and even more use them occasionally. Without NMR, many of us could not perform research at OSU.”
Eastman added that without Weaver’s advocacy, OSU would not be the leader in innovation that it is today.
“We have this system because of Jimmie,” Eastman said. “Jimmie pushed for it, and he recognized early on that we needed this. He didn’t leave me alone to figure it out.”
Weaver, in turn, was quick to credit Eastman’s ingenuity in the HRS installation process and pointed out the advantage all OSU researchers now have thanks to his team’s work.
“In contrast to other NMR facilities around the country who had to shut down instruments and reduce their research footprint, OSU will benefit from the sustainability of the HRS,” Weaver said. “The system is here and it’s ready. It’s going to allow us to move forward and continue to grow in NMR capabilities and be even more competitive in research.”
OSU’s helium recovery system is the only one of its kind in Oklahoma.
Built to Perform
New facility to elevate human performance research across OSU
At the Oklahoma State University Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, researchers see every person as an athlete — regardless of age or fitness level.
The researchers’ goal is simple but transformative: to improve health outcomes through research, education and performance-based solutions.
HPNRI will soon have a new home to conduct groundbreaking discoveries — the Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex.
Named after the late T. Boone Pickens, a legendary businessman and mega-philanthropist, this building will advance HPNRI’s commitment to conduct cutting-edge research, educate the next generation of health and wellness professionals, and provide evidence-based solutions to improve human performance and nutrition.
Funded by a $50 million investment from the state of Oklahoma through the American Rescue Plan Act and a $25 million allocation from the Boone Pickens legacy gift, the complex
represents a landmark investment in OSU’s land-grant mission. Additional fundraising is ongoing. Architects are finalizing the design and construction is scheduled to begin in late 2025.
“HPNRI is a signature research institute at OSU,” Vice President for Research Kenneth Sewell said. “The Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex will bring together OSU faculty affiliates of the institute, institute staff scientists, and external partners to create new synergies in service of this bold vision.”
A rendering of the Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex, which is expected to begin construction in late 2025.
“The vision of HPNRI is to transform health through performance,” HPNRI Rick and Gail Muncrief Executive Director Lance Walker said. “The idea is a facility that would allow us to bring together the experts of everything performance into one space.”
Walker said this building is a catalyst and resource for researchers to work together as a community from around the world.
“We want to set up a building that becomes a space for us to work in a transdisciplinary fashion — a mixed approach to improve performance,” Walker said. “The overall concept is performance leading to health, and we feel like the building needs to optimize our ability to help every Oklahoman eat better, sleep better, move better. At the end of the day that’s what it’s all about.”
This building will also serve as a headquarters for collecting data that can be leveraged by other scientists not physically on location. In Oklahoma, the work done in this facility will be used to impact and improve the lives of people in all 77 counties.
Walker said the facility will serve as an interdisciplinary hub, allowing researchers to access and use collected data remotely — even if they never set foot in the building.
The building design is nontraditional with a variety of mixed labs.
The facility will include metabolic, kinetic, kinematic, biomarker, and body composition labs. It will also house a performance and training lab — a realworld training environment designed to replicate the most effective training tools for young athletes, military personnel or the general public. This will allow the knowledge gained to be translated into practical applications for athletes of all sorts.
“Think about a living lab — where you can test, train, translate — all in one place,” Walker said. “It’s kind of like a factory, with everything happening in the same space. It’s like rapid prototyping. We’re going to create a prototype, try something, test it, tweak it and then get it out — translate it and find a way to share it. All of that happens under one roof.”
This facility will feature cutting-edge research equipment that will facilitate efficient and robust data collection.
This harmonious set up will include state-of-the-art equipment to help test how someone moves, burns calories and even more on an individual level.
“The lab is very intentional. This environment is designed to bring together people, tools and multiple modalities in a contiguous, unified space without losing the rigor of scientific inquiry,” Walker said. “To be honest, not many people have even
attempted this, let alone found success with it.
“We’re going to be something of a pioneer in trying this, not to mention the training itself. The actual training space is adjacent to and integrated with the labs. So instead of saying, ‘Come into the lab,’ it’s all happening here. It’s going to be messy, it’s going to be gray, but it’s going to be a beautiful mess.”
‘ACADEMIC ENTREPRENEUR’
SHARDA LEAVES IMPACT AS OUTGOING SPEARS BUSINESS VICE DEAN FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH
Dr. Ramesh Sharda appears in a business faculty directory from the early 1980s. Since then, he has fostered innovation at OSU.
Dr. Ramesh Sharda stepped into Oklahoma State University’s Classroom Building to teach his first MBA course in 1981.
Long before the Spears School of Business established itself as an online education leader, Sharda’s lectures reached remote learners at offices in Bartlesville, Ponca City and Tulsa. These graduate students watched his class on TV screens while using phones to call and ask questions, hearing the young assistant professor reply in real time.
Course delivery methods were evolving, and Sharda embraced the chance to try something new.
“I have loved being an academic entrepreneur,” Sharda said.
The Regents Professor of Management Science and Information Systems knows he didn’t invent that clever term — academic entrepreneur — but he has embodied it through 45 years at OSU.
Sharda, who chose to return to faculty in July after more than 11 years as the Spears Business vice dean for graduate programs and research, has shaped decades of innovation at OSU as a professor and administrator.
He rejuvenated the MBA program. He co-authored textbooks and studied artificial intelligence before AI entered the everyday lexicon. Sharda also led
or coordinated the development of multiple academic programs, including the Doctor of Business Administration that launched last year.
“As one of the longest-serving faculty members in Spears, Ramesh has led by example as a scholar-teacher and has demonstrated his servant leadership in helping others over his career,” said Dr. Jim Payne, Spears Business dean. “I sincerely appreciate his dedication to the Spears School of Business over the past four decades.”
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Sharda welcomed a challenge when Spears Business named him as interim vice dean of the Watson Graduate School of Management in December 2013.
OSU’s MBA enrollment numbers had dipped so low that the program wasn’t on U.S. News & World Report’s radar for rankings.
Sharda quickly proved himself worthy of the interim tag’s removal, helping lift the Watson school’s nowprestigious graduate programs to unprecedented heights.
The online MBA skyrocketed to No. 11 in U.S. News and World Report rankings. The full-time MBA rose to No. 58. The master’s in business analytics and data science (MS BAnDS) program climbed to No. 2 nationally, trailing
only Harvard University, according to Fortune.com.
“Ramesh has led Spears Business graduate programs to experience high enrollment, high rankings and the strongest of reputations in their history,” said Dr. Rick Wilson, Management Science and Information Systems department head. “Ramesh, graduate program directors and the Watson staff have fostered innovations within programs as well as collaboration between programs.”
Sharda isn’t afraid to build something from scratch, either.
In 1995, he welcomed OSU’s first cohort of master’s in telecommunications management students. Sharda applied similar ingenuity to OSU’s Ph.D. in Business for Executives, which officially debuted in 2012.
In 2019, the then-vice dean worked alongside Dr. Goutam Chakraborty and faculty to fuse two programs into the award-winning MS BAnDS program.
“His leadership style in this role is very different than many other people’s leadership styles, and it comes because of his very humble attitude and his personality,” MS BAnDS director Chakraborty said. “He is very unassuming, but he’s a good listener.”
“AS ONE OF THE LONGEST-SERVING FACULTY MEMBERS IN SPEARS, RAMESH HAS LED BY EXAMPLE AS A SCHOLAR-TEACHER AND HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS SERVANT LEADERSHIP IN HELPING OTHERS OVER HIS CAREER.”
DR. JIM PAYNE
SPEARS BUSINESS DEAN
RESEARCH
Sharda pointed at the thick textbook on the round, wooden table in his office.
“Everything that’s in this book, except for about half of a chapter, is stuff I didn’t know about when I was working on my Ph.D.,” Sharda said. “It keeps you young because you are constantly learning.”
To keep up with rapid industry advancements, Sharda didn’t simply read the book.
He wrote it.
Sharda is the lead author of “Business Intelligence, Analytics, Data Science, and AI: A Managerial Perspective,” co-written with Spears Business Regents Professor Dr. Dursun Delen and Dr. Efraim Turban. The trio also wrote the textbook, “Analytics, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Systems for Decision Support.”
When Sharda’s title of vice dean for graduate programs expanded to include research, it was a natural fit.
“He himself is a great researcher,” Chakraborty said. “That helps when the person leading the research program
is one of the eminent researchers in their field and being recognized at the national level because of his fantastic research and service to the community.”
Sharda’s groundbreaking MSIS scholarship and editorial service have brought him many accolades. Along with his Regents Professorship and the ConocoPhillips Chair of Technology Management, he held the Chuck and Kim Watson Chair as vice dean.
In 2018, Sharda accepted the prestigious title of Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) Fellow. In 2019, he was inducted as a Fellow of the Association for Information Systems.
ESTEEMED CAREER
1980
He was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 2016, received OSU’s Eminent Faculty Award in 2020 and received the Fulbright Distinguished Chair Award in 2022. Sharda, who completed his Fulbright Program at Aalto University in Finland, was only the second OSU faculty member to hold this honor.
Sharda has influenced generations of researchers. Through decades of
DR. RAMESH SHARDA BEGINS HIS SPEARS BUSINESS CAREER TEACHING AN UNDERGRADUATE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT COURSE.
1981
SHARDA TEACHES HIS FIRST OSU MBA CLASS .
1992
SHARDA IS PROMOTED TO ACADEMIC COORDINATOR OF THE MBA PROGRAM, SERVING UNTIL 1995.
1995
SHARDA LEADS THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE MASTER’S IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
2012
SPEARS BUSINESS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES ITS PH.D. IN BUSINESS FOR EXECUTIVES WITH SHARDA AS THE FOUNDING CO-DIRECTOR .
2013
SHARDA IS NAMED INTERIM VICE DEAN FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS. THE INTERIM TAG IS SOON DROPPED, AND HE ALSO PRESIDES OVER SPEARS BUSINESS RESEARCH.
2019
SHARDA HELPS SPEARS BUSINESS COMBINE TWO GRADUATE PROGRAMS TO FORM THE MS BANDS DEGREE.
2024
OSU’S DBA PROGRAM DEBUTS WITH SHARDA’S LEADERSHIP.
2025
SHARDA DECIDES TO RETURN TO MSIS FACULTY WITH DR. BRIJ THAPA SUCCEEDING HIM AS VICE DEAN.
Dr. Ramesh Sharda finds joy in mentoring students.
change, he taught students how to conduct thorough, timely research with cutting-edge technologies.
In the early 1980s, he had one of the few portable IBM computers on campus. In 1999, he taught a course on launching a dot-com company. In 2008, Sharda’s students developed mobile apps in their lab — only a year after the iPhone’s debut.
Sharda’s impact reaches all eight Spears Business academic units. He has championed the annual publication of Discover@Spears magazine, highlighting research throughout the school. Sharda elevated the business school’s commitment to faculty grants, introducing the Spears Sponsored Research Initiation Program in 2022.
“He has maintained his own stellar research activities while being vice dean,” Wilson said. “He understands the importance of the research mission of a land-grant school and has actively created programs that encourage Spears Business faculty to increase their output and help spur new studies and faculty grantsmanship.”
MENTORSHIP
When asked about his proudest career achievement, Sharda didn’t glance at the many wooden plaques on his office wall.
He didn’t open one of the numerous books citing his research.
Instead, Sharda’s eyes gleamed as he rattled off a list of names. They live around the world with different careers, but these esteemed leaders share a bond.
At one time or another, they were Sharda’s students.
Auburn University professor Dr. Ashish Gupta, who has a Ph.D. in MSIS from Spears Business, said he sees Sharda as an “academic father.” Gupta isn’t alone.
“His impact isn’t just seen in rankings or programs — it’s felt in the lives and careers he’s helped shape, including mine,” said Balaji Dhamodharan, a 2010 MS in MIS graduate.
From the 1980s Talkback Television era to today’s online
classrooms, Sharda has maintained his passion for improving student experiences.
“I certainly try my best to keep the people perspective in mind,” Sharda said. “I will never say no to meeting anybody if I can find the time. I just consider that to be part of our work, making a difference in people’s lives and celebrating it as your success, too.”
As he returns to the faculty, Sharda has the chance to keep guiding students and inspiring the colleagues who follow him. Dr. Brij Thapa, professor and former head of OSU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, is succeeding Sharda as vice dean for faculty, graduate programs, and research.
“I thank Dr. Sharda for his longtime service and leadership,” Thapa said. “I look forward to standing on the shoulders of someone who has dedicated so much to Spears Business.”
Dr. Ramesh Sharda (front, second from left) and the Watson Graduate School of Management team have lifted Spears Business graduate programs to new heights.
OAIRE’s program could streamline weather data collection and consolidation
STORY JEFF HOPPER | PHOTOS GARY LAWSON AND PHIL SHOCKLEY
For most, a sudden change in the forecast might mean a forgotten umbrella, but for the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education, it could be catastrophic.
As leaders in the unmanned aerial systems universe, weather plays an integral role in the day-to-day operations and success of the OAIRE team. As such, they constantly monitor weather data for numerous reasons, not the least of which is the feasibility of operating UAS at any particular place, date and time.
“We have strict guidelines that we follow as parameters for operating our systems,” said Jarrett Schwarz, a research and development engineer for OAIRE. “The weather greatly impacts what we do, as we have to think about the safety of the general public, our team and our equipment.”
The oversight process for the deployment of UAS is led by Chris Swan, OAIRE’s flight operations manager. Each possible deployment is submitted to Swan, who has final authority on whether conditions are safe for the test flights.
However, that system has an innate flaw due to the multiple outlets reporting conditions differently and not knowing which are the most accurate for the given place, date and time of a flight.
“For example, our flight field doesn’t have localized weather data,” Swan said. “The closest reports are from Cushing or Stillwater. I prefer to use Cushing because the conditions seem to be more similar to those at our flight field. However, our engineers and pilots might use Stillwater data to determine their flight capabilities.”
Schwarz recognized the potential discrepancies and incongruencies that using different outlets could cause for the OAIRE team. Thus, the concept of a weather consolidation tool was born.
With his computer coding knowledge, coupled with a production plan constructed using an AI knowledge base, Schwarz took a weekend to build a basic, first version of the UAS Weather Check tool.
“The coding part was fairly straightforward,” Schwarz said. “The most difficult part has been tweaking the interface and developing new
add-ons for the program. The version we have now is capable of doing what we need it to, but there’s room for further development and implementation of features that could really help make it more robust.”
UAS Weather Check may seem simple in nature, but the process that takes the program a few seconds to complete would take Swan far longer to carry out. After a user inputs a flight site, date and time, the tool scrapes weather data from multiple sites. It determines whether the given flight falls within the safety parameters of visibility, wind speed, cloud level, etc. The program then returns a green, “Go” report or a red, “No-Go” report, as well as the sources used to determine that outcome, to the user.
“We plan to use this tool as a onestop shop across our entire team for flight operations,” Swan said. “As things evolve, we can also easily implement other features to further help streamline our operations. It might not
be the introduction of a new airfoil for an airliner, but the innovative thinking and ease of use of this tool will help take the variables out of the process and make it more efficient for all of us.”
The team hopes that by digitizing their regulatory documentation, they can seamlessly integrate the weather checking process into the documentation, which would provide a clearer and concise ruling on flight operations.
However, Dr. Jamey Jacob, OAIRE executive director, sees this as the first step to direct, measurable impact on the future of the UAS industry.
“I think there are two areas of impact for this project,” Jacob said. “The first is the research focus of using drones for better weather observation: collecting information that we wouldn’t have otherwise, and how that may impact weather forecasting or warnings. The second is much broader in scope as it pertains to impacts on delivery drones, using drones to support first responders,
“As things evolve, we can also easily implement other features to further help streamline our operations.”
Chris Swan
OAIRE FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANAGER
anti-drone detection systems, etc. All facets are impacted by weather on a very localized level.”
Whether it’s helping predict severe weather before it occurs or helping a delivery drone plot a new course due to changing weather conditions in an urban environment, the collection, consolidation and implementation of weather data by UAS will directly impact how society operates in the future.
“As we see more and more integration of UAS in different areas, it offers the ability to impact the way weather data is collected and used by the industry at large,” Jacob said. “What if we had a network of UAS systems that collect weather data and feed it into a consolidation tool like this and then we would have hyper-localized weather data for any location? I don’t think that reality is too far off.”
The UAS Weather Check tool could have an impact on the future of advanced air mobility and how UAS, like Choppy the autonomous helicopter, navigate through airspaces.
CONNECT WITH OSU EXPERTS
Find a research expert at Oklahoma State University, including leaders in economic development, human performance, and creative and performing arts, to name a few.
Discover and connect with researchers who are improving lives, strengthening communities and solving society’s biggest challenges.
NIBLACK RESEARCH SCHOLARS’ NEWEST CLASS
At Oklahoma State University, undergraduates dive into the world of scientific research through the Niblack Research Scholars program.
This program transforms their academic journey beyond the classroom, enriches students’ careers, sharpens their future success and guides them toward potential graduate studies.
This year, 13 students are getting the opportunity to advance their careers through the NRS program. These undergraduates have been selected as scholars for the 2025-26 school year, earning them a $8,000 scholarship to conduct research with faculty across campus.
Funded by Dr. John Niblack and his wife, Heidi, the NRS program has
been a key part of OSU’s undergraduate research success since 2004. The program allows these students to perform cutting-edge research in various fields under faculty mentors’ supervision.
Dr. Niblack graduated from OSU in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and earned a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Illinois before becoming vice chairman of Pfizer Inc.
As a scientist for the international pharmaceutical giant, he was responsible for Pfizer’s Global Research and Development Division, where he directed research into drugs for viral illnesses, cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Omar Ameen Tulsa Chemistry and Biochemistry
Keira Hine West Des Moines, Iowa Biosystems Engineering
Noor Atiyeh Stillwater Chemical Engineering
Parker Huizinga Little Elm, Texas Nutritional Sciences
Ty Young Jones, Oklahoma Microbiology and Cell & Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
TWO OSU STUDENTS EARN OTTO S. COX GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
Two Oklahoma State University graduate students are pushing the boundaries of genetics research, driven by personal motivation and a shared commitment to improving human health.
Muhammad Zubair Mehboob and Poorvi Subramanian were awarded the Otto S. Cox Graduate Fellowship for Genetics Research, a competitive honor recognizing outstanding students pursuing impactful work in genetics.
Mehboob, a Ph.D. student in biochemistry and molecular biology, is researching rare genetic variants — subtle changes in DNA that can play a major role in cancer development.
“Think of your DNA as a long instruction manual for how your body works,” Mehboob said. “Sometimes, a small typo in those instructions can lead to serious problems like cancer. But these typos are often so rare that they are easy to miss.”
Using computer-based tools, Mehboob searches for these genetic “typos” in specific genes, including CTRP6, which has been linked to several types of cancer. The goal is to detect the most impactful changes among hundreds of possibilities to support earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments.
His passion for the work is rooted in personal experiences.
“Seeing people around me suffer from cancer, often diagnosed too late, always hits me hard,” he said. “That curiosity is what drew me to study rare genetic variants and their use in early detection of disease.”
Mehboob called the Cox Fellowship a key milestone in his research journey.
“Being chosen as one of just two or three recipients across campus is true recognition for my research and a source of motivation,” he said. “It has personally boosted my confidence and validated the hard work I have put into research.”
He plans to use the fellowship funding to attend a professional conference where he’ll present his work and expand his network.
ZUBAIR MEHBOOB DOCTORAL CANDIDATE IN BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
“It would help me build professional connections and develop valuable collaborations for future growth,” he said.
His long-term goal is to pursue a career in academia.
“I aim to lead independent projects, contribute to meaningful discoveries and mentor future researchers,” he said. “Involving the next generation is key to shaping a better future.”
Subramanian, a Ph.D. student in comparative biomedical science, is uncovering a new role for a little-known gene called RD3 in regulating the immune system. Her research shows that when RD3 is lost, the body’s immune balance is disrupted, potentially allowing tumors to escape detection.
“By revealing this hidden function, my work helps redefine our understanding of how immunity is genetically controlled and opens new possibilities for advancing immunotherapy,” she said.
Her interest in RD3 began while studying how tumors interact with immune cells. She discovered a
POORVI SUBRAMANIAN DOCTORAL STUDENT IN COMPARATIVE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE
transcriptomic signature associated with the gene that governs immune activation and tolerance.
“This sparked my interest to investigate deeper, focusing on where host immune cells develop and mature,” she said.
Subramanian called the Cox Fellowship “both a profound honor and a defining milestone.”
“Professionally, it provides crucial support enabling me to pursue research in the field of genetics, immunology and cancer biology,” she said.
With the fellowship’s backing, she plans to further investigate how RD3 shapes immune development and tumor surveillance. Subramanian hopes to lead discoveries that benefit both human and animal health.
For both recipients, the fellowship offers more than funding — it affirms their purpose and opens doors for discovery.
MUHAMMAD
PRESIDENT’S FELLOWS
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY NAMES THREE PROFESSORS
2025 PRESIDENT’S FELLOWS FACULTY RESEARCH AWARD RECIPIENTS
YU FENG
Dr. Yu Feng — associate professor for the School of Chemical Engineering — is addressing Oklahoma’s high rates of respiratory diseases in rural areas with his research, “Revolutionizing Lung Health by Unraveling Disease-Specific Airway Cilia Motion.”
The project aims to create a stateof-the-art digital twin of the human airway, capable of simulating and analyzing cilia behavior, in addition to mucus dynamics and their interactions with inhaled particles.
“This project brings a fresh perspective to respiratory health, focusing on the intricate cilia motion, which is understudied in pathology,” Feng said. “By applying the proposed method and outcomes, we will place OSU at the forefront of digital pulmonary health care research.”
DJ McMAUGHAN
Dr. DJ McMaughan — associate professor of public health in the College of Education and Human Sciences — aims to understand the interplay between social drivers of health and housing instability among disabled people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“I’m honored to receive this award, which helps us take important steps toward addressing housing insecurity among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” McMaughan said.
“My hope is that this project sheds light on the systemic barriers that contribute to housing insecurity among people with IDD. With this support, we can work toward ensuring safe and accessible housing is a reality for everyone.”
MADHAN SUBRAMANIAN
Dr. Madhan Subramanian — associate professor of physiological sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine — studies how microscopic particles, called extracellular vesicles, released from fat tissue influence the brain’s blood pressure regulation center in obesity.
“As a basic science researcher, my work has focused on understanding the brain mechanisms underlying obesityrelated hypertension,” Subramanian said. “This award has allowed me to take that knowledge a step further, advancing toward clinical applications that could improve therapeutic options for treating or reducing cardiovascular risk in obese patients.
“Awards like this are invaluable, as they provide opportunities to explore new ideas, refine methodologies, and bridge the gap between basic science and real-world applications.”
REGENTS DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH AWARD
Oklahoma State University recognized seven faculty members with the Regents Distinguished Research Award during the December 2024 University Awards Convocation ceremony.
This award recognizes faculty who have shown unusually significant achievement in their research field.
“We applaud faculty investigators and scholars who are advancing knowledge in their respective fields and enhancing the reputation of the university,” said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, vice president for research. “The Regents Distinguished Research Award is given to those scholars who have demonstrated a distinguished record of past and continuing excellence in research.”
The 2024 awardees were chosen by a committee comprising two OSU Faculty Council members, one at-large faculty member, a department head, an associate dean for research, a graduate student and an undergraduate student, who then made recommendations to Sewell. The committee evaluated nominees based on the excellence of their research achievements and the impact of their research or creative contributions on their respective fields.
DR. TODD ARNOLD
Marketing and International Business, Spears School of Business
DR. MICHAEL DAVIS
Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine
DR. BRIAN ELBING
Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
DR. SAM EMERSON
Nutritional Sciences, College of Education and Human Sciences
DR. MICHAEL LONG
Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences
AIMEE PARKISON
English, College of Arts and Sciences
DR. LIULING YAN
Plant and Soil Sciences, Ferguson College of Agriculture
From left: Dr. Liuling Yan, Dr. Michael Long, Dr. Todd Arnold, Aimee Parkison, Dr. Sam Emerson, Dr. Brian Elbing, Dr. Michael Davis, Dr. Kenneth Sewell and Jason Ramsey.
Oklahoma State University Office of the Vice President for Research
WHO’S MAKING RESEARCH MATTER?
ORANGE IS THE ANSWER.
At Oklahoma State University, we’re not just researching — we’re solving, building and innovating for a better Oklahoma. From drones that aid first responders to languagelearning tech that transforms education, our labs and institutes tackle challenges headon. We’re pushing the boundaries in human performance, mixed reality and health sciences — developing better cancer treatments and teaching diagnostic imaging. At OSU, research isn’t just academic — it’s action.
With every breakthrough, OSU research is shaping the future and improving lives — driving progress that reaches far beyond our campus. Our land-grant mission, combined with bright and ambitious minds, is making a mark on society today and turning ideas into impact for generations to come!
