Research, scholarship, and creative activity at Oklahoma State University INAUGRAL ISSUE Help for First Responders Dear Friends: I hope you enjoy this new format for communicating the research and creative activity at Oklahoma State University. Vanguard replaces the annual Research Report, which focused solely on sponsored research. Our goal is to have a readable and informative publication that highlights the multi-faceted endeavors of a talented faculty. Quality faculty is the most important part of any research program. OSU is fortunate to have dedicated, highly productive scholars who collaborate in teams that transcend the boundaries of discipline, college, and university. They also conduct research jointly with personnel from government agencies and private companies. You will note a thread of col- laboration weaving through these pages. As we continue our quest to be more competitive for federal funds, we must concentrate our resources in selected research areas, and we must have a critical mass of faculty, excel- lent facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, and a supportive infrastructure. One such area of focus is homeland security. Long before the tragic events of September 11, 2001, OSU faculty were engaged in sensor-related research to help ensure the safety of food, the environment, and first responders. Work in this area not only has continued, but has expanded. We feature a few of those research projects in this issue. The 2002 Oklahoma Legislature passed legislation that will bring $19 million to OSU over the next four years for homeland security research. These funds will be used to renovate laboratories and purchase additional equipment necessary to enable our faculty to make significant contributions to homeland security, attract outside funding, and create high- technology companies and jobs for Oklahomans. As a result of the passage of State Questions 680 and 681, OSU faculty are better positioned than ever before to share in the financial rewards of their inventions. During the past two years we have seen a significant increase in patents and licensing agreements with private-sector companies. We celebrate the entrepreneurship of the faculty and the long-term contributions they make to the vitality of OSU, the state, and the nation. I feel most fortunate to be associated with this wonderful institution and believe our most productive days are yet to come. J. W. Alexander Interim Vice President for Research David J. Schmidly President Member, University Research Magazine Association Contributing writers Tom Johnston, Marla Schaefer, Dottie Witter, Adam Huffer, Carolyn Gonzales, Jim Mitchell and CEO Vanguard is published annually by Oklahoma State Uni- versity. It is produced by the cooperative work of the Editorial consultant Eileen Mustain Joseph W. Alexander Interim Office of Vice President for Research and the Office of Assistant Vice President for Communications. For details about research work highlighted in this maga- zine or reproduction permission, contact the editor. Vice President for Research V Editor/Writer Shari Dunn Shari Dunn ANGUARD Natalea B. Watkins Assistant Art Director/Designer Mark Pennie Editor, Vanguard Vice President for Communica- 221 PIO Photographer Paul McEntire, Entirely Creative (unless Stillwater, OK 74078-6604 tions otherwise noted) 405.744.5827 | [email protected] Research at Oklahoma State University 21 VANGUARD Research, scholarship, and creative activity at Oklahoma State University Inaugural issue 2 High Tech in the Park Long before the terrorist attacks of Partners in the Oklahoma Technology and September 11, 2001, OSU faculty Research Park expect it to attract existing were conducting research on sen- firms, grow new ones, and add 3,000 new sors to detect explosives as well as jobs. biological and chemical warfare agents. Since then, our efforts in homeland security research have expanded. We feature a few in this issue. A New Look at an Old Society 4 An anthropologist challenges a long-held Star Trek on the High Seas view of the socioeconomic organization of 12 Aztec society. A futuristic, multifunction communications badge for sailors will revolutionize shipboard communication and has potential for many Unlocking the Brain’s 6 commercial uses. Mysteries COVERSTORY Regulating glutamate receptors may hold Help for First Responders the key to new treatments for degenerative 14 OSU researchers are developing a cooling brain diseases. vest that will help emergency workers stay 7 Ethics and Designer Babies cool—and on the job—longer. The Ethics Center provides a forum for 16 Bacteria as Sensors discussion of contemporary issues from a Bacteria engineered to glow when they moral and ethical perspective. encounter specific organisms can help identify biological warfare agents such as 8 Sci-Fi on the Farm anthrax. A revolutionary approach to fertilizer ap- plication increases producers’ profits and 18 Collaborating for the decreases environmental pollution. Homeland OSU veterinary scientists are teaming with 10 Exercise and the Immune an advanced technology company to produce System fast and extremely sensitive detection sys- An exercise physiologist is investigating tems for chemical and biological warfare the relationship of cytokines, the optimum agents. amount of exercise, and the role mouthpieces may play in increased illness of athletes 20 Protecting Privacy during the competitive season. Mathematical transformations protect in- dividual privacy yet fend off hackers and 11 Starting Early enable law enforcement officials to use data Freshmen learn the fundamentals of sets that have been off-limits in the past. Oklahoma State University in com- research from faculty mentors. pliance with Title VI and VII of the Vanquishing Terrorists’ Bombs Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive 21 Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments OSU chemists are perfecting a spray-on solu- of 1972, Americans with Disabili- ties Act of 1990, and other feder- tion to neutralize terrorist bombs, making al laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, disposal safer for emergency personnel. color, national origin, sex, age, re- ligion, disability, or status as a vet- eran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is Back Reese’s Pieces not limited to admissions, employ- V ment, financial aid, and educational ANGUARD services. This publication, issued by Oklahoma State University as autho- rized by the Vice President for Re- search, was printed by the Audio Vi- About the Cover Huantian Cao wears a hazmat suit sual Center, University Printing Ser- while testing a cooling vest that keeps first responders vices at a cost of $$7,042.4M/April 2003/ 5442 cooler and more comfortable. Research at Oklahoma State University 1 Community leaders expect the Oklahoma Technology and Research Park to add 3,000 high-tech jobs in 10 years. High Tech in the Park Oklahoma State University and its consortium partners are Construction is also planned for a 12,000-square-foot betting that their economic development efforts will pay building expected to house the Park’s teleconference center off handsomely in the coming decade. and tenant offices. The facility is to be named for state OSU, Meridian Technology Center, and the City of senator Mike Morgan, who shepherded acquisition of state Stillwater are partners in the Oklahoma Technology and bond monies for the building. It also will be available to Research Park. They expect the Park to be the catalyst multiple tenants. for the creation of about 3,000 high-tech jobs in Stillwater Companies that base their business on advanced tech- during the next 10 years. nologies are attracted to research parks because of the Joe Alexander, interim vice president for research at opportunity to collaborate with university scientists and OSU, says, “It is difficult to attach a price tag to the value of to share facilities and costly, sophisticated equipment. Not the research and public service aspects of the University’s only is this available here, but OSU is the home of the only mission, but this project has a distinct possi- patent library in the state. All of this engenders a fertile bility for a high payoff to Stillwater, the state, milieu for research and development of new technologies and the world.” and spinoff companies. Located about two miles west of the main Klein says, “I have over 30 years experience OSU campus and adjacent to Meridian, the Park in higher education, and I am familiar with comprises 160 acres in a campus-like setting, research parks around the world. The with small lakes, trees, pathways, and benches Oklahoma Technology and Research adding to the ambiance. When fully developed, Park is a very unusual resource.” the Park will accommodate about 25 buildings. She says it is the only The first—and anchor—tenant, Nomadics, one of which Inc., moved into its new she is aware facility in 2000 and is now that has a expanding its quarters. The partner such firm specializes in turning as Meridian. emerging technologies into practical applications, some Meridian, of which include land-mine through its Center for Business and explosives detection, Development, assists businesses during the chemical and biological agent detection, and medical. early, vulnerable stages of the entrepreneurial Nomadics and OSU scientists and engineers cooperate on process. The Center helps the fledgling firms a number of projects. with business and technology development and provides access to shared office equipment, cleri- Two additional buildings are in the offing. Ground will cal assistance, and meeting facilities. A start-up be broken in April for a 36,000-square-foot building, which company can begin operation in the incubator, will be built by Idea Partnerships, LLC, developers of the stay as long as three years, and then expand Park. Eva Klein, a higher education consultant, and Bill into its own facility in the Park. Morlock, an architect and real estate developer, are the principals. They developed Penn State’s research park and Meridian also provides workforce train- have worked with numerous such parks.