Science writers explore OSU research at SciWri26

"This conference provided an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Oregon State and its researchers to leading science writers from around the country and world," said Sean Nealon, OSU media relations manager. "Important relationships were built that will pay dividends for years to come."

Corvallis weather was on its best behavior, and attendees raved about OSU’s beautiful campus and took breaks outdoors whenever they could to soak in the sunshine.

The conference took place mainly in the CH2M Hill Alumni Center and the LaSells Stewart Center, but attendees got to experience the geographic and topical breadth of OSU’s research impact with tours across the campus and region.

The weekend kicked off on Friday afternoon with short visits to the OSU Radiation Center, the Emmerson Advanced Wood Products Laboratory and the under-construction Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex.

On Monday, attendees fanned out on nine half- and full-day trips to Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, the College of Pharmacy in Portland, the McDonald-Dunn Research Forest, the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Lab, the Marine and Geology Repository, the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Lab and OSU’s veterinary teaching hospital, the Research Brewery, the Bread Lab and the Research Winery and OSU Creamery.

"This was a rare opportunity to bring the media world to Corvallis to see our labs and meet our experts," said Misty Edgecomb, director of OSU Media Relations. "Thanks to our researchers’ engagement, we’re already working with reporters on eight news stories that will showcase OSU."

Edgecomb said the conference also helped strengthen ties with local partners like OPB, with Jes Burns hosting a live “All Science. No Fiction” show on Saturday night of the conference, and Grass Roots Books, which sold books by Pacific Northwest authors and even some titles by science writers attending the conference.

In addition to hearing from researchers on tours, attendees also had the chance to have "Lunch with a Scientist" on Saturday, with more than 30 OSU faculty hosting tables and answering questions about their research.

Close to 100 OSU researchers were engaged in the conference, representing nearly every college and each of the four research focus areas in the university’s strategic plan.

Conference planning started more than a year ago and was led by University Relations and Marketing and its Media Relations, Conference and Event Services and Marketing Services and Solutions teams.

"We heard from countless attendees, speakers, sponsors and national partners that this was one of the best conference experiences they had ever attended," said Skylar Gunderson-Erhardt, conference manager. She said attendees praised OSU’s catering and the warm welcome they felt from employees across campus. "By the end of the conference, many attendees were already saying they wished the conference could return to OSU every year."

More than 40 volunteers from across the university helped with the conference, assembling materials for swag bags, staffing the information desk and guiding attendees around campus. Among those volunteers were several OSU students interested in science communication who also had the opportunity to sit in on conference sessions.

"The thing I’ve most enjoyed about hosting this conference is seeing and hearing about the connections being made between our fantastic OSU researchers and this amazing group of science journalists and communicators," said Michelle Klampe, media relations manager. "Everyone has been so positive and enthusiastic about the people they are meeting and the conversations they are having."

The conference is organized by the National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writers. This was their first conference on the West Coast since 2017 and the first in the Pacific Northwest since 2007.