Author Archives: Rick Cooper

Oregon Sea Grant wins two silver awards

Posted on by

Oregon Sea Grant has won two Silver Awards of Distinction in the 18th Annual Communicator Awards competition, one each for its “Aquatic Animal Health” brochure and its Cascade Head Scenic Research Area video.

The Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 550+ member organization of professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts. See www.iavisarts.org for more information.

According to Linda Day, executive director of the IAVA, “The pool of entries we received for this year’s Communicator Awards serves as a true testament to the innovative ideas and capabilities of communications and marketing professionals around the world. On behalf of the entire Academy, we congratulate this year’s Communicator Award Entrants and Winners for their passion and dedication. We are humbled to be given the opportunity to recognize such amazing work.”

This year’s Communicator Awards received  more than 6,000 entries from companies and agencies of all sizes, making it one of the largest awards of its kind in the world. Visit www.communicatorawards.com for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Oregon Sea Grant publication probes the mysteries of hypoxia

Posted on by

Hypoxia: How Is It Affecting Ocean Life and Why?The causes and effects of hypoxia have been confounding marine scientists since the 1970s, when so-called “dead zones” first started appearing in oceans and large lakes. Currently there are more than 400 dead zones worldwide.

How did this happen, and how can it be fixed?

As Nathan Gilles, Oregon Sea Grant’s 2011 Science Communication Fellow, spent time with Sea Grant-funded researchers Francis Chan, Lorenzo Ciannelli, and Stephen Brandt, he uncovered a rich and complex story. That story is revealed in Oregon Sea Grant’s new publication, Hypoxia:How Is It Affecting Ocean Life, and Why?

The publication is available for purchase, and as a free download.

More on hypoxia from Oregon Sea Grant:

 

Oregon Coast Quests featured in Oregon Coast Today

Posted on by

Oregon Sea Grant’s popular “Oregon Coast Quests” are the subject of an article in the October 28, 2011, edition of the weekly newspaper Oregon Coast Today.

Oregon Sea Grant video cover wins Silver Award

Posted on by

Coastal Climate Change coverThe cover for Oregon Sea Grant’s video Preparing for Coastal Climate Change: What Oregonians Are Asking has won a Silver Award in the “Best Cover—Print/Other” category of the 2011 Magnum Opus Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Custom Media. There were 560 entries in this year’s competition, and the Silver Award was the top award given in the “Best Cover” category.

According to Magnum Opus, professors from the Missouri School of Journalism, along with leading custom-publishing professionals, judge the awards based on “informational and entertainment value, quality of writing and display copy, creative use of imagery and typography, and consistency of color palette and style.”

David Murray, director of the awards competition and editor-in-chief of ContentWise, said, “Your entry shone bright among an incredibly competitive field and bested the work submitted by your peers in the practice of marketing communications from around the globe. You should be proud.”

The jacket and label for Preparing for Coastal Climate Change were designed by Patricia Andersson of Oregon Sea Grant. The video was produced by Joe Cone, assistant director of Oregon Sea Grant; edited by Stevon Roberts; and supported in part by a grant from the NOAA Climate Program Office.

Copies of the video are available for $3 each plus shipping and handling from Oregon Sea Grant, 541-737-4849; or through Oregon Sea Grant’s e-commerce site at marketplace.oregonstate.edu. You may also view excerpts of the video on Sea Grant’s website.

Oregon Sea Grant fact sheets win Apex Award of Excellence

Posted on by

A set of nine Oregon Sea Grant fact sheets about low impact development has won an Award of Excellence in the “Green” Electronic Media and Video category of the 2011 Apex Awards.

According to Apex, there were 3,329 entries in this year’s competition. Awards were based on “excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and the success of the entry — in the opinion of the judges — in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence.”

The fact sheets, which cover low impact construction techniques to enhance water quality and quantity, were written by Derek Godwin and Marissa Sowles of Oregon Sea Grant Extension, along with Maria Cahill of Green Girl Development. Oregon Sea Grant’s Patricia Andersson designed the layout template, and Rick Cooper edited the publications and coordinated production.

All nine low impact development fact sheets are available for free download from Oregon Sea Grant at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs.html#new.

Oregon Sea Grant video wins Gold Award

Posted on by

Oregon Sea Grant’s video Preparing for Coastal Climate Change: What Oregonians Are Asking has won a Gold Award in the Video/Educational category of the 2011 Hermes Creative Awards.

According to Hermes, there were about 4,400 entries from throughout the U.S. and several other countries in this year’s competition, with about 19 percent receiving Gold Awards. The Gold Award is presented to “those entries judged to exceed the high standards of the industry norm.”

Preparing for Coastal Climate Change was produced by Joe Cone, assistant director of Oregon Sea Grant, and edited by Stevon Roberts; the jacket and label were designed by Patricia Andersson. The video was supported in part by a grant from the NOAA Climate Program Office.

Copies of the video are available for $3 each plus shipping and handling from Oregon Sea Grant, 541-737-4849; or through Oregon Sea Grant’s e-commerce site at marketplace.oregonstate.edu. You may also view excerpts of the video on Sea Grant’s Web site.

Here’s the introduction:

Sea Grant, State Parks collaborate on iPhone guide to newest park

Posted on by

NEWPORT – A new iPhone application gives visitors an inside look at Oregon’s newest state park, the Beaver Creek State Natural Area south of Newport.

The application, “Paddle Beaver Creek,” was developed jointly by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Oregon Sea Grant at Oregon State University. It is available free for downloading from the iPhone store.

The project is designed to provide park visitors with an additional way to learn more about the park. “We are adapting to the needs of present and future generations of park visitors,” stated Mike Rivers, Ranger Supervisor for Oregon State Parks. “Having a park-specific smart phone guide to water trails, wildlife and natural history will hopefully deepen our visitors’ experiences in Oregon State Parks’ 2010 park of the year, Beaver Creek State Natural Area.”

The core of the application is an interactive map of the Beaver Creek Water Trail – about three scenic miles of an easy-paddling waterway in a pristine coastal marsh open to kayaks and canoes. With no feasible way to post interpretive signs along a water trail, the application provides iPhone-equipped canoeists and kayakers a way to track their progress via GPS, and interactively highlights points of interest along the way, from nesting ospreys to beaver lodges.

Oregon Sea Grant’s interest in developing new tools for effective science education brought them to this cooperative project. “We are always exploring tools that deepen understanding of the coast,” said Dr. Shawn Rowe, Sea Grant Extension’s free-choice learning specialist at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. “Giving visitors the ability to seek the depth of information they prefer is the future of parks and interpretive centers.”

Beaver Creek State Natural Area  is located seven miles south of Newport, just east of Ona Beach State Park. The park, which celebrated its grand opening Oct. 1, offers recreation for boaters and nonboaters alike. A newly created Visitor Center features interpretive exhibits, an ADA-accessible deck overlooking the wetland, and trail access. Free Wi-Fi access allows visitors to download the iPhone App on the spot.

Other Sea Grant personnel involved in conceptualizing and creating the application and coordinating logistics include Mark Farley, Nancee Hunter, Joe Cone and Evelyn Paret. Plans are in the works for additional applications, in versions for a variety of mobile smart-phone platforms.

Oregon Sea Grant, founded in 1968 and based at Oregon State University, supports research, education, and public engagement to help people understand, responsibly use, and conserve ocean and coastal resources.

Two Oregon Sea Grant publications win Apex awards

Posted on by

Oregon Sea Grant has won two awards in the 2010 Apex Awards for Publication Excellence: a Grand Award (first prize) in the Brochures, Manuals, and Reports category for The Oregon Rain Garden Guide; and an Award of Excellence in the Design and Illustration category for the Oregon Sea Grant 2010-2013 Strategic Plan.

Of the Rain Garden Guide, judges commented: “This well thought-out and well-done guide offers practical advice on building rain gardens to capture, treat, and use storm water runoff. Excellent use of photos, illustrations, charts, and typography reinforce the clear, easy-reading text.”

The Oregon Rain Garden Guide was written by Robert Emanuel and Derek Godwin of Oregon Sea Grant Extension, and Candace Stoughton of East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District. It was designed by Patricia Andersson and edited by Rick Cooper, both of Oregon Sea Grant. Other contributors include (alphabetically) Neil Bell, Angela Boudro, Heidi Brill, Teresa Huntsinger, Joy Jones, and Linda McMahan.

The Oregon Sea Grant 2010-2013 Strategic Plan was written and edited by Oregon Sea Grant staff and designed by Patricia Andersson.

There were 3,711 entries in 127 categories in this year’s Apex competition, 100 of which received Grand Awards and 1,132 of which received Awards of Excellence.


Oregon Sea Grant publication wins Platinum Award

Posted on by

Oregon Sea Grant’s 2010-2013 Strategic Plan has won a Platinum Award (Best Overall) in the Book/Booklet category of the LACP 2009 Spotlight Awards. The publication earned 98 points out of 100 in the global communications competition, which attracted more than 325 entries from 10 countries.

Christine Kennedy, LACP’s managing director, said “The Oregon Sea Grant 2010-2013 Strategic Plan proves to be remarkable in light of tremendous competition. The first impression is exceptional, while the narrative and visual design are both outstanding. Our belief is that the target audience will find the level of relevance to be exceptional, demonstrating the success of this project in connecting with the right people and delivering a highly applicable and persuasive message.”

The 24-page, full-color booklet was written, edited, and designed entirely by Oregon Sea Grant staff.

LACP (League of American Communications Professionals) provides a forum within the public relations industry to facilitate discussion of best practices while also recognizing exemplary achievements. Its competitions routinely include hundreds of entries from some of the most recognized organizations throughout the world.

Details of the judging can be viewed here.
Download a .pdf version of the Oregon Sea Grant Strategic Plan here.

Oregon Sea Grant’s Pat Corcoran quoted in NY Times article on tsunamis

Posted on by

Pat Corcoran, hazards outreach specialist for Oregon Sea Grant, was quoted in an article that appeared in the February 28, 2010, NY Times, “Chilean Quake a Warning to U.S. Northwest“:

“The release of pressure between two overlapping tectonic plates along the subduction zone regularly generates massive 9.0 magnitude earthquakes –- including five over the last 1,400 years. The last ‘Big One’ was 309 years ago. We are in a geologic time when we can expect another ‘Big One,’ either in our lives or those of our children. Prudence dictates that we overcome our human tendencies to ignore this inevitability.”

He was also quoted extensively in an Associated Press article appearing in the Feb. 27 Seattle Post-Intelligencer, among other places. (“Tsunami barely registers in Pacific Northwest“).

Corcoran appears in an Oregon Sea Grant video about tsunami preparedness called Three Things You Need to Know. You can view the 3-minute video here. Oregon Sea Grant also has a 14-minute video about tsunami preparedness called Reaching Higher Ground. Watch it here.