Author: Austen Ruzicka

How long will waves of tsunami debris hit the West Coast of North America?

And what kind of plants and organisms have hitched a ride thousands of miles across the ocean?

Thanks to a gift by electronic design pioneer Mentor Graphics, Portland State has become a notable contender in the field of technology research and development.

The discussion of Antarctic climate change is heating up at Portland State.

For the first time, Portland State will be offering a class tailored to help LBGT students achieve success in college.

The fifth annual sustainability celebration was held at Portland State in the Native American Student and Community Center on May 29. The event celebrated the accomplishments and progress of sustainability at PSU throughout the 2011–12 academic year and consisted of a poster session and a presentation.

Recent budget cuts within Portland State Facilities and Planning have changed recycling and composting services at the university, triggering concern that these changes are inconsistent with PSU’s status as a leader in sustainable practices.

“At least 40 percent of Portlanders live in situations that make it difficult to access fresh, affordable foods, and many more face barriers beyond physical access,” Portland State alumna Amelia Pape said. So how do people who live in these food deserts get access to healthy food options? The answer is My Street Grocery.

Kristine Nelson, professor and dean emerita at Portland State’s School of Social Work, passed away on April 22 after a long struggle with cancer.

In 2010, an anonymous donor gifted a box of old and fragile documents to the Northwest News Network, and shortly thereafter researchers discovered that the documents provided details on hundreds of deceased Chinese immigrant workers. Recently, Oregon State University digitally archived the collection, which dates back to the mid-20th century, and placed the entire collection online. The physical copies are currently being held at Portland State in special collections. The disinterment documents are in Chinese and are still in the process of being translated to English.

Mark Lettiere joined Portland State on March 15 as a full-time vocational rehabilitation counselor for students who are veterans, dependents or on active duty. This is a part of the VetSuccess on-campus program.

Two Portland State students received high awards in Native American education at the Annual Oregon Indian Education Association conference on April 2 and 3. Art practices senior Shilo George received the award for Outstanding Volunteer of the Year, and Sky Hopinka received the award for Outstanding Student in Higher Education.