OSU’s Art about Agriculture coming to Baker City
By Braden Way on Thursday, June 30th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – (Press Release from Crossroads Carnegie Art Center) Crossroads Carnegie Art Center is thrilled to welcome Oregon State University Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Dr. Staci Simonich to a series of events celebrating Agriculture and the Arts in July.
On First Friday, July 1st, Crossroads opens the Oregon State University “Art about Agriculture Exhibition “The Sustainable Feast” welcomes visitors to the First Friday Show opening event, July 1st from 5:30 PM-8:00 PM. This First Friday will feature an “Americana” musical performance by Debbie Friedman and John Woodard, and a 25 dollar gift certificate to Baboon Creek Outfitters.
Oregon State University’s 39th Annual Art About Agriculture brings to Crossroads “The Sustainable Feast”, a touring exhibit that features a wide range of 2D and 3D art from artists across the Pacific Northwest, that create a focal point revolved around the practices of sustainable agriculture in Oregon, and how these practices can actually hold incredible visual beauty. Each piece in this spectacular traveling exhibit has been juried in by a five member judge panel. Be sure to stop in and visit our gallery space for the month of July to see just how artists have captured Oregon’s wide scale and diverse agricultural industry, and the importance of sustainable agricultural practices that ensure Oregon’s agriculture remains strong for years to come. The show is on display Monday thru Saturday 10 am to 5pm (closed on July 4th) and closes on July 30th.
On Sunday July 17th Crossroads in partnership with the Oregon State University Alumni Services will be hosting a invitation only Baker County OSU Alumni Event. This afternoon event welcomes the Gem Strings, a bluegrass band from Idaho, wine and light refreshments. Dr. Simonich will be present with staff from OSU Alumni Services for an opportunity for OSU “Beaver Believers” to come together, see old friends and relax.
On Monday July 18th, Crossroads is hosting two special events.
- Monday July 18th -7:30 am to 8:30 am- Crossroads invites all local agricultural producers, agricultural partners, and support industries to come to a morning coffee time with the new Dean of the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences, Dr. Staci Simonich in the Downstairs Studio at Crossroads. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. Dr. Simonich will introduce herself to start a robust discussion with local producers. Hosting the new Dean is an honor and recognition of the critical role Agriculture plays in the gross domestic product of Baker County.
- Monday July 18th from 10:00 am to 11:00 Am “It’s More Than Organic” Panel Discussion Crossroads Carnegie Art Center Downstairs Studio. OSU is hosting a panel of experts, local producers and locals to discuss what all of us can do to be more sustainable!
Questions to be answered:
What is sustainable agriculture? What is OSU doing in this space and why?
What competitive advantages does sustainability provide for growers and our State?
What should consumers know about sustainable foods and food producers?
How can home gardeners, small producers to large producers be more sustainable in their practices?
This panel discussion is perfect for large and small agricultural producers, hobbyist gardeners and the average citizen who cares about their food.
Panelists /OSU
Dr. Dave Stone, Director of the OSU Food Innovation Center
Bryan Endress, Associate Professor and Rangeland Sciences Program Lead of OSU Agriculture and Natural Resources Program at EOU
Dr. Staci Simonich, Dean of the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station
Panelists / Crossroads Carnegie Art Center Constituents:
Amy Young, Young Roots Farm
Amari Sauna, Hedge Rose Farm
Sarah Wynn, Baker City artist
Free and Open to the Public! Coffee and light refreshments served. OSU Art About Agriculture
“The Sustainable Feast” Show and Events Sponsored by:
Northwest Farm Credit
Craig and Cherie Ward
Harold and Kathy (Ward) Crawford
Spiering Land and Livestock
With the generous support and efforts of:
Owen Premore
Dr. Staci Simonich
Dr. David Stone
OSU Alumni Services
Copper Belt Winery
“Crossroads is honored to host Dr. Staci Simonich for numerous events over the busy Miners Jubilee weekend. We very much wanted this opportunity for the Dean to talk directly with producers and agricultural partners about the direction our state’s “land grant” college and its critical Agricultural Science College will be taking in the years ahead. Baker County is huge part of the agriculture in this state and we want locals to have some time to talk about industry needs and challenges directly with the Dean.
We are honored to welcome so many staff members from OSU who have supported these series of events. We have something for everyone-from our large scale agriculture producers to the hobbyist gardener. A busy month at Crossroads.” Ginger Savage, Executive Director Crossroads Carnegie Art Center
Biography of Dr. Staci Simonich:
Dr. Staci L. Simonich is Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) and Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station at Oregon State University (OSU). In addition, she is a Professor in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology and Chemistry at OSU.
Previously, Dr. Simonich held the positions of Executive Associate Dean in CAS, Associate Vice President for Research Operations and Integrity at OSU, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the College of Science, and Associate Department Head in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology.
In addition to receiving her MBA from Oregon State University in 2020, Dr. Simonich received her Ph.D. in chemistry from Indiana University in 1995. She completed APLU’s LEAD 21 training in 2017 and the Higher Education Resource Services Institute Leadership training, as a Clare Booth Luce STEM Scholarship Recipient, in 2018. Prior to joining Oregon State University and the College of Agricultural Sciences in 2001, she worked in the consumer product industry with Procter & Gamble for 6 years. With over 120 peer reviewed publications to date, Dr. Simonich’s laboratory research focuses on understanding the fate, chemistry and transport of pesticides and other semi-volatile organic compounds, as well as human and environmental exposure to these pollutants.
She received the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry/Roy F. Weston Environmental Chemistry Award in 2001, the NSF Career Award in 2003, the College of Agricultural Sciences Savery Outstanding Young Faculty Award in 2006, OSU’s Impact Award for Scholarship in 2013, and OSU’s Excellence in Graduate Mentoring Award in 2015. Her research has been published in Science, Nature, Environmental Health Perspectives, Environmental Science & Technology, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
During her tenure at OSU and CAS, Staci has mentored 30 Ph.D. and M.S. students and 24 undergraduate students in her laboratory and has received several awards related to her mentoring of diverse groups of OSU students and employees. Over her career, Dr. Simonich has received over $15M in extramural funding from the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Defense, and Department of Interior and became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2021.
