Media advisory issued September 23, 2004, effective immediately.
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OSU Graduate Students Benefit from Research Alliance with The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.

ARDMORE, Okla. — Oklahoma State University and The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc., announce a collaboration to bring the researchers of each institution together to advance agricultural research and identify new ideas and concepts to benefit farmers and ranchers.

"This program represents another positive step in a long history of interaction and collaboration between these two institutions," said Michael A. Cawley, Noble Foundation president.

This collaboration readily allows the interaction between nationally and internationally renowned researchers in plant science, animal science and production agriculture from two of Oklahoma’s largest agricultural research institutions.

Stephen W.S. McKeever, OSU vice president for research and technology transfer, responded by saying, “The exciting aspect of the collaboration with Noble lies in the opportunities these agreements create for our graduate students, as well as the opportunities for interactions between Noble and OSU scientists.”

As part of this collaboration, OSU graduate students will have the opportunity to conduct extended research at the Noble Foundation as part of their graduate education. This program will accept masters and doctoral candidates.

"It is important to the Noble Foundation to participate in the education of young plant scientists and agriculturalists," Cawley said. "We are pleased that our scientists and agricultural specialists can interact with and provide an additional research experience for quality graduate students from OSU.”

According to Al Carlozzi, associate dean of the OSU Graduate College, "This agreement supports the research interests of both institutions by providing stipend and travel support for graduate students who will work collaboratively with Noble and OSU researchers. This is an exciting step for both OSU and the Noble Foundation, one which will certainly help OSU recruit the best and brightest graduate students interested in becoming plant and animal scientists."

The agreement goes into effect immediately with the first student starting in the fall, 2004 semester. It is expected that more students will be receiving support from the Noble Foundation in the spring, 2005 semester, with more to follow in the years to come.

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Photo Cutline: Noble Foundation president Michael A. Cawley, left, and Dr. Stephen W. S. McKeever, vice president for research and technology transfer at OSU, sign documents formalizing the collaboration.

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, visit the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

More news releases available at www.noble.org/Press_Release