Corvallis City Councilor Ed Junkins is at the nexus of some of today’s biggest issues as a physician, educator and parent. Having devoted decades to community service through his practice in pediatric emergency medicine and service on the Corvallis School Board, Junkins became a member of the Corvallis City Council in Jan. 2019 and will serve until Dec. 2020.

Integrative Biology Professor Bob Mason might just know everything about the intimate life of the garter snake. For over three decades, Mason led the way in unraveling some of the mysteries on snakes, pheromones, and what makes a snake sexy.

The Mason Lab at Oregon State University is primarily focused on reproductive biology and a subspecialty of chemical ecology. Much of his research focuses on the red-sided garter snake, who he sees as a model species paving the way to research...

Caesar the No Drama Llama is many things to many people. He is a therapy llama, a llamactivist, a school educator, and an internet celebrity. Juggling all these roles keeps Caesar and his human team busy.

Caesar’s human counterpart, farmer and activist Larry McCool owns the Mystic Llama Farm in Jefferson, Oregon. McCool is a Hewlett-Packard retiree with an impressive resume including previous work with GreenPeace in Salem and as a founding member of the Llama Fiber Cooperative of North America.

Each summer, baseball fans gather at Goss Stadium to root for the Corvallis Knights. Besides the Knights themselves, fans have mascots Mack the Knight and Lil’ King to thank for the cheers that sweep the stadium.

Bringing his 4 foot 2 inches costume to life at every home game, Justin, known as Lil’ King, takes great pride in entertaining fans. “It’s pretty much my dream job,” he said.

We agreed to refer to Justin by his first name to protect his privacy and to “preserve the mystery for the kid

What happens when three volunteers set out to support both local restaurants and community members that could use a good meal? The founders of “It’s On Us Corvallis” leverage the gift economy to do this in a way that is both practical and idealistic.

OSU instructor James Cassidy wants you to start seeing soil. This human frequently reminds people that all culture comes from agriculture. We all start with and eventually return to soil.

“Every molecule, every atom in your body has been through the soil, billions of times and the fact that you’re not soil this moment is a temporary condition,” Cassidy said. “I mean, it’s all about soil.”

What can your sense of taste and smell tell you about your health? The answers may surprise you.

OSU Food Science Professor Juyun Lim studies how people experience taste, smell, and other related chemosensory stimuli. Her research focuses “primarily on understanding how human taste and smell work and the role of underlying human taste and smell perception and the role of human sensory perception in food preference,” she said.

Integrative Biology Professor Bob Mason might just know everything about the intimate life of the garter snake. For over three decades, Mason led the way in unraveling some of the mysteries on snakes, pheromones, and what makes a snake sexy.

The Mason Lab at Oregon State University is primarily focused on reproductive biology and a subspecialty of chemical ecology. Much of his research focuses on the red-sided garter snake, who he sees as a model species paving the way to research...

Your city structure may determine the length and intensity of your local flu season, according research published in October’s Science Magazine by OSU Population Biologist Ben Dalziel, assistant professor of Integrative Biology and Mathematics. This research explores the connection between city structure, climate, and flu epidemics.

As a population biologist, Dalziel’s research often explores topics that are “too big for the lab,” so he analyzes pre-existing data sets. He and his collaborators

Wild Roots Spirits crafts their infused line of fruited spirits in ways that make them fit in as well at the farmer’s market as in a cocktail bar. Although classic vodka and gin are among their offerings, the Northwest craft distillery is well known for fruit infused alcohol. Co-owner of Wild Roots Spirits, Ali Joseph, took a moment to share insights into what makes Wild Roots stand out in the crowded craft spirits market.

Red Hills Market in Dundee emerged from a passion for good food combined with the bounty of the Willamette Valley and the community surrounding the local wine industry. Over the past ten years, the market served as a community hub as well as an essential destination for visitors touring this part of Oregon wine country.

Philomath residents are possibly among the first in the world to receive their food deliveries from a robot.

Dax is a three foot tall, semi-autonomous service robot who has the ability to keep food hot or cold. Currently, Dax is making free deliveries for businesses and individuals in Philomath within a specific delivery area.

Founded in 1985, Softstar Shoes of Philomath, Ore. has maintained its commitment to crafting healthy footwear while using environmentally sustainable practices. Owner and CEO Tricia Salcido purchased the business along with Larkin Holavarri in 2005 from founder and shoemaker Tim Oliver, who is now employed as a Softstar “elf,” a reference inspired by the Brothers Grimm tale, “The Shoemaker and the Elves.”

Every summer, ocean lovers face the sunscreen dilemma. Fully protective sunscreen helps prevent sunburn and skin cancer, yet some popular sunscreen ingredients may harm marine life and the environment. Gadusol Laboratories is a Corvallis-based startup that hopes to offer a nature-inspired solution to the sunscreen dilemma by developing new sun protection alternatives based on a naturally occurring compound, called gadusol, found in marine organisms which provides UVB protection to the organisms.

It all started with an orgasm, according to Lora Haddock, founder of Lora DiCarlo. The Oregon sexual tech company gained worldwide attention when their debut product won a Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Award, only to have it taken away due to the show’s so-called standards of decency. Since the Consumer Electronics Show previously included male-oriented sex tech products, this decision prompted conversations about sexual bias in the technology industry.