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By Colin Bowyer, Communications Manager - November 27, 2024

The purpose of technical writing is to convey complex information in a clear, concise, and accessible manner. A trained technical writer is traditionally more concerned about structure and accuracy to enhance understanding. The use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) large language models (LLMs) has increased in both professional and classroom technical writing settings, requiring instructors and administrators to address how much or little GAI should appropriately be utilized by students. Two starkly different approaches from college administrators, prohibitive and critical, have arisen across collegiate writing classrooms leading to varying results, as well as dynamic shifts in instructors' relationships with students.

From a new interdisciplinary collaboration, associate professors Ehren Helmut Pflugfelder of the School of Writing, Literature, and Film and Joshua Reeves of the School of Communication have proposed a novel, nuanced approach to address the use of GAI by students in technical writing. The “CARE” framework: critical, authorial, rhetorical, and educational, emphasizes ethical and contextual AI use, while avoiding a one-size-fits-all prohibitive restriction on using AI in the technical writing classroom. Their article, titled “Surveillance Work in (and Teaching) Technical Writing with AI,” appeared in a special issue of the Journal of Technical Writing and Communication.

In the last few years, the use of GAI LLM chatbots has proliferated, impacting instructors, administrators, and students at all levels of education. Responding to this rapid, widespread use, many colleges and universities sought tools, e.g. Turnitin, to address what was seen as a widespread plagiarism concern. Unfortunately, GAI detection tools have not proven to be especially reliable.

For instructors and administrators, a common approach to academic dishonesty is to increase the surveillance of student conduct,  including visual student supervision, standardized testing, audiovisual classroom monitoring, and online test proctoring. 

“Surveillance and incorporating plagiarism detection may be the best way to identify where student writers are utilizing generative AI,” said Reeves, “but the bigger and more interesting question is, ‘what does that mean for writing instructors? How does that change the dynamic between instructors and students?’”

Instead of becoming a “surveillance agent” and taking a prohibitive approach, Pflugfelder and Reeves encourage instructors to integrate GAI LLMs in the technical writing classroom, while also encouraging critical reflection on the roles that automated text generation and prompt engineering may play in their future careers.

“These new technologies can either be banned outright,” explained Pflugfelder, “which requires instructors to police any trace of their use, or these new platforms can be embraced as part of a pragmatic strategy to turn students into ethical and responsible users of the technology.”

The “CARE” framework, critical, authorial, rhetorical, and educational, provides general principles upon which instructors can reflect in order to determine a suitable path. CARE emphasizes the promise of GAI while cautioning instructors against allowing the technology to redefine their relationships to students.

“GAI has the potential to significantly change technical writing instruction and work,” said Pflugfelder. “That does not necessarily mean, however, that we have to let it change our work in such a way that plagiarism anxiety and surveillance work comprise even more of our labor. We want students to be successful in every writing situation and to think critically about using GAI to their advantage.

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David Bernell

By Emily Willis, CLA Student Writer - November 27, 2023

Our planet is in need of important changes for the climate and global warming, and there are actions being taken here at Oregon State to help educate students and improve our efforts at going green. David Bernell is a professor who specializes in teaching students about renewable energy policies, and how these policies  incorporate changes into the daily routines of people and businesses all over the country.

Before becoming a professor, Bernell served as an appointee for the Clinton Administration in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as well as the Department of the Interior.  At OMB, Bernell’s job involved preparation of the President’s annual budget proposal to Congress, on behalf of all the federal agencies that dealt with energy and natural resources.

Bernell now leads OSU’s Energy Policy Ecampus program, an online graduate certificate for those looking to learn more about U.S. energy policy and how it affects the nation and their own local communities. This includes professionals in the energy sector, current graduate students, and people in a variety of jobs – reporters, property managers, engineers – who want to know more about how energy policy impacts their own work.

“A major question the program tries to address is how the U.S. government and its institutions are going to use the country’s resources more sustainably and not cause future problems or make existing problems worse, whether it’s energy policy’s impact on climate change or national security.” Bernell continued, “People from all over the country with different personal and professional backgrounds are interested in answering questions like these. They all bring their unique perspectives to the program, and it makes working with all these students incredibly rewarding. 

Mitchell Dehmer, a graduate student in the program and an environmental scientist in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said, “Energy policy is a niche and often overlooked topic, however the Ecampus program intentionally focuses on how the U.S. government crafts  policy surrounding renewable and clean energy.”

“Policy is the first place where you can actually make a change,” said Dehmer. “As a policy maker, you are the first line bureaucrat in making change. The world is changing rapidly, and there’s a need for young professionals with the knowledge of how to craft effective energy policy in our government.”

Dehmer went on to elaborate on how Bernell’s teaching style enhances the material. “Dr. Bernell’s class is by far the best class I’ve taken so far,” Mitchell mentions. “I’ve learned the most information by being in his class; Dr. Bernell truly seems to care about his students and makes sure to let them know they’re heard and seen.”

Rachel Mooney, another student in the Energy Policy Program and a senior associate at Climate Action Reserve, a global offset registry for global carbon markets, also talked about the importance of learning about renewable energy policy and Bernell’s individualized mentorship. Dr. Bernell’s  U.S. energy policy class informed much of the framework for how I was writing my thesis. It really helped give context to what I was talking about, like why natural gas is so instrumental in our energy use as a country, and for the transition in the long-term.”

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Jax Richards

By Luke Brockman, Events and Communications Intern - June 22, 2022

In a world more socially connected than at any other moment in history, the importance of collaborative, diverse and interdisciplinary approaches to solving problems has become increasingly valued. Jax Richards is a student at Oregon State University who recognized that very early.

OSU’s campus culture inherently encourages students in the College of Liberal Arts, the second most populated college on campus, to communicate and make connections with students from other seemingly distant fields.

“I very much view having a STEM association or being able to understand STEM as a liberal arts student is critical,” said Richards, who’s a quintuple major, four of which are liberal arts areas: public policy, communication, political science and economics. The fifth, sustainability.

“That interdisciplinary kind of conversation and connection is absolutely vital to almost anything that you would meaningfully want to engage in, in liberal arts,” said Richards.

Richards takes an innovative and big picture approach to being an undergraduate student – the kind of approach that is poised to set him up with the knowledge, connections and confidence to move forward and contribute meaningful work to the world. One of the more insidious problems Richards sees with the current state of society lies in a lack of clear communication by academics across disciplines and to the public in general. Hence his decision to revolve his academic pursuits around the pillar of communication.

One way he’s managed to do this is through activism and advocacy. In 2019, the same year Richards graduated from high school, he started a 501c3 nonprofit called “Safeguard Youth,” with a mission to enact long-term and meaningful change in Oregon’s child welfare system.

“I really want to be the kind of person I needed when I was younger,” he explained. Richards grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, during a period of rapid gentrification and is one of 18 million youth in the United States who was raised in a single parent household. That’s more than 23 percent of all U.S. children, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Both despite and because of these kinds of odds, Richards has managed to stand out among the crowd of young academics at OSU and in the global community. As if quadruple-majoring wasn’t hard enough, he’s worked with U.S. representative Peter DeFazio, with numerous nonprofits including Amnesty International, and had the chance to represent OSU at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (aka COP26) late last year.

“He’s not afraid to keep himself busy,” explained Shaurya Gaur, a friend and colleague of Richards’ who studies computer science, and who worked alongside him to help organize TEDx Corvallis—a project that came very near completion before the pandemic cut it short.

“(Jax) not only gives the most energy he can to everything he’s working on—what he does he genuinely just cares about—and he’s also just a good friend,” said Gaur. “It’s nice to have somebody who’s not only a good communicator, but who’s going to bring his best to the work.”

Not everyone wants as busy a schedule as Richards, but to him, that kind of fullness is what keeps his scale balanced.

Between managing knowledge flowing from five adjacently related areas of study, navigating a workload of commitments outside of mere coursework, and planning his approach to a future reforming child education, Richards says that a balanced life comes from within the task management itself.

“This is gonna sound really odd, but for me [balance] is about thinking ahead about your future care. For me, it’s always been really hard to take time for myself,” said Richards.

“Taking time for yourself is super critical. And, you know, that manifests in different ways for different people.”

At OSU, Jax has surrounded himself with a social sphere representing a variety of disciplines on campus. According to Jax, social life and community are a huge part of what broadens his learning experience.

“I get a lot of my energy from socialization. Regardless of how busy my day is, I always try to take half an hour, an hour, two hours to just, like, hang out with friends. Even if we’re all just reading silently, it’s the energy of having people I care about and people that care about me kind of just taking a minute.”

Richards has created a meaningful involvement with his community in the College of Liberal Arts and further beyond, by surrounding himself with friends and colleagues who come from all over STEM and liberal arts fields. For Jax, finding a way to encourage that interdisciplinary conversation just might be the key to solving the problems facing his world.

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Tasha Robinson | Credit: Blake Brown

October 20, 2023

Tasha Robinson is from North Plains, Oregon, and is working towards earning her Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) degree focusing on rhetoric, relational communication, and political science. Robinson recently answered a few questions about her unique degree program and experience as an OSU master’s student.

Can you talk about your journey to becoming an OSU student?

I arrived at Oregon State University in fall 2019 as an undergraduate student in public health and data science. Having participated in forensics in high school, I was particularly interested in competing on OSU’s forensics team as well, and was able to find a nice home with my new team. As I neared the end of my bachelor’s degree program, Dr. Mark Porrovecchio, director of forensics at OSU, asked if I would be interested in studying speech communication as a master’s student and serving as the assistant coach for the team. I was ecstatic to begin that journey.

Tell us about your experience in forensics and debate at OSU.

One highlight of my time with the team has definitely been the life-long friends that I have made and my ever increasing interest in argument and critical discourse. 

My first tournament with the team was in Spokane, Washington. While we took a plane ride to get there, there was an issue with our return flight and we needed to drive back to Corvallis. The drive took six hours and I got to spend them listening to stories from my peers and bonding with the team. While I did not love the prospect of the drive, and it was definitely an intense introduction to the team, it ended up being a lot of fun.

I am particularly proud of my success with the team, having won at the IFA championship tournament for International Public Debate online in March of 2021, and for Anime Interpretation alongside my duo partner Megan Baus in Tokyo this last March.

What has been your experience as a MAIS student?

As a MAIS student, I have been able to work with many wonderful faculty members. Dr. Trischa Goodnow has been an amazing mentor in my coursework, degree progression, and thesis writing. She encouraged me to submit for the NWCA conference this past April, providing welcome guidance with revisions to my paper submission, and I had a great experience at my first academic conference. I am grateful to have her as my committee chair.

Dr. Gregg Walker has been a wonderful professor to work with as I have learned the ropes of teaching recitation sections for COMM 114, “Argument & Critical Discourse.”

Dr. Mark Porrovecchio has, of course, been an invaluable source of information and support, having guided me toward this program to begin with. Mark has consistently been a jovial and pragmatic resource for me throughout this program and in my learning curve becoming an assistant coach. 

Outside of faculty, I have definitely found some lasting friendships within my cohort and have appreciated the support network I have gained both academically and emotionally. James Phillips, another COMM 114 instructor and fellow MAIS student, has been a true friend at work and in class, and is always filled to the brim with good advice for both teaching and coursework.

What is your research focused on?

My current research is focused on changes in American newspaper reporting on Forbes Burnham, former president of Guyana, between 1977 and 1981.

The South American nation of Guyana has a rich and diverse history, featuring many complex political stains. Burnham's leadership spanned from 1964 until his death in 1985. He was a highly controversial political leader in the Caribbean region, oscillating between support for Marxist regimes like Fidel Castro's Cuba and anti-communist nations led by the United States. 

I am aiming to understand how the absence of significant CIA involvement in Guyanese elections and Guyana's transition towards socialism influenced the media coverage of Burnham during that transformative period. My thesis will explore the connection between the political landscape in Guyana and the reporting decisions made by American newspapers, highlighting the role of the media as a gatekeeper.

What are you hoping to do next with your degrees?

While I don’t have any concrete plans, I hope to apply the concepts learned in this program to my current career in public health. I am currently torn between pursuing a master’s degree in public health or a Ph.D. in rhetoric.

What would you say to future students looking to study communications?

For future students interested in studying communication, you're entering a dynamic field with immense opportunities. Communication skills are essential in today's interconnected world, and a degree in speech communication equips you with valuable abilities. You'll develop strong written and verbal skills, critical thinking, and media literacy. Additionally, you'll gain experience in public speaking, interpersonal communication, and digital media. These skills are highly transferable regardless of your interest or industry. Studying communication allows you to understand the power of effective communication and gives you the tools to navigate and shape the media landscape while fostering meaningful connections with diverse audiences.

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Celia Oney | Credit: Natalia Bueno

By Colin Bowyer, Communications Manager - May 26, 2024

Celia Oney, M.A. ‘21, has worked with nuclear reactors for more than a decade, but she doesn’t have a STEM background or hold a degree in nuclear engineering.

Oney, a student in the history and philosophy of science Ph.D. program, first began working with nuclear technology while an undergraduate student at Reed College. Oney majored in classics, but it was the student-run reactor at Reed that caught her attention. Before graduating from Reed in 2011, Oney was licensed as a senior reactor operator, gaining a technical understanding of the uranium-fueled reactor, as well as a historical, theoretical, and ethical perspective of nuclear energy from her degree in classics.

“I was always very interested in math and science as a young adult,” explained Oney. “But classics allowed me to explore my enthusiasm for languages and history, which was a nice complement to my time at the Reed reactor.”

After Reed, Celia started working at OSU’s Radiation Center as a full-time reactor supervisor, as well as toward her master’s degree at OSU, diving more into nuclear history and philosophy. Her qualitative thesis examined the decommissioning process of three reactors in the Pacific Northwest: OSU’s first reactor in 1980, the Hanford Site in southeast Washington, and the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant in northwest Oregon. Her findings suggested that the people who utilized, funded, or opposed these sites all saw inherent connections between nuclear research, atomic weapons, and nuclear power.

Now, Oney is earning her doctoral degree with a thesis topic focusing on an unusual group of nuclear history.

“During my archival research for my master’s thesis,” Oney explained. “I kept reading and seeing images of Catholic Americans, specifically Catholic Sisters and Nuns, interacting with nuclear technology, including voicing their opposition to nuclear weapons manufacturing, as well as being trained as radiation monitors during the Cold War. In my dissertation, I’m examining the range of ways Catholic Sisters and Nuns interacted with nuclear  technology and how those pursuits fit within their religious commitments.”

While Oney completes her dissertation over the next few years, she will continue to work at OSU’s uranium-powered reactor. Built in 1967, the four-story tall, non-electricity producing reactor generates one megawatt of heat and is used for a variety of research projects submitted by researchers (mostly geologists, Oney pointed out) on and off campus. A “frequent flier” is anthropology professor Leah Minc, who uses the reactor to help do trace-element analysis of pottery and ceramics.

Oney’s role as reactor supervisor is responsible for training and regulatory programs, both classroom and hands-on components, for students and researchers who wish to work or use the reactor. She credits her classes and research during the M.A. and Ph.D. program to providing her with a unique perspective.

“I tend to think of the reactor as an artifact,” explained Oney. “Studying the history and philosophy of nuclear technology helps me to understand the context of a nuclear reaction happening within the reactor at the Radiation Center. Essentially, my studies inform my full-time job.”

Oney will be defending her thesis in a couple of years and plans to continue working at the Radiation Center. Her dream project is to one-day create a narrative history of OSU’s reactor.

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Paige Vaughn

By Quinn Keller, CLA Student Writer - June 21, 2024

From pre-med to history to the Air Force, Paige Vaughn, ‘21, M.S. ‘23, is an alumna with stories to tell. Vaughn is on her way to becoming an Air Force historian through the Palace Acquire Program (PAQ), a multi-year intensive training program.

During her time at the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion (SHPR), she studied history as both an undergraduate and master’s student. Vaughn was struck by the kindness of the faculty at SHPR, “I was always interested in history, but the faculty at SHPR are phenomenal. I can't say enough about how great they are.”

Vaughn based her master’s thesis on “managing complicity with regards to how the US government recruited Nazi, or Nazi associated scientists and technicians after World War Two through Operation Paperclip.” Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Vaughn recalled having to learn how to conduct research entirely remotely, which gave her research experience to help what she does now as a PAQ.

Before studying history, Vaughn was a biology and pre-med major, as well as a medical scribe. “Over the pandemic,” she said, “I saw a lot of burnout happen in the medical community. I realized perhaps that's not my true love and desire in a career.” Both of Vaughn’s parents were in the Air Force, but otherwise, her current job is mostly a stroke of coincidence. A search on USAjobs.gov opened her dream job opportunity. “It never was anything that I went out of my way to study. I love all different phases of history and eras and topics,” she explained. “But now I can say I love Air Force history. It is so cool.”

Vaughn is almost one year into the three-year training program. After PAQ, an Air Force historian in the field is in charge of collecting documents for their unit. Mission tracking, flight times, and the people involved are all recorded. The Air Force historian is also in charge of “heraldry and heritage of their unit.”

“PAQ trains you to become a historian for the Air Force and helps you gain leadership skills that you'll need to become a supervisor. Once I’m done, I’ll be placed within a unit in the Air Force. I’ll be in charge of collecting the unit’s history and submit annual reports to the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.”

Currently, Vaughn is stationed at Maxwell. “The AFHRA is the archive of the Air Force, so everything historians collect comes here.” Her division specializes in oral history interviews with Airmen and Guardians, as well as special studies.

As part of the PAQ training, Vaughn has also worked with different divisions at the AFHRA. Recently, while working with the Research Division, she learned the processes involved with answering historical inquiries from citizens. “For instance, the AFHRA gets requests from people asking, ‘My grandfather was in World War Two. Do you have any information on him?’ So once I am assigned a request, I go into the archive, and if there is any information to be collected and that can be released, I’ll digitize it for them and then send it out.” In addition to information requests, the AFHRA also works with claim applicants through Veterans Affairs (VA). A veteran may contact the AFHRA for information to support their VA claim. For instance, the AFHRA may have records in the annual histories to show if a veteran was exposed to harmful chemicals during their service.

“It can be life changing for people to get that information,” said Vaughn. “I think it's important for us as historians to capture what's happening accurately and provide the documentation for future generations.” Although it’s not only about recording mishaps or routine procedures; the victories are also just as important “to make sure people get the recognition that they deserve.”