
The little pot-bellied machine on the cover of this magazine might look like R2D2, the robot hero in "Star Wars." Heroic it is. The research that built this little machine is an example of a much larger engine ready to drive Oregon's economic recovery.
This little engine malts barley. And it malts it in small batches, making it possible to test the brewing attributes of new barley varieties developed by OSU for the northwest brewing industry. It was designed by OSU engineering students, including Joe Hortnagl, who is shown on the cover calibrating the inner workings of the mini-malter.
It's all part of a larger infrastructure that connects OSU's agricultural research with industries—from beef and potatoes to berries and wine—to improve the quality and profitability of Oregon products.
Agricultural research is the little engine that could, and does, drive innovation all across Oregon—from Bandon to Burns.