Byrd Center staff are available to help Ohio State investigators with proposals and funded projects. The points of contact for typical support requests are listed below. General inquires can be sent to Center Director Ian Howat.
If you need help with...
- Computing Needs, Website Design and Maintenance: Tom Kassebaum
- Equipment Design/Fabrication, Shipping and Scott Hall Building Issues: Paul Green
- Human Resources and Fiscal/Budget Assistance: Michele Cook
- Mapping and Other GIS Needs for Proposals/Projects: Bidhya Yadav
- Education, Outreach and Broader Impacts: Jason Cervenec
- Education, Outreach and Science Communications: Karina Peggau
- Proposal Submissions: Cathy Carson
- Purchasing and Travel: Charmaine Koch
- Website Applications and Data Visualization: Michael Gravina
Support Staff
Grants Development Specialist
Cathy Carson
Areas of Expertise
- Proposal Development Services
Services
- Proposal submissions
- Funding opportunities
Education and Outreach Director
Jason Cervenec
Areas of Expertise
- Education and Outreach
- K-12 Education
- Climate Change Resilience
Services
- Design and implementation of education and outreach programs for research proposals or funded projects to enhance broader impacts
- Science communication and web application development
- Proposal team development and brainstorming exercises
- Development of educational programming and material
- Climate adaptation and policy planning
Administrative Manager
Michele Cook
Areas of Expertise
- Leadership and Direction for Administrative Operations of the Byrd Center
Services
- Daily business operations of the Byrd Center
- Proposal development and submission
- Research project management (contracting, purchasing, human resources, fiscal accounting and reporting)
- Event planning and organization
Systems Developer/Engineer
Mike Gravina
Areas of Expertise
- Web Applications and Data Visualization
- UI Design
- Database Management
- Data Pipelining and Automation
- Integration with Custom APIs and Remote Sensors
Services
- Web application development
- Software project planning
- Interface and narrative design for educational outreach
Project Examples:
Design Engineer and Machinist
Paul Green
Areas of Expertise
- Management of Byrd Center Machine Shop
- Research Equipment Design and Fabrication
- Field Equipment Maintenance (Equipment Coordinator for Byrd Center)
- Packing and Shipping Assistance
- Byrd Center Facilities
Services
- Assist in designing lab and field research equipment to investigator specifications
- Selection and purchasing of materials
- Fabrication, assembly and testing
- Laboratory maintenance and safety
- Building supervisor for Scott Hall
Systems Manager
Tom Kassebaum
Areas of Expertise
- Personal Computing and Communications Devices
- Server Maintenance
- Network Maintenance
- Cybersecurity
Services
- Selection, purchasing and repair of computing equipment and peripherals
- Maintenance of the Byrd Center's servers
- Software selection, purchasing and maintenance
- Security compliance and documentation
Education and Outreach Program Coordinator
Karina Peggau
Areas of Expertise
- Science Communications
- Education and Outreach
Services
- Social media communications
- Education and outreach activities
- Special events
Research Associate
Bidhyananda (Bidhya) Yadav
Areas of Expertise
- GIS and Remote Sensing
- Data Management
- Web Applications and Data Visualization
- Open Software/Open Science Support
- Machine Learning
Services
- GIS, remote sensing, mapping and data management for proposals and funded projects
- Software development
- Data Management Plan development and agency compliance
- Open Software/Open Science support and agency compliance