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Chili Cookoff 2016: The Largest Ever

Marco Johnson decided to bring “the big guns” to the 13th annual Protective Services Chili Cookoff—his wife, Jill. The strategy paid off because Johnson’s chili recipe won first place, standing out against some stiff competition.

Johnson, a shuttle bus driver for Protective Services, added his own special touches to the recipe developed by his wife; he used Kielbasa as the main ingredient and increased the smoky flavor, hence the name Jill’s Smoky Kielbasa Chili. The recipe also included crispy bacon, hot pepper seasonings, and a variety of diced tomatoes, from roasted to hot.

Robert Wiltrout Says Goodbye to NCI in 2015

After 34 years at NCI, Robert Wiltrout, Ph.D., said he is looking forward to trading his I-270 commute for another type of commute: exploring the waterways of Maryland, Alaska, and Wyoming to fulfill his love of fishing.

Wiltrout officially retired as director of the NCI Center for Cancer Research (CCR) on July 2 of last year.

Throughout his college academic career, Wiltrout had an interest in science, but it was not until he was working on a research project for his master’s degree that he considered a career in scientific research.

Look Forward to Take a Hike Day This Spring

Are you looking forward to spring? Join Occupational Health Services (OHS) and the R&W Club Frederick for the next Take a Hike Day in April. At the fall event, about 30 employees walked or jogged the 1.3-mile course around the NCI at Frederick campus during their lunch hours.

The event is designed to encourage employees to engage in physical activity, according to Sarah Hooper, manager of OHS.

“It was so wonderful to see employees walking to wellness,” said Emily Burnett, a Werner H. Kirsten student intern in OHS who helped plan the fall event.

R&W Club Frederick Raises $1,500 for The Children’s Inn at Annual Golf Tournament

Forty-four government and contractor employees, along with their friends and family members, took to the Maryland National Golf Club course this fall for a cause.

The R&W Club Frederick held its third annual golf tournament at the Middletown, Md., golf course on Sept. 14 to raise funds for The Children’s Inn at NIH, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. The Inn provides support and a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families receiving treatment at the NIH Clinical Center.

Through the tournament, the club raised approximately $1,500 for The Children’s Inn, according to Tanya Ransom, biologist, NCI Center for Cancer Research, and secretary of the R&W Club Frederick. She also coordinated the golf tournament. After the tournament, a silent auction of sports memorabilia and collectibles, sponsored by Great Moments, Frederick, was held, and a portion of the proceeds also went to the Inn.

NCI Holds on to Defelice Cup

NCI kept the Defelice Cup trophy this year after beating Leidos Biomedical Research, 15 to 9, at the 10th annual Ronald H. Defelice Golf Tournament held on Columbus Day.

Sixteen players on each team battled it out at the yearly contractor vs. government tournament held at Rattlewood Golf Course in Mount Airy, Md. NCI leads the series 6–4.

“The score was the highest NCI margin of victory in the 10-year series,” said Denny Dougherty, retired senior subcontracts advisor at what was formerly SAIC-Frederick. “The intensity of the annual competition has increased each year and has become...

Cherry Featured in NCI’s Spotlight on Scientists Video Series

James Cherry, Ph.D., learned at an early age that education is crucial to success. He credits his mentors, some of whom include his grandmother, Shepherd University professor Burton Lidgerding, Ph.D., David Munroe, Ph.D., Frederick National Lab, and Robert J. Hohman, Ph.D., National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, for guiding him to the career he has today.

Cherry, scientific program director, Office of Scientific Operations (OSO), NCI at Frederick, is one of the scientists featured in NCI’s Spotlight on Scientists video series.

R&W Club Frederick Hosts Second Annual Car Show

A 1994 Ford Thunderbird, a 2006 Porsche 911-S, and a 1996 Chevy Camaro Z28 were just a few of the rides on display this summer at R&W Club Frederick’s second annual Car and Motorcycle Show.

“It’s a chance to raise money for a good cause,” said Geoff Seidel, one of the organizers of the event and program director for the Coordinating Center for Clinical Trials, NCI Office of the Director. “You put money in the bucket [for] the car you like, and...

What Are Altmetrics? Are They Important?

Altmetrics, also known as alternative metrics, offer a way to gauge the attention that research output (such as articles, data sets, program code, slide decks, and posters) is generating on social media, reference sharing sites (such as Mendeley), blogs, and other online media.?

The term “altmetrics” was coined on Twitter in 2010 by Jason Priem, then a graduate student at the University of North Carolina’s School of Information and Library...

NCI at Frederick Contributes to Feds Feed Families

Once again, NCI at Frederick participated in the annual Feds Feed Families event, which challenges federal workers to help knock out hunger with a food drive. This year, NIH collected 26,315 pounds of non-perishable goods, beating its goal of collecting 20,000 pounds.

This includes over four tons of food that was collected at satellite locations, including NCI at Frederick. The food collected at NCI at Frederick was donated locally to the Frederick Rescue Mission. These donations help feed local families in need through the holiday season.