For Leonard Freedman, Ph.D., a lifetime in the sciences began serendipitously at Kalamazoo College, a small liberal arts school in Michigan. Freedman, who is Frederick National Laboratory’s new chief science officer, was drawn to the college’s strong science and premedical programs. However, he says many other subjects were equally attractive during his studies.
Editor's note: Ron Defelice, a 42-year employee of the National Cancer Institute at Frederick and the facility's first Contracting Officer, passed away on December 21, 2018. You can read his obituary here. For the Poster, we’ve chosen to remember his invaluable contribution to the cancer research community.
In retrospect, it’s not surprising that Smruti Hariprakasha, the daughter of two scientists, ended up at the National Cancer Institute as a Werner H. Kirsten intern. She says that the family profession spurred her interest in science from an early age, and her experiences on the NCI at Frederick campus, such as attending Take Your Child to Work Day with her parents when she was young, helped her feel at home when she began her internship.
The first open house event for the Office of Scientific Operations’ (OSO) Educational Outreach Program (EOP), held at the Advanced Technology Research Facility (ATRF), was a success according to program coordinator Cathy Cullen. “We had more volunteers sign up in person than in response to the emails, and it was a lot more fun, too.”
Ashley Babyak once dreamed of being a physician. But after multiple internships at NCI at Frederick, she realized she could also make a difference as a laboratory scientist, and she now seeks to protect public health by researching infectious diseases.
Ask Stephen Hughes, Ph.D., to explain his work, and he’ll tell you about teamwork. He sees it as more than just the ubiquitous status quo in science: it is the philosophy that has defined his nearly 35-year career at NCI at Frederick.
For Christine Fennessey, Ph.D., HIV research is more than just a career—it’s the culmination of her passion for science and a desire to help people in need. And in just two years at the Frederick National Laboratory, her work has already gained the attention of her peers and the greater scientific community.
For Robert Vaughn, an internship at NCI at Frederick during the summer of 2015 was when theory met reality, changing the course of his life. While Vaughn had recently completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics, it was his internship with mentor Brian Luke, Ph.D., principal scientist, Advanced Biomedical Computing Center (ABCC), that showed him how to apply his knowledge to practical uses.
After interning under three mentors at NCI at Frederick, former WHK intern Nicole Pohida is currently preparing to complete her undergraduate nursing degree at the University of Maryland. The aspiring nurse practitioner is passionate about doing the detective work necessary to solve challenging medical riddles, and she credits her mentors for helping stimulate her already-budding interest in science, learn new skills, and pursue her goals.
Former Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) intern Janine Bahsali, who will be attending Adler University this fall to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology, credits her internships at NCI at Frederick with starting her down the path toward a Ph.D. Bahsali joined the WHK Student Intern Program during her senior year of high school, working in Occupational Health Services with mentor Sarah Hooper.
