People

Twelve Years in, Annual Lecture Remains an Apt In Memoriam for a Former Colleague

The 2023 David Derse Memorial Lecture and Award coincided with Día de los Muertos, scientist emeritus Stephen Hughes, Ph.D., noted at the event. It was fitting happenstance. The Day of the Dead, as it’s called in English, is observed primarily in Mexico to celebrate the memory and legacy of deceased loved ones. In a similar spirit, the memorial lecture in Frederick united scientists to honor the legacy of the late David Derse, Ph.D.

NIH Research Festival Makes an Impression With Its Return to Bethesda Campus

For 2023, the National Institutes of Health held its first in-person NIH Research Festival in Bethesda, Maryland, since the start of the pandemic. The five-day event was well attended and included lectures, workshops, posters, and biotech vendor information booths spread across several areas of the campus.

While there was a plethora of events, several scientists agreed that the standout features of this year’s festival were the interactions.

Branch Chiefs Receive Awards, Reflect on Careers and Teamwork

Three NCI Frederick branch chiefs have joined the ranks of three esteemed societies within the last year. While they’re grateful for the honor, they’re trying to share the limelight. The three say the elections serve to applaud their teams’ contributions, acknowledge the importance of investing in other scientists, and underscore that good science happens when many minds come together.

Where Are They Now: Lea Jih-Vieira’s Path from Math to Data Science and Systems Engineering

Former Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) Student Intern Program participant Lea Jih-Vieira followed a narrow path of interest and discovered a plethora of possibilities. When she first learned about the WHK internship from an information session at her high school, Jih-Vieira wasn’t sure about applying because it seemed geared toward laboratory work, which didn’t capture her interest. But, with some encouragement from her mom, Jih-Vieira applied and was accepted for an internship with NCI Frederick’s Office of Scientific Operations (OSO).

WHK Student Interns Reflect on Key Takeaways of Their Internships

The Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) program, a long-standing institution in Frederick, recently graduated its 32nd class. This unique internship opportunity continues to catapult many high school seniors on the path to STEM careers. Before the 2023 WHK student interns concluded their internships, WHK Program Manager Carrie Wagerman wanted to ensure they were recognized for their achievement in completing the rigorous program. She asked them to share a little about themselves, their plans for the future, and some takeaways from their experience. Read their responses below.

Angeline Amefia

Tom Stackhouse Bids Farewell to NCI, Leaving a Legacy at Frederick

After 32 years with the National Cancer Institute, Tom Stackhouse, Ph.D., is riding into the sunset. The director of the Technology Transfer Center retires at the end of June. He’s gratified to have had a fulfilling career that helped enable so many partnerships, programs, and products. The team has had several successes, including some in support of the science in Frederick.

Howard Young Elected to AAAS Fellowship

What do Nikola Tesla; National Science Board vice chair and former astronaut Ellen Ochoa, Ph.D.; and NCI Frederick’s own Howard Young, Ph.D., have in common? They’re all fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Young is among the newest additions to the esteemed group, recently elected as a 2022 fellow alongside 504 other distinguished contributors to the sciences.

All-Women Panel Speaks Up, Shares Wisdom

Ashley Waters, DPA, executive director of Woman to Woman Mentoring, Inc., spoke from a lectern at Hood College. People with mentors, she said, have better prospects in life. Mentoring was one of the reasons Waters and several dozen others—both in person and virtually—had come to the small Frederick campus. They were gathered for Women in Science Speak, a celebration of women and girls in science and a mentoring discussion about overcoming the substantial disparities and gender bias in the field.

Deanna West Assumes Leadership of Scientific Library

For many people, libraries conjure up images of hushed voices, using the Dewey Decimal System to search the card catalog, and perusing the shelves for a favorite author. But as is true in so many aspects of our daily lives, technology is changing the way we find and use information. That’s why Deanna West, who assumed the role of director of the NCI Frederick Scientific Library in September, is rethinking how the library serves its patrons.

Ensuring the Science Never Stops: Enterprise Information Technology Directorate Keeps NCI Frederick and FNL Connected

At the height of the pandemic in March 2020, employees from across the National Cancer Institute at Frederick and the Frederick National Laboratory joined in the mass exodus from workplaces across the country, going to work from their homes in an effort to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Many FNL employees had never worked remotely, however. They had to rely on the expertise—and patience—of the Enterprise Information Technology (EIT) Directorate to help them transition from working on-site to working from home.