Former Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) intern Kaylee Towey spent her most recent college semester drafting policy proposals to solve education issues in Prince George’s County. It was part of a semester-long project for the Public Leadership Scholars Program, an extracurricular activity she fits into her busy schedule as a student at University of Maryland, College Park.
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.
Every Monday morning, Ulrich Baxa, Ph.D., and his colleagues enter their Gaithersburg, Md., laboratory and begin calibrating their Titan Krios, a massive, $7-million transmission electron microscope that can capture high-definition images at near-atomic magnification. They load several flash-frozen biological samples into the Krios and, by 5 p.m., program the instrument to collect data. As the team leaves for the evening, the Krios begins shooting beams of energy into the samples and taking photos.
Sitting at a computer in an NCI at Frederick laboratory, Todd Hartley writes an automated method for an experiment. With a final swipe of the mouse, he clicks an on-screen button that says “Run.” The large device sitting to his left, a Biomek FXP Laboratory Automation Workstation, whirrs to life. A robotic arm hovers over a deck containing various microplates then lowers a group of pipette tips to draw liquid from a reservoir, raises and moves again, and deposits the fluid in a nearby microplate with superhuman accuracy.
The holiday season is finally here, bringing joy, spirit, and an exciting 2019 New Year. During these fun (and perhaps stressful) times, it’s important to remember some simple habits that can keep you and your family healthy.
There’s an opportunity to inspire local children’s interest in science, enrich their education, and make them smile. It’s a chance to step outside of your lab or office and—maybe—your comfort zone to make a difference in a student’s life. It’s the Education Outreach Program (EOP), and there is room for you to volunteer.
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.”
Occupational Health Services is gathering information for a company-sponsored wellness program, and they need your input.
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.
On a blustery November morning, NCI at Frederick and Frederick National Laboratory employees bundled up and walked a 1.5-mile course around the Fort Detrick campus while learning about its history.
