The second-floor conference room in Building 538 exploded into a blur of motion as children began looking for clues to help Dr. Chaos fill in the last four pieces of “the human genetic code.” With just 10 minutes to solve the puzzle, they rushed around, sifted through science-themed items, and scoured the workspace-turned-escape room for leads. Seven minutes later, they succeeded, triumphantly emerging into the hallway.

NCI at Frederick’s newest student interns smiled for a group photo outside the Advanced Technology Research Facility. Forty-eight young faces stared at the camera, looking excited but slightly overwhelmed. Later that same evening, the students took part in the Incoming Ceremony, the official start to what many in the past have considered one of the most meaningful journeys of their lives.

Clustered around a bright green trailer parked outside of Building 549, people holding numbered tickets waited for a voice at the trailer’s window to tell them their orders of banh mi, pho, and grill plates were ready. For curious passersby, two signs and a menu explained everything: “The Pham – Vietnamese Food Truck & Catering.”

Frederick has become a key player in biomedical research. That was the clear message from the third annual Technology Showcase, hosted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. As usual, the event highlighted the numerous technologies developed by NCI and FNL scientists that are available to external groups for licensing and partnership. But this year, it also showcased the strength of the region.

Summer is here, and that means the return of two popular events from the Scientific Library: the Summer Video Series and the Student Science Jeopardy! Tournament.