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Reflections on My Werner H. Kirsten Student Internship

By Nathalie Walker, Guest Writer

Editor’s note: This article represents one student’s perspective on her experiences as a Werner H. Kirsten student intern.

Failure isn’t just a possibility, it is a certainty; yet failure is what leads you to success. Above all else, that is what I will retain from my experience in the Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program (WHK SIP).

Poster Day Showcases Student Work

By Nathalie Walker, Guest Writer, and Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer

On July 31, NCI at Frederick hosted Student Poster Day, an annual event in which student interns can showcase the work they do in their various positions in NCI at Frederick labs and offices.

Participating students are interns in the Student Internship Program, a program designed for undergraduate and graduate students during their summer breaks, as well as interns in the Werner H. Kirsten Student Internship Program (WHK SIP), a program for high school seniors. All the students have an opportunity to present their scientific posters. 

Spring Research Festival and NICBR Collaboration Winners Announced

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer, and Ashley DeVine, Staff Writer

The winners of the 2014 Spring Research Festival (SRF), held May 7 and 8, were recognized on July 2, and included 20 NCI at Frederick researchers:

Matthew Anderson, Victor Ayala, Matt Bess, Cristina Bergamaschi, Charlotte Choi, Rami Doueiri, Laura Guasch Pamies, Diana Haines, Saadia Iftikhar, Maria Kaltcheva, Wojciech Kasprzak, Balamurugan Kuppusamy, James Lautenberger, George Lountos, Megan Mounts, Uma Mudunuri, Martha Sklavos, Gloriana Shelton, Alex Sorum, and Shea Wright.

TYCTWD Programs Strive to Make Science Educational and Fun

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer

Joseph Barchi, Jr, Ph.D., calls teaching “the noblest and most important profession.” So it makes sense that Barchi, senior scientist and head of the Glycoconjugate and NMR Section, Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, NCI at Frederick, would encourage his lab to offer a fun, educational program at Take Your Child to Work Day (TYCTWD).

Former Intern: Amy Stull Returns to Her Roots

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer

When Amy Stull, a 2000 graduate of Walkersville High School, began working in a laboratory at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Frederick, she likely did not know the role NCI would play in her career.

Stull started at NCI as a Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) student intern after her junior year of high school, working in a lab as she prepared for a career in chemical engineering. The student intern program pairs rising high school seniors with laboratory scientists to encourage the students to pursue careers in both science and health care fields.

Dunk Tank Hits the Mark at Take Your Child To Work Day

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer

Robin Winkler-Pickett has known Jim Cherry, Ph.D., scientific program director, and Craig Reynolds, Ph.D., director, Office of Scientific Operations, both NCI at Frederick, for many years. “We’ve been friends for a long time.”

So when she heard about the chance to dunk each of them at Take Your Child to Work Day (TYCTWD) on June 25, Winkler-Pickett, a research biologist in the Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, NCI Center for Cancer Research, knew she had to make time to participate.

Upcoming Summer Programs for Students and Staff

By Robin Meckley, Contributing Writer

This summer, the Scientific Library is hosting three programs for students and NCI at Frederick staff: the Summer Video Series, Mini Science Film & Discussion Series, and Eighth Annual Student Science Jeopardy Tournament. Complete information on the programs is available on the Scientific Library’s website.

Summer Video Series

More than 3,200 Books and DVDs Donated to Annual Book Swap

Robin Meckley, Contributing Writer

The Scientific Library’s 14th Annual Book and Media Swap, held on April 16 in the lobby of Building 549, proved to be a popular event.

When the swap was rescheduled from fall 2013 to spring 2014, the library staff was uncertain if the response would be equal to previous years, said Sue Wilson, principal manager of the Scientific Library. NCI at Frederick employees rose to the challenge, however, with 87 people donating more than 3,200 books and DVDs, according to Pam Noble, serials technician and book swap team leader. By the end of the first day of the swap, almost half of the materials had been claimed.