Events

Standing outside of Building 362, there was little to indicate anything out of the ordinary, but inside, a holiday mascot had run over Grandma with a golf cart. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, even though the wrecked cart and the crime-scene outline of Grandma’s body on the floor suggested otherwise. Nearby NCI at Frederick employees offered assurances that it was all in good fun. The unusual scene—a golf-themed nod to the Christmas song “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”—was just one of the many creative decorations in the R&W Club Frederick’s Fifth Annual Holiday Decorating Contest.

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.”

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.

The future of the Frederick National Laboratory (FNL) and its large initiatives was at the forefront of the recent Frederick National Laboratory Advisory Committee (FNLAC) meeting held in Shady Grove. Here are a few excerpts, accompanied by time stamps from the videocast.

Thirty-five costumed participants showed up at the Halloween 5k to burn off some calories from the Recreation and Welfare Club’s Krispy Kreme fundraiser. Characters including Alvin and the Chipmunks, a member of the Incredibles, Rich Uncle Pennybags, Spiderman, Black Panther, a spartan warrior, and a group of runaway brides walked and jogged around the course as the sun set behind the Appalachian Mountains.

Employees crowded into the Building 549 auditorium as Norman E. Sharpless, M.D., took the podium at Shady Grove, addressing NCI and contractor employees watching live and via telecast viewings. “What a difference a year makes,” he began, reflecting on how he was sworn in on the same day exactly one year ago.

The Scientific Library’s Book and Media Swap—an NCI at Frederick tradition dating back to the turn of the millennium—kicked off on Halloween this year. Patrons, several in costume, flipped through hundreds of books in hopes of finding a hidden gem, a new bedtime read, or a gift for a friend or parent.

Staff at NCI at Frederick will be able to participate in the Fall 2018 NCI Staff Town Hall on Wednesday, October 17, from 10:30–11:30 a.m., which will be videocast live to the Building 549 auditorium. NCI Director Norman E. “Ned” Sharpless is hosting the town hall at NCI at Shady Grove, his second since becoming director in October 2017, and is expected to speak about his plans for NCI.

Sporadic downpours drenched Frederick’s In The Street festival this year, but they failed to dampen the spirits of the thousands of people who attended, including the volunteers at the Frederick National Laboratory (FNL) tent. There, staff from FNL and NCI at Frederick enthusiastically chatted with passersby, even after the weather demanded some improvisation.