ARCS Foundation, Metro Washington Chapter (MWC) Feb 2023 Newsletter |
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Dear fellow MWC members –
We strive to fill this newsletter with useful information. To do that, we need you to send us items that you would like to see included. For each newsletter edition, we welcome your input by the 15th of every month for inclusion in our publication at the start of the month. Simply send your news to mwccommunications@arcsfoundation.org. Be sure to include pictures, pdfs and website links.
Best regards,
ARCS/MWC Communications
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Start this Valentine's Day by socializing and creating Valentines to send to ARCS-MWC members we've missed seeing in person. In our first membership coffee of 2023, members, potential members and guests will meet on Feb 14 from 9:30-11 am at the home of Julie Hohl, 7203 Capitol View Drive, McLean. Coffee, food and materials for the Valentines will be provided.
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Don't miss our Winter Membership Meeting and Luncheon on Sat, Feb 25 from 11:30 am - 2 pm at the Army Navy Country Club, 901 17th St NW, Washington, DC. We will be hearing about "Boldness in Spaceflight and in Education" from Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, founding chair of the Challenger Center and past ARCS-MWC Eagle Awardee.
The cost is $40 per person. Spouses and guests are welcome.
Click here to register. Questions? Contact Elli Nesbitt at (703) 623-4275
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ARCS national grant award |
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The Danaher Foundation approved a $100,000 grant to ARCS National to support 13 new scholars. ARCS-MWC will receive $40,000 of that amount to support 2 graduate students and 2 undergraduate students.
About Danaher
Danaher is a conglomerate of 80,000 associates who are relentless about improving the quality of life in the communities where they have presence, and around the world. They are in pursuit of making a large impact in these areas:
- Build a diverse, STEM-ready workforce
- Advance healthcare innovation
- Protect the environment
Danaher has had a partnership with the Metro Washington Chapter since 2015, where they supported a scholar every year for $15,000. Danaher wants to make a broader impact to creating positive and persistent change, but it relies on a targeted approach to community investment and a preference for programs and organizations that demonstrate a shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Grant Application Info
Danaher proactively identified ARCS National as an organization who meets their criteria and invited ARCS National to apply for a grant. Thanks goes to the Metro Washington Chapter for being the catalyst for this opportunity and to the team who wrote the grant in less than a month’s time. Initially, Susan Trice, Sarah Vandenplas, Anna Maria Matteucci and National President Caron Ogg met with Danaher twice to discuss how the two entities could partner.
Since this is Danaher's first time to implement a granting process, they recommended applying for $100,000 for five specific areas where Danaher has a presence – Metro Washington, Illinois, Minnesota, Northern California and Orange County.
Funds Distribution
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Metro Washington Chapter - since we had a previous relationship with Danaher, we will receive $40,000 to support 2 graduate students and 2 undergraduate students.
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Illinois Chapter - $15,000 to support two scholars at $7,500
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Minnesota Chapter - $15,000 to support three scholars at $5,000
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Northern CA Chapter - $13,000 to support a scholar at UC Merced
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Orange County Chapter - $15,000 to support three scholars at $5,000
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National will receive $2,000 for administrative expenses
This is very exciting for ARCS National and the five ARCS Chapters that will serve as the model for this program. Hopefully this will open the door to a continuing partnership with Danaher to include more chapters in the future.
ARCS, together with Danaher, is committed to building a diverse, STEM-ready workforce that focuses on improving a system of access and support for underrepresented students and professionals to excel in STEM education and careers.
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Save the Date! Our ARCS-MWC Eagle Award will be held on Wednesday, March 29 at 6:30 pm. Our 2023 ARCS-MWC Eagle Honoree is Dr. Jason Providakes, President and Chief Executive Officer, MITRE. Dr. Keoki Jackson, SVP/GM of the MITRE National Security Sector will provide the introduction. Current and past scholar testimonials will follow a theme of “Accelerating Technology Frontiers for Enduring Impact” and “Solving Problems for a Safer World” that aligns with MITRE’s vision and focus.
Watch your email for details.
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Mark Iskarous–Forster
Family Foundation Scholar
1st year scholar, PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University
Research:
Mark’s research develops computational models to enable naturalistic sensory feedback of tactile stimuli to amputees through electrical stimulation of their residual nerves. In particular, the computational models will mimic biological processing to encode tactile stimuli as robust and efficient neural representations. This work will improve functional outcomes in their daily lives when using neural prostheses.
Describe the expected benefit of your research to society:
This research project is motivated by the goal of improving the lives of amputees through naturalistic sensory feedback of tactile stimuli. Today, prostheses rely on decoding user intention through measurement of neural or electromyographic (EMG) signals. The full potential of these sophisticated robotic devices cannot be realized without the incorporation of sensors that evaluate the environment and a way to seamlessly communicate with the user. Neural prostheses can enable this seamless communication by interfacing directly with the nervous system of amputees and stimulating the nerves in order to elicit sensations corresponding to the interaction between the prosthesis and the environment. To do this naturalistically, the analog readings from sensors incorporated into the prosthesis must be encoded into the language of the nervous system: patterns of spiking activity. My goal is to improve sensory feedback for amputees by exploring how information from tactile sensors can be transformed into neuron-like (neuromorphic) spikes to be used for stimulation feedback. I will examine how tactile sensing is encoded in biology and then phenomenologically recreate the signal processing chain in a computational system. This research will develop computational models to enable naturalistic sensory feedback of tactile stimuli to amputees which will improve functional outcomes in their daily lives. In particular, the computational models will mimic biological processing to encode tactile stimuli as robust and efficient neural representations. The bio-inspired techniques created in this work also will more broadly apply to the development of neural prostheses for other sensory modalities.
Career objectives:
My goal is to help improve the lives of those with disabilities through the creation of biomedical technologies that will help them reach their desired level of functional restoration while also respecting their autonomy and dignity. In particular, I want to develop devices that interface with and speak the natural language of the nervous system: neuronal spiking activity. I want to work towards this goal as a professor at an academic research institution doing research in neuromorphic engineering.
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Patrick M. Keating – Dr. Jean K. Boek Memorial Scholar
1st year scholar, PhD Candidate in Biochemistry from
University of Maryland
Research:
Patrick’s research investigating the influence of protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions on the membrane fusion mechanism of the Lassa virus. Elucidating novel insights into the critical viral infection step by characterizing the structure and interaction of the viral membrane proteins with each other and with the viral and host cell membrane lipids.
Indicate how an ARCS award will benefit your research:
The ARCS award would allow me to focus on my research for the remainder of my time in the PhD program. For most of my time in the program, I have served as a teaching assistant to cover my stipend. While I have enjoyed the role and teaching the undergraduate students, the time commitment for the role reduces the amount of time I can focus on my research. With the ARCS award, I will not have to serve as a teaching assistant and could focus solely on my research. Since I am nearing the end of my time in the program, this would allow me to finish my project and complete my PhD without other financial concerns or significant time commitments outside of the lab.
Career objectives:
Even before starting the PhD program, I had an interest in medicine. I was planning on pursuing a medical doctorate before becoming more interested in research. Fortunately, my research project is medically related. When I graduate, I plan to pursue a career in medical research, helping to design or discover therapeutics to treat or prevent disease. Using my training in biochemistry and background in viral membrane proteins, I want to work on designing treatments for viral infections or other diseases related to membrane proteins. The ultimate goal for me is to become the manager of a research team where I can guide the research of a treatment for a disease.
Describe the expected benefit of your research to society:
The expected benefit is a deeper understanding of the membrane fusion mechanism of the Lassa virus which can be used to develop therapeutics against the viral infection. Currently there are no FDA-approved therapeutics for Lassa fever, the illness caused by Lassa virus infection. Since it afflicts western Africa annually with high rates of morbidity and mortality, it poses a serious public health threat should it spread outside the area. As such, the WHO has listed the Lassa virus as a top 5 infectious disease requiring prioritized research.
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Activities: We hope to see you at the member coffee on Valentine's Day and at the winter member meeting on Feb 25. Watch this space for spring events, including a possible soirée en blanc social and fundraiser.
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Development: A message from chair, Susan Trice
When you donate $50 or more to ARCS National before May 31, you help ARCS-MWC win a $2,500 Chapter Scholar Grant through the Chapter Challenge. Each year National gives $2,500 to the Chapter that donates the most dollars to National and $2,500 to the Chapter with the highest percentage of participation. We could be awarded $5,000 if we win both.
This year Danaher, who has supported a graduate scholar with ARCS-MWC since 2015, instituted a grant proposal process and reached out to MWC to invite National to apply for several Chapters. Late in the decision process, Danaher asked for follow-up information about diversity, equity and inclusion. The ad hoc committee that had submitted the application for National crafted an answer and replied. I was very proud to be working with so many intelligent and knowledgeable women who could quickly (in 48 hours) respond with facts based on National’s DEI survey and the report it produced.
ARCS National has a positive and direct impact on individual Chapters. They support us. I invite you to support them—and don’t forget to make your donation count toward the Chapter Challenge.
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Endowment: The Endowment Committee met in October and decided to make 3 awards in the fields of Environmental Engineering, Computer Data Sciences and Chemistry. Applications were due on January 20, and awardees will be notified on February 17.
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Nominating: The Nominating Committee has been formed according to our bylaws.
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Feb 14: Member Coffee, 9:30-11 am, 7203 Capitol View Drive, McLean
Feb 25: Winter Membership Meeting, 11:30am - 2pm, Army Navy Country Club of DC
Mar 29: Eagle Award, 6:30 pm
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P.O. Box 60868
10221 River Road
Potomac, MD 20859-0868
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