A Nobel Laureate Looks Back

At Research!America's recent Advocacy Awards dinner, I had the honor of serving as the point of contact for Dr. Michael Bishop. Not only is he an amazingly brilliant scientist, he is a passionate advocate, a diligent teacher, and one of the most personable men I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

Listen to him speak about what he would do different, looking back from the "twilight" of his career:




Congratulations on your award Dr. Bishop!

Meet Ruth Timme, GenBank Biologist

Ruth is a long-time New Voice and was kind enough to tell us about her work in a phone interview.

New Voices (NV): What do you do in your work?

Ruth: I work through a contractor for GenBank (National Center for Biotechnology Information, NCBI), a large DNA sequence database that stores and organizes data from scientists around the world. When scientists sequence a genome, they have to deposit it in a public database, so NCBI curates the data and helps in the submission process.

NV: Why is your work important, in particular to the public?

Ruth: It’s a completely “public” job; NCBI is funded by the NIH, so it’s taxpayer dollars. When the government pays to have research performed, GenBank allows the data that comes out of it to be publically available. GenBank is analogous to the Library of Congress or the Smithsonian, except DNA sequence information is entirely digital.

NV: What might the public misunderstand or misinterpret about your work?

Ruth: If anything, they don’t even know this service exists. They might imagine a computer taking in all these data, but there’s actually a team of highly trained people who go through the data with a fine-tooth comb and verify it.

NV: Are there any policy issues affecting your work?

Ruth: We’re watching the budget pretty closely because the NIH is always brought up in the discussion. It’s really important that [the government] continue to fund both research and the efforts to make it public. You can’t publically fund research and then not publish what comes out of it.

NV: How did you become interested in policy and in working with Research!America as a New Voice?

Ruth: I’ve always been a politics wonk and I follow Congress, so I naturally became interested in the policy that affects science. I like to keep my toes in the water.

NV: What would your advice be for the scientists not interested or involved in policy?

Ruth: It’s really important to be interested and involved, but it does take a lot of work. Many scientists aren’t rewarded by their academic departments for their work in policy, and they have to do it on their own time. We need to change the system; it’s a tough problem.

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Amit Mistry, AAAS Science and Technology Fellow at USAID

Amit is a former Science Policy Fellow for Research!America and was kind enough to tell us via email about his current work.

New Voices (NV): What do you do, and why is it important?

Amit: I am a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). I am working on the development and implementation of a strategy to combat global hunger and food security. Part of my job involves communicating technical information to non-technical audiences, keeping them informed and engaged in our activities. Another part of my job is connecting research programs to country programs that may benefit from the research. More broadly, my work supports a coordinated effort across the U.S. government to sustainably reduce global poverty and hunger.

NV: What’s the most exciting part of what you do? Any particularly interesting stories?

Amit: The most exciting part of my job is getting to see the impact of our agency’s work through the real people who are impacted by it. In September 2010, I traveled to Uganda for a few weeks and provided the local government feedback on its plan to strengthen the agriculture sector and reduce hunger. I met inspirational government leaders, researchers, and farmers who all shared the goal of lifting millions of Ugandans out of poverty.

NV: What is the biggest policy issue affecting your work? Describe how you’ve dealt with it, or even advocated regarding that issue.

Amit: One of the important challenges I face is working across multiple sectors, such as food security and climate change. These two sectors are closely linked and should be addressed comprehensively for the greatest impact. At USAID, I helped create a Strategic Integration Working Group, which brings together various sectors so they can share best practices. The group has developed recommendations for USAID that can improve our work across multiple sectors.

NV: How might the public misinterpret your work? Is there anything you want to clear up?

Amit: There is a misconception that U.S. investments abroad don’t have an impact on Americans. In fact, investments in foreign assistance have a far-reaching impact that affects our own economic security and national security. Our investments in foreign assistance build allies, strengthen trade partnerships, and create opportunities for American innovators and entrepreneurs.

NV: What’s your advice for someone in science who wants to get involved in policy, advocacy or outreach?

Amit: My advice for someone interested in science policy is to strengthen your communication skills and practice communicating with different audiences, and for different purposes. Good communication skills are an incredible asset in science policy and will make you a more effective advocate or policy-maker. Also, I recommend learning the federal budgeting process because it is extremely helpful to understand, no matter where you work in the science policy world. Finally, I would encourage you to always promote the use of science-based decision-making in the policy area.


This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Kristofor Langlais, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow at the National Institutes of Health

NV: What do you do?

Kris: I am a post-doctoral researcher at the NIH in a field called epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in the DNA. Oftentimes, gene expression changes when there is a mutation, or a change in the DNA sequence, but there are other signals that can cause changes in gene expression without affecting the DNA. I am particularly interested in the signals that regulate the expression of certain genes related to the patterning of the body. I have developed an innovative system to study these signals in fruit flies.

NV: What is the most challenging part of what you do?

Kris: Time management. It is sometimes difficult to maintain my productivity while doing all the other things I do, like writing papers and participating in societies. I have to be careful not to bite off more than I can chew.

NV: When did you first become interested in science?

Kris: As a kid, I was really interested in dinosaurs and I loved pop-up books about human anatomy, space and astronomy.

NV: What’s the most common misconception about scientists?

Kris: That they are stuffy, antisocial and awkward. Much of what the public thinks about scientists comes from stereotypes seen on TV and in the movies. While some scientists may fit that mold, most scientists would seem like everyday people if you met them at a party or on the street.

I am in contact with hundreds, if not thousands, of scientists, and I can tell you that the community is full of smart, well-adjusted, and well-dressed folks! We go out to restaurants, plan social trips to tour DC landmarks, and drink beer in pubs, all without making a geeky scene. Yes, we are regular people who just happen to do research as a job.

NV: What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in advocacy and/or outreach?

Kris: I became very interested in advocacy when I heard The Honorable John Edward Porter speak at the 2008 AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston. He made it clear that strong support for research in the US is crucial for keeping our economy strong into the future, while providing critical benefits to other sectors. He also made it clear that the public and Congress don't understand this, which must be changed. Scientists should be playing a much bigger role here!

I always take advantage of any opportunity to explain to non-scientists the value of both basic science and applied research, making sure to explain that many basic research discoveries payoff 5, 10, or even 20 years down the road.

I also debunk political attacks on so-called wasteful research projects that may seem to be inconsequential if you only do a quick read of the title. Attacks like the YouCut campaign launched by Eric Cantor just mislead the public, who may not be familiar with the rigorous grant review process and the long-term benefits of research.

If you want to become involved in advocacy, find a subject that you can speak about honestly. Get involved with advocacy groups like Research!America-- this is a great place to spend your energy to make a difference. And contact your representatives to let them know what is important to you.

Meet Peter Hotez, PhD, MD, Molecular Parasitologist and Pediatrician

Today we're profiling Peter Hotez, PhD, MD, of George Washington University Medical Center. He is also President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Editor-in-Chief of Public Library of Science Neglected Tropical Diseases magazine.

1. What do you do?

I’m a pediatrician, a researcher and an advocate for the health of people around the world. This includes leading a team to develop vaccines for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) through the Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative and the Schistosomiasis Vaccine Initiative. I also helped start the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, an advocacy initiative of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, where I serve as President. Additionally I do a lot of biomedical research, publish scientific papers and teach at The George Washington University Medical School where I chair the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Disease.

2. What motivates you to do advocacy?

It all started when I began visiting places in the world where neglected tropical diseases are most visible. I was struck by the devastating pathology I saw and knew something had to be done as soon as possible. I also knew that while vaccines are the long term solution, developing one takes many years and something had to be done right away. Many of these diseases are completely preventable and treatable with only a few cents. It was really just a matter of letting the global community know about it. So I started talking about the diseases that you don’t hear about as often, but are just as much to blame for trapping people in the cycle of poverty.

3. What limits your ability to do advocacy?

For me, it’s about balancing my roles and responsibilities. At Sabin, we like to say “We’re scientists. We’re researchers. And we’re advocates for a world free of needless human suffering.” There are certainly times when I wish I could do more direct advocacy because I think it’s important to speak on behalf of patients who can’t. This is why I helped create the Global Network. But I know it’s also important to keep one foot grounded in the sciences and invest in long-term solutions. I think spending time in the lab makes me more effective as an advocate because it gives me a unique perspective.

4. Do your colleagues do advocacy and outreach? Why or why not?

To be a scientist in the United States today doesn’t just mean developing vaccines. You also have to ensure your work is funded. As a result I need to spend a lot of time writing and submitting grants. There isn’t a lot of time left for advocacy so I know that many of my colleagues don’t have capacity to advocate outside of the lab.

5. Do you think outreach and advocacy is a responsibility of scientists? Should it be required?

Some scientists just aren’t made out to be advocates. But we need scientists who have the capacity to be advocates to serve as a public voice to educate people, and be able to raise awareness and impact of pressing global health issues.

6. In what ways do you reach out?

I spend a fair amount of time engaging press for interviews, profiles and op-eds. I am also the editor-in-chief of a peer-reviewed scientific journal called Public Library of Science Neglected Tropical Diseases (PLoS NTDs). So mainly [I reach out] through my writing. I engage in public speaking opportunities, speaking to both lay and scientific audiences. Finally, living in Washington, D.C. allows me to take advocacy into the political arena. I frequently visit Capitol Hill and several regulatory agencies to talk about NTDs and how the U.S. government can play a bigger role in helping control and eliminate NTDs around the world.

Me: Wow. You’re everywhere.

Dr. Hotez: No, not everywhere. We try to be strategic in how we develop vaccines and maximize access to treatments to help the world’s poorest people.


Thank you to Dr. Hotez for giving us his time via phone so we could learn more about him and his career.

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Joe Hanson, Molecular Biologist

Today we're introducing you to Joe Hanson, a graduate student in Dr. Lambowitz's lab at The University of Texas at Austin.

NV: What do you do?

Joe: I’m a graduate student, getting my PhD in cell and molecular biology. I like to say the world of molecular biology is 50% work and 50% waiting. I tell people it’s long periods of boredom interspersed with intense excitement. In between those times you have to occupy your brain while you’re waiting.

NV: How did you get started in advocacy?

Joe: In 2008, during the election, being a young politically-minded person, I found out on Facebook about a group called Scientists and Engineers for America. They were working on a science-related survey for the candidates. They wanted us to focus in on local races. I became the Texas state captain.

Through my unsuccessful attempts dealing with the press and [candidate’s] offices I realized how little the people outside of the science buildings we work in realize how these issues affect them. So now I help put on layperson-friendly Science Pub seminars and I blog and microblog about science research issues.

NV: What motivates you to do outreach/advocacy?

Joe: From a grad student perspective I have a unique approach to this. A desire to educate people outside science. For younger scientists like me, especially in the biological sciences - and there are a lot of us out there - I think it’s important for people to develop these skills, to reach outside the science world. As our job evolves in the future, it won’t involve just the bench. It will involve a lot more of these skills - outreach, communication, advocating for solid science. We need the communication with our elected officials to come from other perspectives like post-doctoral fellows, young professors, and graduate students. Not a lot of young people [are doing that] yet.

NV: What limits your ability to do advocacy?

Joe: Certainly trying to graduate. There’s not a system that really rewards young scientists for doing this kind of thing. These are things we feel are valuable, but we're limited by time. It’s not expected for this to be part of our professional life. There are a lot of demands on our time. We give it a lot of value but it doesn’t translate to our day-to-day work.

NV: Do your colleagues do advocacy and outreach? Why or why not?

Joe: I see very few of them doing it. If anything, among graduate students the echo chamber effect is accentuated. It’s such an insular community, and it gets worse when they talk only to each other. Graduate students are nervous to use any of their time outside of lab for efforts like these. It’s very rare. There are people who attend pub nights, seminars, things like that, but in terms of reaching out beyond scientists it’s unfortunately rare. There’s no reward for people taking part in those things.

NV: What advice would you give to a scientist who is interested in doing outreach or advocacy?

Joe: Get in touch with as many other people who have been doing it as possible in the medium you want to be doing it in. If you want to be online, the worst thing you can do it start a lonely blog that no one knows exists.

If you want to start a seminar or science-for-kids series, there are resources where people have done it before and they’re willing to share ideas. They’re not just faces on the internet, they are willing to share and help. Lots of books and publications by the National Academies and AAAS (like Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Unscientific America, and Don’t be Such a Scientist) lay out what the problems are. It pays to study what people need.

Thank you to Joe for giving his time via phone so we could learn more about him and his advocacy work. Be sure to check out his new blog!

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Robert Rivers, PhD, Chemist

Today we're introducing you to Robert Rivers, PhD, an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow.

NV: What do you do?

Robert: I work as American Association for the Advancement of Science, Science and Technology Policy Fellow. On a day-to-day basis I work as program manager and communication liaison.

NV: How did you get started in outreach?

Robert: I started in outreach as graduate student at the University of Cambridge. Always cognizant of the divide between individuals who study in the natural sciences compared to social science, I wanted to be active in discussion that would help to build constructive dialogues of conversation. In such a capacity, I presented talks to general audiences explaining my PhD thesis research. This continued as I worked as a volunteer in Peru where I gave more science themed outreach talks to community groups in several cities.

NV: How much time do you spend doing outreach on average?

Robert: In general the average amount of time I spend on outreach is about 2 to 3 hours on a monthly basis. This encompasses development of lay-friendly material regarding the research and outputs of my office and occasional talks to high school and college audiences about science in general.

NV: What motivates you to do advocacy/outreach?

Robert: I am motivated to work in the area of science outreach and occasionally advocacy (pushing for changes in policy or legislation to scientific insights) to help inform individuals in order to make better decisions.

NV: Do you think outreach and advocacy is a responsibility of scientists? Should it be required?

Robert: I think outreach is extremely important in helping to convey complex ideas to the general public and it is responsibility of the scientific community.


Learn more about Robert's work in Peru, and thanks to him for taking the time to talk with us by phone so we could learn more about his outreach work and career.


This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Lisan Parker, PhD, Scientific Liaison

Today we're profiling Lisan Parker, PhD, who works as a Scientific Liaison.

NV: What do you do?

Lisan: My most current role has been Scientific Liaison between the Global Alliance for Tuberculosis Drug Development (TB alliance) and the WHO Stop TB Partnership Working Group on New Drugs. I serve as secretariat for the Working Group on New Drugs. I help with our mission… my goal is to increase collaboration & networking between industry, academia, and government, and at the same time to increase TB drug research and development (R&D) awareness by tracking and TB R&D.

This is different for me because I have a background in neuroscience. However, entering into global health has been an exciting and great experience. I’ve learned a lot, in terms of what are the needs and advocacy plays a big role in that.

NV: How did you get started in outreach/advocacy?

Lisan: I started doing outreach when I was in graduate school. I realized that there was and is a lack of understanding or appreciation in the general community of what scientists do and there is a lack of scientists trying to explain to the general community and gain that understanding.

In Tennessee I worked with other graduate and medical students to provide the HIV education component to the school curriculum in Nashville junior high and high schools. It was a lot of fun and a good learning experience. It was an opportunity for us to be involved in the community and show kids what they can be and at same time give them information on their health and help them learn.

When I was a post doctorate I was involved in an outreach mentoring program with Rhodes College and St. Judes Children’s Hospital. That was a science based outreach program and its goal was to increase science learning and science excellence, particular for minority students.

When I went into industry, apart from my regular duties, I became co-director for our community outreach program. We partnered with Citizen Schools in Boston. My work colleagues and I created a science discovery class for junior high students called CSI (Citizen Schools Investigators) that taught them how to use science to solve a crime. Our goal was to help young students realize science is understandable, approachable, and that they can do it. And also to provide scientists an opportunity to get out of the lab and make an impact in the community.

NV: What motivates you to do advocacy?

Lisan: Wanting the general public to understand why they should care. Why what we do is important and how it affects them. The reverse is also important. Scientists need to understand what the public needs and how to communicate that.

NV: How much time do you spend doing outreach and advocacy?

Lisan: As Secretariat, I do more advocacy utilizing our new TB drugs website, in January of this year when I started, my predecessor had laid ground work for a blog to be used to increase scientific discussion for TB R&D. The mission is to bring everyone to the table. We hoped to increase/jumpstart that communication. We post to the website twice a week and I go out and send emails to people or contact scientists to do face to face interviews and we intend to also provide future podcasts through our website. There are lots of different ways to collect the message of why we need TB drugs and the impact of current regiments and we attempt to capture that on our blog. We also use other social media outlets such as linked-in and a Facebook causes page to spread our message and increase awareness of TB.


Thank you to Lisan for giving us her time via phone so we could learn more about her and her career.

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Michael Barresi, PhD, Developmental Biologist

Today we're introducing you to Michael Barresi, PhD, who heads a developmental biology lab at Smith College.

NV: What do you do?

Michael: I am a biologist and assistant professor at Smith College in Northampton, MA.

NV: How did you get started in outreach/advocacy?

Michael: I am inherently interested in learning and determining the most effective ways to help others learn. Advocacy for others not directly related to my job performance was spurred by an interest in improving the educational environment for my own children and, in doing so, other children of all ages.

NV: What motivates you to do advocacy?

Michael: Pure self-interest in learning and teaching, and hopefully helping my own kids along the way. I also feel in the sciences that in order to truly make an impact on student engagement with science it has to happen at the primary and secondary education level. Come college, most students have already made up their minds. Students need to be excited about science early. Therefore if I am to have any part in that transformation, it has to be through outreach and science advocacy.

NV: In what ways does your outreach affect those you receive it?

Michael: Hopefully makes them more interested and curious about science. Hopefully gets students to start questioning the world around them. And in some cases gain hands-on experience using modern laboratory equipment to apply the scientific method to solve problems in biology.

NV: Do you think outreach and advocacy is a responsibility of all scientists? Should it be required?

Michael: No. Most scientists are trained to carry out technical experiments and further the pursuit of knowledge using the scientific method. However, few to none have actually been trained to do outreach, or even teach for that matter. So there are many ill-prepared scientists that really have no business providing outreach. That being said I also feel scientists are ironically the most prepared to excite children and the public in the importance of science investigation. There are also a lot of misconceptions of scientists out there that only scientists can begin to break down. This will be critical to help students, particularly underrepresented minorities, begin to feel careers in science are actually possible. So in a way scientists do have a responsibility, but unfortunately all scientists are not necessarily prepared to provide such advocacy and outreach.

Thank you to Michael for giving us his time via email so we could learn more about him and his outreach work.

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Yung Lie, PhD, Scientific Director - Non-profit

Today we're introducing you to New Voice Yung Lie, Scientific Director at the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

NV: What do you do?

Yung: I am the scientific director at the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. I oversee our grant-making programs for early career scientists. In addition, I am a liaison between scientists and the foundation as well as the donors. I’m the only scientist on staff, so I often answer questions about the research our scientists are doing. We’re working to better communicate the importance of scientific research.

NV: Why did you move into policy (from research)?

Yung: When I was in academia I was in an environment that was relatively stagnant and in this role I get to interact with both scientists and non-scientists and have a broader impact. It’s great to have the opportunity to talk to people about why it’s important to fund basic research, something I didn’t get to do when I was in an academic research environment.

NV: What limited your ability to do advocacy in your previous work?

Yung: Not knowing what opportunities existed for outreach and advocacy. I was always interested in the idea of it, but unless you’re presented with an opportunity you’ll find you just don’t take the initiative. Some labs are better at this than others, depending on whether lab heads and PIs are involved in outreach and advocacy.

NV: What motivates you to do advocacy?

Yung: You know, it’s an integral part of my job. And now that I’ve left my lab I see more why it’s so important to be out there talking about science. I see that there are so many non-scientists in the world who don’t understand why it’s important to have researchers working on many of these projects. Scientists need to be speaking about their work and the importance of it to the public.

NV: In what ways does your outreach affect those who receive it?

Yung: I think it’s an amazing opportunity for people to learn. I think that often people are basing their opinions on the articles they read in newspapers and magazines. And that reporting is often inaccurate and gives the wrong impression on research and money in research. Like with cancer, lots of false impressions have been given about how very little or no progress has been made despite how much money is put into research, when in fact, enormous progress has been made.

A lot of the responsibility to get the information out there falls on the scientists to not let the media give the wrong impression. The donors [at Damon Runyon] are always very pleased to have the opportunity to speak directly to scientists, to hear about their motivations for doing research and to learn why research is so important for understanding and treating human disease.


Thank you to Yung for giving us her time via phone so we could learn more about her and her career.

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Jamie Vernon, PhD, Molecular Biologist

Today we're introducing you to New Voice Jamie Vernon, Postdoctoral Research Fellow with Dr. Lambowitz at The University of Texas at Austin.

NV: What do you do?

Jamie: I'm a Postdoctoral Fellow, NIH funded, and I work in a lab with Dr. Alan Lambowitz, a biochemist and microbiologist who studies mobile elements. Our lab is working on developing a gene targeting technology that could potentially be used for gene therapy and genetic engineering. This technology is based on something many people consider to be "junk DNA." These days it's becoming more and more evident that there is no such thing as "junk DNA." If it's conserved in our genomes, it probably serves a purpose.

Specifically, we study group II introns from bacteria and eukaryotic organelles. Our lab has determined that these mobile elements can be re-targeted to controllably insert into any DNA sequence. We call these re-targeted introns "targetrons" and they work very well in bacteria for creating gene knock-outs. My job is to make them target genes in eukaryotic cells, including human cells.

NV: How did you get started in outreach/advocacy?

Jamie: I think the Bush administration was a trigger. The policies related to stem cell research motivated me to act. I felt that the Bush administration's stem cell policies were not based on the best science. What was being touted was that we had all these existing stem cell lines, "why couldn't we do the research on those and get the answers we need?" But there were problems with those lines. We need a much broader collection of lines in order to deal with different diseases and different genomic backgrounds. There weren't adequate cell lines to address all these concerns. That's what sucked me in.

Now, climate change has become one area that needs to be addressed,the next calamity in science policy. Actually, there are countless science-related policy issues such as geoengineering, genomic privacy,forensic science and, of course the big one, alternative energy, that need to be carefully deliberated before we make the wrong policy decisions.

NV: What motivates you to do advocacy?

Jamie: My main motivation is that I think that science has so much to offer but it's being limited by the current policies. I truly believe that communicating science and gaining partnerships out in the public will have a positive effect on how much science is getting done.

The climate change bill is a huge issue for me. There's little room for compromise. If we don't act, the consequences down the road could be much greater than any financial investment we have to make today. You can't lose by investing in technologies that improve the environment. If the facts hold true, and I assume they will, the ramifications are dire for everyone.

NV: What limits your ability to do advocacy?

Jamie: I would say that I'm constrained by the same things as young professors. You have to produce to be considered effective. I have no incentive to do advocacy other my personal beliefs and desire to make science commonplace in the public discourse. I'm also limited by the fact that by the time I had graduated I had a family, a wife and a daughter, and that requires personal time. Mainly, I need to have a high level of productivity in order to compete and build my own research career.

There's little out there to support young scientists who wish to do outreach. For these reasons, I'm torn on which direction I want to go full-time. Science advocacy is very rewarding, but I'm a scientist at heart. It's difficult to be successful at both and it's almost an impossible decision to choose one over the other.

NV: Do you think outreach and advocacy should be required of scientists?

Jamie: No, I don't. I think there are enough scientists who care about outreach and have the communication skills to do it; rather, it should be incentivized in some way. If you force them, especially if they don't have the proper communication skills and don't want to be out there, they could make mistakes and say some stupid stuff. You need people who understand the sensitivities of the community and understand the arguments within the community. You need the public to feel that there position is being considered and appreciated when science policy decisions are being made.

Want to learn more about the issues Jamie mentioned above? Check out his blog!


This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Words of Inspiration: Eleanor Roosevelt

At the United Nations in 1947

In my interactions with scientists, the reason I hear most for not being more engaged in advocacy and communication is that they just don't have the time to give. I hope you'll find inspiration in these words...


For more from Eleanor Roosevelt on a variety of political and cultural topics, check out her "My Day" columns.

More with Elyse Walker, Marine Scientist

Photo credit: Florian Koch

Last week, we introduced Elyse Walker, a PhD student with Dr. Christopher Gobler in the Gobler Lab at Stony Brook University's School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Today we're sharing the second half of that two-part interview.

NV: How did you get to where you are today?

Elyse: I have taken an unusual path. I learned about phytoplankton while volunteering at a local marine science center in 8th grade and decided then that I wanted to study them for the rest of my life. I looked up scientific articles, starting with easier-to-read journals like Science and Nature.

When choosing an undergraduate school I looked for marine science programs that supported undergraduate research and had multiple faculty that studied phytoplankton. I started working in a lab as a freshman and worked in 3 different labs at my university, as well as doing 3 summer internships, during my degree. Through working on a variety of questions about phytoplankton in those labs and internships I decided that harmful algal blooms are the best focus for my research right now.

NV: Who is your scientific role model?

Elyse: This is a hard question for me. I have had a lot of role models along the way, but always cherry pick what I like about any individual. I want to emulate how my Ph.D. advisor works with local governments to do monitoring and does interviews for journalists frequently to publish about our research.

I'm inspired by Sonya Dyhrman, who collaborated with Whyville, a youth educational game website, to add in harmful algal blooms to the game. I would love to work with the group at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute who developed the Environmental Sample Processor, which can be deployed long term to detect harmful algae species and/or their toxins in coastal waters in real time.

I have also been encouraged by a few mentors who balance their work and family life extremely well.

NV: What one thing would you change about the culture of science?

Elyse: I wish that the scientific method was more broadly applied in daily life. I think people could improve their understanding of the world around them, and their quality of life, if they understood basic principles and applied them regularly. For example, while doing a regular commute in a temperate climate, I tested the fuel efficiency of using a/c versus open windows at different speeds to help guide my a/c use in the long term. This seems crazy to most people, but the knowledge I gained empirically has saved me a lot of money over the years.

NV: What's the most common misconception about scientists?

Elyse: I haven't really experienced any misconceptions. I am trying to introduce myself as a "scientist" rather than a "graduate student" and the response is usually, "I have never met a scientist before! Tell me about what you do." This offers a great opportunity to tell people about phytoplankton in general, and sometimes harmful algal blooms, too.

NV: What's your next step after you complete your degree?

Elyse: My long term plan is to start a harmful algae monitoring, research, and education program. I want to monitor local marine and freshwater locations for harmful algal blooms and notify the public of their occurrence (through website updates and occasional newsletters). I will simultaneously do research with both natural samples collected during monitoring and laboratory cultures to learn more about the causes and effects of harmful algal blooms. Finally, I hope to design educational displays for aquariums and science centers about local harmful algal blooms and their impact. I'm not sure where or how I will achieve this goal yet, but I have a few years to figure it out.


Thank you to Elyse for giving us her time via email so we could learn more about her and her career.

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Elyse Walker, Marine Scientist

Photo credit: Tom Behling

Today we're sharing the first of a two-part interview with New Voice Elyse Walker, a PhD student with Dr. Christopher Gobler in the Gobler Lab at Stony Brook University's School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.

NV: What do you do?

Elyse: I am a scientist. I study phytoplankton, which are microscopic photosynthesizing cells, or algae. Phytoplankton are the base of most marine food webs, produce the majority of the oxygen we breathe, affect global and local climate, and are generally beneficial to the environment. However, sometimes specific species of phytoplankton grow faster than they are eaten and either produce a toxin or negatively affect the environment, forming a harmful algal bloom.

Harmful algal blooms can make people sick, hurt the environment, depress local and regional economies, and are getting more frequent, widespread, and toxic. For my Ph.D. dissertation, I am examining how dissolved nutrients contribute to a harmful algal bloom, nicknamed "brown tide," that occurs in Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

NV: What is the most exciting component of what you do?

Elyse: There are really two exciting components for me: discovery and making a difference. I am fascinated by phytoplankton and love discovering new information about them. We have so much to learn about such a diverse group of organisms that every paper gives me a new perspective.

By focusing my efforts on harmful algal bloom causing phytoplankton, I hope to make a difference in the world, especially locally. The more that we learn about what causes harmful algal blooms, the more likely it will be for us to find solutions for the problems that they cause.

NV: What's the most challenging part of your job?

Elyse: I think it's sticking with it when nothing works. As a scientist, I am constantly adapting new methods to approach a problem and have to be diligent in my efforts. I have to be creative, observant, and detail-orientated to get meaningful data. This can be very challenging in the long term, especially when things don't work for a long time.

NV: When did you first become interested in science?

Elyse: I'm not sure I can remember a time when I wasn't interested in science! As a child, I did science activity books and remember learning about plants and photosynthesis, stratigraphy, tectonic plates, tides, rainforests, pelicans, otters, whales, and salmon. My mom remembers me coming home from school one day when I was around 7 and announcing I was going to be a scientist. I never changed my mind.

When we did career aptitude tests in 7th grade, science and technology was my best category, so I planned on college and graduate school and never looked back. I was really lucky to have family support (my mom always said I could achieve anything I wanted) and a good sense of self (I never changed my mind when being made of for being "geeky").

NV: What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in marine science research?

Elyse: For undergraduates, I recommend looking for paid summer research internships in December and January (most deadlines are in February). For example, the National Science Foundations funds Research Experience for Undergraduates (REUs) listed on their website, the Department of Energy funds Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) at the national laboratories, and institution-based programs like Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's Summer Student Fellowships and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's Summer Internship Program.

If you know what you want to do, find scientists doing it and contact them to see if you can do an internship with them. That's how I found out about the SULI. I made $3000-$6000 every summer during undergrad, which I used to pay off most of my student loans when I graduated. Some of my work was included in publications, which really helped when I applied for graduate school.

For high school students, I recommend finding local aquariums, marine science centers, or university labs where you can volunteer. If your school has a program with a local community school or technical college, see if there are related courses you can take. For example, I took a Natural Resources Technology course my senior year where I learned water quality monitoring, surveying, and GIS skills that were useful later.


This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series. Check back next Wednesday to read the rest of New Voices interview with Elyse.

Meet Susan Maya, Clinical Research Coordinator

Today we have an inside look at clinical research. Susan Maya, a clinical research coordinator in the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital was kind enough to tell us about her current position.

NV: Question 1. What do you do?

Susan: A little bit of everything. In a nut shell, each of the three to six research coordinators in our group is responsible for clinical trials. Some studies are externally sponsored and others are internal.

I’m responsible for the day to day function of the “smaller” multi-site studies. I spend 50% of my time doing the administrative stuff: IRB paperwork, data entry, calling patients to schedule appointments and such. The other half is actually running studies. For each of the drug studies we run, patients have to come in multiple times for the study. We do different types of testing to make sure the study drug isn’t harming them and to see if the study drug is effective.

I’m the first point of contact for the patients if they experience side-effects or need information. Coordinators do everything from taking vitals and EKGs to drawing blood. Then the neurologist – our PI – will come and do her assessments.

The last thing I do – which is not directly related to the studies – is a bi-monthly disorders clinic where our PI sees people outside the regular research studies on Huntington’s. It’s interesting because it is a multi-faceted team that really focuses on disease management, which is important since there isn’t a treatment for Huntington’s at this time.

I also sometimes have the opportunity to help those who are interested in getting involved in the studies.

NV: Question 2. How does your background in science – and research particularly – help you?

Susan: What I do day-to-day is not directly related to what I would be doing in a bench research setting. I do spend a good amount of time processing blood samples; which is good because I’m invested in the patients – since I work directly with them. But I can learn about the research that’s going on, and participating in the process helps me to understand it better.

NV: Question 3. What is the most exciting component of what you do?

Susan: I like drawing blood. But really, it’s getting to work with the patients.

One of the nice things about clinical research – especially with a long-term disease like Huntington’s - is that you really get to form relationships with the people involved in the studies. I can see this with our neurologist, who really KNOWS our patients.

NV: Question 4. What advice would you give to someone who wanted to become a clinical research coordinator? An advocate for Huntington’s research?

Susan: There aren’t that many technical skills involved in being a coordinator, because we get our training on the job. But you have to be flexible, work collaboratively with the other members of our team.

In terms of advocacy – there is a great community already. Huntington’s Disease Society of America is great about educating families and patients about trials, new drugs and discovery.

NV: Question 5. What’s your next step?

Susan: I’m going to medical school in August. I definitely see myself doing research while I’m there. Not because I have to (since Yale requires it) but because I want to. I see myself pursuing research further.


Thank you to Susan for giving us a few minutes by phone to learn more about her and her career. We look forward to following up with her soon to hear about how her passion for research exhibits itself in medical school. For more information about Huntington's Disease, please visit the HDlighthouse.

This is part of the ongoing Profiling New Voices series.

Meet Hillary Lewis, Health Policy Consultant

Welcome to the debut of our series of profiles of New Voices! First up is Hillary Lewis, JD, health policy consultant to Dr. S. Ward Casscells, vice president for External Relations and Public Policy at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. She was kind enough to answer a few questions for us this afternoon by chat...

NV: Question 1. What do you do?

Hillary: I am currently working as a consultant to the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston on a grant funded project studying several related health care topics:

1. How do Americans use the health care system?
2. What are Americans' opinions on the health care system (quality, access)?
3. What are Americans' opinions on health care reform? (both pre-passage and as passed)
4. How will health care reform impact various industries, patient advocacy groups, and physician groups?

I also write papers analyzing the poll data we accumulated asking these questions.

NV: Question 2: How does your background in science - and in research particularly - help you?

Hillary: My background in biomedical science as well as my studies in health law have positioned me to ask intelligent, novel questions on these topics. I am also tasked with tracking American opinions on basic and clinical research. I frequently refer to Research!America data to flesh out, support or contradict our findings.

My science background has helped me understand the polling process itself in addition to providing the mental training needed to probe these topics in ways that provide unique insights into areas that are fairly well parsed.

The research process is much like delving into these topics- you have a hypothesis that you're trying to gather more data to support or disprove, depending on your approach to the scientific method!

NV: What is the most exciting component of what you do?

Hillary: Meeting with thought leaders to expand our approach to our areas of interest. No amount of research into the topics and brainstorming with colleagues can top spending half an hour with someone who has spent a significant part of their lives developing the policies in place today.

It is amazing to meet people like Dr. Jay Sanders, the father of telemedicine, or Baroness Nicholson whose NGO, AMAR Foundation, works in Iraq to create community health systems in far-flung regions. These folks have spent enormous amounts of time and energy on the topics we are studying at UT and their insight is invaluable. To top it off, everyone I've had the chance to meet has been gracious and willing to share their knowledge and experience.

NV: Question 4. What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in advocacy?

Hillary:

1. Figure out what you know and what gets you fired up. Once you determine this you can shape your activities as an advocate, probably within an established group.
2. Take advantage of what's gone before! There is no reason to re-create the wheel. Research!America has all the tools you need to get started as an advocate for research, if that's what moves you. For other areas of advocacy, there are similar leaders that you can touch base with and who will help you.
3. Don't be shy! Starch your shirt and take your message to your local Congressional or Senate office. They will be happy to hear from you, especially if you follow R!A suggestions for formatting your meeting and imparting you message by telling a story.
4. Follow up and establish those networks. Make yourself known to the staffers and you'll be welcome back!

NV: Alright, last question: if you could change anything about the culture of science in the U.S. today, what would it be?

Hillary: I think we need to be training scientists to get out of the lab and into the community. There is a lot of research to do, true, but in the end you're doing it for the benefit of everyone, and if you just take a few minutes to get out and tell people about it, knowledge about science would spread far more quickly and accurately than if we leave it in the hands of the media.

I doubt we can change the primary investigators who are set in their ways, but if we start with the next generation eventually we'll get there. In this I think we'd have to take a long-term approach rather than expect immediate results.


Thank you to Hillary for giving us a few minutes to learn more about her and her career. Her background - including lab work and law - make her an excellent advocate for research and it's a pleasure to hear from her again on the New Voices for Research blog where she was a regular contributor in January and February 2009.

This is part of our ongoing series Profiling New Voices for Research.

Profiling New Voices

When we talk about New Voices, who are we talking about? What makes someone a New Voice?

Simply put, a New Voice is anyone who wants to speak out about science and research. All of the authors of the New Voices blog qualify, as do you - our readers.

To put some faces with the title, we'll be introducing you to New Voices around the country this summer. If you're interested in being interviewed (just a few quick questions about what you do, where you do it, and what makes it interesting), drop us a line in the comments or email me at hbenson [at] researchamerica.org.

Advocate Profile: Keith Black, MD

My brain is on overload. I’ve been finishing up final projects for the University of Florida, preparing for graduation, getting ready for medical school…. I’m surprised that I haven’t passed out! We know that the brain is an amazing organ, but did you know that:

• Your brain uses 20% of your body’s energy?
• Your brain feels like a ripe avocado and looks pink because of the blood running through it?
• Your brain generates 25 watts of power while you're awake (that’s enough to illuminate a light bulb)?

Researchers are still learning a lot about the brain functions and also how to solve problems in the brain when things go wrong. At the forefront of neuroscience and neurological research is Keith Black, MD. Black published his first scientific paper and earned a Westinghouse Science Award at the age of 17, well before he became a doctor. Ever since then, Dr. Black, has broken barriers in the field of neuroscience and neurosurgery, becoming a prominent neurosurgeon and researcher.

Today, Dr. Black is the head of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, has five patents, hundreds of research publications and countless awards. He's also pioneered research on finding ways to surpass the blood-brain barrier, developing a vaccine to boost the body's immune response to brain tumors and the use of optical technology for brain mapping.

He hasn't figured out how to permanently de-stress graduate students from the woes of life, but Dr. Black’s career has been phenomenal, and is still growing.

Click below to hear Dr. Black's inspirational advice upon receiving the BET Honors Public Service award. (Sorry about the intro commercials.)

BET Videos

March News Round-Up

My inbox has been flooded with great news pieces today, so here are a couple I think you should take a look at:

From The Scientist, Anthony Cognato shares his encounter with FOX news and details how he was able to express the value of his ARRA funding to science, his community, and America's economy. (Free registration required to read the piece, but the full interview is on video above.)

Kathy Mitchell tells her tale of surviving tuberculosis in a New Jersey suburb on the New Jersey Voices Blog.

NIH Director Francis Collins talks to the Washington Post about health reform, genetic testing, and what effect specialty groups and his religion have on science priorities at the NIH.

Three short reads, but all valuable examples of research advocacy in action.

Invest in Tomorrow. Invest in Research.

A week or so ago, we invited New Voices to attend Research!America's 2010 National Forum, Invest in Tomorrow. Invest in Research. It was an amazing event - and we'll all be telling you more about it soon. But as a recap, check out Kimberly's live tweeting on NV4Research and the podcasts of the panel sessions below.

From left: R. Tjian, J. Howse, T. Frieden, J. Woodruff, P. Chew, C. Clancy

Panel 1: Working Toward Better Health for All

Moderator: Judy Woodruff, "PBS Newshour"

• Paul Chew, MD, chief science & medical officer, sanofi-aventis U.S.
• Carolyn M. Clancy, MD, director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Jennifer Howse, PhD, president, March of Dimes Foundation
• Robert Tjian, PhD, president, Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

From left: M. Hamburg, F. Collins, B. Kunz, M. Kinsley, J. Watters,
& M. Anderson

Panel 2: Translating Discoveries into Better Health

Moderator: Michael Kinsley, The Atlantic

• Margaret Anderson, executive director, FasterCures
• Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, director, National Institutes of Health
• Margaret Hamburg, MD, commissioner, Food and Drug Administration
• Barbara Kunz, president, Health and Life Sciences Global Business, Battelle Memorial Institute
• Jack T. Watters, MD, vice president of external medical affairs, Pfizer Inc.

View more photos from the 2010 National Forum.