ARCS Foundation, Metro Washington Chapter (MWC) April 2024 Newsletter

upcoming events

Apr 5: Eagle Award and 55th Anniversary Celebration Apr 10: Visit at Georgetown University, 11 am Apr 15: Visit at Johns Hopkins University Apr 24: (Virtual) visit at George Washington University, 2:30 pm May 8: Visit at University of Virginia, 11:30 am May 23: Spring Membership Meeting, 12-2:30 pm (date change from May 16)

from the co-presidents

We are counting down the days until April 5 when we celebrate with you at our Eagle Award and 55th Anniversary Celebration. We are expecting over 90 attendees, including our scholar alum Dr. Lisa Porter, university representatives, scholar alums and current scholars. We will honor our Eagle Awardee Dr. Renee Wegrzyn. A special thanks to Charlotte Knight and Chi Pham for chairing this lovely event and to all the ARCS members who worked on the planning committee. We can’t wait to see the 55 year anniversary celebration video and participate in the exciting live auction.     Thank you to Miriam Erikson for organizing the annual luncheon with our University of Maryland scholars and colleagues. The scholar presentations, lab tours and luncheon were appreciated by all attendees. We hope to see you at one or more of the upcoming visits with our four other partner universities. Agendas and registration details are below.    We changed the date of our Spring Membership Meeting. It will now be a potluck luncheon at the home of Jane Riddle on May 23 from 12-2:30 pm. Update your Blue Book to reflect the new date. Behind the scenes, the Board will be busy over the next few months developing a strategic plan for the upcoming year. Watch your email for details. ~Julie Hohl and Patty Sparrell, ARCS-MWC co-presidents

eagle award and 55th anniversary

The excitement continues to build for our 2024 Eagle Award and 55th Anniversary Celebration on Fri, Apr 5 from 6:00 to 9:30 pm at The Army and Navy Club in DC. We have registered over 90 attendees, the program is at the printer, and our speakers are set.

Seven unique and exciting items will be auctioned live to raise money for our Scholar Awards:   Betsy Forster 20.5” x 20.5” framed pastel titled “Sunrise” Three nights for up to 14 guests at a lakefront home on Deep Creek Lake in Maryland Two nights for 2-4 guests at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia One luxurious night at The Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Dinner with a Scientist at The Chart House Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria Three nights for 2-4 guests at The Manhattan Club in New York City Five nights for up to 10 guests at a North Lake Tahoe area home Click here for full descriptions of the auction items. Auction instructions will be provided at the event. If you are unable to attend, you may arrange for an in-person proxy to bid on your behalf.

university visits

Be sure to sign up for one or more of our university visits. RSVP, with any dietary restrictions, for any or all visits directly to Miriam Erickson at Miriam.erickson@outlook.com. Watch your email, as we will continue to send details, including agendas, as they become available. Apr 10: Georgetown University, 11 am to 1 pm

Apr 15: Johns Hopkins University, at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC, time TBD

Apr 24: (Virtual) George Washington University; 2:30 – 4:15 pm Click here for the agenda

May 8: University of Virginia; 11:30 am - 3 pm

university of maryland visit recap

ARCS-MWC visited the University of Maryland on Mon, March 4 to hear our scholars presentations about their research. The program was held at University House. Martina Grunwald, Senior Executive Director of Development, UMD; Dr. Rance Cleveland, Professor of Computer Science and Associate Dean for research; and Dr. Min Wu, A. James Clark School of Engineering provided opening remarks. Patricia Sparrell, co-President of our local chapter, provided opening remarks representing ARCS leadership. We then heard from our scholars about their research: Nick Schwartz, second year scholar, PhD candidate in Material Science and Engineering; Patrick Keating, second year scholar, PhD candidate in Biochemistry, Sadia Nourin, Sparrell Family scholar, undergraduate in Computer Science and Finance; and Mazda Moayeri, first year scholar PhD candidate in computer science. We were treated to a lovely lunch hosted in the University House. We then were given a fascinating tour of the Centrifugal Mirror Fusion Experiment in the Energy Research Facility, and a tour of the 3 Meter, in the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics (IREAP). Attendees were Patricia and Duncan Sparrell, Miriam Swydan Erickson, co-VP, University Relations, Chi Pham, Board member, Michelle Francis, Board member, Elli Nesbitt, past co-President, Jane Riddle, Board member, Amanda Riddle, and Sharon Gross Board member.

long-serving member

As we celebrate our chapter’s 55th anniversary, we highlight Thomasine (Tammy) Alvarez's involvement in ARCS-MWC. Tammy joined ARCS-MWC in 1986. We thank Tammy for her enthusiastic commitment to ARCS-MWC over the past 38 years! Tammy was sponsored by Kathy Mackenzie, a chapter member who had many friends in the military. At the time Tammy joined, her husband, the Honorable Everett Alvarez, was Deputy Undersecretary at the Veterans Affairs. He held many roles in administrations; his distinguished service to the United States also included being held in captivity as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for 8.5 years. He and Tammy both have a love of the sciences and engineering. They were very impressed with the ARCS mission and found it to be something then (and still now) that is very necessary. Tammy has always been eager to contribute anything she could to build the awareness of the organization and has introduced ARCS-MWC to other organizations, universities, and medical schools.   Tammy says that her proudest, most enjoyable, and rewarding achievement was chairing the very successful ARCS-MWC Gala with Angie Delaney in 2002 at the French Embassy! It was the first time the Gala was held at a venue other than a hotel and the Gala had many exciting and creative touches, including a world-renowned speaker, Craig Venter; a live auction (held for the first time along with the silent auction); and, in tune with the event’s theme of the Moulin Rouge, can-can dancers! Tammy emphasizes to members that ARCS-MWC is a team, and everyone needs to continue operating it as such, showing respect to each other. She notes that warmth and congeniality lead to more members and fulfillment of its important mission – to support the sciences and engineering. Tammy says that ARCS-MWC members are creative and accomplished women who have great ideas, and they do not have to prove themselves to anyone. She encourages everyone to listen to each other’s ideas equally because the steps to success are creative ideas that lead to visions and then to realistic initiatives and achievements. She adds that such steps will automatically lead to growth, ensuring success for our Scholars.

scholar spotlight

Patrick M. Keating – Forster Family Foundation Scholar 2nd Year Scholar, PhD Candidate, Biochemistry University of Maryland Research: Investigating the role of the Lassa virus transmembrane domain in the membrane fusion mechanism. Determining new information about this vital process in the viral lifecycle using a variety of biochemical and biophysical techniques to better understand how changes in its structure influence the function of the protein.

How Will Your Research Benefit Society?  Patrick's research will provide a deeper understanding of the membrane fusion mechanism of the Lassa virus which can be used to develop therapeutics against this viral infection. Currently there are no FDA-approved therapeutics for Lassa fever, the illness caused by the 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 World Health Organization (WHO) has listed the Lassa virus as a top 5 infectious disease requiring prioritized research. The glycoprotein 2 is the protein that facilitates membrane fusion for the Lassa virus, which is how the viral genome enters the cell. It is a part of the glycoprotein complex, which contains the only proteins on the virion surface. As such, these proteins are the logical choice for therapeutic targets. The transmembrane domain of glycoprotein 2 anchors glycoprotein 2 to the viral membrane and forms critical interactions with other membrane proteins of the glycoprotein complex, both of which are vital for complex formation and the fusion mechanism. By examining the transmembrane domain’s structural changes throughout the fusion mechanism and how they influence the glycoprotein 2’s function at a molecular level, from a structural and biophysical perspective, we will provide greater insight into how this membrane interaction domain influences the fusion process. This information can be used to design therapeutics to treat the infection by targeting and blocking these structural changes or other interactions. Career objectives: When I graduate, I plan to pursue a career in government policy analysis and policy advising. My motivation for work is to contribute to society using science. I believe I can make a bigger contribution through aiding policy makers in making informed policies through analyzing scientific work and translating the data into real world solutions for global problems. With my training in biochemistry and my knowledge in viral infections, I believe my talents are best served helping to make science based policies for the betterment of society.

Nick R. Schwartz – Sweetser Family Scholar 2nd Year Scholar, PhD Candidate in Material Science & Engineering University of Maryland Research: Scientists have long attempted to use fusion reactors to create miniature stars on Earth for energy production, but implementation is inhibited where a man-made star interacts with surrounding walls. As part of a team that is developing a novel fusion reactor, this research tests materials that can survive the immense heat and radiation through simulations and experiments.

How will an ARCS Award Benefit Your Research?  An ARCS award would be immensely helpful in my research and personal development. My research could benefit greatly from using advanced testing facilities. For example, exposing samples to typical environments in fusion reactors is expensive, and this award would allow me to test materials in advanced facilities at NASA Langley or UC San Diego. The results from these experiments would directly demonstrate the viability of my proposal. Additionally, much of my research relies on simulations that I run on my computer, and I would upgrade my machine so that I can run simulations more effectively.  My field of research is very international and collaborative, so this award would allow me to travel to international conferences and interact with the top leaders in fusion research. Additionally, these funds would allow me to forgo a teaching assistantship and focus wholly on my research and building relationships with my team.  Community Service, Contribution to DEI, Volunteer Work:  Camp Kesem is a student-run organization that provides year-round support, including a free summer camp, for children whose parents have been affected by cancer. As part of the Advisory Board for Camp Kesem at the University of Maryland, I offer my expertise in Development and Outreach to help the undergraduate club succeed in meeting their fundraising goals and successfully plan events.   I also volunteer as an interviewer for my undergraduate institution, MIT. In this role, I interview 8-10 students per year, write interview reports, and provide feedback to the admissions team on how they can improve the application process.  Lastly, as a cofounder of a company, I understand the importance of DEI for our growth and success. I plan to continue to educate myself and my cofounders on this important area, and push for a company composition that is reflective of our DEI goals.

council notes

Check here for updates from the ARCS-MWC councils.

University Relations: Our schedule for university visit is above. Watch your email for further details.

from communications

Submit items by the 20th of each month for publication at the start of the next month to mwccommunications@arcsfoundation.org. Be sure to include pictures, pdfs and website links.

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