ARCS Foundation, Metro Washington Chapter (MWC) December 2023 Newsletter |
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Dec 4: 55th Anniversary Scholar Award Campaign kickoff
Dec 7: Holiday Party, 6:30-9:30 pm
Feb 3: Winter Member Meeting
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During this time of gratitude, we thank all our members and board leaders for their contributions to the Metro Washington Chapter this year. An overview of recent and upcoming activities is provided here; additional details are included later in the newsletter.
Our thanks to Rebecca McNeilly for creating a wonderful science connection for our current and alumni scholars while attending ARCS hall-of-famer Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s presentation at the Warner Theater, which even included a backstage conversation with Dr. Tyson. We appreciate the reception sponsorship by Kestra Medical Technologies and Sotheby’s International Realty.
We welcome our newest members, Kerri Morehart and Christine Peterson, both of whom were so impressed with our scholars and ARCS-MWC at the SAR that they decided to join our chapter! Do you know someone that would like to join ARCS-MWC? We have many upcoming activities where potential members can “get to know the organization.”
We look forward to kicking off the holiday season with the upcoming annual Holiday Party. Thank you Holly and Jim Coyne for opening your beautiful home for the evening festivities.
In recognition of our chapter’s 55th anniversary, Susan Trice and Trish O’Malley (Development Co-VPs) put together a 55th Anniversary Scholar Award Campaign. This exciting campaign will kick-off Dec 4 with a goal of raising $20,075 to support one graduate and one undergraduate scholar. Share this opportunity with your friends.
Be sure to sign up (guests welcome!) for the Winter Membership Dinner Meeting at the Army Navy Club on Feb 3. The evening’s speaker will be Mr. Sounil Yu, CTO/Founder of Knostic. He is the author and creator of the Cyber Defense Matrix and the DIE Triad, which are reshaping our approaches to cybersecurity. In addition, he is very knowledgeable about AI. The title of his talk will be “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Your (GenAI) Baby.” Have we piqued your interest?? We can’t wait!!
We are excited by the renewed energy of our long term and new members. We send our best wishes to you and your families during the holidays.
~Julie Hohl and Patty Sparrell, ARCS-MWC co-presidents
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Warm welcome to the two new members who recently joined our MWC chapter: Christine Peterson and Kerri Morehart.
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Christine Peterson is the CFO of Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) and brings more than 30 years of experience to the CNA management team. As CFO, she is a strategic partner to the CEO, responsible for implementing and enhancing CNA's strategic vision and direction in all areas of finance, including planning and analysis, budgeting, contracts, and procurement, as well as regulatory compliance. Prior to joining CNA, Christine held senior leadership positions with Science Applications International Corporation, the Logistics Management Institute, and Arctic Slope Regional Corporation Federal. She specializes in transforming organizations by applying enhanced approaches to business planning, financial reporting, administration, and partnerships with business development and operations colleagues.
Christine has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Maryland and has Certified Public Accountant and Charted Global Management Accountant designations. She also earned a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University.
Christine is a friend of Julie Hohl and Trish O'Malley and has learned about ARCS on their weekly walks along the Potomac River. Christine, her husband Chris and two children are long time residents of McLean.
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Kerri Morehart has served as Chief Human Resources Officer of Cadmus, a leading provider of technical and strategic expertise to governments, energy utilities, and private sector companies worldwide, since 2015. During her tenure at Cadmus, Kerri has led the company’s HR and recruiting functions through more than five acquisitions and subsequent integrations that more than doubled Cadmus’ employee count, played a key role in steering the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, and guided employees through the closeout of Cadmus’ employee-owned stock ownership program, among countless other milestone achievements.
She is a finalist for the WashingtonExec Pinnacle Award this year. The Pinnacle Awards embody the WashingtonExec spirit of highlighting successful executives and businesses saving money and fostering innovation for federal clients across the region.
Kerri has more than 25 years of experience in providing strategic direction, process improvements, training, and human resources infrastructure. Prior to joining Cadmus, she served as CHRO at award-winning federal contractor Phacil. She has also worked in leadership roles with Pragmatics, Inc., Fannie Mae, and SRA International. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a wellness counselling certification from Cornell University.
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scholars, alumni, and members |
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ARCS-MWC hosted an out-of-this-world event on Nov 14 for ARCS-MWC Scholars and Scholar alumni to mingle with MWC members centered around the world-famous astrophysicist, and Scholar alumni, Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson!
Dr. Tyson was an ARCS Scholar in 1991 at Columbia University while earning his PhD in Astrophysics. He was elected to the ARCS Hall of Fame in 2018. He is Director of the Hayden Planetarium and has hosted educational science radio programs and television shows, including Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.
Rebecca McNeilly, an ARCS-MWC board member who works at Kestra Medical Technologies, Inc., developed this amazing event in response to Scholar requests to meet Scholar Alums for mentorship and networking. Sponsors included Kestra and—through ARCS-MWC member Lorraine Barclay Nordlinger—Sotheby’s International Realty. Rebecca and Lorraine said it was an honor to co-host the event! Rebecca added: “Our Scholars need to present their research to many audiences and Dr. Tyson is a scientist who easily relates to audiences who are new to science or prominent scientists themselves.”
After mingling at The City Club of Washington, the attendees were escorted backstage at the Warner Theater to meet Dr. Tyson. He talked with the ARCS-MWC group for 25 minutes, including Dr. Ori Fox, another stellar astronomer and ARCS-MWC Scholar alum. Julie Hohl, ARCS-MWC Co-President, recounts that Dr. Tyson said that his ARCS award greatly supported his academic career. After Patty Sparrell, ARCS-MWC Co-President, concluded by thanking Dr. Tyson, he headed onstage for his show “Astronomy Bizarre,” cheered on by the enthralled ARCS-MWC attendees in the VIP section!
The Scholars and Scholar Alums would like to make it an annual event and offered accolades and positive comments! A Scholar Alum “would love to stay involved” with ARCS MWC. Scholar comments included:
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After Dr. Tyson mentioned “Don Quixote’s stubborn persistence” in response to a question if he was ever disillusioned with science, Mazda said: “. . .it’s nice to think of [research] as an epic journey instead of focusing on the most difficult moments.” Mazda Moayeri, University of Maryland
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The opportunity to meet him beforehand and to hear him present in person was absolutely inspiring. If I had a highlight reel of my graduate school experience, this would definitely be in it!” Gigi Pavur, University of Virginia
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The event is already spurring networking! Gigi Pavur and another ARCS-MWC Scholar who realized they are both from Atlanta are “making plans to grab coffee when we are both home over winter break!”
Patty had the perfect take on the evening, saying: “The event reflected the substantial cumulative effect of the chapter’s awards, with the benefits seen at all stages of the scientists’ and engineers’ career trajectories, from those just starting in their careers to those at the pinnacle of their careers with more successes waiting in the wings.”
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Our latest ARCS friends event was a mixology and cooking class on Sun, Nov 12 at the home of Julie Hohl. Members and guests learned how to arrange flowers, mix a 55th anniversary signature cocktail, and easily prepare delicious holiday appetizers, main courses, and dessert.
Keep an eye out for info about the next ARCS friends event.
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“Wow!” “Amazing!” “Astounding!” These were exclamations from guests at our 2023 Scholar Awards Reception (SAR) on Oct 26 as they crowded the 16 Scholars’ posters in the spectacular Great Hall of the National Academy of Sciences to learn more about their amazing cutting-edge research in fusion, biomedical research, computer sciences, and other fields!
The excitement was further fueled by the two keynote speakers’ inspiring presentations: Dr. Margaret McCarthy (Chair, Department of Pharmacology, at the University of Maryland (UM) School of Medicine and Director of the UM-Medicine Institute of Neuroscience Discovery) and Dr. Gregory Ball (Vice President for Research at the UM College Park and the UM Baltimore), a married couple with outstanding science careers. Duncan Sparrell, the Chief Cyber Curmudgeon at S-Fractal Consulting, the evening’s sponsor, introduced the speakers, highlighting their backgrounds and successes.
The keynoters spoke about the amazing upward trajectories in research, technology, and research funding over past decades that fostered world class discoveries in science and engineering in the United States. Dr. McCarthy focused on evolving technologies that spurred deeper understanding of gender differences in the brain while Dr. Ball spoke about continuous evolution in research that underpinned U.S. innovations in moon shot projects ranging from the Apollo missions to the more recent CHIPS and Science Act. Dr. McCarthy concluded by asking the Scholars: “What will you do tomorrow?” Speaking of U.S. research opportunities, Dr. Ball told the Scholars: “This is an exciting time with tremendous opportunities! There’s really a ferment of activity in this country and [you should] jump on the train! You have a real opportunity to make a difference and have a wonderful career!”
The exciting evening was capped by a video of Dr. Jessica Meir, presenting her congratulations to the ARCS MWC Scholars! Dr. Meir, a NASA astronaut, marine biologist, and physiologist who is herself an ARCS Scholar Alumna, told them: “Remember that without risk there is no true reward. Remember to push the envelope, to think outside of the box, and to follow your heart. Seek out solid mentorship, particularly from those that appreciate you as a person—not only as a scientist—and pay that forward by mentoring someone with less experience than you.” She concluded with: “Science and exploration are only made possible with robust support and consistent opportunities. Thank you, ARCS community, for recognizing the potential of these young scientists to enable scientific discovery and progress.”
The energy levels continued at high levels even past the SAR. At least two friends of ARCS-MWC members joined our chapter this week because they were impressed by everything at the SAR. Also, the chapter’s success was highlighted in a Danaher Scholar’s heartfelt statement that “The support provided by ARCS has been instrumental in furthering my scientific development,” adding that her funding is being used for conferences, essential technology upgrades, and cutting-edge experiments.
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As we celebrate our chapter’s 55th anniversary, we highlight Betty Polutchko’s involvement in ARCS-MWC!
Betty Polutchko joined ARCS-MWC in 1992 and was sponsored by Karen Meyers. We thank Betty for her continuing and enthusiastic service and commitment to ARCS MWC over 31 years! She was friends with Karen and Peggy Adams, and they encouraged her to become a member. Betty was also very interested in science, both as a nurse and as the wife of an engineer who was very active in the space industry. (Note to everyone who read the interview with Lana Yarymovych, Lana brought Karen into ARCS so Betty and Karen have always thought of Betty as Lana’s “ARCS granddaughter.”)
Betty loved the ARCS mission and members and held almost every ARCS-MWC role over the years. A few of her leadership roles were ARCS-MWC President for two years, Endowment Treasurer (helping grow the endowment fund to $300,000), Gala Chairman, and VP, Activities. Betty said it was a lot of work but fun.
Some of her most rewarding achievements included being the chapter’s President; attending the National meetings (Board meetings and member meetings); and getting to know ARCS members from around the United States. She said that ARCS members are a very impressive group of women who help keep young people interested in science.
Betty thinks that our country needs more scientists and engineers, and meeting the ARCS Scholars and hearing about their accomplishments at our university visits and during the Scholar Awards Reception is one of the most amazing things about ARCS. She wishes that the media would feature the very impressive young scientists. She also noted that although more companies may also be supporting our Scholars now, we can still do our part too. She said that our Scholars need our support!
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Hallie M. Fousey – Michelle & Julian Francis Scholar
1st Year Scholar, PhD Candidate, Physics
George Washington University
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Research:
Research involves studying gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic stellar explosions in the universe, with observational data from some of the largest telescopes on earth, using these extreme explosions as probes of the farthest reaches of the universe, and evaluating and optimizing the capabilities of new instrumentation to further their studies in the future.
Describe the expected benefit of your research to society:
Studying gamma-ray bursts allows us to examine the history of the universe and learn about the environments of the first galaxies and stars that created the material of which we are made, giving us an opportunity to learn more about where we come from. Besides this fundamental and foundational research, part of my PhD thesis involves preparatory work for SCORPIO, a new instrument being built for the 8-meter optical/near-infrared Gemini Observatory in Chile. While SCORPIO will be valuable for its data collection capabilities, SCORPIO and Gemini also represent a partnership between at least 6 different countries, fostering a collaborative environment between scientists of various nationalities and backgrounds, and pushing astrophysics forward together.
Indicate how an ARCS award might benefit your research:
The ARCS award would benefit my research because it would help fund an extended trip abroad to work with some of my collaborators in person, those at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and the Universities of Leicester and Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. Since June 2020, I have assisted in the development of the Gamow Explorer, a proposed space-based gamma-ray burst telescope. While the Gamow Explorer was not accepted for the NASA MIDEX proposal call in 2021, this travel would give me the opportunity to brainstorm possibilities for the future of Gamow with my collaborators. Furthermore, in 2021 I joined the STARGATE collaboration, an international group of astronomers dedicated to gamma-ray burst follow-up using the Very Large Telescope in Chile. Going abroad would give me a chance to work directly with my peers and experienced collaborators from STARGATE at the institutions mentioned above, learn how to perform detailed analysis on data from the Very Large Telescope, and prepare publications for peer-reviewed journals on my research.
Community Service, Contribution to DEI, Volunteer Work:
I am a member of the Women & Gender Minorities in Physics Group at the George Washington University, and I have contributed to some of its events. Most recently I volunteered as a member of a graduate school panel for undergraduate group members to ask questions and discuss what they can expect from life as a graduate student.
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Reynolds L. Dziobek-Garrett – JCM Foundation Scholar
1st Year Scholar, PhD Candidate, Chemistry
Johns Hopkins University
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Research:
Research focuses on controlling the properties of atomically-thin semiconductors via chemical synthesis. He uses high-resolution electron microscopy and laser spectroscopies to understand the role of crystalline defects formed during growth of these “2D” materials, which have applications in nanoscale electronic and quantum devices.
Describe the expected benefit of your research to society:
The rapidly growing global demand for computing capability drives Moore’s Law, which predicts a doubling of computing power every two years through the development of ever-smaller transistors. This demand stands at odds with current sustainability trends, however, as state-of-the-art silicon-based transistors use increasing amounts of energy and contribute to a significant carbon footprint for these processes.
To mitigate the climate effects of this sector, while still meeting computing demand, new semiconductor materials are required to replace current silicon-based microelectronics and therefore reduce overall power consumption. Two-dimensional semiconductors stand as the leading class of materials to reduce this power consumption in the near and long-term. These materials enable continued transistor scaling while reducing power loss and waste heat output when applied in computing processes. To be industrially relevant, however, these devices must be produced en masse. The two-dimensional semiconductor materials developed through my research will directly address this need and enable the production of new computer chips which process larger volumes of information more quickly while using less electricity and producing less waste heat. I will use inherently scalable techniques to answer key questions in material growth, driving progress towards large-scale synthesis of these materials to redefine the frontiers of chip production and application.
Career objectives:
I aim to work in the semiconductor industry, helping integrate new materials into commercial technologies. I am excited about the opportunity to address long-term problems facing the adoption of materials—such as the 2D semiconductors I currently study—which can increase the energy efficiency of future computer chips. This is known as a “lab to fab” transition, where I will use industrial methods to scale up my current research to the needs of commercial production. I also aim to use my position to establish ties with academic institutions and help students, especially of underrepresented backgrounds in the physical sciences, to understand commercial fabrication processes. Through this career development outreach, I hope to share my knowledge and empower young scientists to connect more effectively with their own research, build excitement about its impact, and share insights and knowledge that can be taken “from the fab back to the lab.”
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Watch this space for updates from the ARCS-MWC councils.
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Activities: Activities has succeeded in the pay-as-you-go events in helping members become acquainted with new and existing members. Future traditional ARCS events will hopefully encourage more members to attend and support our scholars.
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Development:
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Watch for info about our upcoming 55th Anniversary Scholar Award Campaign. This fundraising campaign will run from Dec 4 to Jan 22. For this campaign, we are not asking our members to make donations. Instead, we are asking our members to reach out to friends and family to ask for any size donation to help fund 2 scholars (1 graduate and 1 undergraduate) in honor of our 55th anniversary. Details and helpful information to make the campaign a success will be sent shortly.
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We held a Development Council meeting on Nov 6 and had a great discussion on grant research and potential corporate donors. We also brainstormed ideas for reaching our Eagle event fundraising goal of $15,000.
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Are you interested in helping with the grant research or the Eagle event fundraising planning? Contact Susan Trice or Trish O'Malley.
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Membership:
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On Tues, Oct 17, the Membership Council held a coffee house event. Several members and potential members gathered at Lubna Zahir’s home to get to know each other better and to discuss their experiences with ARCS-MWC. We are hopeful that the potential members choose to become active members soon!
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During the Sep 26 Membership Council meeting, it was decided that a Working Group should be convened to discuss revisions to the membership categories. Since then, the Membership Council has confirmed the participants of the Working Group. The initial Working Group meeting was held on Nov 9, and we are working through a recommendation to present to the board in a couple of months.
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P.O. Box 60868
10221 River Road
Potomac, MD 20859-0868
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