In Brief

Ryan Shenvi Receives NSF Career Award

Ryan Shenvi, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has received a Career Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his lab’s project “Stereoselective manipulation of unstabilized carbocations.”

The $600,000 NSF award builds upon research reported last year by Shenvi and co-authors Sergey Pronin, a postdoctoral fellow, and graduate student Chris Reiher in the journal Nature. The project focuses on developing a new class of stereoselective nucleophilic displacement reactions that operate on isolated tertiary carbon centers through attack of unstabilized carbocationic contact ion pairs.

“This research fills a major methodological gap in chemical synthesis that has been recognized for nearly 100 years,” according to the NSF award announcement.

For more information, see the NSF website, http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1352587.

Five TSRI Graduate Students Awarded NSF Fellowships

Five TSRI graduate students have been awarded Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program supports outstanding graduate students pursuing degrees in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. The winning TSRI students and their projects are:

Danielle Grotjahn of the Encalada and Lander labs, “Ultrastructural Analyses of Motor Protein Conformations and Regulation in Neurons.”
Erika Olson of the Dawson lab, “Exploring Epitope Mimicry for the Development of Protein Antivirals.”
Michael Martinez of the Shenvi lab, “Total Synthesis of Jiadifenolide and Related Neurotrophic Illicium Metabolites.”
Christopher Reiher of the Shenvi lab, “Synthesis of the Kalihinol Family of Natural Products.”
Matthew Villaume of the Baran lab, “The Total Synthesis of Antroquinonol.”

Less than 15 percent of the 14,000 GRFP applicants received grants. The fellowships provide three years of support, international research and professional development opportunities and access to the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment supercomputer.

Scripps Florida Scientists Share Healthy Aging Research at Festival

Thousands of people flooded the WPBF Health & Wellness Festival at The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens last Sunday mostly to see “Dr. Oz” but also to hear four Scripps Florida scientists talk about metabolism, memory and healthy aging—topics very much on the minds of a lot of Floridians.

The four scientists—Roy Smith, chair of the Department of Metabolism and Aging; Laura Niedernhofer, associate professor; Courtney Miller, associate professor; and Paul Robbins, professor—took the stylishly all-white stage late in the afternoon following Oz’s final appearance at the festival.

The audience watched a short Scripps Florida promotional video, listened attentively while the four scientists discussed the advances made in the study of aging and, when the formal presentation was all over, closed in around the stage to ask questions.

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Scripps Florida faculty members Roy Smith, Courtney Miller, Laura Niedernhofer and Paul Robbins (left to right) shared insights about about metabolism, memory and healthy aging with participants of the WPBF Health & Wellness Festival. (Photo by Eric Sauter.)

NWiS Female Faculty Lecture: Kerri Mowen, ‘An Accidental Science Advocate’

Kerri Mowen, assistant professor in the TSRI Department of Chemical Physiology, is the featured speaker at the upcoming Female Faculty Lecture series presentation hosted by the Scripps California Network for Women in Science (NWiS). Mowen’s lecture, titled “The Squeaky Wheel: A Tale of an Accidental Science Advocate,” is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, in the Committee Lecture Hall, the Skaggs Institute/Molecular Biology Building.

The lecture is open to faculty and staff; postdoctoral fellows and graduate students are also invited to a dinner with Mowen following the lecture. RSVP to ascsmith@scripps.edu.

Research Ethics Training Offered

A seven-day course, Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), is scheduled on both Scripps Florida and California campuses. In addition to fulfilling TSRI’s mission to foster a culture of research integrity, RCR training is required for researchers receiving government funding from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

The course covers:

Data acquisition, management, sharing and ownership.
Mentor/trainee relationships.
Publication practices, responsible authorship and peer review.
Collaborative science.
Research involving human and animal subjects.
Research misconduct.
Conflict of interest and commitment.

California Campus
University of California, San Diego personnel will conduct the RCR course on the La Jolla campus from 3 to 5 PM, May 5, May 13-16 and May 19 in the Human Resources Training Room, 3377 building, suite 205 Register online. A description of this course is available at http://sdrec.ucsd.edu/courses/tsri

Florida Campus
TSRI personnel will present RCR training on the Jupiter campus from 9 to 11 AM EST, April 7, 14, 21 and 28 and May 12, 19 and 27 in the Conference Room A116. Register online.

Space is limited; advance registration is required. Priority is given on a first-come, first-served basis to trainees who have received fellowships, are on training grants or are in the TSRI Postdoctoral Training Program. Upon successful completion of the training, participants will receive a certificate for their records.

Career Training: Financial Planning, Interviews, Understanding Tenure

The Career and Postdoctoral Services Office offers three career workshops on the California campus in April.

Investing 101

Tips on successfully managing investment strategies will be presented in an “Investing 101” seminar arranged by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office and scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, from 3 to 4:30 PM, in the Human Resources Training Room, 3377 building, suite 205.

James Lingelbach and John Tokar, MetLife financial education facilitators and advisors, will conduct the seminar. Topics will include basic investment concepts and terminology, asset classes, bull and bear markets, mutual funds and other income sources. Online registration is available.

Videotaped Practice Interviews

A small-group workshop offering interview skills training for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students will be held Wednesday, April 16, from 3 to 4:30 PM, in the Graduate Office conference room, building 3377, suite 300.

The workshop will help participants strengthen effective verbal and non-verbal communications through videotaped mock interviews and feedback sessions based on standard HR-screening questions. Registration is required.

Understanding and Obtaining Tenure

The upcoming Academic Careers Roundtable discussion, “Understanding and Obtaining Tenure: How to Maximize Your Time as a New Assistant Professor,” will be held Friday, April 18, noon to 1 PM, in the Graduate Office conference room, 3377 building, suite 300.

TSRI Associate Professor Bruce Torbett will facilitate the session. Offering bimonthly professional development sessions for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, the roundtable series features an informal conversational setting with guest faculty members. Lunch is provided; registration is required.

For information on other resources and activities offered by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office, visit the office website.

CA ScrippsAssists Supports San Diego Humane Society Walk

ScrippsAssists invites TSRI faculty, staff, families and friends to volunteer for the San Diego Humane Society’s (SDHS) 2014 Walk for Animals to be held Saturday, May 10, 6 AM to noon, at NTC Park, Liberty Station in Point Loma.

TSRI volunteers will staff the raffle table, selling tickets and describing raffle prizes. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age and comfortable interacting with guests. The tasks require standing for periods of time. Scouts or students can earn community service hours; students can bring their service forms for signature or request a letter from ScrippsAssists.

Information on participating in the walk with a pet is available at the SDHS website. Contact ScrippsAssists project coordinator Suzette Hunter at suzetteh@scripps.edu or x4-8466 for additional details.

At the Auditorium: Remeau, Debussy and Chopin

The La Jolla Music Society’s Discovery Series presents a solo recital by Russian-born pianist Pavel Kolesnikov on Sunday, April 6, 3 PM, at the Auditorium at TSRI. Winner of the Honens Prize, which recognizes outstanding young pianists, Kolesnikov will perform works of Rameau, Debussy and Chopin. Ticket and concert information can be found on the society’s website

The Auditorium at TSRI is located at 10640 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, 92121. Directions and parking information are located on the auditorium’s website.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

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TSRI chemist Ryan Shenvi has been selected to receive a NSF Career Award. (Photo by BioMedical Graphics.)

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