Velia Fowler Named Acting Chair of Department of Cell and Molecular Biology

Professor Velia M. Fowler has been named acting chair of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, in addition to her position as an associate dean of graduate studies at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), California campus.

“Jim Paulson has done a great job in the relatively short time he has been chair of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology,” said Fowler. “I am looking forward to continuing his initiatives and serving the faculty in this position. I especially welcome the opportunity to contribute to positive developments during this transition period at TSRI.”

Christoph Lentsch and Rita Fuerst Receive Schrodinger Fellowships

Research Associates Christoph Lentsch (Snyder lab) and Rita Fuerst (Roush lab) have received Erwin Schrodinger Fellowships from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Austria’s central independent funding organization for basic research. The two-year FWF fellowships support young, ambitious and qualified scientists in work at renowned research institutions in foreign countries.

A doctoral graduate of the University of Vienna, Lentsch’s fellowship project is titled “Development of a 6-endo-selective bromoetherification.” His research focuses on natural product synthesis, particularly the challenges presented by 6-membered haloethers, to help answer the demand for new drug therapies.

Fuerst, who also received her doctoral at the University of Vienna, is investigating the role matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) plays in the progress of osteoarthritis (OA) to ultimately develop efficient anti-OA drugs through structure-guided drug design. Her project title is “Development of new MMP-13 inhibitors.”

TSRI Joins AmazonSmile

Now friends and supporters of TSRI can help the institute every time they make a purchase from Amazon—without paying more. Through AmazonSmile, customers can use their regular Amazon account to shop from smile.amazon.com, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of each purchase to TSRI. Sign in and help TSRI at no cost to you today.

TSRI to Celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week

Events scholarly, recreational and informative will mark TSRI’s celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, September 15-19, in recognition of postdoctoral scholars’ contributions and achievements to advance science discovery.

Scripps California activities for postdoctoral fellows include:

• Free Seated Chair Massage – Monday, September 15, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM, graduate office, Hazen Theory Building. Postdocs can sign up for a 10-minute massage; contact Miriam Davis, mdavis@scripps.edu to reserve a time. Appointments are first-come and first-served for postdocs only.
• Career and Postdoctoral Services Office Open House and Raffle – Tuesday, September 16, 9 AM to noon. Join the Career and Postdoctoral Services staff for coffee and pastries and visit the new Resource Center at the Hazen Theory Building.
• SoF Lightning Talks – Wednesday, September 17, from 1:30 to 5 PM, in the Beckman building’s Keck Amphitheater. Experience a whirlwind of science in three-minute bursts at the Society of Fellows (SoF) and the SOS Toastmasters first annual Lightning Talk Competition. During the reception following the talks, the 2014 Outstanding Mentor will be announced.
• SoF Distinguished Lecture Series – Thursday, September 18, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM in the Timken Auditorium. Jack Szostak, professor of genetics and chemistry at Harvard University and 2009 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, is the featured speaker. Contact Brian Lamb, bmlamb@scripps.edu to join Szostak on a hike at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve on September 17 or for breakfast, lunch or dinner on September 18.
• Social Media Photo Lab – Friday, September 19, from 11 AM to 1 PM, at the Career and Postdoctoral Services Postdoctoral Office, first floor, Hazen Theory Building. Complimentary professional photos for personal LinkedIn and social media profiles will be offered to the first 30 postdocs who register. 

Florida campus events include:

• Social Media Photo Lab – Monday, September 15, from 5 to 8 PM, classroom B158. Free professional photos for LinkedIn and other career uses. Sign up for a five-minute photo session at http://hris.scripps.edu/training/class/NFS1404CPD
• Beer PITCHers – Tuesday, September 16, 5 to 7 PM, Scripps Café. Specialty Beer Cellar will provide the beer tasting while Scripps Florida postdocs try out research “elevator pitches.” RSVP is requested.
• Time Management for Scientists: Doing More Than Just Surviving– Thursday, September 18, 9:30 AM to noon, conference room B159. Workshop offers time utilization training to become a more effective and efficient scientist. RSVP is required.
• Happy Hour and Raffle – Friday, September 19, 5 to 7 PM, Jumby Bay Island Grill, 1203 Town Center Dr. #101, Jupiter. The Postdoc Week finale, sponsored by the Scripps Florida Society of Research Fellows, Scripps Florida Graduate Program and the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office.

The week’s activities are co-sponsored by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office. For further details, contact Jean Branan at jbranan@scripps.edu on the California campus or Mike Matrone at matrone@scripps.edu on the Florida campus.

In Memoriam: Francisco Vega (1951–2014)

Francisco Vega, who worked in Environmental Services at TSRI for 22 years, passed away on August 12, 2014. He was 63 years old.

“My deepest condolences go to out to Francisco’s family and friends,” said Pete Herold, vice president of facilities. “He was a valued member of the TSRI community and will be missed.”

Camilo Gonzales, leader of housekeeping projects at TSRI, who worked closely with Vega for 15 years, noted Vega was always willing to help with extra jobs on campus and kept research running smoothly from behind the scenes.

“Francisco worked hard every day,” said Gonzales. “He was very friendly—we worked together as a team.”

Vega was born in Michoacan, Mexico, and came to the United States when he was 18. Before coming to TSRI, he worked as a handyman at an apartment complex in National City and in a position at Green Hospital.

Vega was known as a devoted husband, father and grandfather. His brother, Al Vega, who worked with Francisco at TSRI, noted one of his favorite activities was watching his 11-year old grandson play baseball.

In addition to Al, four other brothers and three sisters, Francisco is survived by his wife, four children and three grandchildren.

Career Workshops: Academic Jobs, Industry Insights

Workshops for careers in academia and industry are offered to TSRI postdoctoral fellows and graduate students this month by the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office.

ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH 101

Organizing the search for jobs in academia is the focus of workshops scheduled at both Scripps California and Florida. Two sessions will be held on the Jupiter campus: Monday, September 8, 1 to 2 PM, and Tuesday, September 9, 1 to 3 PM, in room B158. The La Jolla campus session is scheduled for Thursday, September 11, 3 to 5 PM, in graduate office seminar room in the Hazen Theory Building.

The sessions will cover academic job search timelines and resources, effective application packages, job telephone screens and campus interviews.

Mike Matrone, Career and Postdoctoral Services Office program coordinator, will conduct the Florida campus workshops. The September 9 session will feature a faculty panel with Associate Professor Susana Valente and Assistant Professor Anutosh Chakraborty.

Ryan Wheeler, director of the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office, will present the California session. The event will also feature a panel of faculty, including Professor Larry Gerace and Assistant Professors Supriya Srinivasan and Nathalie Franc.

RSVP is required.

“INSIGHTS TO INDUSTRY”

An “Insights to Industry” workshop will be held Friday, September 12, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, at the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, 2880 Torrey Pines Drive, La Jolla.

Randall Ribaudo and Larry Petcovic, co-founders of SciPhD, a professional science-career training firm, will conduct the workshop. The session will cover 24 business competencies valued in industry, relating them to postdoctoral research experience and to job ads and descriptions. Also included will be access to the SciPhD online self-assessment tool.

For registration and additional information on the workshop, which is co-sponsored by TSRI, UC San Diego, Sanford-Burnham and postdoctoral groups at TSRI and Salk, visit https://insightstoindustry2014.eventbrite.com. The $20 registration fee is eligible for the TSRI Society of Fellows course reimbursement program.

English Language Learning Opportunities on CA Campus

TUESDAY EVENING GROUP CLASSES

A new session of English-as-a-Second-Language classes will begin Tuesday, September 9. This class, taught by instructor Cassandra Wadkins, will meet from 7:30 to 8:30 PM every Tuesday in the Immunology Building West Conference Room. The price for three months (12 classes) is $60. Each intermediate-level English class is divided into speaking and listening, idioms and vocabulary, and reading and writing. The instructor uses movies, games, television shows, grammar books, songs, drawing and novels to teach standard American English. Have fun and learn English at the same time. For more information, leave a message at x4-2176.

ONE-ON-ONE CLINIC

A new 12-week session of the American English Pronunciation and Communication Clinic will begin Monday, September 8, on the California campus. The clinic is a joint program of the TSRI Career and Postdoctoral Services Office and California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM).

Under direct supervision of university faculty, CSUSM graduate students in the Masters in Education, Communicative Sciences and Disorders program will provide speech language services to TSRI graduate students and research associates.

The clinic provides one-on-one help to improve American English oral and written communications skills. Individual goals will be developed for clinic participants focusing on:

• Acquisition of an American accent.
• Remediation of existing speech errors (e.g., lisp, stuttering).
• Public speaking and presentations.
• Social conversation skills.
• Executive-function strategies for planning, organizing and producing written text.
• Public presentation of written materials.

Sessions will be offered in afternoon time slots on the following dates:

• September 8, 15, 22, 29.
• October 6, 13, 20, 27.
• November 3, 10, 17.
• December 1.

To schedule an appointment, contact CSUSM’s Deanne Hughes at dhughes@csusm.edu. Sessions are provided on a first come-first served basis, with preference to wait-listed and new clients. For additional information, contact the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office at x4-8469 or cpso@scripps.edu. 

CA NWiS Coffee Hour to Feature PNAS Study

A recent study of U.S. research institutes found that male faculty members (especially those achieving major awards) employ significantly fewer female graduate students and postdoctoral fellows than their female counterparts. The finding is the discussion topic at the next Scripps California Network for Women in Science (NWiS) Coffee Hour, to be held Monday, September 8, at 3 PM in the Faculty Club Tennis Room.

The paper, “Elite male faculty in the life sciences employ fewer women,” by Jason M. Sheltzer and Joan C. Smith, was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and can be accessed on the journal’s website.

The Coffee Hour is open to faculty and staff; light refreshments will be served.

The next NWiS general meeting, also open to the entire campus community, will be held Monday, September 15, at 1 PM in the Beckman building, room BCC5S. For information on other Scripps California NWiS events and resources, visit the group’s website or Facebook page.

FL NWiS to Host ‘Meet the PI’ Event

The Scripps Florida Network for Women in Science (NWiS) will hold a “Meet the PI” event, featuring McLean Bolton, research group leader at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, on Tuesday, September 16, from 4 to 5 PM in room B158.

Bolton is a former assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology at Duke University Medical Center and research scholar for the Duke Drug Discovery Center. She has held positions with Icagen, Inc., Amphora Discovery Corporation and Cogent Neuroscience, Inc. Her research focuses on disorders of neural circuitry, specifically how injury and genetic disorders alter brain circuitry.

Open to faculty and staff, “Meet the PI” events provide an informal setting for attendees to interact with established female researchers and life-science professionals. Refreshments will be served. For additional details, contact Briana Weiser, postdoctoral fellow in the Tellinghuisen lab, at (561) 228-2444 or bweiser@scripps.edu.

SoF Travel Award Applications Due October 1

Applications for the California Society of Fellows (SoF) Postdoctoral Travel Award fall cycle must be submitted by Wednesday, October 1. The awards provide opportunities to present scholarly activities at national or international scientific conferences.

A maximum of three grants of up to $1,000 each will be awarded to cover conference-related costs, including travel, housing and conference registration. A selection committee of postdoctoral fellows will evaluate applications based on quality of scientific communication, scientific merit, the applicant's credentials, significance of the conference to the applicant's career and financial need. The Career and Postdoctoral Services Office will process the paperwork and distribute the grant.

Previous award applicants may apply again, but past award winners are ineligible. Eligibility, specific application procedures and guidelines can be found on the Travel Awards website.

To volunteer to serve on the award selection committee, email cpso@scripps.edu.

Protect Against the Flu

Free flu immunizations will be offered to all Scripps California faculty, students and staff Thursday September 11, 9 AM to 5 PM and Friday, September 12, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, in the Human Resources Training Room, building 3377, suite 205. No appointments are necessary; personal identification is required.

Flu immunizations will be provided to the Scripps Florida campus Monday, October 27, during the Open Enrollment Fair.

For additional details, contact the Benefits Office at x4-8487.

CA Green Team to Meet September 9

All faculty, students and staff are invited to join the California campus Green Team and attend its upcoming meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, noon to 1 PM in the HR training room, building 3377, suite 205.

Established in 2009, the Green Team promotes campus sustainability efforts, green purchasing decisions for work and home, and local environmental education, outreach and volunteer programs.

For additional information, visit the Scripps California Green Team website or email sustain@scripps.edu.

Correction: CA IBC to Meet September 10

The TSRI Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) meeting date was incorrectly reported in the August 25, News&Views. The correct date is Wednesday, September 10, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, in the DAR Conference Room.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

• CONNECT
  • Scientific Events
  • Press Room
  • Procurement
  • Accounts Payable
  • ScrippsAssists
  • CA - Auditorium at TSRI
  • CA - Gluck Child Care
  • Contact Us

• VISIT
  • CA Campus:
  • • Maps & Directions
  • • Parking
  • FL Campus:
  • • Maps & Directions
  • • Parking

• RESEARCH
  • Faculty Directory
  • Scientific Departments
  • Faculty Interests
  • Cores & Shared Services
  • Technology Development
  • FCOI Compliance
  • TSRI’s Anti-Bribery Policy

• LEARN
  • Career Services
  • Community Outreach
  • Alumni
  • Society of Fellows
  • Society of
    Research Fellows

• WORK
  • Careers
  • CA - Outlook Web Access
  • FL - Outlook Web Access
  • International Office
  • Counseling Services
  • Anonymous Reporting

• CHALLENGE
  • Cancer
  • Diabetes and Obesity
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Deafness
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Addiction
  • Mental Illness

• 
  • Heart Disease
  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • Blindness
  • Arthritis
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • More >>