A Powerful Legacy of Disseminating Scientific Knowledge

The Science, and Art, of Mentoring Ready, Set: Robots! Remembering Herbert Kayden

www.nyas.org • Summer 2014 Board of Governors

Chair Vice Chair Treasurer NANCY ZIMPHER PAUL WALKER ROBERT CATELL President [ex officio] Secretary [ex officio] Summer 2014 ELLIS RUBINSTEIN LARRY SMITH

Governors LEN BLAVATNIK ELAINE FUCHS MEHMOOD KHAN FRANK WILCZEK MARY BRABECK ALICE P. GAST JEFFREY D. SACHS DEREK YACH NANCY CANTOR BRIAN GREENE KATHE A. SACKLER MICHAEL ZIGMAN MARTIN CHALFIE THOMAS L. HARRISON MORTIMER D.A. SACKLER MILTON COFIELD THOMAS C. JACKSON GEORGE E. THIBAULT KENNETH L. DAVIS BETH JACOBS PAUL WALKER MIKAEL DOLSTEN JOHN E. KELLY III IRIS WEINSHALL

International Governors Chairman Emeriti Honorary Life Governors SETH F. BERKLEY TONI HOOVER JOHN E. SEXTON KAREN E. BURKE MANUEL CAMACHO SOLIS RAJENDRA K. PACHAURI TORSTEN N. WIESEL JOHN F. NIBLACK GERALD CHAN RUSSELL READ S. KRIS GOPALAKRISHNAN PAUL STOFFELS President’s Council

PETER AGRE AARON CIECHANOVER GREGORY LUCIER ELLIOTT SIGAL Nobel Laureate & Univ. Nobel Laureate & Former Chairman and CEO, CSO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Prof. and Director, Johns Distinguished Research Prof., Life Technologies Corp MICHAEL SOHLMAN Hopkins Malaria Research Tumor and Vascular Biology RODERICK MACKINNON Former Exec. Director, The Inst., Dept. Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Nobel Laureate & John Nobel Foundation Microbiology and Medicine, Technion-Israel D. Rockefeller, Jr. Prof., PAUL STOFFELS Immunology, Bloomberg Inst. of Tech., Haifa, Israel The Rockefeller Univ.; CSO, Johnson & Johnson; School of Public Health PETER DOHERTY Investigator, HHMI Worldwide Co-Chairman, contentsColumns Op-Ed RICHARD AXEL Nobel Laureate & GERALD J. MCDOUGALL Pharmaceuticals Group 6 Nobel Laureate & Researcher, St. Jude National Partner, Global MARC TESSIER-LAVIGNE Letter from the President The Science, and Art, of Mentoring Professor, Columbia Univ.; Children’s Research Pharmaceutical & Health President, The Rockefeller Univ. 2 Teaching an afterschool forensics course was about more than imparting Investigator, HHMI Hospital, Memphis, TN; Sciences Practice, MARY ANN TIGHE Knowledge Sharing at the Speed DAVID BALTIMORE Univ. of Melbourne PricewaterhouseCoopers CEO, New York Tri-State knowledge of DNA. Nobel Laureate & President MIKAEL DOLSTEN LLP Region, CB Richard Ellis Executive Editor of Science Emeritus, Caltech President, Worldwide RICHARD MENSCHEL SHIRLEY TILGHMAN ETIENNE-EMILE BAULIEU Research and Development; Sr. Director, Goldman Sachs President Emerita and Diana Friedman Former President, French Sr. VP, Pfizer Inc RONAY MENSCHEL Prof. of Molecular Biology, Inside the Academy Academy Feature 3 Academy of Sciences MARCELO EBRARD Chairman of the Board, Princeton Univ. Design News about Academy programs 8 PAUL BERG CASAUBÓN Phipps Houses; Board of XAVIER TRIAS Academy on the Radio Nobel Laureate & Prof. Mayor, Mexico City Overseers, Weill Cornell Mayor of Barcelona Strong Studio NYC LLC and activities Emeritus, Dept. of EDMOND H. FISCHER Medical College FRANK WALSH Presenting science updates on Australian public radio helps to spark Biochemistry, Stanford Univ. Nobel Laureate & Prof. HEATHER CEO, Ossianix, Inc. Matthew Strong, Adam O’Reilly scientific interest among people half a world away. LEN BLAVATNIK Emeritus, Dept. of MUNROE-BLOOM GERALD WEISSMANN Member News Chairman, Access Industries Biochemistry, Univ. of Principal (Pres.) Emerita / Prof. of Medicine, NYU 25 GÜNTER BLOBEL Washington Prof. of Medicine, McGill School of Medicine Contributors Awards, appointments, and Nobel Laureate & Director, JEROME I. FRIEDMAN Univ. JOHN WHITEHEAD Peter Brown, Giovanna Collu, announcements about Academy Cover Story Laboratory for Cell Biology, Nobel Laureate & Institute FERID MURAD Former Chairman, Lower 10 The Rockefeller Univ. Prof. & Prof. of Physics, Nobel Laureate & Director, Manhattan Development Jennifer Henry, Caitlin Johnson, members Dispatches From the Democratization IRINA BOKOVA Emeritus, MIT IMM Center for Cell Corp.; former Co-Chairman Hallie Kapner, Gina Masullo, Director General, United JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN Signaling, The University of of Goldman Sachs Calendar Nations Educational, Nobel Laureate & Chairman, Texas at Houston GEORGE WHITESIDES Jonathan Schneiderman 26 of Science Scientific and Cultural Molecular Genetics, Univ. JOHN F. NIBLACK Woodford L. & Ann A. Upcoming Academy conferences A look at the history and future of two groundbreaking bastions of Organization (UNESCO) of Texas Southwestern Former President, Pfizer Flowers Univ. Prof., Harvard SYDNEY BRENNER Medical Center Global Research & Univ. Editorial Office and meetings knowledge dissemination. Nobel Laureate & S. GOPALAKRISHNAN Development TORSTEN N. WIESEL Distinguished Prof., Salk Inst. Exec. Co-Chairman of the PAUL NURSE Nobel Laureate & former 7 World Trade Center MICHAEL S. BROWN Board, Infosys Technologies Nobel Laureate & President, Secy. General, Human 250 Greenwich St, 40th Fl Academy Feature Nobel Laureate & Prof. of Limited The Royal Society; former Frontier Science Program 15 Molecular Genetics, Univ. PAUL GREENGARD President, The Rockefeller Organization; President New York, NY 10007-2157 The Little Magazine that Could of Texas Southwestern Nobel Laureate & Prof. Univ. Emeritus, The Rockefeller Phone: 212.298.8645 Medical Center of Molecular & Cellular RICHARD ROBERTS Univ. The Sciences, published by the Academy for 40 years, became one of the LINDA BUCK Neuroscience, The Nobel Laureate & CSO, FRANK WILCZEK Fax: 212.298.3655 most honored science magazines in America. Nobel Laureate & Rockefeller Univ. New England Biolabs Nobel Laureate & Herman Email: [email protected] Investigator for HHMI; GLENDA GREENWALD EDWARD F. ROVER Feshbach Professor of member of the Fred President, Aspen Brain President, The Dana Physics, MIT Hutchinson Cancer Forum Foundation Foundation ERNST-LUDWIG Membership & Annals Orders Academy Feature Research Center PETER GRUSS F. SHERWOOD ROWLAND WINNACKER 20 KAREN E. BURKE President, Max Planck Nobel Laureate & Prof. of Secy. General, Human Phone: 212.298.8640 Ready, Set: Robots! Dermatologist & Research Gesellschaft, Germany Chemistry & Earth Science, Frontier Science Program; Fax: 212.298.3650 Scientist WILLIAM A. HASELTINE Univ. of California, Irvine former Secy. General, Middle school students tackle “Nature’s Fury” through teamwork, MARCELO EBRARD President, The Haseltine BENGT SAMUELSSON European Research Council; Email: [email protected] CASAUBON Foundation for Medical Nobel Laureate & Prof., former President, Deutsche persistence, and robots at an Academy event. Former Mayor, Mexico City Sciences and the Arts; Medical & Physiological Forschungsgemeinschaft, THOMAS R. CECH Chairman, Haseltine Global Chem., Karolinska Inst.; Germany Advertising Inquiries Nobel Laureate & Health, LLC former Chairman, The ANDREW WITTY In Memoriam Distinguished Prof., Univ. of ERIC KANDEL Nobel Foundation CEO, GlaxoSmithKline Phone: 212.298.8636 Colorado, Boulder Nobel Laureate & Prof., IVAN SEIDENBERG TAN SRI ZAKRI ABDUL Email: [email protected] 23 MARTIN CHALFIE Physiology & Cell Biology, Advisory Partner, Perella HAMID Remembering Herbert Kayden Nobel Laureate & Univ. Columbia Univ. Weinberg Partners LP; former Science Advisor to the The former Academy president jump-started a long-lasting focus on Prof., Dept. of Biological KIYOSHI KUROKAWA Chairman of the Board, Verizon Prime Minister of Malaysia Visit the Academy online Sciences, Columbia Univ. Former Science Advisor to ISMAIL SERAGELDIN ELIAS ZERHOUNI collaboration, setting the organization on a path to success. CECILIA CHAN the Prime Minister of Japan; Director, Bibliotheca President, Global www.nyas.org Managing Director, Gold Prof., National Graduate Alexandrina, The Library of Research & Development, Avenue Ltd. Institute for Policy Studies Alexandria, Egypt Sanofi-Aventis Last Look (GRIPS) PHILLIP A. SHARP AHMED ZEWAIL 28 LEON LEDERMAN Nobel Laureate & Director, Nobel Laureate & Linus A view of brain cells affected by Nobel Laureate & Pritzker McGovern Inst., MIT Center Pauling Chair of Chemistry Prof. of Science, Illinois for Cancer Research and Physics, Caltech Inst. of Tech.; Resident GUANGZHAO ZHOU Alzheimer’s disease Scholar, Illinois Math & Former Chairman, Chinese Science Academy Association of Science & Technology Letter from the President Inside the Academy Reports from the directors of Academy programs and news about Knowledge Sharing at the Academy activities. Read more online at www.nyas.org/academynews. Speed of Science Academy Joins White House In Commitment to STEM Education

he special theme of this issue is pearance of Mosaic, Science and Nature with the PowerPoint presentation skills scientific dissemination: the shar- still exist in print, and so do The New of gifted scientists, the Academy began ing of knowledge both across the England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, this new form of dissemination, which, Tscientific community and to a lay pub- Physical Review Letters, and many more. today, offers the wisdom of thousands of lic that desperately needs accurate and I mention this to set the stage for this talks at over 50 Academy events a year meaningful scientific information. For issue’s overview of the unique niche that to hundreds of thousands of scientists nearly 30 years, before Academy Chair- your Academy fills in the dissemination worldwide. man Emeritus and Nobel laureate Torsten of vital information. Annals of the New And this brings me to what makes our Wiesel enticed me to take on the role of York Academy of Sciences—a special and Annals and eBriefings so special: In 1823, President of the New York Academy of enduring interdisciplinary publication a document of record for Academy meet- Sciences, science dissemination was my that provides papers from the world’s ings that would otherwise have been in- world: reporting and, later, editing sci- foremost experts, many of those papers accessible to scientists outside New York ence and technology topics for both pro- inspired directly by talks given at Acad- attracted the likes of Charles Darwin and fessional and lay audiences. emy conferences— is not merely the Louis Pasteur to become members, and But publishing—like the scientific longest continuously published scientific turned a local academy into a global in- landscape—is dramatically different now series in the United States, it remains re- stitution with, today, 22,000 members in than when I first started my career … or markably vibrant thanks to its talented over 100 countries. And then, in 2003, even when I finished it after serving as Editor-in-Chief Douglas Braaten. Specifi- the advent of the eBriefing used the dis- Editor of Science for a decade. In both cally, at age 191, it is still in the top 5% of ruptive power of the Internet to carry cases, many of these changes are the di- multidisciplinary science journals world- the wisdom of the Academy’s scientific rect consequence of disruptive technolo- wide in impact factor, and its articles are speakers to roughly 120,000 unique visi- gies; in the case of publishing, the Inter- available both in print and online and tors per year—and without devaluing the net. used by ~2 million unique users annually. service of Annals. Early on, physicists recognized the But since 2003, Annals has been sup- Together, in their different ways, An- unique opportunity the World Wide plemented by a unique form of knowl- nals and eBriefings are contributing to a Web provided in terms of disseminat- edge dissemination: eBriefings. These are technologically globalized world in which ing information. These physicists-cum- multimedia recaps of conferences com- greater insight can be brought to scientifi- online-publishing-pioneers eagerly, and plete with speaker slides and audio, and cally framed questions more rapidly and presciently, starting disseminating find- a professionally written summary of the to more people. What better approach ings online ahead of print, often cata- talks. The concept of an eBriefing was to the grand challenges the world faces? lyzing peer review on the fly and taking originated to ensure that our landmark Welcome to the world of advanced social advantage of the novel ability to shorten conference on SARS, held at the fright- networking.  On May 27, the Academy joined the White House in making graduates in today’s competitive, global economy,” says Nancy the timeline between the discovery and ening height of the crisis, would be avail- a formal commitment to STEM education. The commitment, L. Zimpher, Academy board chair and State University of New distribution of new knowledge. In the life able not only to the 100 or so experts that which was made in concert with a group of like-minded organi- York chancellor, who attended the White House Science Fair. and other sciences, the change has been joined us for the first interdisciplinary zations and the federal government, was announced on the day “We are thankful to have the support of the White House as the slower and, despite obvious advantages, conclave on the mysterious disease but to of the White House Science Fair. New York Academy of Sciences’ Global STEM Alliance contin- more wrenching to many in the scientific thousands of scientists and public health “The Academy is committed to inspiring and empowering ues to help educate and train a technologically-savvy, innovative community. And, yet, unlike the mod- experts across the planet. Ellis Rubinstein students in STEM subjects; we believe this is as critical as sup- workforce for the future.” ern demise (or near-death experience) of Discovering the power of a new form President & CEO porting the world’s most accomplished scientists. Current stu- The Global STEM Alliance, launched by the Academy and its newsweeklies and increasing numbers of of “proceedings” that would combine the dents—the next generation of scientific innovators—will be es- partners, is designed to connect students from around the world newspapers, nearly 20 years after the ap- gifts of professional science journalists sential to solving many of the world’s most pressing challenges,” with each other and scientific role models, through a mix of site- says Ellis Rubinstein, president and CEO of the Academy. based programs, a collaborative digital platform, and a social “It is essential that the nation’s classrooms, from the earliest learning network. Learn more at www.nyas.org/globalSTEM. stages of education through college, utilize technology and criti-  cal thinking as we strive to meet increasing demand for STEM

2 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 3 Inside the Academy Inside the Academy

During the event, Professor Myrna Weissman, PhD, widow of Marshall Nirenberg, made a special presentation to the Academy and Sister Cities Academy’s President and CEO, Ellis Rubinstein, of two framed prints of scientific and historical significance: »»Marshall Nirenberg’s First Summary of the Genetic Code, Announce Formation January 18, 1965, and »»Marshall Nirenberg’s Summary at the Vatican of the Mean- ing of the Genetic Code and Evolution, November 1, 2007. of The STEMentoring Program 

(left to right) Academy President and CEO Ellis Rubinstein, Professor Myrna Weissman, and conference organizer and Professor Emeritus Brian Clark, of the University of Aarhus, Denmark, pose with a print of Sackler Institute Convenes Marshall Nirenberg’s First Summary of the Genetic Code. High-Level Forum on International Nutrition

Academy Hosts Symposium In June, The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the Academy, the Division of Human Nutrition at Wageningen to Explore 50 Years University and Research Centre, and leaders from academia, government, and the public and private sectors reached of the Genetic Code consensus on critical areas of global research necessary to advance maternal and child nutrition at an international On July 31, the Academy held the symposium “Fifty Years forum that brought together nutrition researchers, heads of of the Genetic Code: A Symposium to Honor the Legacy of policy organizations, program implementation experts, and Marshall Nirenberg” to commemorate the 50th anniversary representatives from public and private institutions. of the identification of all 64 codons that make up the genetic The “Forum on International Maternal and Child Nutrition: code. Presented by the International Union of Biochemistry and Initiating Research through Multi-Stakeholder Collaborations,” Molecular Biology and the Academy’s Hot Topics in Life Sciences held in Wageningen, Netherlands, was part of a series of activities discussion group, the symposium showcased current advances to further mobilize the international community around the in scientific and medical research that have resulted from uptake of research recommendations issued in the report, A Nirenberg’s discovery. Global Research Agenda for Nutrition Science, developed by the “Watson and Crick may have discovered the structure of Sackler Institute and partners in 2012. Students network at an Academy mentoring event. DNA, but they didn’t crack its code. That we can read a DNA They research focus areas that were designated as priorities at sequence and deduce what protein sequence it represents, the forum were: that we can design a mutation in which one amino acid in a »»adolescent girls’ nutrition; protein is precisely replaced by another, that we can interpret »»biological factors that affect micronutrient interventions; The Academy and Sister Cities International announced a new The STEMentoring Program will engage students in STEM disease-causing changes in the genome in terms of changes »»new tools to evaluate diet and nutritional status; and partnership, The STEMentoring Program, on July 31 to address subjects and bolster foundational skills through individual in the structures of proteins, that we can design totally new »»evidence-based methods for scaling up implementation of the global science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentor-mentee relationships, as well by connecting students proteins from scratch and have bacteria make them for us—all interventions. skills gap by forming mentoring relationships to engage students around the world through a virtual learning network in of these things, and more, are only possible because Marshall “The Forum indicates that it is possible to develop a more in STEM fields. which they will participate in webinars, connect with STEM Nirenberg and his associates taught us how to understand the streamlined and coordinated system in which to identify critical Building on the Academy’s robust network of STEM experts professionals, and complete online coursework, thus introducing language of nucleotide triplets,” says symposium organizer and research issues and conduct efficient research studies,” says and successful development of STEM education programming, students to the international aspects of participating in a global speaker Gregory A. Petsko, DPhil, Arthur J. Mahon Professor of Mandana Arabi, MD, PhD, executive director of the Sackler as well as Sister Cities’ role as a convener of international workforce. Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medical College. Institute. “We expect, with proper coordination, funding, and relationships and citizen diplomacy, the STEMentoring Program “For 58 years, Sister Cities International has served as a hub Symposium speakers, including Nobel laureate Venki communications that we can accelerate our work to improve will pair STEM professionals with undergraduate and graduate for international cooperation and learning. Our partnership Ramakrishnan, PhD, of the University of Cambridge, explored maternal and child nutrition across the globe.”  students, who will benefit from a year of individual mentoring. with the Academy will help create more people-to-people the current state of the genetic code, specifically focusing on the Mentors and mentees will be drawn from the populations of connections, bringing communities closer together and building many tools and principles within the field of chemistry that have Sister City pairs around the world and will be matched through professional relationships that will change lives,” says Mary D. been designed to probe the molecules and processes of living a robust online matching platform that uses career path profiles Kane, President and CEO, Sister Cities International.  cells and the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to and learning objectives to create optimal mentor-mentee protein. matches.

4 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 5 Op-Ed Op-Ed The Science, and Art, We were there to show the students that scientists don’t have to be crazy-haired, old white men—because we aren’t. of Mentoring

Teaching an afterschool forensics raining for our afterschool “forensic science” course flew heads to ensure no child was left behind was all but drowned out course was about by: fingerprints, shoeprints, crime scene sketches, hair by a stream of questions from the group: “Are we going to a real and fabric samples, and an encouraging “You’ll do great!” crime lab?” “Will we be wearing white coats?” “Are there going more than imparting TNot specializing in forensics, we scribbled down notes and were to be dead bodies there?” knowledge of DNA; certainly a little nervous as the slow trickle of students came into After a short refresher about DNA, our instructor, Melissa the classroom that first day. “Is this ‘MAD SCIENCE’ class?” Lee, quickly split us into groups, each equipped with a gel-box we aimed to teach someone popped their head in and asked. We both looked at and colored tubes. Once all the kids tried their luck loading sam- each other puzzled, until one of the teachers in the room replied, ples, the gang was teeming with excitement and huddled in the students the value of “Yes, yes it is. Now sit down already.” dark around an illuminated gel. “Wow! Does DNA really glow asking questions and Unlike past longer-term mentoring opportunities that we’d green?” one of them asked. “Well, not exactly…we use a fluores- had, our afterschool class only ran for one semester. Given that cent dye to see it,” Melissa replied with a smile. seeking answers. we had a different mix of kids attending each week, it was clear On our way back, the chatter had a new topic, and now the that the brief and sporadic nature of our interaction with each teachers were in on the conversation, too. Apparently, seeing student would require a different mentoring game plan. We DNA was pretty cool and warranted further discussion, and needed to quickly establish a relationship of mutual respect, that was the whole point. We wanted to use the little time we by Giovanna Collu and Jonathan Isaac Schneiderman generate and maintain enthusiasm, and most importantly, seed had to get everyone excited; not just the kids, but the teachers a lasting change in the kids’ relationship with science. Piece of as well. After all, the teachers’ continuous reinforcement would cake, right? ultimately ensure none of these children would be left behind. “So, does anyone know what ‘forensic’ means?” we asked a si- Time will tell whether we succeeded in making a lasting lent classroom. “It’s like on TV, when there’s a crime that needs to change. However, we knew that we’d achieved one of our goals. be solved,” we explained. But the truth was that we weren’t there When asked how a “real scientist” would dress, one student to teach them forensics at all. We were there to show them that quickly replied, “She can wear whatever she wants.” Although scientists don’t have to be crazy-haired, old white men—because we weren’t there to convince them all to become lab scientists, we aren’t. We were there to be relatable adults who happened to conveying that they were fully capable of doing so was certainly be scientists and were taking the time to teach them something a good use of our time. interesting. So, what worked well with our group? Like most things in With 90 minutes per session, we knew that time would al- life, it all came down to striking a balance. We had to enter the ways be limited. Still, the mission was clear: provide a fun break classroom with a clear teaching objective, but at the same time from the classroom routine. Once the kids were engaged with be flexible enough to let the kids follow up with tangential ques- hands-on activities, we could get them excited about solving tions so that they felt engaged. We also learned to include a va- problems using an evidence-based approach. Sure, we were “in- riety of activities and not be too didactic. Overall, though, the vestigating crimes,” but asking questions and critically assessing key to this mentoring experience was to be ourselves, have fun answers are also important for understanding science as well as solving crimes, and let our love of science speak for itself.  the world at large. We raised the stakes a few sessions into the semester when we planned a fieldtrip to the Harlem DNA Lab, a short train ride Giovanna Collu, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow in the Mlodzik Lab away. Tucked away in an area far-removed from our research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. facilities, the center is a division of Cold Spring Harbor Labora- tory, an organization home to numerous Nobel laureates. The Jonathan Isaac Schneiderman, PhD, is associate director of science trip gave us an exciting opportunity to share a small part of our at McCANN RCW day-to-day lives with the students. So there we were, 12 kids, two teachers and the two of us, Editor’s note: For information on becoming a mentor in the on the New York City subway during rush hour, on our way to Academy’s Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program, visit see how DNA is analyzed in a lab. Our mantra-like counting of www.nyas.org/AfterSchoolProgram.

6 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 7 Academy Feature

With the words “…and after the break, we will be joined by Dr. Jennifer Henry, live from New York…,” they cut to a track, and I call in via skype.

Preparation Is Key When I am preparing for a show, I spend about two months looking at research breakthroughs, current affairs, or interest- ing presentations that I have heard at the Academy—basically seeking anything that catches my attention through the eyes of a science-interested citizen. This process starts the minute I’m off the call from the previous show. I spend a few hours researching the topic and preparing a few pages of notes, at which point I usually find I have way too much information for a 10-minute segment, then spend a while distilling it down into a page or two of bullet points. Once show time rolls around, I tune in via streaming radio and listen to the first half hour of the show so I can be sure not to “Is there evidence that New Yorkers no longer take emergen- repeat any material already discussed (including breaking news cy response sirens seriously?” stories that the other panelists may have seen in Science or Na- This is where my notes come in handy—hopefully the panel- ture that week). Due to the fact that we are multiple time zones ists’ questions touch upon issues that I have researched. At times, Academy apart, the show goes to air at 11am on Sunday morning (east however, I am caught by surprise if they ask an unexpected ques- coast Australia time), which is either 7pm or 9pm on Saturday tion or one from way out of left field. All I can do then is make night in New York (depending on daylight savings). I therefore an educated guess, or ask the panelists if they have an opinion on the Radio also need to get “in tune” with the Sunday morning vibe of the (which they invariably do). show and be cognizant of any major events that took place the We then wrap up the segment, vow to do it all again in two night before in Melbourne, such as the aftermath of a federal months, and I get off the call with a huge sigh of relief. I walk election, cuts to Australian science budgets, or a football grand to the other end of the apartment, where my husband has usu- Presenting science updates on Australian public radio final (equivalent to the Superbowl). If Huntington’s team (Essen- ally been hiding out in the bedroom to give me some privacy don) and mine (Collingwood) have recently played each other, a on the call, and he says “How did it go?” My response is almost helps to bridge the gap between continents, and spark few jokes usually fly… always “Fine…I think.” It takes at least half an hour to get over With the words “…and after the break, we will be joined by the ordeal. scientific interest among people half a world away. Dr. Jennifer Henry, live from New York…,” they cut to a track, and I call in via Skype. Huntington picks up my call, we have Worth the Effort a quick chat to test the sound quality, and he puts me on hold So why do I subject myself to this grueling mini-exam every two by Jennifer Henry until the track finishes. He then says “…and joining us now on the months? Wouldn’t I rather spend my Saturday evening relaxing? phone from New York, we have Dr. Jennifer Henry, director of Life Yes, it’s work, and it’s often difficult to find the free time to select Sciences at the New York Academy of Sciences. What’s happening and research a topic, but, like all things that require effort, the over there, Dr. Jennifer?” feeling of achievement when it’s all over makes it well worth it. I Those of you who know me in my capacity as director of Life tious diseases, chemistry, engineering, and quantum mechanics. And off I go. I try to make my segment as natural, chatty, and love the feeling of international science connectivity. I love that, Sciences at the Academy know that I am passionate about com- The show’s aim is to discuss science and science-related issues in conversation-like as possible. I talk my way through the topic us- even though my fellow panelists, the listeners, and I can all read municating science (basically to anyone who is interested). In a friendly and accessible manner. ing my prepared bullet point notes to keep the facts straight. Af- the same material in Science or Nature, I can hopefully bring an addition to my job here at the Academy, every two months I do My brief is to cover “What’s Hot in New York Science.” I have ter a few minutes, the other panelists contribute their thoughts extra, more personal dimension to the issues with an on-the- a call-in radio segment on a weekly science program called “Ein- covered such diverse topics as: (which gives me the chance to catch my breath, and gives me ground New York perspective. stein A Go Go,” on public radio station 3RRR-FM in Melbourne, »»the fascinating ginkgo fruit, including ginkgo recipes; guidance on what angles they, as representatives of the citizen- I also love spreading the word about the Academy’s mission, Australia (which happens to be my home country). »»the work of the Office of the Chief Medical examiner, par- science community, find interesting about the topic). It can be and hope that this might propel listeners to visit our fabulous The station is not unlike the Academy—it is a membership- ticularly their analysis of the biological samples at Ground rather like an exam, as the panelists throw in unexpected ques- website, listen to our extensive range of eBriefings and podcasts, based, not-for-profit organization that is supported by commu- Zero; tions and I have to hope that my preparation was sufficiently read our archive of Annals, and possibly also become a member nity sponsors and 12,000 subscribers. “Einstein A Go Go,” which »»the arrival of the once-every-17-years periodical cicada; broad to get me through this phase of the segment. of our truly international network.  airs on Sunday mornings (Melbourne time) is headed up by Dr. »»scientific highlights from Obama’s 2nd inauguration speech; “How does the life span of the periodical cicada differ from Shane Huntington. Huntington has a background in physics, »»how Hurricane Sandy hit various research labs in NYC; and those of the cicadas we see every summer in Australia?” with a specialty in photonics and imaging. The five or so other »»changing pitches and frequencies in NYC’s emergency “How did the coroner’s office handle processing the remains Jennifer Henry, PhD, is director of Life Sciences at the New York panelists on the show are equally accomplished scientists and response sirens. of the terrorists alongside those of the victims?” Academy of Sciences. science communicators, holding PhDs in areas spanning infec-

8 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 9 A look at the history Dispatches From and future of two the Democratization groundbreaking bastions of knowledge of Science dissemination.

by Gina Masullo

n an industry with more than 28,000 academic journals, to say that interested audi- ences have abundant choices for how they consume scientific information would be a gross understatement. But that wasn’t always the case. When the first issue ofI Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences was published in 1823, it was one of only a handful of scientific journals, most of them unsuccessful, and it had around 100 subscribers—a number that remained stagnant for several years. Though the interdisciplinary peer-review journal had an inauspicious start, its de- but publication sparked a rich tradition of excellence and innovation in scientific pub- lishing. Annals evolved from a resource for local scientific elites into a much respected and cited resource that’s read the world over, one of the longest continuously published scientific serials in the United States and a powerful symbol of the democratization of cutting-edge scientific information. Today, the Academy’s flagship publication, Annals has published more than 1,300 volumes over 191 years. As the Academy began researching a variety of topics in greater detail during its first decades, its popularity grew; and, by association, so did interest in Annals. Sales of the journal quadrupled in 1939, the same year Eunice Miner was appointed execu- tive secretary of the Academy. Miner passionately expanded the number of Academy memberships and hosted events; accordingly, Annals’ distribution increased exponen- tially. By the 1960s, the Academy was sponsoring several dozen conferences a year, and distributing Annals to an audience of about 40,000. Each issue informed readers about the Academy’s conference proceedings, on topics increasingly varied and news- worthy—and a look back through its pages is a window into the challenges the scien- tific community has faced and overcome throughout history. In 1946, for instance, the Academy hosted the first large scientific assembly on antibiotics, with a particular focus on combating tuberculosis. Margaret Mead published several Annals papers during her time as vice president at the New York Academy of Sciences in the 1970s; other notable contributors over the years have included Paul Ekman, Franz Boas, Edmund B. Wilson, Joshua Lederberg, and Ralph Steinman. The Academy’s Puerto Rico survey, initiated in the early 20th century, attracted perhaps the most attention of all. Co-founder of the New York Botanical Garden (and Academy member) Nathaniel Lord Britton initiated a four-year study of the island’s geology, botany, and zoology. Starting in 1914 and including research from scientists in various sectors, the survey was the first and most comprehensive of its kind. Re-

10 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 11 Cover Story Cover Story

Douglas Braaten, PhD, editor-in-chief of Annals of the New those in cognitive neuroscience with a place to pull together key “One of the most unique things about York Academy of Sciences and executive director of science pub- ideas on an annual basis.” eBriefings Through The Years Annals is the ability to produce lications, explains the journal’s continued relevance this way: He continues, “The value of the themed volumes is evident Here we present a selection of some of our most popular eBriefings, “One of the most unique things about Annals is the ability to in the impact that it has had on the field since its initial publica- covering a variety of topics. All are available online to Academy members. individually themed issues…currently produce individually themed issues. We can essentially design tion in 2008. As of last year, the reviews contributed to The Year what we publish; currently, that’s 28 individual projects per in Cognitive Neuroscience have averaged 38 citations. The very Frontiers of Biomedical Science about 28 individual projects per year, year, on varying topics—so readers really get both scope and first article in the 2008 edition, “The brain’s default network,” has February 2006 depth into the topics. been cited over 2,500 times. This impact rivals some of the most www.nyas.org/china on varying topics—providing both “We also produce volumes stemming from conferences, highly regarded journals, and demonstrates the high value the scope and depth into these topics.” which is one of the reasons Annals continues to be unique; we field places on these review articles to keep researchers up to date Human Swine Flu (H1N1) will commission papers from the invited speakers in a field on a quickly evolving field.” and Novel Influenza Pandemics from an international conference. The resulting collection of The Academy remains committed to quality of research, July 2009 www.nyas.org/swineflu papers provides a state-of-the-art view of a topic for people as well as innovation in information delivery. The number of who weren’t in the room. We have over a 100-year history of methods the Academy uses to communicate research and ideas providing conference proceedings, the aim of which is to de- to the scientific community and beyond continues to grow. The Zero Net Energy Buildings: Reality or Fiction? ports from the island, published in Annals as well as the Journal mocratize scientific information.” 191 year-old journal has evolved from a print-only publication August 2009 of the New York Botanical Garden and the Bulletin of the Ameri- Also important to the publication’s stellar reputation is “a to a robust collection of interactive multimedia tools. Thanks to www.nyas.org/zero-net-energy can Museum of Natural History, were so well received that the high-quality, peer-review process” and “traditional journal stan- its partnership with Wiley, Academy members and institutions project quickly grew in size, scope, and financial backing. By the dards and ethics.” with Annals benefits can access every volume ever published via New Thoughts about Causes, Prevention, summer of 1916, 23 research groups had visited the island to ex- Alongside its stalwart ethics, the Academy’s commitment to the Academy website; they can even read archives via a free mo- and Treatment of Childhood Obesity amine areas including entomology, mycology, anthropology, and innovation ensures Annals’ growing influence and credibility. bile app. June 2012 paleontology. The groundbreaking project ultimately expanded Within the last decade, annual reviews of specific scientific top- www.nyas.org/ChildhoodObesity-eB to the Virgin Islands, incorporated research from an internation- ics have become a staple of the publication. A New Tool al community of scientists, and lasted more than 25 years, culmi- Further illustrating its commitment to bringing comprehensive, Cracking the Neural Code: nating in the publication of the multi-volume Scientific Survey Undertaking Deep Dives cutting-edge scientific information to a truly global audience, Third Annual Aspen Brain Forum of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. George Uhl, PhD, chief of the Molecular Neurobiology Research in 2003 the Academy introduced eBriefings: interactive, user- November 2012 Branch at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, serves as editor friendly web resources that increase the longevity and impact of www.nyas.org/NeuralCode-eB Expanding Scope & Reach of the Annals series Addiction Reviews. “I don’t think there is Academy events. Conceived in the wake of the Academy’s in- Annals has documented a large proportion of the conferences anything like it in addiction, and I serve on several publication terdisciplinary SARS conference, eBriefings are now a standard Advances in P. vivax Malaria Research held by the New York Academy of Sciences, and, since 1981, committees in this area,” he says. “The effort with Addiction Re- offering, providing the benefits of Academy events and confer- August 2013 www.nyas.org/vivax-eB it has covered news and discoveries from unaffiliated scientific views is to try to review things that are getting to the point of be- ences to those who are unable to attend in person. The multime- conferences as well. With the expansion of technology and ex- ing interesting rather than things that are already acknowledged dia presentations include meeting summaries written by science citement for attention-grabbing efforts such as space exploration, by everyone as interesting, and I think that has helped the impact writers and scientists, a selection of speakers’ slides and audio, interest in the Academy and its flagship publication continued to factor”—a statistic that calculates the average number of outside and links to related information. Over the last decade, eBrief- grow. So, too, did the journal’s scope and reach. Annals is now citations per article—which for this series is an impressive 13, ings have been cited by news outlets including The Wall Street opportunity to discuss more ways in which crowdfunding could available in 4,505 institutions worldwide via a partnership with compared to similar publications’ typical scores of two or three. Journal, US News & World Report, and Med News Today. They be applied to scientific research.” the Wiley Online Library of licensed subscriptions, and in thou- Other annual review topics include The Year in Cognitive receive around 10,000 unique page views each month; in the last Garbarino adds, “Given the disproportionate distribution of sands of institutions in the developing world via philanthropic Neuroscience, edited by Michael Miller, PhD, professor and vice- fiscal year, the presentations were accessed from more than 140 scientific and educational resources in our nation, providing free initiatives. During the last year (June 2013 – June 2014), Annals chair of psychological and brain sciences at UC Santa Barbara, countries. access to high quality materials is always a good thing.” was the fifth-most accessed journal among Wiley’s 2,304 jour- and Alan Kingstone, PhD, distinguished university scholar and Explains Brooke Grindlinger, PhD, executive director of This egalitarian approach to the dissemination of scientific nals, where it received 2,283,137 visits. Google Scholar ranks the professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. scientific programs at the Academy: “eBriefings offer everyone knowledge is quite fitting in the context of the Academy’s history. journal number 10 on its list of top health and medical science “Starting up an annual review in cognitive neuroscience was within the global scientific community access to today’s cutting- As early as 1903, audiences filled the lecture hall at the American publications, in the company of esteemed publications like The such an obviously brilliant idea,” explains Kingstone. “The field edge knowledge conveyed by world-renowned leaders in almost Museum of Natural History to hear Academy presentations on New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet. was nearly 20 years old, and there was a real need to provide every discipline in science and technology. It’s your science, on topics such as the Mount Pelée volcano on Martinique or the your schedule, sowing the seeds for your next big idea.” physical and economic aspects of Mexico. These presentations The Academy produces approximately 60 eBriefings each were particularly appealing because they incorporated cutting- year; recent topics have run the gamut from Alzheimer’s disease edge technology of the time—lantern slides and stereopticon— to the use of “big data.” The online resources are presented in that helped bring scientists’ invaluable research to life. partnership with a global network of partners, including The Hints Braaten, the editor of Annals: “A new contract with Wi- Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg ley is reinvigorating Academy publishing and opening new ave- School of Public Health, The National Institutes of Health, and nues, such as Academy book publishing.” And as the technology The U.S. Food and Drug Administration. and science fields continue to evolve, you can be sure that the Jeanne Garbarino, PhD, director of science outreach at Rock- Academy’s approach to disseminating vital information will, too, efeller University, led an Academy panel in September 2013 titled ensuring that scientists and non-scientists alike will have access “Crowdfunding: An Emerging Funding Mechanism for Science to globe-changing ideas and evidence for generations to come. Research.” She explains that the eBriefing helped expand interest and research in this emerging topic: “It allowed me to connect with others who are interested in this topic, and also provided an Gina Masullo is a journalist in New York City.

12 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 13 Academy Feature The Little Magazine that Could IMPACT by Peter G. Brown

The Sciences cover, March/April 1991.

Download the NatureJournals app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch and access over 30 high impact Nature-branded titles. View all The Sciences, published by the news content and open access articles for free, or with an Academy Academy for 40 years, became Professional membership gain full access to Nature for free. one of the most honored science magazines in America. The contents n 1961, the year The Sciences was born, the Russian cosmo- For membership information contact the Academy Customer naut Yuri Gagarin became the first man launched into space. Service Department [email protected] or access of the entire run of issues is now Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, breaking Babe Ruth’s record. CatchI 22 was published. JFK and Nikita Khrushchev were in of- the Member Center online at nyas.org/Membership available for members to enjoy fice, and one night in August the Berlin Wall was put up. online. 1961 was a banner year in science, too. Sydney Brenner Tap in and discover more. and Francis Crick showed that the code for making the build- ing blocks of any protein is a series of three consecutive DNA base pairs. Murray Gell-Mann and Yuval Ne’eman developed a appstore.com/naturejournals scheme they called the eightfold way (later reformulated as the quark model) for classifying “elementary” particles. Louis and Mary Leakey discovered Homo habilis in Tanzania’s Olduvai iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc. Get the free mobile app at http://gettag.mobi Gorge. In those early days, The Sciences was a modest undertaking. The first issues amounted to little more than pamphlets, four sheets of letter-size paper folded once and stapled along the

The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 15

24939-25 NYAS ap 2014 ad.indd 1 05/02/2014 17:07 Academy Feature Academy Feature

“Soon, major scientists realized they could communicate with the public as well as their peers by contributing to the pages of The Sciences.”

cles, Roald Hoffmann, Leon Lederman, Peter Medawar, Norman Ramsey, Andrei Sakharov, Richard E. Smalley, and Frank Wil- czek, along with such luminaries as Enrico Bombieri, Freeman Dyson, Sir Fred Hoyle, Alan Lightman, Lynn Margulis, Heinz Pagels, Oliver Sacks, Albert Sabin, Robert Sapolsky, and Ed- mund O. Wilson. Perhaps the most amazing assembly of eminent scientists associated with The Sciences gathered in fall 1996 at the Acad- emy for a celebration of the magazine’s 35th anniversary. They included von Baeyer, the biologist and Nobel laureate Günter Blobel, the biologist Tom Eisner, the chemist and Nobel laureate Dudley Herschbach, Margulis, and the physicist/mathematician (and Fields medalist) Edward Witten. We invited these and 20 other leading scientists to list the three most important achieve- ments of the preceding 35 years, the three advances they most expected in the next 35 years—and at least one example of their discipline’s worst mistakes. Some responses were serious, some not so much. But what we had not expected—and what made the lists so readable—was the playful approach and sparkling wit “Casting the Net: The Origins of the Internet” from some of the world’s smartest people, having a very good “Prelude to a Cell: Life Began with a Primitive Metabolism in the (The Sciences, September/October 1996). time. You can read their responses in “A Billion Seconds of The Primeval Soup” (The Sciences, November/December 1990). Sciences” (November/December 1996). spine. But the New York Academy of Sciences nurtured the proj- Early Days ect through its fledgling years, and soon major scientists realized My initial contact with The Sciences was a fairly typical first en- Art in The Sciences they could communicate with the public as well as their peers by counter. In 1980, fresh out of grad school, I landed in New York, Amidst all the scientific royalty, the one feature for which The Greatest Hits: A Sampler contributing to its pages. The magazine gained a reputation as a where I decided to “become a science journalist.” I contacted ev- Sciences was perhaps best known was its use of fine art. Success- small voice of reason and authority in the world of science writ- ery science magazine I could think of about “writing something.” ful offspring have many fathers, and several former chief editors from The Sciences ing for the general public. Susan Hassler of The Sciences was the only editor kind enough to have claimed major roles in inventing or advancing what became respond to my naïveté, and she took the chance of assigning me the most brilliant design decision of the magazine’s history. In Former editor of The Sciences Peter Brown provides a list of to do a brief story for the magazine’s news section. After some truth, though, fine art was introduced primarily to save money, favorite articles from the past. Read them online. editorial back-and-forth, my piece was published, unsigned, but not to enhance design. Commissioning original oil paintings or in a form still recognizable to its author. I was on my way. airbrush illustrations, as commercial magazines of the day were »»October 1980: Article, “The Lives of the Stars: Energy Like most magazines, The Sciences developed its own “stable” doing, was out of the question. Even original photography was Shapes Their Careers,” by Hans A. Bethe The Sciences at Your Fingertips of scientist-authors, artists, freelance journalists, and, of course, quite expensive if it was any good. Rental fees for reproductions »»November/December 1990: Article, “Prelude to a Cell: Life staff writers such as Jonathan Weiner and Robert Wright who of paintings and sculpture, however, were quite reasonable. Began with a Primitive Metabolism in the Primeval Soup,” Editor’s note: Today, the legacy of The Sciences lives on—given by Christian de Duve new life by the Academy, in partnership with publisher John Wiley made regular or semi-regular appearances. Among the “outsid- Reproductions of fine art were appearing in The Sciences by March/April 1993: Article, “The Five Sexes, Why Male and and Sons, Inc., by providing the contents of the entire run of The ers” (i.e., nonstaff), the most important were designated “con- August 1966, under Samuel Burger, the first chief editor of re- »» Sciences free of charge to Academy members through the Wiley tributing editors”—a list that included the cartoonist Roz Chast, cord. Burger’s successor, Peter D. Albertson (editor, 1966–1968), Female Are Not Enough,” by Anne Fausto-Sterling Online Library. As a member, you can read any article online or Stephen Jay Gould, Brian Hayes, Horace Freeland Judson, Lau- introduced more sophisticated layouts, which he continued dec- »»May/June 1997: Department, Physika, “Disorderly download it as a PDF. rence Marschall, Ashley Montagu, and Hans Christian von Baey- orating with art. Subsequent editors gave an increasingly promi- Conduct: Order Always Seeps Away Toward Chaos, But Simply log in with your member name and password at er. Artists were drawn from every style, every era, and every cul- nent role to art, until Paul T. Libassi (editor, 1981–1989)—who the Ways of Entropy Can Be Passing Subtle,” by Hans www.nyas.org, click “Publications” in the top menu, click “The Christian von Baeyer Sciences” from the dropdown menu, then, scroll down and click ture, but favorites, at least in my day, included those who might once held the title Fine Arts Consultant—insisted that all im- “Read The Sciences now.” be described as neo-surrealists, such as Fanny Brennan, Alfredo ages come from the arts. (Even Libassi, however, found, on rare »»November/December 1999: Department, The Information For assistance, contact Academy Customer Service at Castañeda, Odd Nerdrum, Mark Tansey, and Kit Williams. occasions, that he had to admit a diagram.) The role of art had Age, “Clock of Ages,” by Brian Hayes +1-800-843-6927 or [email protected]. The magazine, through the Academy, also attracted its share morphed into a signature feature, chosen to complement the sci- of noteworthy scientist-authors, among them the Nobel laure- entific articles rather than simply to illustrate them. ates Hans Bethe, Francis Crick, Christian de Duve, John C. Ec-

16 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 17 Academy Feature

The Sciences staff celebrates a National Magazine Award. Front Row, Left to Right: Emily Laber, Peter Brown, Elizabeth Meryman. Back Row, Left to Right: Levin Santos, Jeffrey Winters, Mary Beth Aberlin. Photo taken May 2000. “A Billion Seconds of The Sciences” (The Sciences, November/December 1996).

Battle for the Bottom Line But art, introduced as an economy, was beginning to have a National Magazine Awards substantial indirect impact on cost. Paper quality had been enhanced almost monotonically since the earliest days of The The success of The Sciences in garnering the most prestigious Sciences, until, by the Libassi era, the presses were running awards in magazine journalism was so out of proportion to its Cadillac-quality “body stock.” The paper was a fine, bright, opaque size or budget that a year without winning or placing among and glossy sheet, the best possible medium for reproducing art. the top five finalists at the National Magazine Awards was the But fine paper is costly, and it weighs more per sheet than lesser rare exception. In the period 1985–2000 the magazine was stock, which drove up postage and shipping costs as well. By the either a finalist or a winner in the category “General Excellence time I became editor, in late 1989, these high production values, (under 100,000 circulation)” in every year except 1992, 1994 coupled with a “book size” (the page count per issue) pushing 80, and 1997. At the time of its closure in 2001, its lifetime record were raising red flags for the Academy’s management. of seven wins put it in a four-way tie (with Business Week, As things turned out, it was quite possible to produce a high- Your brain is hungry for science. Outside, and Sports Illustrated) for 11th place among all U.S. quality magazine with fewer pages and less luxurious materials. magazines. After a series of cuts, the issues settled in at around 48 pages Feed it 40 years of —P.G.B. each. A blue-ribbon panel of top editors and publishers, includ- ing Jacqueline Leo (at the time, the group editorial director for women’s magazines of The New York Times), the late Charles award-winning excellence. Ramond (a financial whiz with a background in advertising re- search), and Dick Stolley (a Time-Life wunderkind who was the founding editor of People Weekly magazine), managed to stabi- Sometimes the interplay of science and art is straightforward lize matters for several years. Winner of 7 National Magazine Awards, The Sciences, originally published yet striking, as in Rembrandt’s self-portraits from young artist to But the eventual demise of the magazine never seemed in from 1961–2001, is now digitally available online. Academy members now old man that accompany an article on aging in 1991 (“On Grow- doubt. Things came to a head in early 2001, when Academy CEO have exclusive access to all 41 volumes of original, thought-provoking ing Old,” by Robert M. Sapolsky and Caleb E. Finch, March/April Rodney W. Nichols, ever skeptical about the membership value 1991). More often, though, placing artwork next to scientific text of the magazine, cut the frequency from bimonthly to quarterly. science writing, accompanied by full-color reproductions of world-class adds depth and reveals interpretive possibilities that neither the In the end, as we now know, that lasted one issue. After nearly 40 artworks. Login and feed your brain today. art nor the science could do alone. The abstract patterns woven years of publishing, the Spring 2001 issue of The Sciences rolled www.nyas.org/thesciences into textiles by “Anonymous,” which complement a 1996 article off the presses—with a cover story on climate change intention- on the origins of the Internet (“Casting the Net,” by Katie Hafner ally titled to convey a double meaning: “Climate of Doubt.” and Matthew Lyon, September/October 1996), or Yves Tanguy’s There would be no summer.  paintings mashed up with an article on prime numbers,(“Prime Territory,” by Enrico Bombieri, September/October 1992), are two good examples of a synthesis greater than its parts. Peter G. Brown was the editor of The Sciences from 1989 until its closure in 2001. www.nyas.org

18 www.nyas.org Academy Feature Academy Feature

volunteer mentor for the day, it’s all about “As with all good engineering, there’s iteration Ready, Set: Robots! demystifying science and helping kids see that it’s not boring, scary, or foreign. that happens and the teams learn a lot about “It’s not necessarily about making ev- Middle school students tackle “Nature’s Fury” through teamwork, eryone here become a scientist,” Huang what happens with the robots as they watch them persistence, and robots at an Academy event. said. “My goal is that I don’t want any of them to be afraid of science. I want them perform.” by Caitlin Johnson to have interest, which will help them in any case. Even if they work in business, they should to be able to talk to scientists.” Tinkering & Teamwork The centerpiece of the day was the table- top LEGO® Robotics scrimmage, where teams design and program a LEGO robot to navigate an 8-foot by 4-foot game board in two-and-a-half minutes. The layout of the board simulated the aftermath of a natural disaster. Teams earned points for each task their robot completed—for ex- ample, clearing debris, avoiding obstacles, and picking up and moving pieces from one spot on the board to another. Many of the students said they were especially excited about learning com- puter programming to “teach” their ro- bots what to do, and about incorporating high-tech components into their LEGO and tweak things. “As with all good engi- Nearby, David Cadunzi, 13, with St. creations. “The coolest thing was the ul- neering, there’s iteration that happens and Clare Transformers, said that’s what he trasonic sensor we put on our robot. We the teams learn a lot about what happens likes most about this annual Academy could program the distance from barri- with the robots as they watch them per- event: “It’s about having fun, and the trial ers and surfaces and it could avoid them,” form,” said Stephanie Wortel, Academy and error that helps you succeed. When said Ariel Sanchez, 9, with PS 94K’s Mas- Education Program Manager. “They work my team and I don’t get a program we ter Blaster team. together to problem-solve and make their want to get, we don’t back down. We keep His teammate Eric Velasquez, also robots even better.” trying it even though we mess up a lot.” 9, said that they first learned about the That’s what members of team Flash John Steib, 12, with Team LEGO Force sensor by watching others use it and “we from Genesis Middle School at Xavarian agreed: “That’s a good thing you have to decided to learn how to use it for the High School in Brooklyn did after their learn in life, too. You can’t just fix every- or a moment, 12-year-old Gabri- In all, more than 100 students from problem that a National Geographic pho- missions. The sensor makes me feel like, first run. Huddled over their gameboard, thing by doing it one way or with the push ella Ryan was distracted by the schools across New York City took part tographer might encounter in the field: ‘How can we learn and use new things?’” Ryan Clark, 11, and teammates CJ Ruiz, of a button.” sweeping view of the Hudson Riv- in the daylong celebration of science and how to lift a camera 10 feet in the air for That spirit of collaborative learning— Michael Cuddy, and Chris McElhinney, “It’s easier working together with a Fer from the New York Academy of Sci- engineering. Students worked together to an aerial shot while the photographer’s borrowing and building on what works— all 12, were replacing their robot’s treads team because if you’re doing one thing ence’s fortieth-floor conference space at 7 problem-solve, learn, and have some seri- feet remain firmly on solid ground. is a big part of what this annual event is and swapping out some of the parts. and it’s hard for you, your friends are Word Trade Center. ous fun with science. Each of the challenges picks up on the designed to foster. “This wasn’t planned, it was more like there and you can learn from them,” Sha- “This is the first time my team has Teams came prepared to compete in theme of this year’s event, “Nature’s Fury.” Because this was a scrimmage, not an a last minute thing,” Cuddy admitted. meekah Gray, 13, said. competed in the city this year and it’s re- three activities: a LEGO® Robotics Game- It’s a theme that hit close to home, espe- official FIRST LEGO League (FLL) com- “The referees told us we could use more Some pretty grownup lessons were be- ally cool to be in this atmosphere,” Ryan board Challenge, a research project— cially for those who live in areas of the petition, it was open to teams who didn’t accuracy and speed.” ing learned through “gameifying” science said, admiring the spring sun reflecting both of which are part of a global series Northeastern U.S. hit hard by Superstorm qualify for the FLL finals taking place Teammate Alexander Ayoub, 13, and mathematics. off the buildings below. “It’s like, so real of events sponsored by LEGO and the Sandy just over a year ago. later in the spring at the Javitz Center stopped tinkering long enough to reflect: because we’re here. I’m really excited to nonprofit science mentoring program, In addition to the students, their fami- in New York. And while the scrimmage “The thing about this, it’s just a great ex- The Nature’s Fury Research see all the different teams. And of course, FIRST®—and a networking challenge lies, and coaches, more than 30 adult vol- mimicked the competition format—with perience because many other people don’t Challenge: “We Lived it” all the robots.” where students collected stickers for suc- unteers—most of them graduate students four tables of teams competing at the do this kind of stuff and it really makes us The Robotics Challenge may have been Ryan, a seventh grader at the St. Clare cessfully interacting with scientists and or professionals in STEM fields—volun- same time—each robot was going for its a lot smarter. But it takes a lot of things, the main event, but students were equally School on Staten Island came with her engineers. teered to spend their Saturday serving as personal best rather than trying to beat like building and programming, and you excited about the research project. In Sep- team, the Transformers 2, and 10 other This year, a fourth challenge was an- mentors or judges for the research proj- the others. need strategies. That helps you with prac- tember 2013, teams were given an assign- middle school teams for the Academy’s nounced the day of the event: the Na- ects. Each team got three runs on the scrim- tically everything in life, not just if you ment: identify a real community and a fourth annual Family Engineering Chal- tional Geographic Explorers’ Engineering For Bridget Huang, a biochemistry mage tables; in between, they could take want to become an engineer or a pro- nature-related problem it faces, and come lenge Day this spring. Challenge, which asks students to tackle a PhD student at Columbia University and their boards back to their “base camps” grammer.” up with an innovative solution that will

20 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 21 Academy Feature In Memoriam

“A Little Scary, A Lot Cool” “The quality of the presentations and the Remembering ideas and the access the kids have to in- formation continues to amaze me,” said Paul Walker, a physicist by training who Herbert Kayden leads technology for Goldman Sachs and is also an Academy Board Member. He The former Academy president jump-started a long-lasting focus on volunteered to judge the presentations, as he has done each year of the event. collaboration, setting the organization on a path to success. Walker noted that this year, the net- working component was integrated by Hallie Kapner throughout the event. “In so many sci- ence programs, formal communication and science are emphasized but informal Medicine in 1943. Kayden served as a Naval physician in World communication or networking—which is War II, and his ship, the destroyer escort vessel USS Charles really the difference between success and Lawrence, participated in the Battle of Okinawa. failure in many of these fields—is not part Kayden returned to New York after the war, and was fortunate of the program.” to secure one of the few coveted residency positions available to Bronx Taskforce coach Oscar Lemus military physicians who needed to complete their training. His said the Academy scrimmage “gives kids a appointment, as chief resident on a joint research and clinical prevent damage or help the community cided on the ones we thought would be career awareness that other tournaments service on what is now called Roosevelt Island, gave Kayden his recover from the natural disaster. the most effective and would help our can’t offer. They have unlimited questions, first exposure to a scientific research environment and placed And innovate they did. community the most,” St. Clare student and this is a place where they can ask real him in the fortuitous position of seeing patients alongside medi- Projects ranged from a waterproof Daniella Gomes said. scientists.” cal researchers developing new treatments for disease. At that coating to prevent generators from ex- Transformers 1 designed “Pack N’ For Enxon Zheng, from PS 94 in time, clinicians working in tandem with researchers were fairly ploding (developed by students in Bay Track,” a waterproof box that keeps valu- Brooklyn, the networking was both “scary unusual—the relationship between the two groups was far more Ridge and Breezy Point, Brooklyn, which able papers safe and has a transponder so and cool. Today, I learned how to be brav- competitive than collaborative, as Kayden remembers it. was plagued by fires after Sandy) to an in- it can be tracked at a distance of 35 feet er and have courage to talk with others He believed that the positive collaboration between the med- flatable “SnapAlert” life vest that includes (in version two, the team plans to boost and learn and know about them. I’m usu- ical doctors and PhDs on his service—he called them “stellar supplies and a homing device to alert res- the distance). ally kind of shy.” investigators”—uniquely prepared him not only to embark on cuers, to a full-body suit to keep wearers Transformers 2 built “The Window “That’s my favorite part,” said Darius the research activities that were the hallmark of his career, but to safe and warm in dirty flood waters. A Seal,” a window that automatically seals Gravely with team LEGOForce. “I get to understand the dynamics of the New York Academy of Sciences more fanciful project, Hurricane Fight- itself during a flood. They used a typi- meet people who are actually, like, from Herbert Kayden (right) with his wife Gabrielle Reem and to ultimately lead the organization. ers, centered on large flying robots that cal basement window and lined it with a science and ask how they work with sci- (left) at the Academy’s 2009 Annual Gala. Many of the researchers on Kayden’s service during his resi- emit countervailing winds to disrupt hur- bicycle tire tube that inflates when water ence.” dency were members of the Academy and encouraged him to ricanes. activates a pressure sensor, indicating that This year, that included a visit from eflecting on the circumstances that first brought him to join as well. He paid his $40 dues, and “before I knew it, I was At the Academy, each team got 20 flood waters are nearing the window. real-live astronauts, including Charlie the New York Academy of Sciences, in 1949, Herbert plucked out and put on committees,” Kayden recalls, describing minutes to pitch their ideas and field Not all teams designed research proj- Camarda and Rick Linnehan. Through- Kayden, MD, once remarked, “I’ve often wondered what how what began as a simple membership in one of the preemi- questions from a panel of judges, all of ects to solve hurricane and flood-related out the event, they visited with teams and wouldR have happened in my future if, instead of bouncing there nent scientific societies in the country became something far them STEM professionals from Tata Con- problems. Team LEGOForce from MS fielded questions from excited students. (to the Academy), the ball had bounced once more and I had greater. sultancy Services, Moody’s, Goldman 442 in Brooklyn chose Boston as their A Queens native and graduate of been in a different place.” In the 65 years since that fateful day he Sachs, and InfoSys. community, and blizzard-related power Brooklyn Polytech, Camarda praised the first attended an Academy meeting, a time during which Kayden Taking An Active Role “It felt so real because we were in a outages as their problem to solve. Academy for teaching teamwork, com- ultimately served as Academy Governor and President, it has be- Almost immediately, Kayden became deeply involved in the conference room and the judges were “During a blizzard, it’s really impor- munication, and the importance of failing come truly impossible to envision the organization without his Academy’s esteemed conference committee, which was respon- actual engineers and people in the field,” tant [to keep power on] because you can and trying again. influence—a fact that has become clearer since his passing this sible for screening conference proposals and shaping the con- said Thomas Drennan, a member of St. get hypothermia and that can be deadly,” “The older these kids get, the more summer. tent, length, and panel of presenters for each event. As they are Clare’s Transformers. said Ivan Sanchez, 13. they’re going to be told what works and A native New Yorker, Kayden spent nearly all of his life in the today, the Academy’s conferences were then viewed as a venue Judges gave special recognition to sev- After talking to an Office of Emergen- what doesn’t work. We have to make sure city, leaving an indelible mark not only on the Academy, but on to share breakthrough findings and explore emerging fields of eral stand-out projects, including those cy Management employee and one of the that they stay critical thinkers and lifelong the students he taught at New York University School of Medi- inquiry, and the proceedings were reported in Annals of the New designed by the two St. Clare Transform- team member’s landlords, an electrician, learners and [don’t] just take at face value cine and NYU Langone Medical Center, where he was profes- York Academy of Sciences. ers teams from Staten Island. they came up with the idea for a cover for what someone says but figure it out for sor emeritus of medicine and a renowned cardiologist and re- The conference committee also counseled sponsors on rais- “Sandy was definitely a big motiva- electric power lines made from a flexible themselves and stay creative,” he said.  searcher, and on the art world, as an avid collector and generous ing funds to complement the modest budget allotted by the tor for us because we lived it,” said Mary series of connected casings “like the shell benefactor. Academy—once again foreshadowing what would eventually Lee, coach of both Transformers teams. of a millipede.” become a pivotal part of Kayden’s contributions to the Academy. “We were out of school for a week with no That way, “it’s a little bouncy so when a Caitlin Johnson is the co-founder and A Start In The Sciences With time and experience, he rose in rank, ultimately serving as electricity, and we had kids whose fami- tree or a branch lands on it, it will bounce managing editor of www.sparkaction.org, The son of immigrant parents, Kayden attended New York City conference committee Chair. lies lost homes.” off a little. It reinforces the wire,” Yosmai a website that covers a range of child and public schools, graduated from Columbia College in 1940 and Outside of the Academy, Kayden had joined the faculty at “We considered a lot of ideas and de- Bielma, 13, said. youth issues. earned his medical degree from New York University School of New York University School of Medicine, where he split his time

22 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 23 In Memoriam Member News Share professional news with your colleagues. between clinical cardiology practice and a two disparate groups could meet evenly Submit announcements to [email protected]. productive research agenda. His studies of and become friends, become colleagues, “Kayden’s history arrhythmias in the 1950s led to new treat- do collaborative work,” he said. He suc- ment protocols, and by 1960 he was de- ceeded, and in doing so, unified and in- of bridging the gap voting his professional efforts exclusively creased the Academy’s membership while between medical to research on lipoproteins. opening new avenues for financial sup- Awards According to Weill Cornell, Schulman received numerous Kayden had also married Gabrielle H. port. doctors and researchers honors and awards during her time at the school, including be- Reem, a fellow physician and researcher Asad Madni Honored ing named one of 45 graduate students selected to present at the who spent a decade at Memorial Sloan Ongoing Influence became a critical asset by Engineering Honor St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s National Graduate Stu- Kettering hospital as a clinician before Following his presidency, Kayden main- Society dent Symposium, as well as being selected as one of 90 to par- joining the New York University School tained strong involvement with the to the Academy.” Tau Beta Pi, the engineering ticipate at the NIH for the National Graduate Student Research of Medicine as professor of pharmacol- Academy, not only as a committee/board honor society, named Acad- Conference.  ogy, an appointment she held until her member, but also as editor of more than a emy member Asad M. Madni, death in 2011. dozen volumes of Annals of the New York Their gifts to the Academy have al- PhD, DEng, SciD, as a 2014 Academy of Sciences. Many of Kayden’s lowed the organization to truly serve all winner of its Distinguished Blavatnik Awards Advisory Council Member Wins Bridging the Gap groundbreaking studies of lipoprotein points along the scientific pipeline, start- Alumnus Award. Now in its Neuroscience Prize In the 1970s, 20 years after joining the disorders were published in Annals dur- ing with the place where many young 16th year, the award recog- Huda Y. Zoghbi, MD, Academy, Kayden was tested with the first ing the 1970s and ‘80s. In addition to his students first experience the thrill of dis- nizes alumni who have dem- professor, Department of of two major hurdles. Both were over- work on arrhythmias, Kayden identified covery: the classroom. Kayden and Reem onstrated adherence to the Molecular and Human Ge- come due in large part to his leadership, the genes responsible for abnormal syn- provided the seed funding for an extraor- ideals of Tau Beta Pi (integ- netics, Baylor College of and helped vault the Academy to what he thesis of Vitamin E, a deficiency of which dinary program that turned thousands rity, breadth of interest, adapt- Medicine, founding direc- believed was its rightful place at the fore- causes a devastating constellation of neu- of New York City public school science ability, and unselfish activity) tor of the Jan and Dan Dun- front of the scientific community. rological symptoms. teachers into Academy members, provid- and to fostering a spirit of liberal culture on local, national, and can Neurological Research Kayden served as Academy Governor And while the 1990s was a period now ing tools, training, and connections to the international scales. A $2,000 scholarship will be given in the Institute at Texas Children’s from 1972-1974, during which time the viewed as one of the most challenging in scientific community. Kayden believed name Madni to a deserving student member of Tau Beta Pi. Hospital, and investigator at leadership of the Academy became in- the Academy’s nearly 200-year history, that “if you have a talented teacher and an Madni is a distinguished adjunct professor at the University the Howard Hughes Medical creasingly fractious. On one side, Kayden current President & CEO Ellis Rubinstein eager student of almost any background, of California, Los Angeles and retired president of BEI Tech- Institute, was named the win- recalled, were the administrators, whom credits Kayden with playing a seminal you could get wonderful results,” and the nologies, Inc. According to Tau Beta Pi, he is an internationally ner of the 2014 Edward M. many felt were out of touch with the pace role in its revitalization, ensuring that program he helped initiate has brought recognized authority on the development and commercializa- Scolnick Prize in Neurosci- and importance of discovery, and viewed the Academy continue its advancement the joy and power of science to thousands tion of “intelligent” sensors, systems, instrumentation, and sig- ence,. Zoghbi serves on the the Academy more as a venue for cama- of global scientific progress and inspiring of teachers and students in some of New nal processing. The impact of his research can be found in the Scientific Advisory Council raderie than scientific advancement. On new programs to guide the next genera- York’s most underserved areas. commercialization of intelligent micro-sensors and systems for for the Blavatnik Awards for the other side, the physicians and scien- tion of scientists and educators. In 2009, the Academy named Kayden aerospace, military, and transportation industries, including the Young Scientists. tists of various disciplines, many of whom Rubinstein detailed a particularly an Honorary Life Governor in recogni- Extremely Slow Motion Servo Control System for Hubble Space The Scolnick Prize is awarded annually by the McGovern In- worked in New Jersey’s burgeoning phar- memorable conversation with Kayden in tion of his service and generosity. Telescope’s Star Selector System and the Quartz MEMS Gyro- stitute to recognize outstanding advances in the field of neuro- maceutical industry. 2005, as the Academy was planning to sell In August 2014 the worlds of science Chip technology, which is used worldwide for electronic stabil- science. “Huda Zoghbi has been a pioneer in the study of human Kayden’s history of bridging the gap its historical home on the Upper East Side and humanities lost a brilliant mind and ity control and rollover protection in passenger vehicles. genetic disease,” says Robert Desimone, director of the McGov- between medical doctors and researchers and move to new headquarters. “We spent dedicated champion. Toward the end of Madni is also committed to helping students earn under- ern Institute and chair of the selection committee. “Her work became a critical asset, as was his commit- over an hour discussing the challenges the his life, Kayden said he often reflected on graduate degrees in engineering.  has provided fundamental insights into the mechanisms of he- ment to the Academy. He explained that Academy faced and what could be done the enormity of today’s problems, espe- reditary neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, and he had two choices: “you either join them with judicious investments of the capital cially when it came to the lack of compre- has pointed the way to new treatments for these disorders.”  and change it from within, or you leave. I coming from the building sale,” Rubin- hensive science education and its impact Academy STEM Mentor Named Graduate Student ended up doing the former.” He became stein said. They discussed a shared vision on the future of humankind. But he was Commencement Speaker Academy president in 1977 and quickly of the Academy’s new facilities as a place unguardedly optimistic, and grateful for Victoria Schulman, PhD, a graduate from the Weill Cornell Bart Holland Receives Three Teaching Awards made changes that were essential to the where thousands of graduate students the many opportunities that enriched his Graduate School of Medical Sciences with a doctorate in bio- Academy member Bart K. Holland, PhD, MPH, associate organization’s survival. and postdocs from the city’s research and days. “You can look back and say, ‘I wish chemistry, cell and molecular biology, was named the 2014 Dis- professor of preventive medicine (biostatistics and During his tenure he installed new ex- academic medical centers could finally I had more,’ but I don’t feel that way,” tinguished Graduate Student Commencement Speaker, giving epidemiology) at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in ecutive leadership, improved management gather together. After that, in Rubinstein’s he said. “We had so much. We were so her speech at the May ceremony. Schulman served as one of the Newark, NJ, has been honored with three recent teaching of the Academy’s finances, and, perhaps words, “Herb became our most generous lucky, and so productive. When I go to my first mentors in the Academy’s Afterschool STEM Mentoring awards. He received a Rutgers Excellence in Teaching Award, most importantly, created at atmosphere supporter.” maker and they ask, ‘What good have you Program, teaching hands-on genetics activities to middle school as well as two national-level awards: one for the teaching of of partnership among the membership Today, the room that houses Academy done?’ I’ll be prepared.”  students in underserved areas of New York City. A geneticist preventive medicine (from the Association for Prevention factions. A physician and bench scientist, conferences and events that inspire stu- and cell biologist, Schulman will head to Yale to complete her Teaching and Research), and one for teaching of statistics in Kayden was proof that there was no one dents, educators, scientists, and leaders postdoctoral training, where she will be working to identify the the health sciences (from the American Statistical Association). path or degree that legitimized a scien- from around the globe is aptly named the Hallie Kapner is a journalist in New York genetic mutations that predispose patients to cancer, and also He is the author of two books on probability and statistics, tist’s work. “I was determined to turn the Herbert and Gabrielle Reem Kayden Au- City. working to identify the underlying cell biological changes and published by the Johns Hopkins University Press.  Academy into a neutral place where these ditorium. dysfunction that result from those altered gene states.

24 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 25 Academy Calendar For further details on meetings and conferences, visit our calendar at www.nyas.org/events.

Thu, Sept 25 · 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Thu, Oct 9 · 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Sun, Oct 26 · 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Nov 11 - 13 Wed, Dec 10 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM September But I Have No Skills: Debunking Grantsmanship for Graduate Conflict Resolution Skills: In and Out Shaping the Developing Brain: The Unification of Physics: The Myths and Exploring Career Options Students and Postdocs of the Lab Prenatal through Early Childhood Quest for a Theory of Everything Thu, Sept 11 · 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM for PhDs The ability to write research grants is From Bacterial Immunity to Genome Have you ever wondered whether the now more important than ever; graduate In this weekend workshop you will learn Discover the latest cognitive neuroscience A “theory of everything” has thus far Editing: The 2014 Dr. Paul Janssen skills you built during your graduate and students and postdocs should be practicing critical skills and tools to cultivate more research on infant and early childhood eluded physicists seeking to unify the laws Award Symposium postdoc training would be useful outside of grant writing skills early in their careers by fulfilling and productive working relation- development; social, family, and nutritional of the universe. Physicists Marcelo Gleiser, Honor Drs. Emmanuelle Charpentier and the library or lab? Then join the Minority applying for fellowships. Learn concise and ships. factors that cause lasting changes to the Lee Smolin, and Max Tegmark debate Jennifer Doudna, recipients of the 2014 Graduate Student Network and Science persuasive writing skills that apply to all brain; and intervention, education, and whether there are scientific and human Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Alliance at “But I have No Skills.” types of scientific careers. Tue, Oct 28 · 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM policy to help at-risk children at the Fifth limits on what can be ultimately known. Research. Pharmacologic Resolution of Annual Aspen Brain Forum. Fri, Sept 26 · 8:30 AM - 5:15 PM Fri, Oct 10 · 8:00 AM - 3:15 PM Inflammation as a Novel Therapeutic Mon, Sept 15 · 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Early-Life Influences on Obesity: New Frontiers in the Neurobiology of Click Chemistry in Biology and From Pre-Conception to Mental Illness Approach Thu, Nov 13 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Medicine: New Developments and Adolescence This conference will explore the translation Uncontrolled, chronic inflammation plays Policies that Influence Gender Strategies This conference will explore how mater- of recent breakthroughs in neuroscience a key role in the progression of many Balance in STEM Click chemistry offers a reliable method nal nutrition, the microbiome, metabolic into therapies for the more than 25% of diseases, and elucidation of biochemi- Join the New York Chapter of the Associa- for discovering chemical connectivity, disorders, and fetal development affect Americans suffering from mental illnesses cal pathways provides novel targets. This tion for Women in Science and Science with great potential in drug discovery obesity rates. such as schizophrenia, depression, fear and symposium reviews discoveries, approach- Alliance as we discuss the policy initiatives and biomedical research. This symposium anxiety disorders, autism, and other psy- explores recent developments that offer Tue, Sept 30 · 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM chiatric disorders. A keynote lecture by The es, and opportunities for treatment and that have been put in place to provide sup- new technologies for disease diagnosis and Elucidating GPCR Functional Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy will address prevention. port for gender balance in STEM fields. therapy. Selectivity: Novel Opportunities for strategies to abolish the stigma surround- Drug Development ing mental illness in order to fully realize Sat, Nov 15 · 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Meetings Policy Thu, Sept 18 · 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Hear academic, industry, basic, and trans- the potential of these new treatments to November Risky Business – A Pharmaceutical 196th Annual Meeting of the New lational researchers, including Nobel Lau- improve mental health. Industry Strategy Workshop York Academy of Sciences reate Robert Lefkowitz (Duke University DATES, TIMES, AND TOPICS OF Mon, Nov 3 · 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM This course gives professionals from inside »» Please join us for the Academy’s 196th Medical Center), discuss the development Tue, Oct 14 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM EVENTS LISTED HERE ARE SUBJECT Annual Members Meeting, followed by a of functionally selective GPCR-biased The Origins of the Universe: Why Gene Network Changes in and outside the pharmaceutical industry— TO CHANGE. For up-to-date Welcome Reception in honor of our new ligands for CV and CNS disease drug Is There Something Rather than Alzheimer’s Disease: Potential including students and postdocs—a much information, including ticket prices, Members. Learn about how your Academy discovery. Nothing? Points for Therapeutic Intervention better understanding of how the R&D please visit our online calendar at is evolving to meet the many challenges Great mysteries still surround the origins Next generation sequencing of Alzheimer’s and business development and licensing www.nyas.org/events. ahead, then meet and mingle with fellow and existence of the universe. Experts from disease progression reveals gene net- processes operate. Academy Members. the fields of cosmology, astrophysics, and »»Registration is required for most and October works within microglial pathways. This philosophy unite to discuss the most basic strongly encouraged for all events. To Mon, Sept 22 · 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Thu, Oct 9 · 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM existential question of all: Why are we symposium focuses on microglia biology, register to attend an event, please use What Every International Student Targeting Key Vulnerabilities in here? molecular signatures specific to microglial December the Academy events calendar online at and Postdoc Should Know About US Pancreatic Cancer phenotypes, and phenotype modulation. www.nyas.org/events or contact the Employment Pancreatic cancer patients currently have Oct 21 - Dec 13 Tue, Dec 9· 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM meetings department at 212.298.8640 or [email protected]. Interested in hearing how H-1B spon- limited therapeutic options. This sym- From Scientist to CSO: Experiencing Thu, Nov 6 · 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Diabetic Kidney Disease: Drug sorship happens from the inside? Dan posium explores breakthroughs in the the Scientific Method as your Guide Food Safety Considerations for Discovery and Clinical Development Beaudry, former head of campus recruit- pathogenesis and progression of pancreatic to Career Success Innovative Nutrition Solutions Challenges »»Unless noted otherwise, ing at Monster.com, shares the potent job cancer, and efforts to exploit key vulnera- Enhance the communication, leadership, This conference will discuss issues of food Identifying and prosecuting drug targets is Academy events are held at: search system used by many international bilities for novel therapeutic interventions. and teambuilding skills that all employers The New York Academy of Sciences security, economics, policy, and communi- challenging due to a poor understanding students and postdocs to find U.S. employ- value by taking From Scientist to CSO, one 7 World Trade Center ment. of the most popular courses offered at the cation related to food safety. of pathogenesis and few biomarkers. This 250 Greenwich St at Barclay, 40th Fl New York Academy of Sciences. symposium identifies targets for preventive New York, NY 10007 or therapeutic interventions and discusses challenges in clinical development. »»Photo ID is required for entry.

26 www.nyas.org The New York Academy of Sciences Magazine • Summer 2014 27 Last Look The Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science

A Global Research Agenda for Nutrition Science In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Sackler Institute developed a global agenda for nutrition science research. The resulting report, A Global Research Agenda for Nutrition Science (2013), is a culmination of a two-year process, which identified gaps in nutrition science research that will drive the development and implementation of roadmaps for critical nutrition science research and interventions. To learn more, visit www.nutritionresearchagenda.org and visit the additional resources provided below.

View the eBriefing from the launch event www.nyas.org/NutritionAgenda-eB

Global Research Agenda Podcast Series

A Research Agenda for Nutrition Science: Why and How? www.nyas.org/AgendaWhy-Podcast A Research Agenda for Nutrition Science: Mobilizingthe Community www.nyas.org/AgendaCommunity-Podcast A Research Agenda for Nutrition Science: Activating the Agenda www.nyas.org/ActivatingAgenda-Podcast An image showing loss of connection between brain cells, Join the discussion and stay informed with The Sackler Institute: characteristic of Alzheimer’s e-Alerts:Visit nyas.org/Subscribe and select the Nutrition eNewsletter disease. www.facebook.com/SacklerNutritionScience

For information on the Academy’s efforts to accelerate the trans- http://bit.nyas.org/SacklerLinkedIn fer of basic research about disease mechanisms into the develop- ment of new methods for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, visit www.nyas.org/ADDI. a program of IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING/NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH INSTITUTE ON AGING/NATIONAL OF THE NATIONAL IMAGE COURTESY 28 www.nyas.org Inspiring 7 World Trade Center 250 Greenwich St., 40th Fl. Generations of New York, NY 10007-2157 Scientists

The Academy has been an important part of scientists’ careers for nearly three centuries, and our members continue to do work that will inspire others for generations to come.

Participating in the Academy’s The New York Academy of Shortly after I began my “afterschool program was a “ Sciences serves as a central “career, I joined the Academy. very rewarding experience. hub of science in New York Attending meetings and Not only did I get to refresh and the surrounding area. presenting papers over the my knowledge on genetics, It is the go-to place to hear years widened my vista I also got to experience how seminars and lectures by beyond my own research, hands-on learning can help to leaders in science.” helping me learn about enhance the education Samie R. Jaffrey, MD, PhD significant developments of children.” Professor of Pharmacology, outside my area. Exposure to Regan Johnson, MBA Weill Medical College, Cornell University this variety greatly enriched Director of Operations, Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists my scientific career.” Griffiss Institute Winner 2013 Academy Afterschool STEM Mentor Kiyomi Koizumi, MD, PhD ,MS Distinguished Professor of Physiology & Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center Pioneer in hypothalamic electrophysiology Academy member since 1952

Be inspired and help inspire others by becoming a member today: www.nyas.org/inspire