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February 18, 1992, NIH Record, Vol. XLIV, No. 4

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February 18, 1992, NIH Record, Vol. XLIV, No. 4 February 18, 1992 Vol. XLIV No. 4 "Still U.S. Depanment of Health The Second and Human Services Best Thing About Payday" National Institutes of Health Simple Solution Means Much e 'Think Big' Hole in the Wall Frees Worker NIH Launches African-American History Celebration By Anne Barber By Carla Garnett What does the term reasonable accom­ modation mean? To Betty Dyess of NIAID's About 20 years ago in inner-city Detroit, Division of Extramural Affairs committee an impoverished fifth grader preened under his management office, it means having a window teacher's tongue-in-cheek praise. Congratula­ cut through the partition shared by her tions were in order: The student had just coworker, Virginia Wilson. This window earned a D in math instead of the flunking allows Dyess, who is hearing impaired, to grade he had managed in nearly every other communicate with her colleague. subject. "Without this open window," says Dyess, The self-described "class dummy" says he "I would find the job very difficult. I would remembers feeling pretty good about his then have to run back and forth between our short, but abominable academic career. He offices." knew he was the dumbest student in class and Wilson explains, "The window also makes his classmates and the teacher knew it as well. us more accessible to visitors. At a glance I He would return home to a tenement overrun can screen visirors if Betty is out or working with "dog-size" water rats and king-size on her computer and is not aware of someone roaches, and he would play outdoors a while, coming up behind her back." then watch hours of television until bedtime. Claudia Goad, committee management On Feb. 10, that student, Dr. Benjamin S. officer, credits Mike Crumly, the division's Carson, graduate of Yale University and the administrative officer, with solving the prob­ University of Michigan Medical School and Neurosurgeon Ben Carson gave the keynote address lem. "Mike has been involved in moving the now direcror of pediatric neurosurgery at at NIH's Black History opening program. entire division over to Executive Blvd. for the Johns Hopkins, delivered the keynote address past year," she states. "When it came our turn for the opening of NIH's 1992 Black Hisrory turned that fifth grader's life around. His to leave Westwood Bldg., where we had been Month program, "African-American Roots: advice was deceptively simple: Think big. for the past 6 years, we immediately saw Explore New Worlds, Pre-Columbus to the A world renowned neurosurgeon who problems with our space. We explained our Space Age." helped develop the hemispherectomy tech­ concerns to Mike and he listened. He came up To the capacity crowd--comprised largely nique that was first used to separate a set of with a solution and had the work completed of school-age youngsters-assembled in Masur (See HISTORY, Page 9) within 2 weeks. Auditorium, Carson gave the formula chat (See ACCOMMODATION, Page 4) Occupational Therapist Uses Dean of OD Staff Computers To Boost Patients NIH Communications Chief Storm Whaley Retires By Anne P. Enright Shepherd By Rich McManus For patients with depression, finding the Srorm Whaley, NIH associate director for motivation to do even the simplest tasks can communications for five NIH directors and be monumentally difficult. Glenda Grogan, an four acting directors since his arrival in July occupational therapist in the Clinical Center, 1970, retired Feb. 3. Several hundred has a unique solution. She uses a tool that, NIH'ers, among them a handful of past direc­ although increasingly common in biomedicine, tors, turned out to bid him farewell at a is an oddity in clinical treatment for those reception Jan. 29 in Wilson Hall. with depression and other mental health "To say that you know Storm Whaley is to patients: a personal computer. join a very privileged group," said Dr. Grogan, of the rehabilitation medicine Bernadine Healy, NIH director. "He department, uses the technical help of the embodies so much that is right and gentle Division of Computer Research and Technol­ about us. He is the communicator par ogy in developing and operating a Computer excellence. " Training Program for some CC patients. "I Healy praised Whaley as a gifted part-time am certainly very excited about the Computer painter, a prodigy at mathematics, a writer, Training Program because I've seen patients singer, radio announcer, pilot and ground who are chronically depressed seem motivated instructor. But most of all, she said, "Storm by it," she said recently. Whaley knows how to be your friend. He has Storm Whaley, NIH associate director for communi­ The program operates on an individual been of inestimable value to me. I trusted his cations for the past 21 years, five directors and four basis-patients choose projects and set their calm, confident advice and appreciated his acting directors, retired Feb. 3. Hundreds of own goals-using two Macintosh computers clarity of view. He is an absolutely first-rate NIH'ers wished him well at a reception Jan. 29 in and a printer. "The Macintosh appears to be a man and intellect. I'm happy I was able to get Wilson Hall. wonderful therapeutic tool for mental health to know this extraordinary man who gave so patients," remarks Grogan. "The creativity much to NIH." by the quality of the staff, and one of the and humor built into the Macintosh programs Added Healy's predecessor, Dr. James B. gems was Storm Whaley." make it a particularly refreshing tool for Wyngaarden, "When I came to NIH as direc­ Admitting that it was difficult to speak in patients struggling with depression." Group tor 10 years ago, I was immediately impressed (See WHALEY, Page 6) (See THERAPY, Page 10) page 2 The Record February 18, 1992 NINDS Sponsors Second Conference on the Chemical Research Poster Day Senses To Be Held, Mar. 2-3 Scientists from NINDS' intramural program On Mar. 2 and 3, the National Institute on will exhibit some of their latest research find­ Deafness and Ocher Communication Disorders ings on the brain and nervous system at the will sponsor a 2-day conference on "Develop­ NINDS Research Poster Day, Tuesday, Feb. ment, Growth and Senescence in the Chemical 25 at the Clinical Center from 9 a.m. to 4 Senses." p.m. The event is part of the institute's ongo­ The conference will focus on complex basic ing Decade of the Brain activities. and clinical questions of how a person's sense More than 100 posters illustrating recent of smell and taste grow, change and age. advances in basic and clinical neurological sci­ Genetic and molecular mechanisms as well as ences will be on display in the Bldg. 10 the effects of environmental factors on the Visitor Information Center. Attendees can chemosenses will be discussed. An interna­ meet with NINDS scientists, who will be on tional group of scientists will present research hand to answer questions about their research from a wide range of disciplines including from 11 a.m. to 1 ·p.m. NIH employees are molecular biology and behavioral science. Cur­ invited to view the posters and take advantage rent research, new techniques and opportunites of this unique opportunity to talk with for future research will be explored. Because so NINDS scientists displaying their work. many disciplines are involved in the study of Dr. Norka Ruiz Bravo recently was appointed a Interested representatives from private the chemosenses, this meeting is a rare oppor­ program administrator in the Genetics Program industry, academia, and state and local gov­ tunity for the direct exchange of information Branch, NIGMS. Previously a scientific review ernments are also welcome to attend and are on these diverse yet related entities. administrator in NIGMS' Office of Review encouraged to explore potential collaborations The conference, cosponsored by NIA and Activities, she will now administer grants relating with federal scientists. NICHD, will be held in Masur Auditorium, to the molecular mechanism of gene control. Prior to The exhibit represents an extraordinary Bldg. 10. For registration and information joining NIH, Ruiz Bravo was an assistant pro­ opportunity for NIH employees and ochers to contact NIDCD, 496-7243; TDD: fessor in the departments of urology and cell biology become acquainted with the diversity of neu­ 402-0252. 0 at Baylor College of Medicine. A native of Peru, rological sciences research conducted within she received her undergraduate degree from Goucher College in Towson, Md., and her Ph.D. from the NINDS intramural program. Yale University. As part of the poster day, NINDS is spon­ soring a "Distinguished Alumnus Guest Normal Volunteers Needed Lecture" to be given by Dr. Eric R. Kandel, a NIAAA is seeking normal volunteers ages senior investigator of the Howard Hughes 15 and older for study on connections between Medical Institute and University professor at EEG readings and predisposition toward per­ the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, sonality traits. Must have both parents living Columbia University College of Physicians & and at least three siblings available for study. Surgeons. All subjects will be paid for participation. For The NIH Record Kandel will speak on "Genes, Nerve Cells, further information call Claudia Harris, Published biweekly at Bethesda, Md., by the Editorial and the Remembrance of Things Past" at 1 496-7874 after 6 p.m. Leave a message Operations Branch, Division of Public Information, for the p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. For including phone number and convenient time information of employees of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and more information, call Jan Heffernan, for return call. 0 circulated to nonemployees by subscription only through 496-5468.
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