Page 18 - 2021-2022 Year End Report

PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Co-VPs Program: Nancy Haigwood & Amanda Larson
Committee Members: Joan Foley; Diana Gordon, Anne Weaver, Maureen Daschel, Elizabeth Bell, Gretchen Engbring, Julie Branford
Ad hoc members: Anne Jarvis, Lori Slaughter
The Program Committee continued to respond to an uncertain environment by offering five virtual programs this year as well as an in-person field trip to the University of Oregon. A number of our programs were attended by members of other ARCS chapters across the country, as well as invited guests. Thanks to the efforts of the University of Oregon Foundation and the new University of Oregon Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, we held our first in- person program event in more than two years. We intend to continue to host some programs virtually to encourage attendance from our members who are distributed across the state, as well as from guests beyond Oregon, but we will return to some in-person programs as well.
The following are brief descriptions of the events and activities that were organized for the members and friends of ARCS Foundation Oregon during the 2021-22 program year:
September 14, 2021
“The Curious Lives of Antarctic Krill”
Kim Bernard, PhD, Associate Professor, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, OSU.
Antarctic krill are a critical component of the marine ecosystem—yet these small creatures remain mysterious. Dr. Bernard studies the correlation between krill populations in Antarctica and the presence of sea ice and other components of the marine ecosystem to monitor ocean health.
ARCS Scholar Speaker: Anna Simpson, PhD student in physical oceanography at OSU (26 Attendees)
November 16, 2021
“Marine Natural Products Reveal a New Potential Way to Treat Cancers”
Kerry McPhail, PhD, Professor, College of Pharmacy and Marine Studies Initiative, OSU.
Natural products from diverse biological organisms—including unique ocean creatures—are a critical source of new compounds for drug development and research tools. The McPhail lab uses advanced techniques to examine such products for their potential to treat a variety of health issues, from cancer to infectious disease.
ARCS Scholar Speaker: Margaret Redick, PhD student in the OSU College of Pharmacy; Margaret is a recipient of the Thomas J. Hammond Scholar Award, given by Cheryl Hammond. Her research interest is studying deep sea methane seeps as sources of biologically active natural products.
(32 Attendees)
January 19, 2022
“Understanding Adolescent Risk for Mental Illness”
Bonnie Nagel, PhD, Professor, Professor of Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine, and Associate Vice President of Research, OHSU.
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