NIH Director's Corner

This time of the year is rich with religious observance, a sacred time for people of many faiths to celebrate, reflect, pray and practice devotion. We are fortunate here at the National Institutes of Health to have an environment that encourages diversity and respects persons and their beliefs.

As a community of professionals working together in the premier biomedical research institution in the world, diversity is our lifeblood. And as the key supporter of 212,000 scientists working at 2,800 institutions, we actively seed diversity throughout the country.

At NIH, diversity means mutual respect for each employee. For medical research to thrive, the scientific community must continue to respect, to cultivate and to nurture diversity and to focus solely on merit!

I treasure the tradition of excellence founded on decades of world-class research by dedicated scientists. This tradition continues today because our employees work together to invigorate our reputation worldwide.

When you look closely at diversity, the issue is not the formal steps you take but the implementation and creation of a new culture. For us at the NIH, diversity is not optional. Diversity is a cultural component of our institution and truly a work in progress, one that is never finished.

Just as critical, diversity is a process — from the training of the very first talented individual we identify through a special partnership with patients all the way to continuing education for the seasoned expert.

Finally, diversity demands a distinctive pool of leaders. At the NIH, we cannot succeed in our mission unless we create informal networks that help leaders succeed.

At the end of the day, we all realize in our hearts that diversity is critical because disease knows no politics, respects no boundaries and makes no distinctions.

I want to close by thanking each and every employee who reached out to individuals in need by giving through the Combined Federal Campaign.

Personal giving, to me, is the ultimate act of kindness, a caring hand extended with a precious offering, a silent gesture that touches the heart.

As Americans, we are known throughout the world for our generosity, our caring spirit and our unselfish giving. As professionals who work for the federal government, we care deeply about our jobs and about our community. As employees of HHS, we share a noble tradition of caring for those in need. Thank you again for contributing to the Combined Federal Campaign.