Welcome to News and Notes, our online journal of selected articles related to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management (OEODM) celebrations, events, and topics of interest to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) community.

OEODM SALUTES
The National Institute on Aging
for its Commitment to Excellence & Diversity in Student Training Programs

This year, the National Institute on Aging’s (NIA’s) Intramural Research Program hosted 48 students. The students represented various educational levels, including high school, undergraduate, graduate, and medical school. The students came from a wide variety of institutions, including Yale, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and MIT, as well as two historically black universities: Morehouse and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Students were assigned to work with a mentor who designed a research project and provided hands-on expertise and advice throughout the summer. Students were encouraged to present their research at the NIA and NIDA Poster Day in Baltimore and the NIH Poster Day in Bethesda.

Message from the Director

Lawrence N. Self

Opportunities to participate in the student training programs at the NIH are highly sought after nationally and internationally. The OEODM recognizes that many NIH ICs have outstanding programs. This month, we are pleased to highlight the NIA student training program. The true test of the impact of NIA’s training programs is best demonstrated through the words of the students. Read what NIA students say about NIA, NIH and more. You are sure to be uplifted. The OEODM is especially pleased at the diversity represented in the NIH programs, and we pledge our continued assistance to provide a repository of qualified women, minorities, and disabled persons for selection.

In 2005, the NIH hired over 3,800 students in the Intramural Science Research positions. These academically talented individuals receive first-rate training at NIH, the world’s leading research facility. Additionally, NIH ICs employed over 500 students whose educational achievements spanned all levels, from high school, to undergraduate colleges and universities, to graduate schools. These students were placed in nonscientific positions to perform the administrative work that is the backbone of the NIH’s success.

From early-May through late-August, the students brought exuberance to the NIH. Their spirit and commitment were infectious, and we are all better for it.

Dr. Richard J. Hodes

OEODM salutes NIA Director, Dr. Richard J. Hodes, and the NIA staff for commitment to diversity in student training programs. The NIA student training programs are managed through the Scientific Director, Dan L. Longo, M.D., his Deputy, Michele K. Evans, M.D., and the NIA summer program director, Ms. Arlene Jackson. Their energy and oversight have developed an outstanding summer program, which reflects well upon the NIA and the NIH.

NIA STUDENTS TELL US ABOUT SCIENCE, ABOUT NIA, AND MORE….

	Jehan David B.S., University of California Davis Post-Bac, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation “Working in the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation has given me the opportunity to see our hard work in action. I recommend this internship program to any student planning a career in research or medicine.”
	Stacey Dutton B.S., University of Maryland, Eastern Shore Summer Intern, Laboratory of Neurosciences “Science isn’t just for nerds! NIA has prepared me with advanced lab techniques, which are very beneficial towards Grad School.”
	Robert Henderson Undergraduate, University of Pennsylvania Summer Intern, Laboratory of Immunology “This learning experience at NIA allowed me to learn the practice of research at the highest level beyond my own involvement.”
	Alexander Chavez Senior, San Jose State Summer Intern, Research Resources Branch “The opportunity at the NIA has helped me make a career choice and allowed me to be a part of an exciting, on-going research project.”
	Sabine Mayard BS, Queens College, New York Post-Bac, Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology “Science is the one field where mysteries are unfolded and solved.”
	Muthiah Vaduganathan High School Graduate, 2005 Bellaire High School, Bellaire, Texas Intern, Clinical Research Branch “Great discoveries are rarely the result of flashes of creativity; rather they often are the product of perseverance and hard work.”
	Lisa Kebejian Senior, Columbia University, New York Summer Intern, Laboratory of Neurosciences “Working at NIA has given me a taste of science beyond the textbook and allowed me to experience the merging of clinical medicine and basic science.”
	Scott Emerson Second Year, University of Texas, North Texas Health Science Center Summer Intern, Laboratory of Experimental Gerontology “NIH research resources are second to none in the world.”
	Courtney Nicole Chavis Sophomore, University of North Carolina, Pembroke Intern, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry “The doors to higher achievements have been opened through my employment here at the NIH.”

We welcome your ideas and comments about how we may make our EEO News & Notes better. Please forward your input to Jayne E. Callahanhenson, Managing Editor, The Write Team, Institutes and Centers Services Division, OEODM. Ms. Callahanhenson can be reached by telephone on 301-496-7478, or by email at callahaj@od.nih.gov