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NIDCD Holds Student Poster, Awards Event

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders recently celebrated the work of students and mentors engaged in both summer and year-long research internships at the NIDCD annual Student Poster and Awards Presentation. Director Dr. James F. Battey Jr., noted the importance of "establishing an infrastructure of solid science, mentorship and administrative support in order to strengthen the pipeline carrying qualified young scientists into human communication research."

Julius Korley, NIDCD Partnership Program intern, presents his research.

NIDCD has a Partnership Program with the Office of Research on Minority Health bringing interns from the University of Puerto Rico, Gallaudet University, the University of Alaska System and the Atlanta University Center. Partnership steering committee chair and NIDCD Executive Officer David Kerr noted, "In the past 5 years, more than 60 students have taken part in either summer-long or year-long research internships through what we feel is a unique program." Additionally, NIDCD has collaborated with the Office of Undergraduate Scholarships Program and the University of the District of Columbia to bring qualified students into a training experience. The poster event allows for the presentation of research attempted and lessons learned. Topics included: "Gene Expression in the Developing Mouse Inner Ear, " "Functional and Genetic Analysis of the Jerker Mouse Mutant," and "4000 Hz Notch in Mexican-American, Cuban and Puerto Rican Adult Males." The awards ceremony that followed the poster session allows the institute to express pride in the work of these aspiring young scientists and appreciation to the mentors who have been guiding them.