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Author Gould To Speak

Author Stephen Jay Gould visits NIH on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at noon in Masur Auditorium, Bldg. 10. His most recent book, Full House: The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin, takes a new look at evolution. All are welcome.

New Group for Asian Americans

Since the Office of Equal Opportunity will not be sponsoring advisory committees after this year, the NIH Asian/Pacific Islander American advisory committee will no longer be able to advise the OEO director on matters concerning APAs. A successor organization&emdash;the Asian-Pacific Islander American Organization &emdash;has been sanctioned. It will elect council members and officers at a meeting Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. in Wilson Hall, Bldg. 1. Membership is open to all NIH'ers.

For more information and to get a copy of the new draft constitution and bylaws, attend the AAAC meeting at 1 p.m. Oct. 1 in Bldg. 31, Conf. Rm. 7. Everyone is invited to attend.

Career Advice for Medical Writers

Looking for ways to advance your medical writing career? Ask the experts&emdash;join the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the American Medical Writers Association for "Curbside Consultations: Career-Building Advice for Medical Writers" on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Natcher Bldg. Experts in eight specialties will offer tips and professional advice on a wide range of topics in informal, small groups. The program (including continental breakfast) is $15 for AMWA members and $20 for nonmembers. Optional lunch is $10.

For more information or to register, contact Heather Dittbrenner, (410) 242-3357 or email: carter@charm.net. Space is limited; registration deadline is Sept. 18.

Hispanic Youth Initiative Succeeds Again

For the second year in a row, the National Hispanic Youth Initiative (NHYI) drew a record number of outstanding young Hispanic scholars from high schools around the country to the Washington, D.C., area. Two groups of 80 students spent 9 days lodged at George Washington University, visiting NIH and other health agencies as well as Congress and the White House. They spent 2 days at NIH, receiving an overview of training opportunities available for students.

Myra Woolery-Antill (r), an NIH clinical nurse specialist, leads several NHYI students on a tour of CC facilities.

NHYI was established in 1988 to increase the number of Hispanics in health professions and scientific research. By the year 2000, it is anticipated that Hispanic Americans will represent more than 10 percent of the population; yet, currently Hispanic physicians represent only 4 percent of the physician workforce; dentists, 2 percent; pharmacists, 3 percent; and nurses, 3.4 percent. The program seeks to enhance Hispanic youth awareness of national health and scientific research, public policy, and the role and impact of the federal government in health policy development.

A cadre of former NHYI participants is currently working at NIH as interns and researchers, an indication that the program is working.

Immunology Retreat Set, Oct. 1-3

The NIH campus-wide immunology retreat will take place Oct. 1-3 at Airlie House in Warrenton, Va. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and the first talk will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and extend until after lunch on Thursday.

Registrations are welcome from all interested in participating in the free session, open to 250 participants. They will be accepted in the order received. Priority will be given to those staying for the entire retreat.

The sessions will be on: Lymphocyte Differentiation, Effector Choice in the Immune System, Chemokines and AIDS, and concurrent workshops on gene regulation in the immune response, tolerance and autoimmunity, and tumor immunology and vaccines.

To obtain a registration form, send email to David Gandy (dgandy@atlas.niaid.nih.gov) or Joanne Ramella (jramella@atlas.niaid.nih.gov), or call 6-2750.

NIH Awards 'ImageWorld' Contracts

NIH recently awarded ImageWorld contracts to provide a way to procure commercial off-the-shelf hardware, software, solutions and services needed for imaging.

The contract is intended to transform traditional paper processes into electronic databases and computer networks that enable employees to retrieve documents from their computers instead of file cabinets or paper transmitted from office to office. The program is expected to save millions of dollars.

For a list of awardees, visit the ImageWorld home pages at http://www.nih.gov/od/oirm/nihecs.htm. The list goes on the Web on Sept. 15. In all, 118 companies are participating in ImageWorld. For more information contact Manny De Vera, 2-4465.

Get Ready for Pumpkin Chase

With Halloween coming, remember the great Pumpkin Chase, a 5K run benefiting the Friends of the Clinical Center. At 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27, the race begins in parking lot 41, behind Bldg. 38A. Runners get a long-sleeve t-shirt and help a fine cause. Refreshments follow the race. Call 6-4600 for an application.

Building Evacuation Drills Set

The fall 1996 semiannual building emergency evacuation drills will be conducted by the Emergency Management Branch (EMB), Division of Public Safety, beginning on Sept. 17 and continuing through October. These exercises are mandated by the Department of Health and Human Services and affect all NIH-occupied buildings on campus (except the Clinical Center) and all off-campus facilities in the area. A total of 104 buildings have been scheduled.

These drills ensure that in the event of emergencies, all persons can safely vacate the facility in an orderly manner. This is particularly important for people with temporary or permanent disabilities who may require some assistance.

It is important for all employees to react promptly when the fire alarm activates in their building, either for an actual emergency or during the drills. The following procedures should be followed:

• Notify others in the area that the alarm has sounded. Be especially attentive to any persons who may be deaf or hard-of-hearing.

• Close all doors.

• Follow all instructions from the occupant evacuation team members.

• Walk, do not run, to the nearest exit and leave the building.

• Do not use elevators unless they are under the control of the fire department and firefighters specifically direct elevator use.

• Move at least 300 feet away from the building to allow others to evacuate safely and provide firefighters easy access to the building.

• Do not reenter the building until notified by an official.

Each person should be familiar with alternate evacuation routes in the event that the primary exit is blocked by fire, heat and/or smoke. Remember, even the most familiar of surroundings can be confusing when the area is obscured by smoke, and panic creates irrational behavior in people ordinarily accustomed to the surroundings.

Contact EMB at 6-1985 for more information.

Need a Snack at 3 A.M.? No Problem

What do you do when the last cafeteria closes at 11 p.m.? For many NIH'ers, the only alternative is to head toward the snack vending machines. Guest Services, Inc., recently installed two new vending machines in the Bldg. 10 clinic dining area that will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Employees can select from a variety of freshly made sandwiches, fruits, yogurts, desserts, freshly brewed tea, and a variety of coffees. So next time the midnight munchies strike, try an American hoagie or a yogurt. Reminder: Only 112 days until the big Bldg. 31 cafeteria renovation begins!

'Extraordinary Objects' Exhibit at NLM

A new exhibit celebrating the rich and diverse historical collections acquired and preserved by NLM is open in the library's main lobby through October. "Extraordinary Objects&emdash;Extraordinary Stories: Celebrating the NLM Collections" includes treasures from the last 500 years of Western medical history. These primary sources represent both extraordinary moments of discovery, as well as the common practices of healing and health care.

The exhibit is organized into nine subject areas: anatomy, children's health, genetics, hospitals, midwifery, military medicine, pharmacy, public health, and surgery. For more information, contact History of Medicine Division chief Dr. Elizabeth Fee, 6-5405.

Spinal Cord Injury Workshop Set

NINDS, in collaboration with NICHD, NEI, and NIMH, will sponsor, "NIH Workshop on Spinal Cord Injury: Emerging Concepts," on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Pooks Hill Marriott Hotel in Bethesda.

The workshop will feature scientific presentations by many of the world's leading basic and clinical scientists including Drs. Lars Olson, Luis Parada, Tom Jessell, and Hunter Peckham.

For more information, contact Dr. Mary Ellen Cheung, Division of Stroke and Trauma, NINDS, phone: 6-4226; fax: 0-1080. To register, contact Terry Balderson (301) 495-1591, ext. 265; fax: (301) 495-2919. Registration deadline is Sept. 13.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Day

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of the National Capital Area will be on the NIH campus Tuesday, Sept. 17 to assist enrollees who have claims or enrollment problems. A representative will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day in Bldg. 31, Conf. Rm. 9, armed with a laptop computer to access directly the enrollee's records at company headquarters.

No appointment is necessary. Assistance will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Blue Cross/Blue Shield will be on campus one day each month from now on.

Renaissance Festival Tickets

Get your Maryland Renaissance Festival tickets through the R&W. Enjoy a day of entertainment, food, crafts, and attractions. This year's theme is the 16th century English faire celebrating the fun, bawdiness and art of the Renaissance. The festival runs Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 20. Tickets are $11 for adults and $4.50 for kids. Call 6-4600 for details.

Reduced-Price Meal Program Sponsored by NIH Facilities

The NIH Preschool and the Executive Child Development Center announce sponsorship of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The same meals will be available to all enrolled children at no separate charge, regardless of race, color, sex, age, disability or national origin, and there is no discrimination in admissions policy, meal service, or the use of facilities. Any complaints of discrimination should be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250.

Meals will be provided at the facilities listed below: NIH Preschool, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bldg. 35, Rm. 1-B05, Bethesda, MD 20892, contact Mary Haas, 6-5144; and Executive Child Development Center, 6006 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD, contact Anne Schmitz, 6-9411.

Eligibility for free or reduced-price meal reimbursement is based on the following annual income scales effective from July 1, 1996, to June 30, 1997.