2015 Spring Luncheon
ARCS Foundation Atlanta Chapter held its annual meeting and luncheon on May 13 at the Piedmont Driving Club. The traditional close to the year began with Chapter President, Jane Dolinger, congratulating the 2014-2015 Board members on a job well done: “Each committee report illustrates once again how dynamic, productive, and successful our Chapter is at building support for outstanding scholars in science and technology.”
The highlight of the event consisted of brief presentations by four of Atlanta Chapter’s current scholars, each representing a different academic partner. Jessica Knight of Emory University, talked about her research on the long-term effects of congenital heart disease. Temi Olubanjo, a fourth year electrical engineering student at Georgia
Tech, reported on her work toward developing of a piece of “wearable technology” that will be able to estimate the amount and texture of food being consumed to assist in reaching a healthy balance between energy intake and expenditure. Steven Summers, a chemistry major who graduates from Morehouse College this year, described a summer research project which focused on a peptide hormone known to regulate body weight and appetite, and play a role in the regulation of autonomic physiological activities that control blood pressure. Finally, Farah Samli, a first year ARCS scholar studying infectious disease at the University of Georgia, has focused her research on vaccines.
Thanks from Alum Collette Miller, Postdoctoral Fellow at US Environmental Protection Agency
"Thank you all for reaching out and the support over the years. It's been a rocky few years following the passing of my doctoral research mentor a few weeks prior to my dissertation defense. Trying to rebound from his loss, finishing my dissertation, and figuring out where to go from there was challenging to say the least ... Thank you again for your support. Honestly I did not know how much I would have ended up relying on the generous gift that the Atlanta Chapter of ARCS Foundation provided when it was first received. However, it was vital in helping me launch a new chapter in my career when I found my plans collapse when my mentor passed. Again, THANK YOU!"
Thanks from ARCS Atlanta Scholar Alum Deborah Kilpatrick, CEO Evidation Health
The work you (ARCS Foundation Atlanta members) have all done is tremendous, and I am so proud to be a part of that legacy. I hope that my work is making you all feel that there has been a good return on your investment.
Thanks from Scholar Kira Newman
"I can only begin to express how grateful I am for the freedom to pursue an independent line of research without having to worry about how I will pay for the necessary lab supplies or training. This award is allowing me to answer broader and more valuable questions than I had previously thought possible... Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and belief in my potential as a scientist."