News Release
There's A Great Story World-Renowned Medical Researchers from Johns Hopkins to Give the Colorful Stories Behind Their Research Discoveries Rather than focus on breakthroughs or important research findings, these researchers have agreed to discuss the inspiring tales behind these great discoveries--the journey they took and the thrill of inspiration and pursuit in their research. The series begins March 30 at the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus in Baltimore. Admission to all lectures is free and open to the public. Leading off the series, which will feature one speaker per week for five consecutive weeks, will be Benjamin S. Carson Sr., (pictured at right) director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Carson will speak March 30 in Mudd Lecture Hall at 7 p.m. His talk is entitled, "From Medical Missionary to Academic Neurosurgery: Are They Really That Different?" The lecture series was the brainchild of an undergraduate student who had been inspired last fall by a Johns Hopkins professor's tale of researching a rare neurological disorder. Adam Libow, 22, conceived of the series and brought it together.
The person who inspired Libow, Guy McKhann, kept students spellbound as he led them through the shifting terrain he traveled in researching Gullian Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. McKhann enhanced the story, which involved a journey through China, by the deft use of the Socratic method, Libow remembers. He covered the science, but he also gave his audience the romance of the pursuit. "I walked out of there thinking, 'I wish more people had heard this,'" Libow recalls. "And I figured there were other researchers who had similar stories." He was right. Libow identified top medical researchers from Johns Hopkins to invite, and he was pleasantly surprised when all five agreed. And each researcher has agreed to waive their normal speaker fees. Libow says he hopes each scientist will focus "not so much on their latest or most accomplished findings, but rather on the process of scientific discovery, the stories behind their findings." Other speakers in the series are:
Donald S. Coffey, director of
research laboratories in the
Department of Urology,
will speak April 6
in Mergenthaler Lecture Hall. His talk is entitled, "From Failing
the Fifth Grade to Cancer
Research: A Journey through Academia." Photos are available.
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