APL's Rob Strain named head of Goddard Space Flight Center

Rob Strain, head of APL's Space Department for the past two years, takes over today as director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The announcement was made last month by NASA administrator Michael Griffin.

Strain was previously associate and assistant Space Department head for operations. Prior to joining APL, he held executive positions with Axiom Corp., Orbital Sciences Corp. and Fairchild Space and Defense Co.

"Rob is a remarkable leader," said Rich Roca, director of the Applied Physics Laboratory. "APL is sorry to have him leave our executive ranks but delighted that he will continue to contribute to the nation's space efforts, and we look forward to collaborating with him and his entire Goddard team."

John Sommerer has been named acting head of the Space Department and its two business areas, Civilian and National Security Space. In his current role as APL chief technology officer, and in his previous role as Research and Technology Development Center head, Sommerer has worked closely with the Space Department leadership team. He is also director of Science and Technology for the Lab.

 

New tenant added for Science + Technology Park at Johns Hopkins

The Forest City-New East Baltimore Partnership has announced that IATRICa is the latest tenant to sign on at the John G. Rangos Sr. Building at 855 N. Wolfe St., the first of five planned life science/office facilities at the Science + Technology Park at Johns Hopkins.

IATRICa becomes the fifth tenant along with the Johns Hopkins Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cangen Biotechnologies and BioMarker Strategies to lease space at the 278,000-square-foot office/research building, which opened in April.

 

Two JHU scientists to direct research into long spaceflights

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute has reappointed two scientists at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to help lead nationwide research teams focused on the mental and cardiovascular risks associated with long-term spaceflight.

The teams, to be based at dozens of institutions in the United States, will be organized by NSBRI, a consortium supported by NASA.

Joseph V. Brady, professor of behavioral biology and neuroscience, will be associate team leader for the Neurobehavioral and Psychosocial Factors Team, his second term in this position. The group's focus is on identifying how stress and isolation affect crew health, safety and productivity during long-duration space missions, as well as on tools to detect and alleviate such risks, enhance performance and improve quality of life.

Artin A. Shoukas, professor of biomedical engineering, physiology, and anesthesia and critical care medicine, will be associate team leader for the Cardiovascular Alterations Team, his third term in this post. His group will look at the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the heart and blood vessels, and on the development of therapies for the loss of physical fitness that typically accompanies long-term space travel. Its research may also lead to strategies that can slow or reverse cardiovascular aging on Earth.

 

Hopkins 4K for Cancer cyclists wrap cross-country trip in S.F.

After riding their bicycles some 4,000 miles across the country this summer to raise funds and spread awareness for cancer treatment and research, 25 students of the Hopkins 4K for Cancer, a student-run nonprofit organization based at Johns Hopkins, arrived in San Francisco on July 26, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and ceremoniously dipping their tires in the bay at Crissy Field. They began the trip in Baltimore on May 25 by dipping their tires in the Inner Harbor.

To date, this year's effort has raised more than $111,000 for the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge, a residence for out-of-town cancer patients seeking treatment at Baltimore hospitals; the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center; and the Carolina Panthers' Keep Pounding Foundation.

 

APL's 'Great Planet Debate' conference includes public event

Is Pluto a planet? Mark Sykes of the Planetary Science Institute and Neil deGrasse Tyson of the American Museum of Natural History will grapple over that and related questions in a public debate at 4:30 p.m. on Thurs., Aug. 14, at APL's Kossiakoff Center. Part of the first Great Planet Debate conference, the event will also be streamed live on the Web; for details, go to gpd.jhuapl.edu.

 

JH SoN recives CareFirst Scholarship for second year

The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, in collaboration with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, is offering the CareFirst Project RN Scholarship for the 2008-2009 academic year. The scholarship, now available for the second time, awards $40,000 in tuition and living expenses to a full-time student in the JHU Master of Science in Nursing Program who commits to teaching at a school of nursing in Maryland, Northern Virginia or the District of Columbia for at least three years following graduation.

By providing the scholarship, CareFirst aims to address the growing nursing shortage across the nation by increasing the number of educators for future nurses.

To apply, go to: www.son.jhmi.edu/apply/finaid/aid/grants.aspx.

For more information contact Sandra Angell at 410-955-7545 or sangell@son.jhmi.edu.

 

Corrections

In a July 21 story on the Mosaic Initiative, Carlton Haywood's new faculty position was incompletely reported. In addition to being an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine in the School of Medicine, Haywood has a joint appointment in the Berman Institute of Bioethics. He will focus on hematology, bioethics and issues affecting individuals with sickle cell disease.

Another story in the July 21 issue stated that the Research Ethics Consulting Service at the School of Public Health would be holding monthly open office hours. That information was incorrect. We regret the error.

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