Twelve scientists have been recognized for their inspiring achievements in science mentorship, environmental stewardship, humanitarian efforts and the arts.
IPSWICH, MA, (April 5, 2019) — New England Biolabs, Inc. (NEB®), today announced the winners of its third Passion in Science Awards, which acknowledge scientists for their innovative work that goes above and beyond the boundaries of pure science to make a profound impact on other fields, including the arts, humanitarian service, environmental stewardship, and science mentorship.
On May 1st, 2019, NEB will host 12 award recipients from around the world at its headquarters in Ipswich, MA, where they will receive their awards, share their personal stories of success, and participate in a series of group discussions and creative brainstorming sessions with the NEB community.
“We are honored to recognize our 2019 Passion in Science Awards recipients who are enriching lives in ways that go well beyond the traditional definition of success for a scientist,” said Jim Ellard, Chief Executive Officer at NEB. “These men and women truly embody the core values embraced by NEB: passion, humility, creativity and being genuine.”
The full list of Passion in Science Awardees is as follows:
Category: Science Mentorship and Advocacy Award™
- Sarah McAnulty (University of Connecticut, Willimantic, CT): Founder of Skype a Scientist, which connects non-scientists with scientists via personal video chats, enabling students and adults to learn about a scientist’s life, work and passions.
- Daniel Heid (Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany): Founder of the Xenoplex STEM Center, which encourages young students who are interested in science and equips them with the experience and expertise to solve future scientific problems.
- Steven Farber (Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD): Founder of BioEYES, a non-profit research program that uses zebrafish to excite and educate K-12 students about science and how to think and act like scientists.
- Sarah Fankhauser (Oxford College of Emory University, Oxford, Georgia): Established the first peer-reviewed publication for middle- and high-school students, the Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI), which supports and strengthens the next generation of young scientists by engaging them in a process that was previously unavailable.
Category: Environmental Stewardship Award®
- Malali Gowda (TransDisciplinary University, Bangaluru, India): Established a method to re-forest any barren or rocky land in short period, resulting in an increase in vegetation cover, ground-water and biodiversity.
- Samantha Romanick (University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV): Established the Campus Refill Initiative (CRI), aimed at reducing plastic waste on college campuses by offering sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics.
Category: Humanitarian Duty Award®
- Mahmoud Bukar Maina (University of Sussex, England, UK): Founder of the TReND Outreach program and SciComNigera, aimed to enhance public understanding, trust and support for science, and inspiring the next generation of African scientists through outreach activities for school students, teachers, government officials and scientists.
- Nathan Schoepp (Caltech, Pasadena, CA): Developed rapid diagnostics for determining antibiotic susceptibility, which can be used by clinicians at the point of care, before prescribing, to improve outcomes and prevent resistance.
Category: Art and Creativity Award®
- William Ward Murta (Theater Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany): Composer of Das Molekül, which tells the story of the discovery of DNA and the race to sequence the human genome through a full-scale work of musical theatre involving six soloists, a chorus and symphony orchestra.
- Garfield Kwan (University of California, San Diego, CA): Creator of Squidtoons, which communicates research through visually appealing, yet scientifically accurate, comics to broaden public understanding of the sciences.
- Kyle McClary (University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA): Founder of the Bridge Art + Science Alliance (BASA), a program designed to build a community and establish collaboration between the art and science departments at USC, creating a synergy between scientific discovery and engaging media.
- Bryan Welm (University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT): Associate Professor and Sculptor whose artwork accurately and artistically represents DNA and protein complexes to inspire public curiosity in science.
More information on the winners will be available at www.neb.com/passioninscience following the event.
About New England Biolabs
Established in the mid 1970’s, New England Biolabs, Inc. (NEB) is the industry leader in the discovery and production of enzymes for molecular biology applications and now offers the largest selection of recombinant and native enzymes for genomic research. NEB continues to expand its product offerings into areas related to PCR, gene expression, sample preparation for next generation sequencing, synthetic biology, glycobiology, epigenetics and RNA analysis. Additionally, NEB is focused on strengthening alliances that enable new technologies to reach key market sectors, including molecular diagnostics development. New England Biolabs is a privately held company, headquartered in Ipswich, MA, and has extensive worldwide distribution through a network of exclusive distributors, agents and seven subsidiaries located in Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK. For more information about New England Biolabs visit www.neb.com.
NEB® and NEW ENGLAND BIOLABS® are registered trademarks of New England Biolabs, Inc.
Contact information:
Deana D. Martin, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Marketing Communications
New England Biolabs
240 County Road Ipswich, MA 01938
Tel: 978-380-7464
Email: martin@neb.com
4/3/2019