Travis and Wendy Lewis announce the birth of their son Bryant William! Bryant was born on December 30, 2011, at 4:55am. He weighed 9lbs 8oz and  was 21.5in long. We can't wait to meet him!

Congratulations from all of us in the Kucenas Lab to the new parents!

"[E]ach of the building's five research levels features an open-bay lab space with air ducts running all through the ceilings. This allows equipment such as bio boxes to be added or moved simply by attaching a quick-disconnect hose to the central ventilation, enabling adaptable design, explained project manager Chuck Davis of Facilities Management."

 "The open-bay design has another purpose – to encourage researchers from different disciplines to collaborate. As scientific fields become more cross-disciplinary, the labs will allow researchers from various departments to work side by side when their research warrants it."

Lauren on Monday, ready to cross all the fish.

Lauren on Tuesday, realizing the implications of over-exuberance.

As part of the University's 2020 Science and Technology initiative, the Office of the Vice President for Research administers the Fund for Excellence in Science and Technology (FEST) internal grant program for junior faculty research projects in the sciences, engineering, and medicine by providing awards of $50,000 annually for highly innovative research projects that will lead to strong proposals for outside funding and early career recognition.

From the article at UVA Today:

Five top junior faculty members have been named Distinguished Young Investigators this year through the University of Virginia's Fund for Excellence in Science and Technology. Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the fund – now in its seventh year – provides seed money for promising innovative research.

...

In another project expected to provide new approaches to the treatment of disease, Kucenas plans to use her FEST award to develop a new model of nerve injury and repair to extend her groundbreaking investigations on the interactions between neurons and supporting cells in the peripheral nervous system during their primary development. [emphasis added]

"This work will suggest new approaches that will enhance the healing of damaged nerves," McDuffie said. "Kucenas' insights are likely to enhance the recovery of thousands of individuals every year affected by traumatic or infectious injury to nerves affecting sensation and motor function."

Congratulations, Sarah!

The Mead Honored Professors Program---named in honor of Music faculty member, Ernest "Boots" Mead, who retired in 1996---is an exciting program that allows professors to use their creativity. The Mead Endowment, established in 1999 by a group of alumni led by Tom Darbyshire, sponsors programs that encourage faculty to "walk the footsteps of Boots" by being actively involved with students and student life.  See http://hoosonline.virginia.edu/site/c.ihLPK1PFLoF/b.2559639/k.BF6F/Home.htm

Only ten outstanding faculty members from the College and one from the Darden School are nominated as Mead Honored Professors each academic year.  Nominees are invited to submit a "Dream Idea" proposal involving an activity or set of activities related to academic pursuits that the individual would like to undertake with one or more undergraduate students. Of eleven proposals submitted, one "Dream Idea" will be chosen by the Mead Advisory Board for the endowment prize, and the winning nominee will be announced at the banquet.

By conducting a broad-based community assessment, we will identify the health needs of the indigenous women in the lake-side town Santiago of Guatemala. Using women's health resources made available by the local hospital Hospitalito Atitlan, doctors and NGOs, we will help create a women's peer health education program centered in the Santiago community.

The group received an award from Jefferson Public Citizen, a program which began at the University in 2009.

The JPC program plan evolved from several major university planning initiatives and priorities over the past several years including: the Public Service and Outreach Commission, the Commission on Diversity and Equity, the Ten Year Academic Plan, the Quality Enhancement Plan, and the Commission on the Future of the University. The program format has been informed by study of similar programs at other universities such as Stanford University, Duke University, and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill among others.

Initial funding was provided by the Board of Visitors to support strategic initiatives recommended by the Commission on the Future of the University, The Jefferson Public Citizens program was among those initiatives to receive start up support. The University Community Partnerships Office was missioned to advance this program in addition to developing and expanding academic community engagement at the university.

Vatsal and the rest of his team were also awarded funding through the Center for Global Health-University Scholar Award.

The University of Virginia's Center for Global Health has established the CGH-University Scholar Awards to encourage UVa students to design and carry out interdisciplinary research projects related to global health. Health is a universal value, and defined broadly. Environmental health, economic health, mental health and health of communities are all issues which can be approached from a broad range of disciplines including politics, biology, economics or foreign affairs.

The total amount won for this project was apporixmately $28,000. The students plan to be in Guatemala from early June to early August.