Vol 5. Issue 35 / November 14, 2005

In Brief

Ceremony Honors ScrippsAssists Volunteers
A November 1 Scripps Research luncheon hosted by Judith Muñoz, vice president of Human Resources, honored employees active in volunteer organization ScrippsAssists.

"There were over 100 people who volunteered throughout the past year and we'd like to recognize the volunteers who went 'above and beyond' in helping the San Diego Community," said Muñoz, at the event. She then presented honorees with gift certificates to Barnes & Noble.

Those recognized at the event included employees who had volunteered three or more times with ScrippsAssists in the last year: Alana Althage, Mike Bobardt, Jan Bowden, Kristen Bower, Susan Czertak, Josh Gelbart, Kristi Kass, Carina Lotz, Pam Maher, Holly Maier, Larry Peranich, Jayashree Pyati, Darlene Scarcella, Peter Sobieszczuk, Kathryn Thompson, Maneesh Yadav, and He Zhou. In addition, special certificates were presented to Shane Blade, Bonnie Towle, and Vivian Lodes for ongoing support provided to ScrippsAssists.

ScrippsAsssists project leaders were also acknowledged, including:

  • Helen Plutner, who organizes the Holiday Senior Basket Project (see below),
  • Leslie Madden, who organizes the Daffodil Days for the American Cancer Society,
  • Eric Wise, who manages monthly trips to St. Vincent de Paul to feed the homeless,
  • Toni Tishon and Kelly Dryden, who organize monthly outings to clean and maintain trails at the Torrey Pines State Reserve,
  • Caroline Lanigan, who organizes trips to visit seniors in assisted living facilities,
  • Janet Hightower, who provides substantial administrative support to several different projects.

For more information on ScrippsAssists, see http://www.scripps.edu/services/sa/.


Seminars: "Developing Bioinformatics Computer Skills"
The La Jolla campus's Research Computing is offering free Unix and scientific application classes, titled "Developing Bioinformatics Computer Skills," including a recently added seminar on using Gaussian 03.

Classes, open to both scientists and staff, are:

  • Bioinformatics Foundations, Wednesday, November 9, 1:30 to 4 PM,
  • Introduction to Unix, Tuesday, November 15/Wednesday, November 16, 1:30 to 4:30 PM,
  • More Unix, Tuesday, November 29, 1:30 to 4:30 PM,
  • Unix Shell Scripts, Wednesday, November 30, 1:30 to 4:30 PM,
  • PMV—a Python-Based Molecule Viewing Environment, Tuesday, December 6, 1:30 to 4:30 PM,
  • Using Gaussian 03, Wednesday, December 7, 1:30 to 3:30 PM,
  • Using AutoDock with AutoDockTools, Thursday, December 8, 1:30 to 4:30 PM,
  • Using AutoDock for Virtual Screening, Wednesday, December 14, 1:30 to 4:30 PM.

The classes are loosely grouped into a logical sequence, but participants are free to pick and choose what makes sense to them.

The class series partially follows the O'Reilly book of the same name (see http://safari.oreilly.com/1565926641). Note that this is not an introduction to the theoretical and scientific underpinnings of bioinformatics, nor is it a full-fledged computer science course.

Details and sign up can be found at: http://training.scripps.edu/training/. Send questions, comments, and/or suggestions to Christoph Weber at weber@scripps.edu or call me at 4-9869.


Library Tip: Online Journals
The Kresge Library's initial experiment in going "online only" with journals from four major publishers in 2005 has been successful, so the transition will expand in the 2006 subscription year to additional publishers. Online usage statistics allow library staff to make the most of a limited journals budget by identifying high- and low-use titles. High-use titles such as Nature, Science, and PNAS will continue to be provided to the Scripps Research community in both print and online subscriptions. See the Journal List or ELLen for a complete list of online and print journals. For more information, contact the Kresge Library Help Desk, x4-8705 or helplib@scripps.edu.


Help with Holiday Senior Baskets
This holiday season, ScrippsAssists will once again prepare baskets for the holidays, working in conjunction with San Diego's Downtown Senior Community Center to serve homebound seniors. Scripps Research employees can help the project by:

  • Donating items to fill the baskets, including: holiday items, lotions, stationery/stamps, magnifying glasses, hats, gloves, scarves, calendars, flashlights, small denomination food gift certificates, socks, slippers, supplement drinks like Boost, tea/coffee, individual size canned fruit, applesauce cups, tote bags, etc. Please note that baskets and many toiletry items (soap, shampoo, toothbrushes/paste, deodorant, shaving cream/razors) are already purchased.
  • Making a cash donation. To help cover the cost of baskets, cellophane wrapping, and toiletries, make check payable to "ScrippsAssists" and send it to Helen Plutner, Mail Drop MB6.
  • Helping to prepare the baskets. Volunteers will meet on the La Jolla campus on Wednesday, December 7 and Thursday, December 8 from 5 to 7 PM. Food will be provided and friends and family are welcome. Help is also needed delivering the baskets to the van on Friday, December 9, around lunchtime.
  • Buying raffle tickets at the Fall Craft Fair on Thursday, December 8. All proceeds will fund ScrippsAssists projects.

For more information, contact Helen Plutner, x4-8257, putnerh@scripps.edu, or Mail Drop MB6.

 

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

 

 

 


Mud Run Teams Get Down and Dirty

Seven Scripps Research teams sponsored by the Society of Fellows competed in the grueling 10-kilometer Camp Pendleton mud run last month—through mud, over hay bails, through water, and up hills. Shown here crossing the finish line is team "Ground Zero," which won second place in its category.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Helen Plutner organizes ScrippsAssists' Holiday Senior Basket Project.