In Brief

NWiS Coffee Hour: "Grad School 101"
Are you a first-year graduate student wondering how to select your committee or thesis lab? A second- or third-year student about to take your quals? A fifth-year student anxious about "closing the deal" and graduating? A postdoc eager to advise younger students? Attend the November Network for Women in Science (NWiS) Coffee Hour, "Grad School 101: Navigating that mammoth endeavor that is a Ph.D." on Monday, November 2 at 3 PM to commiserate with fellow students, postdocs, and faculty who have "been there, done that." The discussion will be held in the Faculty Club Library Room. Coffee and snacks will be provided. This event, like all NWiS events, is open to all of Scripps Research and the group welcomes male colleagues. Read more about NWiS and its events on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112059047804.

Panel Discussion: "Bioentrepreneurship"
Do you think that the results of your research could make for a start-up company? Do you want to know what it takes to start a new company? Attend the Bioentrepreneurship Panel Discussion, sponsored by the Society of Fellows, the Office of Technology Development, and the Office of Career and Postdoctoral Services, on Wednesday, November 4, from 1:30 to 3 PM. Donaldson Santos, senior technology development officer, Scripps Research Office of Technology Development, will moderate the discussion. Panelists will include Raymond Stevens, Scripps Research professor and co-founder of Receptos; Kristina Burow, partner with ARCH Venture Partners and co-founder and director of Sapphire Energy; and Scott Forrest, director, Scripps Research Office of Technology Development. The event will be held in the Keck Amphitheater, Beckman Center, La Jolla campus. No RSVP necessary. Light refreshments provided.

Lunch & Learn: "Finding Flow"
Steve Sprinkle, director of the Counseling Center at the University of San Diego, will speak on "Finding Flow: Rediscover Happiness and Engagement," on Thursday, November 5, from noon to 1 PM. Sprinkle will discuss practical steps anyone can take to increase day-to-day life satisfaction. The discussion will be based on research by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of the best-selling book Finding Flow: the Psychology of Engagement in Everyday Life. The event, sponsored by the Office of Counseling and Psychological Services, will be held in the Keck Amphitheater, Beckman Building, La Jolla campus.

Help a Family in Need this Holiday Season
Scripps Research employees who would like to help a disadvantaged family during the holiday season can work through employee volunteer group ScrippsAssists, which is helping employees connect with Home Start, an organization that provides services to children living in poverty. Home Start's Adopt-a-Family program matches volunteers with families in need. For more information about Home Start, visit http://www.home-start.org/. For a sign up form or more information about Scripps Research participation, contact Marcia McRae, mjmcrae@scripps.edu or x4-8402. This year's sign up deadline is Thursday, November 5.

Food Drive Gears Up for the Holidays
Employee volunteer group ScrippsAssists is hosting a holiday drive for the San Diego Food Bank from Monday, November 2 to Monday, December 7 (or possibly to a later date). The San Diego Food Bank—whose slogan is "hunger has no season"—collects the donated food through the holiday season, as well as afterwards, and the food will serve the San Diego community for months to come.

Marked red bins will be available in locations across The Scripps Research Institute's La Jolla, California campus:

• Beckman Building Lobby (2nd floor)
• ICND Building
• 3377 Human Resources Building (2nd floor)
• MB Building (1st floor)
• 3030 Science Park Building
• CIMBio Building
• Gluck Childcare
• 3301 Administration Building

Most-needed items include:

• Canned meat and tuna
• Canned meals (chili, stew, ravioli, etc.)
• Tomato products
• Canned fruits and vegetables (especially corn and green beans)
• Canned soups
• Peanut butter
• Dry cereal
• Powdered milk

ScrippsAssists can only accept non-perishable items labeled with ingredients. The group cannot accept home canned or baked products, cans that are leaking or bulging, glass containers, and baby food in glass jars.

Monetary donations are welcome. Every dollar converts into 10 pounds of food and enables the group to distribute enough food for three meals. For more information, contact Taylor Cohen, taycoh@scripps.edu. Checks should be made out to the "San Diego Food Bank" and sent to Taylor at mail drop BCC169.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu