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CodingCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1structures, even children can learn codingthrough developmentally appropriateenvironments and toys.Bers and her DevTech research group atTufts created two such coding experiencesfor youngsters. The first, Scratch Jr., is aninteractive app, free to download, designedfor kids ages 5 to 7. They choose or createcharacters and scenes, then drag anddrop blocks to program the character tocomplete a series of actions. A kid mightmake a frog, for example, which jumps,then shrinks, then jumps again and ribbits.Suddenly, the child is playing a fun gamethat he or she programmed.Scratch Jr. is based on Scratch, developedby MIT Media Lab for older kids. Unable touse Scratch with her own children becausethey were too little, Bers became inspired tocollaborate with MIT on an age-appropriatejunior version. Since launching in 2014,Scratch Jr. has had millions of downloadsand has more than 200,000 weekly users.But something was missing, recountedBers. While Scratch Jr. fosters creative,open-ended play, it lacked a body. Berswanted to develop a coding experience thatsimulates the playground experience, onethat’s active, social and didn’t require eyes ona screen.“Technologies are leaving laptops; they’rebecoming more part of the objects aroundus,” said Bers, “so we need to understand thedifferent impacts of the different interfacesand designs.”With that in mind, her DevTech labinvented KIBO, a small robot programmedwith wooden blocks. KIBO has sensors todetect light, sound and distance and a lightbulb that reflects output. The robot’s scannerthen reads the bar codes in the blocks.“We start teaching kids from 4 yearsold the difference between an input and anoutput, while teaching them complex ideasfrom computer science,” she said.The child connects the programmingblocks, then glides the robot over theblocks to scan their icons and tags. Thisbrings the robot to life as it sings, dances,spins, beeps and lights up based on thesequence the child created.“But the robot isn’t finished because4 NIH RECORD DECEMBER 15, 2017“That’s what we’re really lookingfor when we’re teaching robotics andcoding,” said Bers. “We want to seethe child or the adult behind it.whocan use it to express themselves andreally show who they are.”Although target groups fordeveloping KIBO were kids withno known disability, Bers said theypiloted KIBO with autistic children.At a school in Panama, the autisticyoungsters understood how toprogram KIBO; interestingly, though,they all reversed the sequence bystarting with an End block. TheWho says you can’t have fun while learning? A young boyteacher had to flip the blocks aroundscans a KIBO robot over wooden programming blocks toto make them scannable.bring the activity sequence he created to life.Recently, Bers has begun collaboPHOTO: DEVTECH/TUFTSrating on research to learn what partsof the brain become activated whenkids program. The problem-solving areaswhat’s missing is the kid’s individuality,”of the brain are likely to light up on fMRIsaid Bers. Kids are encouraged to decoratebut what about other areas? If coding is atheir robots. “We built art platforms for kidsliteracy, would language areas also becometo bring their creativity and integrate theiractivated when kids program?recyclables or other kinds of materials into“If you start in early childhood, at a timethe robot.”when everyone is curious and open, and youKIBO has more than 20 curriculumtake the mindset of a literacy approach, thenunits to guide teachers who use it inwe’re really talking about something [muchclassrooms. One unit is Dances Aroundbigger],” said Bers. “Literacy is a power andthe World, where kids can celebrate andgives us a voice. We know that those wholearn about different cultures. Users cancan use [coding] language are those who areprogram their KIBO to dance to whatevergoing to be in control of the future.”they choose to choreograph, from the hulato the tango to Hava Nagila.“We know that those who can use [coding] language are those who are going to be in control of thefuture,” said Bers.LECTURE PHOTOS: LISA HELFERT

NEI Starts 50th Anniversary withSymposiumThe National Eye Institute, established by PresidentLyndon B. Johnson in 1968, is celebrating its 50thanniversary in 2018. The year-long observancebegan at the Society for Neuroscience 2017meeting with a satellite symposium, Vision andthe Brain, held Nov. 10 at the Marriott Marquis inWashington D.C. The symposium celebrated thecareer of Dr. Robert Wurtz, former chief of NEI’ssection on visualmotor integration.Wurtz joinedNIH in 1965 as aphysiologist at theNational Instituteof NeurologicalDiseases andBlindness. Heretired from NEIthis year after morethan 50 years ofservice.Several of Wurtz’sNobel laureate Dr. Eric Kandelformer studentsdelivers the final presentationand postdocsat the Vision and the Brainattended. Twosymposium.Nobel laureates—neuroscientistDr. Torsten Weisel, president emeritus at theRockefeller University in New York, and Dr. EricKandel, director of the Kavli Institute for BrainScience at Columbia University—were symposiumspeakers and regaled the audience with storiesabout Wurtz.Wurtz’s key innovation was to develop methodsto study the visual system in animals whilethey were awake, rather than anesthetized. Hetrained monkeys to keep their eyes still for a fewseconds, allowing him and his team to recordvisual neurons in action. This model is still usedby scientists worldwide to study neurons involvedin visual processing.The symposium was the first of several NEI anniversary events planned for 2018: Exhibits at Brain Awareness Week (Mar. 14)NIEHS’ers Among First Responders forHurricane ReliefPHS, FEMANIEHS response to the 2017 hurricanes included officers in the Public Health Service and volunteerswho worked with the Federal Emergency Management Administration.“When Hurricane Irma hit, I got rapid deployment orders Sept. 11,” said Mark Miller, NIEHS chiefof staff. “I was on a plane to Atlanta less than 8 hours later.” From Atlanta, he traveled to SouthFlorida, where heled operation of amedical shelter in ahigh school. “This levelof response showswhat the PHS can doas a team to supportimpacted communities,” he said.In addition to his roleat NIEHS, Cdr. Millerserves as a planningofficer on a PHS rapiddeployment force.For him and his 130teammates, thatmeant early activationand deploymentwithin hours of Irma’slandfall.Cdr. Mark Miller (r) led a team of medical responders at East Lee CountyHigh School near Fort Myers, Fla.At a shelter in East Lee County High School, just east of Ft. Myers, Miller’s team worked with thestate department of health and local organizations to care for nearly 300 patients and familymembers.Within 10 days, most were able to return home or make other arrangements, so Miller and approximately 65 clinicians moved to Florida International University (FIU) in Miami. There they managed amedical shelter for more than 75 individuals in need of dialysis and other medical attention.“In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many U.S. Virgin Islands residents in need of dialysis were movedto Puerto Rico, because so many clinics were destroyed,” Miller said. “But as Hurricane Mariaapproached, it was clear that Puerto Rico would not be safe either.” So 97 dialysis patients wererelocated from Puerto Rico to FIU via military aircraft.Another PHS officer at NIEHS, Cdr. John McLamb, deployed to Puerto Rico on Oct. 25 to supportresponse efforts in the wake of Hurricane Maria. He conducted environmental health and safetyassessments in hospitals and evaluated drinking water systems on the island. He worked 14-plusdays in and around areas where the infrastructure was heavily damaged. For example, he said it wascommon that 4 out of 5 utility poles were knocked down. Symposium: Vision and Immunology (Mar. 22)Many across HHS responded to the call for volunteers from the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency. Two from NIEHS were selected: Julie Nixon, emergency management program specialist,and James Williams, grants officer. Hands-on activities at USA Science & EngineeringFestival (Apr. 6-8)“To be here on the ground, ready to help these people survive this storm from the moment it hit,has been a life-changing experience,” said Nixon. NEI at Association for Research in Vision andOphthalmology (Apr. 29-May 3)Williams had previous experience with disaster relief through a similar deployment after HurricaneKatrina. “I was assigned to a team of six along Florida’s Gulf coast,” Williams said. “These areas weredrastically impacted by the hurricane, many more by flooding than wind.” NEI on Capitol Hill (Mar. 21) Symposium: Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation(June 29) Symposium: Future of Vision Research (Oct. 18)“I’m so proud to work for an institute that supports disaster relief the way NIEHS does,” Millersaid.—Ian ThomasNEI also is releasing a video series to commemorate its 50th anniversary. The first two videos—NEI,Leading the Fight Against Blindness and TheWindows to Your Health—are available now.Another two videos will follow later.NIH RECORD DECEMBER 15, 2017 5

Renderings of a typical open laboratory (l) to be installed on floors 3 through 10 and the new NIH Blood Bank (r), including stem cell and gene therapycollection, to be located on the 1st floor of the renovated E wingRenovationutilities and equipment for specializedresearch, a new Blood Bank for the ClinicalCenter and new teaching laboratories forthe Foundation for Advanced Education inthe Sciences. The 12th floor is devoted to abrand new Center for Cellular Engineeringcreating cell therapies to reverse manydebilitating diseases.The Clinical Center’s department oftransfusion medicine, NIAID’s Laboratoryof Clinical Infectious Diseases, NIDDK’sGenetics of Development and Diseases,Kidney Diseases and Molecular Medicinebranches and NIMH’s Human BrainCollection Core and the section of neuroadaptation and protein metabolism will alsobe housed in the refurbished space, alongwith staff from NHLBI, NHGRI and NINDS.CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1western half of the building, has beenimmersed in a massive interior restoration.Now that it is complete, the eastern half, theE wing, gets its turn.During F wing renovation, employeescontinued to occupy and work alongsideongoing construction. Over time, it becameapparent this unique cohabitation wasarduous and inefficient. For the E wing, thislaborious phased approach will be scrapped.Instead, the 250,000 square feet of mostlyvacant space will undergo a simultaneoustop-to-bottom overhaul beginning in mid2018, once entirely unoccupied.Staff will begin to see entire floors closethis month, starting with floors 11, 12 and14. Once the wing is entirelyF Wing Renovation Achievesvacant, pedestrian detoursLEED Gold Certificationwill be available on theThe renovation of the Bldg. 10 F wing,first floor for east-to-westculminating in the transformation ofaccess during the duration16 floors and 250,000 square feet ofof the project. Signage in the space inside the Clinical Center, wasClinical Center and the Take capped off with achievement of aMe There app will provideLEED Gold Certification. The projectconverted former patient care androutes, albeit sometimessupport units into flexible researchcircuitous, enablinglaboratory and support space servingpedestrians to reach theirat least 12 different institutes anddestination.centers, including a series of clinicalBefore demolition andanatomical pathology laboratories forNCI’s Laboratory of Pathology, withnew construction workan autopsy suite and morgue, andbegin, plans are beingvarious pathological, cytological anddeveloped to minimize themolecular labs.disruptions and challengesof noise, vibration, vivarium LEED, or Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design, is a ratingdisturbances and dustsystem developed by the United Statescontrol. When finished inGreen Building Council to implement2021, the E wing will become sustainable, environmentally friendlythe new home for more than building elements in design andconstruction projects. The Gold1,500 research and admincertification is the second highest levelistrative staff, including 11on a scale of 4.institutes and other orga“It’s a remarkable achievement for thenizations, state-of-the-artproject to achieve such a high rating,6 NIH RECORD DECEMBER 15, 2017 The 250,000 square feetof mostly vacant space willundergo a simultaneoustop-to-bottom overhaulbeginning in mid-2018. The Office of Research Services’ Divisionof Veterinary Resources will launch a moreefficient and cost effective cage-wash systemto support the ACRF vertical vivarium. Andthe NIH Director’s Wednesday AfternoonLecture Series, the highest-profile lectureprogram at NIH, will find a new home.As with any major renovation project atwhich is difficult to accomplish in renovations, especially in a facility of theage, size and complexity of the ClinicalCenter,” said Kenny Floyd, directorof the Division of EnvironmentalProtection, ORF.Gold certification was achievedthrough various sustainable strategies targeting air quality, light,temperature, water and other energyefficiencies including novel chilledbeam technology, hazardous materialabatement and use of renewable,recycled, low-emitting and locallyproduced materials.A modern approach to augment abuilding’s air conditioning system,chilled beam technology providesenergy savings by delivering primaryair from a central system to structuralbeams through high-velocity nozzlesand cools room air by passing it overwater coils inside the chilled beams.These and other mechanical systemdesign changes achieved a 15 percentreduction in energy use over a baselinebuilding—a difficult achievement giventhe stringent requirements necessaryfor the F wing.The exhaust air systems have sensorsto automatically reduce energy useduring down periods and recoverand reuse heat that would otherwiseescape into the atmosphere.Carbon dioxide sensors react todensely occupied areas such asconference rooms, increasing freshair flow. Occupancy sensors usinginfrared and ultrasonic devices “sense”when an area is vacant, poweringdown lighting systems in zones, withlighting in adjacent vacant areasreduced by 50 percent to eliminateharsh, light-to-dark situations forremaining employees.Domestic water use was minimizedwith the installation of low-flow toiletsand shower room fixtures and outdoorlandscaping used plantings native oradapted to the region, requiring noadditional watering after the initialplant-in period. Heat-reflecting roofinghelped reduce the urban heat islandeffect. Finally, alternative flooringand wood products using renewablelinseed oil and wheat board wereselected when possible.—Brad Moss

NIH, the aim is to integrate many environmentally sensitive and high-performancedesign strategies. For the E wing, the goalis to achieve a Silver certification followingthe LEED (Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design) green buildingrating system. Energy-efficient light fixturesand controls will be installed. A chilled beamsystem and upgraded mechanical systemswill provide additional energy efficiency(see sidebar). All existing exterior windowswill be replaced with high-performancewindows containing insulated low-E glassmatching those in the recently renovatedF wing. Highly recycled content and localmaterials will be utilized whenever possibleto reduce the carbon footprint and indoor airquality will meet zero-VOC (volatile organiccompounds) and low toxin requirements.Dr. Richard Wyatt, deputy director,Office of Intramural Research and co-chairof the E Wing steering committee, noted,“Our research community should be veryenthusiastic about the upcoming E wingrenovations based on the successful transformation of the F wing into much neededmodern lab space. Any in situ renovations,however, require quite a lot of tolerance byneighboring occupants due to noise, dustand disruptions. Thanks to all for tolerating these.”NHLBI Hosts TrainingWorkshop for Health EquityResearchersNHLBI’s Center for Translation Research andImplementation Science recently partnered withseveral other NIH components and the HHSOffice of Minority Health to conduct a workshop,“Training the Next Generation of ImplementationResearchers for Health Equity.”Newly elected AAAS fellows include (from l) Dr. Joshua A. Gordon, Dr. T. Jake Liang, Dr. Yves GeorgesPommier, Dr. David Benjamin Resnik and Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers.AAAS Honors Five from NIHFive NIH scientists, including two institute directors, were recently elected fellows of the AmericanAssociation for the Advancement of Science. TheAAAS honored 396 of its members for 2017 inrecognition of their contributions to science andtechnology, scientific leadership and extraordinaryachievements across disciplines.From the section on history and philosophy ofscience: Dr. David Benjamin Resnik, bioethicist,NIEHS.From the section on medical sciences: Dr. T. JakeLiang, chief, Liver Diseases Branch and chief ofboth the liver diseases virology section and theclinical research section, NIDDK; and Dr. Griffin P.Rodgers, director, NIDDK.The tradition of AAAS fellows dates to 1874. AAASis the world’s largest general scientific society andpublisher of the journal Science as well as ScienceTranslational Medicine; Science Signaling, a digital,open-access journal; Science Advances; ScienceImmunology; and Science Robotics.AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes nearly 250affiliated societies and academies of science.leaders committed tomentoring the nextgeneration of medicaldoctors and researchers.The lecture and workshophonored their legacies.The workshop also featured the inaugural Dr.Elijah Saunders and Dr. Levi Watkins MemorialLecture delivered by Dr. Lisa A. Cooper, James F.Fries professor of medicine and director, JohnsHopkins Center for Health Equity.In addition to being remarkable cardiovascularspecialists and visionaries for health equity,Saunders and Watkins were compassionateFor more informationabout the workshop,contact Dr. Melissa Green Parker (melissa.At the workshop, more than 30 experts addressedbest practices for designing training programs,enhancing participation and identifying mentors.The new AAAS fellows will be recognized on Feb.17, 2018, at the AAAS annual meeting in Austin, Tex.They will be presented with an official certificateand a rosette pin, the emblem of fellowship.From the section on neuroscience: Dr. Joshua A.Gordon, NIMH director.“Many training programs emphasizeknowledge-building,but need to incorporateskills-building to be moreopen-minded and betterable to interact” in thecontext of communityand stakeholder engagement, said Cooper. Shealso noted that the nextgeneration of researchersshould seek out multiplementors and sharedexamples of support shereceived from numerousmentors during hercareer.Health inequities research is crucial for makingprogress in eliminating preventable differencesin outcomes for cardiovascular disease, blooddisorders, mental health and diabetes.From the section on pharmaceutical sciences:Dr. Yves Georges Pommier, chief, DevelopmentalTherapeutics Branch and Laboratory of MolecularPharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI.Dr. Lisa A. Cooper (front, c) joins other participants at NHLBI’s“Training the Next Generation of Implementation Researchers forHealth Equity” workshop.PHOTO: REBECCA ROPERgreenparker@nih.gov) or Helen Hunter Cox(Helen.Cox@nih.gov).NIH RECORD DECEMBER 15, 2017 7

played the most monumental role in Sorensen’sdecision to pursue science.A paper by Nicolaou, onhow complex compoundsfound in nature can besynthesized, so fascinatedSorensen discusses the importance of role models in scientific workforceSorensen that he feltdiversity. Below, he chats with lecture attendees including NIH directorcompelled to drop medicineDr. Francis Collins (l) and THRO director Dr. Dave Wilson (r).as a major and take up aPHOTOS: DANIEL SOÑÉdifferent scientific field.“I responded instantlySorensento the aesthetics of organic chemistry, theCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1aesthetics of structural transformations—Currently the Arthur Allan Patchettboth naturally occurring and also structuralprofessor in organic chemistry at Princetontransformations that chemists have dev

Dec 15, 2017 · structures, even children can learn coding through developmentally appropriate . environments and toys. Bers and her DevTech research group at . Tufts created two such coding experiences for youngsters. The first, Scratch Jr., is an interactive app, free to download, designed