Friday, November 2, 2012

Breakthrough Breakfast

I have a hard time trying to figure out a better way to start a Friday than what I managed today. The Puget Sound Business Journal sponsored a first time ever breakfast event at a fancy hotel downtown, where donors could "meet the scientists behind breakthrough research that is saving lives around the world and learn what their future holds in their effort to eradicate cancer". Sounds great, right? Luckily, there were 50 complimentary tickets available to Fred Hutch employees and a friend and I quickly snatched two of them.

The program included feasting on a plated breakfast while listening to a panel of four distinguished FHCRC scientists: Larry Corey, M.D., president and director; Harmit Malik, Ph.D., world-renowned evolutionary biologist; Jim Olson, M.D., groundbreaking pediatric oncologist; and Linda Buck, Ph.D., Nobel laureate. I had no idea what to expect from this event, but I am so glad I got to attend it as it was truly inspiring. It offered a lot of knowledge about the kind of questions Fred Hutch researchers wrestle with, as well as insight into the features that make this institute so successful.

And I got to do a really silly thing before leaving. Well, it felt silly at the time, but I'm actually quite proud of what I did: I worked up the courage to go over to Linda Buck after the panel discussion, introduced myself and told her what a great inspiration she is to me. Goofy, sure, but honestly: how many shots do you get at interacting with a Nobel laureate!? That's right. So I did it. Hah!

2 comments:

  1. Så jädra win-bra av dig vännen!

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  2. Oh , bra jobbat!! Tror aldrig människor tröttnar på att höra vilken isnpiration de varit :) fantastiskt att du tog chansen när du fick den , det låter ju som en helt fantstiskt event !!
    Vi tog en fika igår, tänkte på dig och försökte skratta lite extra även om den blev ngn liten tår också.
    Liten har det mysigt där inne och har inte tittat ut ännu :P
    Tänker en massa på dig och vi ahr hittat ett datum som vi funderar funkar, Karin jobbar en massa så den 23.de på dagtid var det som verkade passa bäst...
    Tilda skulle skicka ett mail !
    KRAM !

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