"It Didn't Come Free" - In Honor Of Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month, the Susquehanna Chapter of Blacks In Government (BIG) presented a special breakfast this past Saturday featuring Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) employees Eugene Vickers and Phyllis Brown as the guest speaker and guest poet, respectively.  Below is Brown's poem, "It Didn't Come Free:"

All In A Day’s Work: Inside ECBC’s Detection Engineering Branch

The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center’s (ECBC) Detection Engineering Branch (DEB) actively supports the sustainment of multiple detection items. In addition to providing sustainment support of various Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) equipment items in the traditional sense with technical expertise for lifecycle management, DEB also provides hands-on technical support to the warfighter through their Chemical Biological Equipment Repair Team (CBERT) and DEB Contact Team. In today’s ECBC blog entry, go inside a CBERT mission and the training provided by ECBC’s Contact Team to learn how the Center helps to keep Warfighters knowledgeable about their CBRN equipment.

ECBC Engineering Strategy Engages Workforce, Works to Develop Future DoD Leaders

Senior leaders within the Department of Defense (DoD) find themselves in one of the most challenging times our nation has ever seen; in addition to orchestrating the necessary defenses for our deployed warfighters, the emergence of domestic terrorism has extended the threat to the homeland, requiring government leaders in DoD to solve problems that are more complex within shorter timeframes.

As part of the nation’s principle research and development center for non-medical chemical and biological defense, the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center’s (ECBC) Engineering Directorate senior management found itself struggling to balance the desire to support the workforce with people, learning and growth initiatives against the demands of a fee-for-service business model within the Joint Service-chemical biological defense world. Engineering Directorate leadership turned to the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) strategy management system as the best framework for the organization’s strategy development.

The U.S. Army’s Chief Scientist Meets with ECBC Scientists, Tours Facilities

Looking to gain a comprehensive understanding of the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center’s (ECBC) capabilities and resources, the Army’s Chief Scientist from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, Dr. Scott Fish, toured the Center’s facilities and met with the ECBC Technical Director Joseph Wienand and practicing senior scientists on February 4.

During his visit, Fish and ECBC subject matter experts discussed topics such as the surface science initiative, tactical energy, detection of biological threat agents, obscuration science, genomics and forensic support in theatre.

To view photo from Dr. Fish's visit to ECBC, please visit our Flickr account by clicking here or by visiting http://www.flickr.com/photos/edgewoodchembiocenter.

Photo: Subject matter experts that participated in the visit included ECBC Research Biologist James Carney, Ph.D.; Associate Director James Baker, Ph.D.; Engineering Acting Associate Director Ron Pojunas; the Army’s Chief Scientist from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Scott Fish, Ph.D.; ECBC Toxicologist Christopher Whalley; Technical Director Joseph Wienand; Chief of the Smoke and Target Defeat Branch Larry Bickford; Senior Technologist for Biochemistry Jose-Luis Sagripanti, Ph.D.; Research Physical Science Brendan DeLacy, Ph.D.; Deputy Director of Research and Technology Steven Lawhorne; and Senior Technologist for Chemistry Augustus Way Fountain, Ph.D. (left to right).

Photo credit Sean Kief, U.S. Army Garrison Aberdeen Proving Ground

ECBC Senior Leaders Among Graduates of APG Leadership Cohort Program

Employees from the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) were among a group of 29 motivated managers who celebrated their graduation from the Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) Leadership Cohort during a ceremony held February 9 at the C4ISR Mission Training Facility.

Last week's ceremony represents the conclusion of a one-year commitment by ECBC Acting Director of Program Integration (DPI) George Collins, Engineering Associate Director Bill Klein, DPI Deputy Director Timothy Blades, Engineering Deputy Director Randy Laye and Jorge Christian, team leader of Engineering's Protection Engineering Group, to participate in a unique professional development program designed by the Office of Personnel Management for APG to develop civilian leaders.

ECBC was one of 14 APG organizations represented during the program's second graduation.

JACS Accepts ECBC Article on Magnetic Nanosensors

2011 began on a good note, literally, for Terry Henderson, Ph.D., a member of the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) workforce. He received notice on January 3 that a paper he co-authored was accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS). The paper will likely be published in a spring edition of the journal.

The article is entitled “The Assembly State between Magnetic Nanosensors and their Targets Orchestrates their Magnetic Relaxation Response.” It reports the discovery of a new, mechanistically unique iron oxide nanoparticle-target interaction that can potentially be incorporated into new clinical and field detection applications.

“This work is relevant to ECBC’s mission for research into new and innovative approaches for the detection of threat CB materials,” said Jude Height of ECBC’s Biophysical Chemistry Branch.

According to its website, JACS was founded in 1879 and “is the flagship journal of the American Chemical Society and the preeminent journal in the field."

ECBC Helps Kick Off New Mentorship Program at Edgewood High School

Five staff members from the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) started the new year by volunteering to serve as mentors in support of a new educational outreach effort sponsored by the National Defense Education Program, Edgewood High School’s (EHS) RAM Hour Academic Club. 

Eager to start working with their mentees, ECBC mentors rolled up their sleeves and recently held the inaugural RAM Hour Academic Club mentoring session at Edgewood High School.

They were assigned to freshmen in the school’s RAM Academy, a program designed to provide its at-risk students extra-curricular guidance and reward their academic successes with exciting cohort activities. If no one was watching and pushing the 72 EHS freshmen currently enrolled in the program, they would likely slip and not graduate according to EHS Mathematics Teacher and RAM Academy Coordinator Kristin Davis.

Black History Month Blog Series (Part 3 - Eugene Vickers, Engineering Test Division Acting Chief)

In honor of Black History Month, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) is hosting a special blog series, featuring insights and candid narratives from several of the Center’s African-American leaders. We invite you to follow the series this month here on ECBC’s official blog site.The third and final installation of this series features Eugene Vickers, Acting Chief of the ECBC Engineering Test Division.

What is the one word that characterizes Black History Month for you?

The one word that characterizes Black History Month for me is inspiration. When I think about Black History Month, I am inspired both mentally and emotionally how (we), as African-Americans have endured the obstacles of slavery, depression and segregation. Black History Month helps stimulate our knowledge and draws on history that blacks (African-Americans) were kings and queens in early civilizations, slaves to a new country, and now leaders of the most powerful country in the world. To me, that’s inspiration!

ECBC Technical Librarian Michele Harris Leverages Her Love of Science and Writing

She was supposed to have stayed just three months, but more than 20 years later, Michele Harris is still hard at work at the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center. Now a technical information specialist in the Operational Toxicology Branch, Harris began her support as a temporary contractor working with an early Apple computer, transitioning to a permanent contractor position and then, in November 2009, civil service.

Harris’ resume reveals her dual appreciation of science and writing. Initially providing administrative support when she was hired at ECBC in 1989, Harris soon began assisting a post-doctoral fellow, eventually becoming his lab partner. To build her science background, she earned an associate of science degree in chemistry, supplementing her bachelor’s degree in English. Harris is just four credits short of a master’s degree in professional writing. 

Black History Month Blog Series (Part 2 - Doretha Green, Advanced Technology Demonstration Branch Member)

In honor of Black History Month, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) is hosting a special blog series, featuring insights and candid narratives from several of the Center’s African-American leaders. We invite you to follow the series this month here on ECBC’s official blog site.The second installation of this series features Doretha Green, a member of the Advanced Technology Demonstration Branch.

 

What is the one word that characterizes Black History Month for you?

Journey is the one word that characterizes Black History Month for me. It has been a long journey from the day the first slaves from Africa were deposited on the shores of this nation for the purpose of providing uncompensated labor to build this nation; to this day, when an African American was elected President of the United States of America.  A journey defined by sorrow, pain, determination and joy.

Black History Month Blog Series (Part 1 - AJay Thornton, ECBC Director of Engineering)

In honor of Black History Month, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) is hosting a special blog series, featuring insights and candid narratives from several of the Center’s African-American leaders. We invite you to follow the series this month here on ECBC’s official blog site.The first installation of this series features AJay Thornton, ECBC Director of Engineering.

ECBC Scientists and Engineers Patent Four New Products To Assist The Warfighter In The Field

Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) personnel have the knowledge and training to work safely with the most dangerous compounds in the world in order to build or create chemical biological defense solutions. The expertise of its staff — a varied mix of scientists, technicians, engineers, support personnel, government employees, soldiers and contract personnel — offer a wide array of specialties and abilities that allow the Center to cover the full spectrum of CB research, engineering and operational support for the homeland and the warfighter. ECBC’s innovative workforce evolves CBrne defense technologies and capabilities worldwide. 

Most recently, the scientists and engineers at ECBC patented four new products, all of which will assist with protecting the warfighter in the field.  Those patents are:

Direct Quantification of Ribosome Inactivating Protein (Dr. Russell Dorsey)

Neck Dam Collar for use with Chemical-Biological Protective Masks and Hoods (Corey Grove)

Non-corrosive, Non-caustic, Non-flammable, Catalyst-based Decontaminant Formulation (Dr. Vipin Rastogi; Co-inventor – Dr. Steven Harvey)

Artificial Chimeras Engineered to Simulate Multiple Biological Threat Agents (Dr. Jose-Luis Sagripanti)

For more information about the work done at ECBC, click here.