continuing basis or at scheduled intervals, usually once a year, but at least once every 2 years. Institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations are subject to the audit requirements of OMB Circular No. A-133. Records: Fiscal records must be maintained for 3 years after the grant ends and the final financial report is submitted or until all audit questions are resolved. Additional reporting requirement may be found in EDGAR. Contact the program office for additional guidance. Account Identification: 91-0302-0-1-506. Obligations: (Project Grants) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $0; FY 10 est $1,400,000 - Grantees will have an additional fiscal year in which to obligate ARRA funds. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: No Data Available. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: N/A. Fiscal Year 2009: N/A. Fiscal Year 2010: Some program accomplishments are expected to include the following: (1) Extensive training on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and other key disability legislation; (2) the establishment of State-wide consortia of public agencies and organizations to better coordinate the delivery of vocational rehabilitation and other related services to persons with disabilities from minority backgrounds; (3) sponsoring and co-sponsoring of national and regional conferences of rehabilitation providers such as the Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) and others; (4) establishment of rehabilitation training programs at colleges and universities; (5) increase in the number of applications and funding of projects from minority institutions of higher education; (6) implementation of national satellite broadcasts to discuss rehabilitation with participants from institutions of higher education, rehabilitation State agencies, independent living centers, supported employment programs and other agencies and organizations involved in the administration of rehabilitation programs. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Education Department General Administrative Regulations. For more information contact the program office. Regional or Local Office: None. Headquarters Office: Ellen Chesley, Department of Education, OSERS Rehabilitation Services http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/index.html. RELATED PROGRAMS: 84.315 Capacity Building for Traditionally Underserved Populations EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Fiscal Year 2008: Projects have supported training, technical assistance, and The selection criteria contained in the Education Department General CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS FELLOWSHIP FOUNDATION 85.101 HOMELAND SECURITY AWARD FEDERAL AGENCY: Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation AUTHORIZATION: Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coins and Fellowship Foundation, Title IV, Section 400-429, Public Law 102-281, 106 Stat. 139-145, 20 U.S.C 5701-5708. OBJECTIVES: To promote and encourage "cutting edge" innovation in the vast arena of homeland security. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: The assistance can be used to further research or as the recipient chooses. In public/private partnership with AgustaWestland North America, the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation will present one $25,000 Homeland Security Award to advance research and honor a company or an individual pursuing new discoveries in the field of homeland security. Nominations are limited to American individuals/companies who are making measurable and constructive contributions related to basic and/or advanced research in the area of homeland security, including but not limited to preventing, detecting, or responding to threats from biological, radiological, nuclear, chemical and explosive attacks; border and transportation security; emergency responses to natural and man-made disasters; and cyber security and information sharing, which will result in a significant and positive benefit to society. Beneficiary Eligibility: U.S. citizen/company permitted by their employer or any other relevant authority to accept a monetary award bestowed by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, a Federal government agency. The individual/company will be honored for making measurable and constructive contributions related to basic and/or advanced research in the area of homeland security. Credentials/Documentation: No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. All Nominations are received online at: www.ccolumbusfoundationawards.org. Only Nominations that meet the eligibility requirements are accepted. Nominations are accepted from all 50 States, territories and possessions. The deadline for Nominations is May 29, 2009. Award Procedure: The Award is sponsored by a public-private partnership between the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and AgustaWestland North America, a global leader in designing, manufacturing and supporting the world's most technologically advanced helicopters. All Nominations are read by the Foundation Board of Trustees to select the Semifinalists. Nominators are notified of the Nominee's selection as a Semifinalist and asked to provide background material to support the Nomination. A national Evaluation Committee reviews and comments on the Semifinalist's background material. The Foundation Board of Trustees and AgustaWestland select the Award winner. The Award will be presented in Washington, D.C. in October 2009. Deadlines: May 29, 2009 Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not Applicable. Appeals: Not Applicable. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Not applicable. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. Reports: Audits: Not Applicable. Records: Not applicable. Account Identification: 76-0100-0-7-502; 76-8187-0-7-502. Obligations: (Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use) FY 08 $25,000; FY 09 est $25,000; FY 10 est $125,000 - In 2008 and 2009 there was one $25,000 award per year. In 2010, there will be five $25,000 awards. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $25,000 per award. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: As of fiscal year 2008, 15 Homeland Security Awards have been presented. In 2008, the $25,000 Homeland Security Award was presented to James Jones, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, for the development of a long-range, nonintrusive nuclear materials detection technology called the Photonuclear Inspection and Threat Assessment Systems (PITAS). PITAS represents a breakthrough homeland security technology capable of detecting hidden nuclear materials at several hundred feet. This technology utilizes a high-energy linear electron accelerator to produce a controlled photon inspection beam. If nuclear materials are present, the inspection beam produces fission reactions within the nuclear material, resulting in the emission of prompt and delayed neutron and gamma-rays. These rays are analyzed by a series of detectors, which alert operators to the presence of illicit nuclear materials. The technology performs this process within minutes, while leaving no residual environmental impact. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Not Applicable. Regional or Local Office: None. Headquarters Office: Judith Shellenberger 110 Genesee Street, Suite 390, Auburn, New York 13021 Email: JUDITHMSCOLUMBUS@CS.COM Phone: (315) 258-0090 Fax: (315) 258-0093 Website Address: http://www.columbusfdn.org or http://www.ccolumbusfoundationawards.org RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 85.102 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AWARDS FEDERAL AGENCY: Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation AUTHORIZATION: Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coins and Fellowship Foundation, Title IV, Section 400-429, Public Law 102-281, 106 Stat. 139-145, 20 U.S.C 5701-5708. OBJECTIVES: The Christopher Columbus Awards is a national, community-based science and technology program for middle school students. The program challenges the students to work in teams of three to four with an adult coach, to identify an issue in their community and apply the scientific method to create an innovative solution to that problem. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Project Grants (Special) USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: All members of two Gold Medal winning teams are presented with U.S. Savings Bonds. The grant must be used to further develop the team's solution to the community issue they addressed in the competition. The grant team will work with a community partner on the project throughout the next year. Applicant Eligibility: Applicants are teams of three to four students in sixth through eighth grade with a coach, who identify a problem in their community and solve it using the scientific method. Beneficiary Eligibility: U.S. citizens, middle school students. Credentials/Documentation: No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Application materials may be requested by individuals who meet the eligibility requirements stated above. Entry forms and all competition information are available for download at: www.christophercolumbusawards.com or may be requested by calling (800) 291-6020 ext. 3154. Completed entries must be received by February 9, 2009. The program is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and managed by MMS Education, 105 Terry Drive, Newtown, PA 18940, Attn: Stephanie Hallman. Entries are accepted from teams of three to four students in grades six to eight from all 50 states, territories and possessions only. All team entries must include: a Christopher Columbus Awards Entry form (signed by team members and the coach), a team-written section and the visual component. To enter, mail the original and two copies of the team's community solution to: Christopher Columbus Awards, 105 Terry Drive, Suite 120, Newtown, PA 18940. Award Procedure: The Christopher Columbus Awards have three judging phases. The teams' entries are reviewed by a regional panel of judges who select 30 semifinalist teams. Another judging panel selects eight finalist teams and their coaches. The finalist teams receive an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World to attend National Championship Week and compete for U.S. Savings Bonds and the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant. The finals and the Christopher Columbus Academy are held at Walt Disney Resorts, Orlando, FL, from June 14-18, 2009. Deadlines: Feb 09, 2009 The deadline is in early February each year. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not Applicable. Appeals: Not Applicable. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: 12-18 months. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: U.S. Savings Bonds are presented following the awards ceremony. The grant is paid in installments upon the approval and under the direction of the Program Manager. Reports: Program reports are not applicable. No cash reports are required. Interim progress reports regarding the grant project. Final report on project. Receipts of all expenses and travel incurred regarding the grant project. Performance monitoring is not applicable. Audits: Not Applicable. Records: No Data Available. Account Identification: 76-0100-0-7-502. Obligations: (Project Grants (Special)) FY 08 $215,000; FY 09 est $250,000; FY 10 est $265,000 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $2,000 U.S. Savings bonds $25,000 Grant. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: In 2008, the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community grant went to the Trash to Treasure team of students from Bexley City Schools, Bexley, OH. Their project highlighted the problem caused by the depletion of fossil fuels. The team developed a Public Awareness campaign to educate the community about the benefits of using methane gas produced at landfills as an alternative energy source. The team from Solana Pacific Elementary School, San Diego, CA, won gold medals and $2,000 U.S. Savings Bonds for each team member for their Portable Multi-Sensory Unit, a portable and adjustable sensory stimulation device for children with severe multiple disabilities who often do not receive adequate sensory stimulation. The team from Science Rocks U, Whiteface, TX, won gold medals and $2,000 U.S. Savings Bonds for each team member for their Sunbusters: Safe-Tea Sunscreen entry to inform others in their community about "sun safety" and creation of a fragrance- and chemical-free sunscreen formulated from green tea to help protect against skin cancer. Fiscal Year 2009: In 2009, the $25,000 Stephen J. Moses Community Grant, went to the Ergo-PAD (Ergonomic Posture Alignment Device) team from Carmel Valley Middle School, San Diego, CA, which highlighted the problems of poor body posture when using computers. The team developed the Ergo-PAD, a specialized seat cushion that uses sensory feedback to train people to develop healthy posture while sitting at a computer. The team from St. Philip the Apostle School, Addison, IL, won gold medals and $2,000 U.S. Savings Bonds for each team member for their Recycle Because You Care project to improve local participation in recycling using a community awareness outreach regarding the importance of recycling and supplying free recycling bins to every household. The team from All Saints Catholic School, Manahawkin, NJ, won gold medals and $2,000 U.S. Savings Bonds for each team member for their Call of the Wild entry highlighting the plight of natural habitats being lost to suburban sprawl through a four-pronged plan employing action, outreach, education and political initiatives to preserve the many endangered species identified in the community. Fiscal Year 2010: Not applicable. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Not Applicable. Regional or Local Office: None. Headquarters Office: Judith Shellenberger 110 Genesee Street, Suite 390, Auburn, New York 13021 Email: JUDITHMSCOLUMBUS@CS.COM Phone: (315) 258-0090 Fax: (315) 258-0093 Website Address: http://www.christophercolumbusawards.com or http://www.columbusfdn.org RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 85.103 FREIDA J. RILEY TEACHER AWARD FEDERAL AGENCY: Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation AUTHORIZATION: Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coins and Fellowship Foundation, Title IV, Section 400-429, Public Law 102-281, 106 Stat. 139-145, 20 U.S.C 5701-5708. OBJECTIVES: To identify and reward an American teacher (grades K-12) who has overcome tremendous personal adversity, or made an enormous sacrifice in order to positively impact students. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: As the recipient chooses. Applicant Eligibility: Applicant must be an American teacher (grades K-12) who works with a personal physical disability, teaches in an especially challenging educational environment or has performed a heroic act by making an exceptional, personal or physical sacrifice on behalf of students. Beneficiary Eligibility: U.S. citizen, teacher (grades K-12). Credentials/Documentation: No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. In public/private partnership with the West Virginia Freida J. Riley Teacher Award Committee, the Foundation will present the Freida J. Riley Teacher Award to a current full-time U.S. teacher (grades K-12). Applications are limited to certified classroom teachers who presently teach full-time (grades K-12), in an accredited U.S. public, private, or charter school, with a physical disability, dealing with an especially challenging educational environment, or who has performed a heroic act on behalf of his/her students." The award will not be given posthumously. Applications (Nomination forms) may be downloaded to nominate individuals who meet the eligibility requirements stated above. Completed Nomination forms must be received by March 2, 2009. Only Nominations that meet the eligibility requirements stated above are accepted. Nominations will be accepted from all 50 States, territories and possessions. Individuals that wish to nominate a teacher for the Award must download the Nomination form from http://www.columbusfdn.org/freidajriley/default.asp. Information may be requested from the West Virginia Freida J. Riley Teacher Award Committee, Post Office Box 4157, Clarksburg, WV 26302, or the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, 110 Genesee Street, Suite 390, Auburn, NY 13021. The Nomination packet must include: a Nomination Letter: Typed double-space, not to exceed three pages; completed and signed Basic Data Sheet; a completed and signed Nominee Consent Signature form; a typed Biographical or Nominee Autobiographical Sketch not to exceed five (5) pages, preferably narrative; and Letter(s) of Support - at least one letter, and no more than three letters, from colleagues, administrators, students or parents. Award Procedure: Nomination packets are reviewed by the West Virginia Freida J. Riley Teacher Award Committee. The packets are then reviewed and evaluated by a panel of national judges. The West Virginia Freida J. Riley Teacher Award Committee selects the winner. The Award will be presented by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, in partnership with the West Virginia Freida J. Riley Teacher Award Committee on May 5, 2009 in Bridgeport, WV. Deadlines: Mar 02, 2009 Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not Applicable. Appeals: Not Applicable. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Not applicable. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. Reports: Audits: Not Applicable. Records: No Data Available. Account Identification: 76-0100-0-7-502. Obligations: (Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use) FY 08 $10,000; FY 09 est $10,000; FY 10 est $0 Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $10,000. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: As of fiscal year 2008, nine Freida J. Riley Teacher Award Awards have been presented. The 2008 Freida J. Riley Teacher Award was presented to Teresa E. Loving, Special Education Teacher and Founder of S.O.A.R. Academy in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Through great determination and perseverance, Teresa overcame her own disadvantaged childhood and severe learning disability to achieve her dream of becoming a Special Education teacher. When funding cuts threatened early intervention services to local children with special needs, Teresa began a grassroots campaign to try to save these services. When community efforts to reinstate these much needed services failed, Teresa resigned her teaching position to fulfill her new dream of opening a school where children with special needs would be able to learn and thrive in a place tailored to their needs a place where their individual education and therapy needs are met under one roof. Thus, the S.O.A.R. (Success, Opportunity, Achievement and Rewards) Academy was born, with the help of her friends, teachers, parents, nurses, therapists, and other community members to provide services to children with special needs in a three-county area in South Carolina. Fiscal Year 2009: As of fiscal year 2009, ten Freida J. Riley Teacher Award Awards have been presented. The 2009 Freida J. Riley Teacher Award was presented to Alan Bronstein, Chemistry teacher at Central High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Paralyzed from the chest down due to an auto accident, Alan has overcome many challenges. Selling his business and choosing to relocate to Philadelphia after his rehabilitation, Alan then focused on a new career choice. He chose to return to teaching, which he had done briefly after college. Upon presentation of his Masters degree, he was surprised when his college gave him special recognition for overcoming adversity. Rather, Alan viewed it as doing what had to be done and doing what makes life worth living not overcoming adversity. Alan has the gift of making science come alive to his students and peers alike by incorporating real-life situations into his science classes, thus making the lessons both relevant and memorable. He loves to create the look of wonder on the faces of fellow teachers and students then I know Im doing what science is supposed to do for people: amaze them and make them wonder; arouse their curiosity - the wow factor!. Fiscal Year 2010: Program is now sponsored and administered by the National Museum of Education, Akron, OH, email: info@nmoe.org. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Not Applicable. Regional or Local Office: None. Headquarters Office: Judith Shellenberger 110 Genesee Street, Suite 390, Auburn, New York 13021 Email: JUDITHMSCOLUMBUS@CS.COM Phone: (315) 258-0090 Fax: (315) 258-0093 Website Address: http://www.columbusfdn.org RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 85.104 LIFE SCIENCES AWARDS FEDERAL AGENCY: Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation. AUTHORIZATION: Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coins and Fellowship Foundation, Title IV, Section 400-429, Public Law 102-281, 106 Stat. 139-145, 20 U.S.C 5701-5708. OBJECTIVES: To encourage and promote "cutting edge" innovation in the field of life sciences. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: No restrictions. Applicant Eligibility: Nominees must be involved in the field of life sciences research or life sciences education as follows: an adult scientist or researcher; a current secondary school AP Biology or AP Chemistry educator; one current secondary school student in both AP Biology or AP Chemistry respectively. Beneficiary Eligibility: In public/private partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation will present four Life Sciences Awards to U.S. citizens permitted by their employer or any other relevant authority to accept a monetary award bestowed by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, a Federal government agency. Four monetary awards will be presented as follows: one $25,000 award to an adult scientist or researcher; one $10,000 award to a current secondary school AP Biology or AP Chemistry educator; and a $5,000 award to a current secondary school student in biology and chemistry respectively who are judged to exemplify excellence in life sciences. Credentials/Documentation: No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Only Nominations that meet the eligibility requirements are accepted. Nominations will be accepted from all 50 States, territories and possessions. All Nominations are received online at www.ccolumbusfoundationawards.org. The deadline is January 12, 2009. Award Procedure: All Nominations are read by the Board of Trustees of the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation to select the Semifinalists. Nominators are notified of the Nominees selection as a Semifinalist and asked to provide background material to support the Nomination. A national Evaluation Committee reviews and comments on the Semifinalists background material. The Foundation Board and the U.S. Chamber ultimately select the winners. The Awards will be presented in Washington, DC on April 30, 2009. Deadlines: Jan 12, 2009 Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not Applicable. Appeals: Not Applicable. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Not applicable. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. Reports: Audits: Not Applicable. Records: Not applicable. Account Identification: 76-0100-0-7-502. Obligations: (Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use) FY 08 $45,000; FY 09 est $45,000; FY 10 est $110,000 - In 2008 and 2009, Awards were presented as follows: one $25,000 Award per year to a scientist/researcher; one $10,000 Award per year for a high school AP Biology or AP Chemistry teacher; one $5,000 Award per year for an AP Biology student and one $5,000 Award per year for an AP Chemistry student. In 2010, two $25,000 Awards will be presented to scientists/researchers; three $10,000 Awards will be presented to high school science educators; one $15,000 Award will be presented to a university student; and three $5,000 Awards will be presented to high schools AP students. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $5,000-$25,000. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Fiscal Year 2008: In 2008, the first annual Life Sciences Awards, sponsored by the public-private partnership of the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, a Federal government agency, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were presented. Christine E. Schmidt, Ph.D., Laurence E. McMakin Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, at The University of Texas at Austin was awarded the $25,000 Chairmens Distinguished Life Sciences Award. Dr. Schmidt was honored for her research in neural cell and tissue engineering, a subfield within bioengineering. Dr. Schmidt has invented a chemical process to modify human nerve tissue so it may be utilized for patients with nerve damage. In particular, she works on engineering advanced biomaterials and therapeutic devices to stimulate damaged peripheral and spinal neurons to regenerate and promote healing of damaged nerve tissue due to traumatic injuries, cancer and other diseases. Paul Cammer, Ph.D., Director, Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) in Alexandria, VA, was awarded the $10,000 Life Sciences Educator Award. Dr. Cammer was honored for his innovative and challenging teaching methods. In 2007, TJ, a science magnet school, was ranked as the number one high school in the Nation by U.S. News and World Report. Stori Jensen, a senior at Brighton High School, Salt Lake City, UT, was awarded the $5,000 Life Sciences Biology Student Award. Stori was honored for her after-school research conducted under the supervision of Dr. Andres V. Maricq in the neurobiology laboratory at the University of Utah. During her research, Stori isolated and identified pharmacological agents found in the venom of cone snails which modulate the function of the brain. Her research has led to a major discovery in brain function and the treatment of neurological disorders, which has been patented with Stori as an equal partner in the patent. Peter Kamel, junior at Centennial High School in Ellicott City, MD, was awarded the $5,000 Life Sciences Chemistry Student Award. Peter was honored for his after-school research at the Johns Hopkins Hospital on a patent-pending artificial tissue material that changes color in response to an internal temperature influence. The change is a result of a cascade of chemical reactions that take place when the tissue is heated. Peters research findings are important, as doctors will be able to accurately profile tissue damage when treating cancer through a procedure known as heat ablation. Fiscal Year 2009: In 2009, the second annual Life Sciences Awards, sponsored by the public-private partnership of the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were presented. Bryon Petersen, Ph.D., at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, was awarded the $25,000 Chairmens Distinguished Life Sciences Award. Dr. Petersen is recognized worldwide as a foremost authority in hepatic stem cells and their role in liver pathobiology. He is currently conducting research in stem cell biology and how it relates to the patho-physiology of the liver. This research shows that bone marrow derived cells could become functioning hepatocytes, and several clinical trials have been attempted based upon his discovery. Additionally, Dr. Petersen is investigating the usefulness of gene/stem cell therapy in the treatment of certain inherited metabolic diseases of the liverCrigler-Najjar Syndrome (C-NS) and Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD). Children with C-NS are unable to eliminate bilirubin from their bodies and, therefore, must undergo daily 12-hour exposure to special blue lights, just to survive. Without daily treatments, a child would suffer brain damage, muscle and nerve damage and death due to bilirubin toxicity. Children with GSD suffer in a different way, having to eat/drink a corn-starch meal every four hours to maintain their blood glucose levels. If they dont, they become hypoglycemic and will fall into a coma and die. His studies combine two high-profile fieldsstem cells and gene therapythat will hopefully cure these children of their disease, not just treat them. Beenu Gupta, Biology teacher at The Charter School of Wilmington, Wilmington, DE, was awarded the $10,000 Life Sciences Educator Award. Beenus classroom is dubbed the Disneyland of Biology. Students have been known to sing and dance as they dive into Molecular Biology. Mrs. Gupta said: I have always been passionate about learning and teaching, so I decided to become a high school teacher, where I could provide a solid foundation for college-bound students. My goal has always been to make learning fun, and a life-long experience. The Charter School of Wilmington is a college preparatory high school with a focus on mathematics and science and was ranked 41st in U.S. News and World Reports America's Best High Schools 2008. Henry Zheng, a senior at Centennial High School in Ellicott City, MD, was awarded the $5,000 Life Sciences Biology Student Award. Henry has been conducting research at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory since his sophomore year of high school. Under the supervision of Dr. Jeffery Lesho, Biomedical Engineering Group, Henry has worked on his computational neuroscience project that improves the performance of an arm prosthesis. He has received many awards and recognition for this research including the international 2008 FUSION conference in Kn, Germany and in 2009 from coast to coastSeattle, Washington to Washington, D.C. Justin Grzyb, a senior at Westchester Country Day School, High Point, NC, was |