Prestigious talk inspires students

By Amanda Phipps

phippsa@mytjnow.com

Science is moving towards a more personal approach based on genes, said Aaron Ciechanover, 2004 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and speaker at the Echo Foundation’s 14th Annual Award Event on April 5.

The Echo Foundation in Charlotte focuses on what one person can do to help humankind, according to the Foundation’s website. The Foundation brings speakers to Charlotte to deliver messages that call people to action.

Some donors donated their seats back to the Foundation, which the Foundation gave to six Winthrop students for free, Krystal Sirman King, director of education at The Echo Foundation told Pat Owens, head of the chemistry, physics and geology department in an e-mail. During the talk, the Foundation presented the 2011 Echo Award Against Indifference to Pat Rodgers, President and CEO of Rodgers Builders. 

The event featured a keynote address by Ciechanover, who focused on medicine becoming more personalized, with scientists looking at the human genome to treat diseases, freshman chemistry major Destinee Johnson said.

Johnson said Ciechanover used the example of breast cancer, which is not the same for everyone. She said Ciechanover discused  the use of the human genome to better treat cancer on an individual basis.

“I was really honored to go (to the event) because he won the Nobel Prize in 2004,” she said.

Johnson said Ciechanover called the audience to action and encouraged them to go out and make a difference.

“It was a really nice event,” she said. “It made me appreciate my major more.”

The event encouraged another student, as well. Junior biology and chemistry double-major Amy Deeng said she wants to get her M.D.-Ph. D., as well.

“It was motivational and reassured me of what I want to do in the future,” she said.

Deeng said the bioethics part of Ciechanover’s talk was interesting.

“It gave you something to think about,” she said. “He made me think that if we work hard, we can accomplish anything.”

When given the opportunity to speak in public, Ciechanover chose to focus on education, senior chemistry major Cameron Waller said. Ciechanover also focused on medicine that involves diagnosis and treatment based on an individual’s needs, Waller said.

“It was a great opportunity to attend the meeting with the others,” he said.

 The event was an unexpected experience for sophomore chemistry major Tyler Couch.

“I was really excited to go to the event,” Couch said. “There are only so many Nobel Laureates in the world. I didn’t know what to expect.”

Couch said he was inspired by the talk.

“It gave me more motivation toward solving the questions science keeps raising,” he said.

Ciechanover also spoke about moving science away from statistics and toward  more rational diagnoses, junior chemistry major Zach Curry said. He said he loved the talk.

“It was cool to see that scientists are not super humans and it was inspiring that one person can make a difference,” he said. “It gave me the drive to keep on going.”