“A story of perseverance and the power of convictions from the groundbreaking immigrant scientist whose decades-long research led to the COVID-19 vaccines. Katalin Karikó had an unlikely journey. The daughter of a butcher in postwar communist Hungary, Karikó grew up in a one-room home that lacked running water, and her family grew their own vegetables. She saw the wonders of nature all around her and was determined to become a scientist. That determination eventually brought her to the United States, where she arrived as a postdoctoral fellow in 1985 with $1,200 sewn into her toddler’s teddy bear and a dream to remake medicine. Karikó worked in obscurity, battled cockroaches in a windowless lab, and faced outright derision and even deportation threats from her bosses and colleagues. She balked as prestigious research institutions increasingly conflated science and money. Despite setbacks, she never wavered in her belief that an ephemeral and underappreciated molecule called messenger RNA could change the world. Karikó believed that someday mRNA would transform ordinary cells into tiny factories capable of producing their own medicines on demand. She sacrificed nearly everything for this dream, but the obstacles she faced only motivated her, and eventually she succeeded. Karikó’s three-decades-long investigation into mRNA would lead to a staggering achievement: vaccines that protected millions of people from the most dire consequences of COVID-19. These vaccines are just the beginning of mRNA’s potential. Today, the medical community eagerly awaits more mRNA vaccines-for the flu, HIV, and other emerging infectious diseases. Breaking Through isn’t just the story of an extraordinary woman-it’s an indictment of closed-minded thinking and a testament to one woman’s commitment to laboring intensely in obscurity-knowing she might never be recognized in a culture that is more driven by prestige, power, and privilege-because she believed her work would save lives”–
Author: Webmaster (Page 22 of 99)
“The millions of readers of Amor Towles are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter fiction: six stories set in New York City and a novella in Los Angeles. The New York stories, most of which are set around the turn of the millennium, take up everything from the death-defying acrobatics of the male ego, to the fateful consequences of brief encounters, and the delicate mechanics of comprise which operate at the heart of modern marriages. In Towles’s novel, Rules of Civility, the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September, 1938, with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, “Eve in Hollywood” describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself-and others-in the midst of Hollywood’s golden age. Throughout the stories, two characters often find themselves sitting across a table for two where the direction of their futures may hinge upon what they say to each other next. Written with his signature wit, humor, and sophistication, Table for Two is another glittering addition to Towles’s canon of stylish and transporting historical fiction”–
Born on Staten Island, New York, in 1942, I attended and graduated from Curtis High School in 1960. After graduating from Nichols College, I was employed by Moody’s Investors Service in the Municipal Bond Department. My position involved analyzing municipalities, utilities and school districts and issuing a quality assessment in the form of a municipal bond rating. In 1972 I was hired by The First Boston Corporation to create a Municipal Bond Research Department. In 1985 I joined Bond Investors Guaranty (BIG), a startup company that insured municipal bonds issued by municipalities, utilities and school districts across the country. BIG was bought out in 1990 by a competitor. I then joined Enhance Financial Services Group and managed the municipal bond insurance group until my retirement in 1996.
We have two children both of whom are graduates of Darien High School. Christine graduated in 1987. She attended Trinity College in Hartford and received her law degree from George Washington University. She and her rowing partner won three World Rowing Championships and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics in Australia. Christine Collins is now an attorney in the legal division of Boston University. Our son Bernie, after graduating from DHS in 1990 and Guilford College in 1994, started his own company, Stealth Components, in Charlotte, NC. His company has an office in Europe and brokers electronic components worldwide.
We were members of The Country Club of Darien from 1987 until 2012. I was a member of CCD’s Board of Directors for four years and President in 2009. My wife Sonia and I now reside in North Falmouth, MA.
I grew up in Darien in the third generation of Tylers. I graduated from Darien High School (DHS) in 1967 and attended Sacred Heart University before joining the Air Force in 1969, serving in Texas, Vietnam, and California as an Education Specialist and an Aircraft Cargo Loadmaster on C141’s in the Pacific. Following my military service, I attended the University of Connecticut, working summers as a shipyard laborer, casino cook, engineering intern, and independent painting contractor.
After graduating in 1977 with a Degree in Civil Engineering, I worked five years as a structural design engineer in Texas, Stamford, and New Canaan and became a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Connecticut in 1982. I then worked with Hardesty & Hanover Consulting Engineers, NYC for 16 years focusing on construction management and Resident Engineering. I served as the owner’s representative on major bridge rehabilitation and replacement projects which included the Yankee Doodle over the Norwalk River and two moveable bridges in the Bronx.
The next 25 years were spent with the Slattery Contracting Company (later renamed Skanska USA Civil NE) serving as Quality Manager for mega projects including the JFK AirTrain, Kosciuszko Cable Stayed Bridge, Reconstruction of the World Trade Center, and Moynihan Station on 33rd Street. During this time, I became a member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and served as voting member on Committees, becoming secretary and Chair of one of them as well as a contributing author, editor, and champion on several ACI publications.
I am a registered PE in Connecticut and New York and hold certifications with ACI, the American Welding Society (AWS), the International Code Council (ICC), and the American Society for Quality (ASQ).
My wife of 38 years, Nancy Anderson Tyler, recently passed away. Nancy was raised in Fairfield. We spent most of our time together living in Darien. She was a pillar for our family, providing guidance and motivation for both me and our daughter Lindsay, and helping numerous family members. Some of our best memories were home renovation projects early on, time spent with her parents in Fairfield, family trips to Cape Cod, and many great weekends up at Dartmouth to cheer at Lindsay’s swim meets. Aside from her thoughtfulness and sharp memory, she also had a competitive spirit and a generosity that reached friends and teammates in the community. Both Nancy and Lindsay were active at the Middlesex Club and the Darien YMCA.
My daughter Lindsay was Salutatorian of the DHS Class of 2011 and graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College. She was varsity swim team captain in her senior years at both schools. Lindsay now lives in Manhattan and works at Morgan Stanley as an Executive Director.
I am recently retired and am in the process of restructuring my life after a 47-year career and a 38-year marriage. I intend to spend more time outside, get more exercise (and a bit better at golf), and finish the numerous projects I never had the time to get to. I enjoy yard work, history channels, anthropology, articles in the Science Times, Mexican food, and BBQ. My favorite sports to watch include baseball, football, and college basketball. I like country, folk, and blues (old stuff) and can play a little on guitar and harmonica (better harmonica than guitar). I look forward to seeing how I can contribute to the DMA.
I was born in Bronxville, NY and grew up in what is now known as Eastchester, but then it was part of Scarsdale, NY. I attended Kent School and Marietta College (Marietta, OH), graduating in 1976 with a BA in Economics and Business Management.
I began my career with NCR Corporation the week after graduation, in sales within their Systemedia Division (Business Forms and Supplies). During my 37 years with NCR I had various roles which included sales, sales management, product management and product development.
After NCR and I went our separate ways, I did sales work for a few years with small companies before retiring to become a caregiver for my wife.
While at Kent I was a member of two crews that rowed at the Henely Royal Regatta, in 1971 and 1972. A British acquaintance commented “There are two ways to row at Henely; lose in the first round and enjoy the regatta-or win the damn thing!” That’s exactly what happened-we lost in ’71 yet in ’72 we completed an undefeated season (US Schoolboy Champions) with a Princess Elizabeth Cup win at Henley.
I continued rowing at Marietta, with an undefeated Freshman heavyweight boat (Small College Champions) and 3 years in either the Varsity lightweights or heavyweights. I also met my wife Pam while at Marietta, and we were married in 1975.
With NCR, we called Croton-on-Hudson, NY, Severna Park, MD and Centerville, OH “home” before moving to Darien, in 1988. Our third son Mark was born here, while Peter was born almost 9 years earlier and Andrew 6 years earlier.
We have had three addresses in Darien the last two on-the-water, allowing me to take up rowing once again. Beginning in 2006, I’ve competed in various ‘head’ races in my single scull, such as the Head of the Charles, the Schuykill, Head of the Fish and others. Currently I am also a member of the Vero Beach Rowing Club as well as Leander Club (Henley, England) and the Kent School Boat Club.
Since moving to Darien, I have been very involved in volunteer opportunities, from Darien Youth Hockey, Person-to-Person, and a variety of Outreach programs through Saint Luke’s Parish, where I am currently serving a second stint on the Vestry and am a member of its Executive Committee. I am also a member of the Darien Sail and Power Squadron, serving as its Executive Officer. I am the proud owner of my Mother’s 1966 Mustang and my 1969 Chris Craft powerboat, which is moored off of Noroton Yacht Club, where I have been a member since 1991.
My wife Pam was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011, which quickly morphed into Lewy Body Dementia. Because it was the right thing for me to do, I left my career to become her primary caregiver in 2015. She passed away in 2021. I would not trade those years for anything; I learned more about “love” than I ever imagined.
Today, I continue a heavy, heartwarming commitment to volunteer work, I continue to write and row, and I thoroughly enjoy having my two grandsons in Fairfield, CT.
On May 9 we will wander to Forest Hills Queens to visit the neighborhood and the former Tennis Stadium which was the home of the US Open from 1915to the mid 1970s We will see the site of Helen Keller’s home, as well as the home of Branch Rickey of the Dodgers. Forest Hills is also the former home of Trygve Lie, the first Secretary General of the United Nations. Teddy Roosevelt visited Forest Hills and Robert Kennedy campaigned there. A most interesting piece of New York City
David Mace, Joe Spain
DMA members and their spouses are taking exciting boat Cruise Around Manhattan on May 30th that will provide a relaxing and breathtaking way to enjoy dramatic sightseeing and iconic landmarks from the unique perspective the water. It’s the only sightseeing cruise that completely circles Manhattan including all 3 rivers. Along the way, DMA members will see approximately 130 landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, United Nations, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Yankee Stadium, Spuyten Duyvil, the Cloisters, the newly constructed Hudson Yards neighborhood, One World Trade Center and revitalized Wall Street area, the newly gentrified Brooklyn and Queens waterfront, the Hoboken & Jersey City coastline, the Highline, Little Island and too many tugs, ferries and cruise ships to count all while going under 20 bridges including the Brooklyn Bridge and G.W. Bridge.
HIKING GREENWICH AUDUBON CENTER
GREENWICH, CT
10 AM MONDAY MAY 20, 2024
Greenwich Audubon Center is a 285 acre sanctuary which opened its doors in 1943 as Audubon’s first nature education center in the country. Located on land donated by Eleanor Clovis Reese and H Hall Clovis the center includes over 7 miles of trails through a rich diversity of hardwood forest, meadows, lakes, streams and vernal ponds. Also on the property are an expansive Nature Education Center, an old apple orchard and original New England homestead buildings.
We plan to meet in the main parking lot at 10 AM and hike for about two hours over varied terrain including one steep climb and several sections of rocky trail. We rate this as a hike of moderate plus difficulty. We hope to see migrating birds but our wildlife scorecard has not been good! As always, guests and spouses welcome but NO DOGS. If the weather is iffy, contact one of us to see if we are hiking.
Optional lunch after at Ole Mole at 1030 High Ridge Road in Stamford
The Center is located at 613 Riversville Road in Greenwich on the north side of the Merritt Parkway. Exit at Round Hill Road and use GPS to get you to the center.
CONTACTS: Dave McCollum 203-858-5688 and dgmccollum63@gmail.com and Robert Plunkett 203-246-2898 and rgplunkett1@gmail.com.
We looked up our report on our hike here in May of 2022 at which we had a total of 12 hikers. Today we had 19 who enjoyed a beautiful day hiking about 3 miles in about two hours. We are very happy that more DMAers are coming on the hikes! This hike is really a tale of two different types of trail. About half is relatively flat and the other half is pretty steeply up and down as the property drops over 160 feet from top to bottom. All hikers handled the terrain with minimal difficulty. Alas, your hike leaders missed one turn which required a short backtrack but there were only a few random comments about the goof. As we should have learned from past hikes, talking while navigating trails sometimes doesn’t work out well!
Eight hikers enjoyed a delicious Mexican lunch at Ole Mole on High Ridge Road in Stamford. All in all a wonderful day!
This concludes our hikes for the 2023-24 season. We had seven hikes averaging over 20 hikers and finally got to traverse the Walkway Over the Hudson in October. Thank you to all who participated! The next hike will be in September 2024.
Dave McCollum and Robert Plunkett
