First ‘Porter Day’ Celebrated, To Become Yearly Event
Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang
The NIH community recently celebrated the inaugural “Porter Day.”
Presented by the Porter Users Group and held in the Bldg. 35 atrium, the event aimed to celebrate science and foster community in the John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center (PNRC) by showcasing its people, science and art.
The event, held on Apr. 23—Shakespeare’s birthday, was conceptualized by a group of research fellows looking for a way to engage with their peers following the pandemic.
The afternoon featured a busy roster of activities: an art gallery displayed STEM-related artwork by talented NIH’ers; scientific posters showcased the research of 80 PNRC research fellows; attendees enjoyed musical performances by classical pianist Dr. Tracey Rouault and Antonio Ulloa and Andrew Martinelli of the Latin Music Club; a photographer offered free professional headshots and more.
The main event of the afternoon, a keynote presentation by Columbia University neurobiologist Dr. Stuart Firestein, discussed the importance of ignorance, failure, uncertainty and optimism in scientific exploration. Firestein also moderated a panel discussion of NIH experts following the lecture.
Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang
PNRC officially opened in March 2014. The structure is dedicated to Porter, a former congressman and staunch supporter of biomedical research and the NIH mission, who passed away in 2022.
PNRC is a state-of-the-art facility that brings together neuroscientists from 10 institutes and centers across NIH to spur new advances in our understanding of the nervous system in health and disease.
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