NEB^® TV Ep. 9 – Passion in Science

NEB TV. What's trending in science.

Deana Martin:
Welcome to NEB TV. Today we're talking about passion in science, a subject that is near and dear to the hearts of many NEB employees. In our Science in 60, we'll hear from several members of the NEB community about what passion means to them. Then we'll talk a little bit about the 2014 Passion in Science Awards, which NEB launched as a way to celebrate our customers, who share the same values as NEB. We'll hear from our CEO, past award participants, and winners to talk about why we developed the awards, and what the awards meant to them.

Then we're excited to introduce the 2016 Passion in Science Awards. We'll tell you a little bit about how you can apply for those. Let's get started.

What is passion?

Rita:
Oh my God, I cannot describe in words, passion is just some thing.

Nicole:
Passion is what gets you up out of bed in the morning, the fire you have within you that lets you keep tackling hurdles and get up again when you're knocked down.

John:
Passion is drive, your motivation, what makes you go.

Sriharsa:
Well passion is something that you really love to do and you can't really wait to do the very moment you have a little time.

Linda:
I'm passionate about primarily my family, the wellbeing of my family.

Erbay:
I'm passionate about science.

Linda:
I'm also passionate about giving back. I feel like it's very important. I believe strongly that you should volunteer and give of your resources as much as possible.

Pam:
I'm passionate about my family and being involved in my community.

Sriharsa:
I'm passionate about science and that I every day get up in the morning and look forward to finding what I don't know.

The Passion in Science Awards:

Jim Ellard:
A few years ago, we were trying to figure out how we were going to celebrate our 40th anniversary, because NEB is such a humble place, it just didn't feel right to throw ourselves a party.

Becky Kucera:
What we came up with was an endeavor to seek out and recognize those people who are the unsung heroes of the science world. The people who are really working to make the world a better place.

Carol Keating:
Not just including science, but also in other areas that are very important to NEB as a company, including humanitarianism, the arts, and environment.

Whitney Hagins:
I first heard about the awards through one of my former students who sent me the link and said, "You should apply."

Andy Gardner:
So the Passion in Science event, when the scientists came to BioLabs, it was really exciting. Their enthusiasm for their research was infectious and we were all inspired by their stories and their real drives and passion.

Whitney Hagins:
When I first arrived at the hotel the night before, I really had no idea what was in store for the next couple days. And in the morning, when they actually sent a limo to pick us up, I realized that this was going to be a really unique and different experience.

Becky Kucera:
Meeting the awardees, for most of us, I would say was definitely a career highlight. These people had such a strong focus, not on themselves, but on what they cared about, their passion, their project.

Whitney Hagins:
When I met the other awardees, I was in a word, humbled. I couldn't believe their stories. I was truly amazed at what some of them had done.

Becky Kucera:
We had a gentleman, Paul McDonald, who was asked by our armed services to investigate suicides in the armed services. And when he described this work, the entire auditorium went absolutely quiet. No one could talk for several moments. It was just so incredibly intense. And I'll never forget that.

Jim Ellard:
I was really surprised just how emotional the whole awards ceremony became, and I was also surprised just how quickly people from BioLabs and the winners actually formed a bond.

Carol Keating:
All of the recipients in all four categories were incredibly deserving, and to me the humanitarian group had special meaning because I think I, over the two days, made good friends with them.

Becky Kucera:
The only negative for me for the Passion in Science Awards, was saying goodbye. There was something about the intensity of what people were doing, and sharing that story with us, even though we only knew them in person for two days. Saying goodbye at the end of those two days was very, very hard. There were a lot of tears on both sides.

Whitney Hagins:
If I were going to give advice to someone about whether or not they should apply, the answer would be, "Do it. Go for it." Because in the process of doing the application, it helps you sort of sort through what your passions are.

Jim Ellard:
I would tell people who are thinking about applying, "Please don't be shy." There are a lot of great stories out there. We want to meet you, we want to hear your story. We want to celebrate you. We want to celebrate with you, and we want to share our common philosophies.

Deana Martin:
We're so excited to be hosting the 2016 Passion in Science Awards this year. We'd love to hear your stories. If you're interested in learning more, please visit NEBPassionInScience.com. There you can apply or nominate a colleague. We will be accepting applications between June 1st and July 31st, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Thanks for watching NEB TV, and as always, if you have any suggestions for future episodes, please let us know.