grace malato

A Word from Dr. Theresa Good, Acting Division Director

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As many of you may know, our Division Director, Dr. Linda Hyman, recently returned to her previous position as Associate Provost for the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences at Boston University. Linda led MCB through some difficult times: the death of a dear friend and colleague, Dr. Kamal Shukla; the retirement of a dedicated colleague and advocate for the synthetic biology community, Dr. Susanne Von Bodman; and the transition of a number of staff members into different roles within the Foundation and elsewhere in federal service. From all of us at MCB, thank you Linda, for the time you took away from your role at Boston University to lead us and for your year and a half of service to the Foundation. Good luck as you return back to Boston University.

As I now take on the role of Acting Division Director, I am thankful to have the support of talented program directors, staff, and colleagues, like Dr. Gregory Warr, who have previously served in this role.  All are dedicated to the NSF mission of transforming the frontiers of science and engineering, and stimulating innovation to address societal needs through research and education. While change is occasionally uncomfortable, it often brings about opportunities. We are excited to have a number of new program directors who you will meet over the coming months (Dr. E.J. Crane, Dr. Michael Weinreich, and Dr. Jarek Majewski), new staff members (Grace Malato), and the expert leadership of a new Operations Manager (Dr. Reyda Gonzalez-Nieves). Two of our dedicated program directors, first Dr. Michelle Elekonich, and then Dr. Karen Cone, will serve as the acting Deputy Division Director in two respective 120 day rotations. Michelle and Karen both have experience in division leadership and will work with me to ensure the efficient operations and attention to science vision for which MCB is known.

In addition, a new solicitation will be issued and some new workshops are being developed to catalyze conversations about the future directions of MCB science. Within MCB, we are poised to do our part to invest in science, engineering, and education for the nation’s future.

We look forward to engaging the scientific community during panels, meetings, and outreach visits about how to best serve science and the needs of the nation. We ask you to continue to work with us by: submitting your best ideas in proposals, continuing to participate in peer review, serving on panels, meeting with us at NSF workshops or at other scientific meetings, serving as rotating program directors, continuing to do outstanding research and broader impacts activities, and communicating the results of those efforts to the broader community.

As always, MCB welcomes your questions and input on how we can better serve the scientific community. You should always feel free to give us feedback or reach out to a program director with questions.

 

Best wishes,

 

Dr. Theresa Good

Acting Division Director

WELCOME TO MCB GRACE MALATO!

Grace is looking into the camera and smiling. There are tropical trees in the background and she is wearing a gray tshirt and holding a green sive full of Rhoadsia altipinna, a small western Ecuadorian Tetra fish which appear rainbow.

Hear from MCB biologist Grace Malato.

What is your educational background?

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology with an emphasis in Aquatics from the University of Montana, Missoula. I then received my Master of Science degree in Biology from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.

What is your position? When did you start working in MCB?

I started as a Biologist for MCB in January 2017, just after the New Year. I am here as a Presidential Management STEM Fellow (PMF STEM), which is a program that we previously featured on the MCB blog.

What attracted you to work for NSF?

I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of research settings that combine molecular tools with ecological concern; I love the excitement that comes with discovery. After seeing how important but challenging interdisciplinary research can be, I was curious about the bigger picture. I am excited to work at NSF to contribute to the scientific community at large and to be a part of an organization providing critical funding for innovative research.

What have you learned so far from your position?

I have learned, in my short time at NSF, so much about the inner workings of the merit review process as well as how funding and research priorities are set. I have learned just how much work goes into reviewing proposals as well as how decisions on funding influence the future of science.