Here it is the end of another ARCS MWC year,

and also the completion of my term as the 23rd president

of our Chapter. For 44 years, our members have endeav-

ored to spread the awareness and importance of STEM

research and education in our community and our nation.

One significant concern is keeping our nation

competitive in the areas of science and technology. Our

Organization’s founders were acutely aware of this fact

more than fifty years ago when in 1957 the Soviet Union

successfully launched Sputnik I, the world’s first artificial

satellite. The launch caught the American people off

guard and the world’s attention. It marked the beginning

of both the space age, and of the U.S. and USSR space

race. It didn’t take long for the forward thinking women in

Los Angeles to react by creating the ARCS Foundation in

1958.

Advancing science and technology in the United States remains the priority of our Chap-

ter. The growth of our country’s economy and our standard of living depends on our science and

engineering students who create the innovation and advances which strengthen our nation’s fu-

ture. So far, our Chapter has awarded $5,103,000 to more than 370 outstanding scholars. In 2012

- 2013, we will award $255,000 to 17 graduate scholars and $15,000 to three undergraduates. And

the beat goes on.

With the goal in mind to keep each of our members informed, you received a copy of the

first Metro Washington Chapter’s Annual Updates Report via email. Those of you who attended

our May 17, 2012, General Meeting received a hardcopy of the Report. Many thanks to Lynn Dil-

lon, our new MWC president, who compiled the updates! The Report lists 2011-12 values,

achievements, university allocations, financial summaries, the purpose and goals of the board re-

structure effort, and much more. I encourage you to familiarize yourselves with the good news. A

big welcome to the new 2012-2013 Board members who were installed at this meeting! You were

also introduced to Michael Svec and David Giuliani, our Chapter’s new financial advisors.

I heartily and warmly welcome Lynn Dillon as she assumes the role as our new presi-

dent. All of us are familiar with the superb talents and expertise Lynn has already brought to our

Chapter. Thank you, Lynn, for being an important part of my team these past two years! I know

all of you will give Lynn your full support as she leads ARCS MWC to greater heights.

It has been an honor for me to serve our Chapter as president. My profound thanks to all

of you for the generous and thoughtful support you have given me, and for your dedication of

hundreds of volunteer hours to our Chapter. One thing is abundantly clear: diligent teamwork is

the key to a successful organization.

My best wishes for a wonderful summer! I look forward to seeing you in September.

Angie

Lea d S tory He adl ine

Capital Edition

ARCS® MISSION

ARCS Foundation ad-

vances science and

technology in the United

States by providing

financial awards to

academically

outstanding U.S. citizens

studying to complete

degrees in science,

engineering, and

medical research.

From our President

Summer, 2012 Metropolitan Washington Chapter

Inside this issue:

New Board 2

Endowment 3

In Their Own Words

4

Whiting School

of Engineering 4

Science and

Engineering

Festival

5

Marathon

Bridge 5

Tom & Mary

Snitch 6

University

Visits 6

Gala 2012 7

New Members 7

NAM 2012 8

Scholar

Awards

Reception

8

Page 2 Capital Edition

At the May 17 General Meeting, the members in attendance officially elected the

MWC Board for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning June 1.

President Lynn Dillon

Immediate Past President Angie Delaney

Secretary Karen Finkbiner

Treasurer Laura Hoernig

Vice President/Membership Terry Holmes

Vice President/University Relations Aneta Large

Vice Presidents/Development Bev Herrington & Doris Pierson

Vice Presidents/Activities Beth Parker & Maureen Wingfield

Vice President/Communications Ginny Lukasik

Vice President/Finance Karen Stoner

Vice President/Administration Betty Polutchko

During the summer months ahead, this leadership team will be assembling their

committees and beginning the council work for the coming year. Given the strength

of this past year - in terms of energized membership involvement, increased donor

support, and expanding relationships with our university partners – the next year is

wonderfully positioned to be a time of continued success for MWC.

New ARCS MWC Board 2012-2013

In 2008: Worldwide - 5 million undergraduate de-grees in Science & Engineering. China represented 23% of this total. Europeon Union rep-resented 19%. US represented 10%. For undergraduate engineering: China's total graduat-ing class is about 33% engineers USA's total graduat-ing class is about 4% engineers. In 2007 China over-took the US as the world leader in the number of doctoral degrees in natural sciences and engineering

MWC Past Presidents 20 Year Members

Summer 2012 Page 3

MWC Endowment: Positioning for the Future

The Endowment Committee believes having definitive guidelines on the management of our portfolio is in the

best interest of our chapter, our members, our generous donors, our partner universities, and most importantly, our

deserving scholars. Protecting and growing our Endowment affords us the unique opportunity to promote science

and technology by funding scholars in perpetuity. Many thanks to the members of the Endowment Committee for

their dedication and hard work this past year. The committee members are Holly Coyne, Betty Polutchko,

Marlene Bekey, Eva Lamb, Beth Schierling, and Sandy Werness, plus Angie Delaney and Lynn Dillon who pro-

vided guidance and support.

As a committee, we re-evaluated our current investment method of relying on the committee’s limited experi-

ence in financial markets to make these very important investment decisions. Although we have had the assistance

of Merrill Lynch for the past several years, their involvement in the Endowment Fund has been minimal and their

advisory role limited. The fiduciary responsibility of asset allocation, choosing appropriate investments, analyzing

markets, and comparing options without the benefit of a qualified investment advisor fell squarely on the Endow-

ment Treasurer with assistance from the committee.

In August of last year, the committee made the decision to write a comprehensive investment policy for the En-

dowment Fund outlining the goals, responsibilities, and management of the fund. We researched and reviewed

multiple investment policies of other non-profit organizations, including professional articles from financial ex-

perts. We reviewed other ARCS chapters’ endowment protocols and familiarized ourselves with our university

partners’ endowment plans. Having concluded our due diligence, we drafted a comprehensive policy that estab-

lishes a very conservative investment plan with 70% invested in fixed income and 30% in equities. This plan also

includes a conservative spending plan authorizing the distribution of scholar awards from generated income only,

and not from principal.

This decision to hire an investment advisor is based on several compelling reasons.

1. The sizable amount of this chapter’s endowment, currently over $625,000, requires careful, conservative

and comprehensive management. This expertise is not always available within our chapter’s member-

ship.

2. The fiduciary responsibility for managing an endowment of this magnitude should not fall solely on the

shoulders of a few inexperienced members. The use of an investment advisor assures better oversight

and compliance.

3. Hiring an investment advisor provides continuity and ensures consistent management of the portfolio

over time.

4. In accordance with the guidelines in the investment policy, a professional manager with market exper-

tise and experience will support long term growth.

5. Increased government regulation and oversight of non-profit foundations requires expertise beyond our

limited capabilities.

6. Utilizing a professional investment firm will allow us to segregate specific donations in excess of $100K

for the funding of named scholars and thereby providing our membership a distinctive way to make sig-

nificant donations supporting our scholars in perpetuity.

A request for proposal was sent to multiple investment firms soliciting bids for our business, with four propos-

als received by March 31st. It was determined we would interview MorganStanleySmithBarney and AllianceBern-

stein. It was unanimously decided MorganStanleySmithBarney would be the best firm for managing the Endow-

ment Fund, offering a comprehensive and customized plan in accordance with our investment policy. These ser-

vices are offered at a competitive rate fee of about 1% of the entire portfolio. This fee will be taken by the income

generated from the invested assets. I understand there is a hesitation on the part of some members to pay for these

management services, but it must be brought to your attention that we have been paying embedded fees on some

of our current investments that exceed 1.3%.

Our investment advisors are Mr. Michael Svec and Mr. David Giulieri. Mr Svec is a senior vice-president at

MorganStanleySmithBarney. Michael and David specialize in mid-sized non-profit clients with assets ranging

from $2 million to $75 million. They work with 30 non-profit portfolios and over 150 total clients. The breadth of

their experience and proven track record over the past 15 years establish them as the best qualified team to be en-

trusted with the management of the Endowment Fund.

Karen Stoner

Page 4 Capital Edition

Kenan Cole, Raytheon Scholar at The George Washington University

“A science by which the properties of matter and the sources of energy in nature

are made useful to man.”

This is the definition of engineering given by the 1972 Webster's dictionary. It is

this definition that is a driving force behind the research that we do; to use science

to ultimately make something that has a useful purpose. At The George Washington

University, my adviser, Dr. Adam Wickenheiser, and I are researching the control

of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to fly in formations and to maintain these for-

mations. This particular research has immediate applications to military and de-

fense, accompanying troops and vehicles, etc; however, it can also be used for

search and rescue teams in the aid of civilians.

There is a good body of work which examines various types of control laws for

UAVs flying in formations but many of the published papers only give simulation

results. There is still a lack of incorporating environmental effects (such as wind)

into the control laws and testing prototypes in these conditions. It is our goal to ad-

dress both of these deficiencies in order to produce a robust control law.

ARCS has been instrumental in allowing me to carry out this research through

their support. To date we have been examining the relative merits of various control

law approaches and formulating feedback algorithms to drive the flight formation of

the vehicles and how tightly they are required to stay in that particular orientation.

Our Scholars: In Their Own Words

Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering

A Celebration of 100 Years

In 1912 the Maryland legislators passed “The Technical School Bill,” which created at

Johns Hopkins University a department of applied science and advanced technology. The

impetus for the legislation was to incent qualified Maryland residents to return to the state

to learn, thereby advancing the economic prospects for the state and positioning for the

future. In the 100 years to follow, the reputation and global impact of this school and its

graduates clearly demonstrate the wisdom of this investment.

Twenty-seven men began the Engineering program in the fall of 1912, with support

from state scholarship monies. Additionally, due to funding from the state, facilities were

built to support learning and research. This facility was the Mechanical & Electrical Engi-

neering Building (now Maryland Hall) on the Homewood campus. These initial students

graduated in 1917, followed by the first masters degree in engineering (1921) and the first

doctoral degree (1922). Women were first admitted to the engineering program in 1943.

Today, the program includes 2,315 students (1,502 undergraduate and 813 graduate) and

is world-renown as a leader in bio-medical, robotics, and geography/environmental appli-

cations.

As the result of the gift from the estate of G.W.C. Whiting (The Whiting-Turner Con-

struction Company), the school was officially renamed in 1979 as the Whiting School of

Engineering. In the past year, the Whiting School was supported by $57 million in federal

research grants. For more information, please visit the ARCS website for articles and news

from all of our university partners.

Summer 2012 Page 5

What do you have when you combine enthusiastic ARCS-MWC volunteers, several energized chapter scholars,

and 3,000 other exhibitors? You have the 2nd annual USA Science and Engineering Festival Expo! The 3-day event

(April 27-29, 2012) attracted over 150,000 visitors of all ages, many of whom were quite intrigued by the hands-on ac-

tivities presented by the 10 chapter scholars.

Like with the 1st annual USA Science and Engineering Festival in 2010, the ARCS-MWC was once again a

proud partner of the festival, whose primary goals were to excite kids about Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics (STEM) topics and, as Larry Bock, founder and organizer of the event, says, “to inspire the next generation

of innovators.” He adds that “While the US is struggling with unemployment, the irony is a lot of companies are strug-

gling to fill vacant engineering positions due to lack of qualified applicants.” The compelling aspect of this story is how

it portrays a current, ongoing parallel to a similar state of events

more than 50 years ago that propelled the founding of the ARCS

Foundation after the launch of Sputnik.

ARCS-MWC participated in several ways. One, three

members of the chapter were selected to participate in the “Nifty-

Fifty X2.” This program was designed to send speakers out to

schools to inspire students about STEM and also to relate how they

themselves became interested in and involved in STEM activities.

The three chapter members were Mary Snitch (nominated again for

this honor by Lockheed Martin), Mary Cleave and Kathie Olsen.

The ARCS-MWC chapter also signed up to host a booth in

which energetic chapter scholars presented hands-on activities to

visitors of all ages during the Expo. The ARCS-MWC 2012 com-

mittee, chaired by Elizabeth Nesbitt, not only organized the schol-

ars who volunteered to present but committee members also volun-

teered for 1 or 2 2-hour “shifts” to help the scholars and to field

inquiries from the large crowds! Enthusiastic committee members

who “manned” the booth included (alphabetically after the listing of the President and the President-Elect): Angie De-

laney, Lynn Dillon, Sally Burns, Karen Finkbiner, Terry Holmes, Alice Laning, Karen Meyers, Elizabeth Nesbitt, Toni

Schierling, and Imogen Saunders. (Find more photos at the ARCS MWC website) ———————————— Bock, Larry, “Bots High Robotics Documentary - STEM, Gender Gaps, And Future Engineers In High School,” HuffPost Impact: The Blog, September 13, 2011, http://

www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-bock/bots-high-robotics-docume_b_958109.html.

Ibid.

2nd Annual USA Science & Engineering Festival

Eric Patterson and colleagues from Georgetown Uni-

versity presented "A Whale of a Tail” (visitors learned

how dolphins make sounds and use tools, and about

new non-invasive techniques used to study these ma-

rine mammals);

Marathon Bridge

Thank you to Holly Coyne for hosting the end of the year ARCS Bridge Party on June 19, 2012, at Congressional

Country Club. We will be enjoying morning goodies and beverages, playing bridge, enjoying a lovely luncheon, &

awarding the prizes for this year’s Marathon group, as well as some for that day’s players. Marathon winners for this

year are:

ARCS bridge players who would like to play or sub in next year’s Marathon group need to register by July 15, 2012.

The cost for playing will be $70 for ARCS members & $100 for non-members. Checks should be made out to ARCS/

MWC & need to be sent to Karen by July 15th. All of this year’s players & subs will receive a form in the mail, but new

Marathon teams are extremely welcome & anyone else who would like to play this coming year can receive a form by

calling Karen (703-430-8488).

1st: Pam Bacher & Karen Magley 23870 4th: Sally Burns & Mary Kennedy 19180

2nd: Sally Burns & Darlene Lebedev 20020 5th: Betsy Forster & Doris Pierson 17660

3rd: Jan Boyer & Alice Laning 19310

Page 6 Capital Edition

Excerpts reprinted with permission from ARCS National newsletter

A 16 year member of ARCS Foundation, Mary describes how her ARCS Foundation

affiliation gave her a unique opportunity for hands-on experience with the University of

Maryland, initially with the Clark School of Engineering. “Maryland struck a chord

with us. The University has selected such fabulous scholars to receive ARCS Founda-

tion awards,” she notes. “The University has a magnificent way of reaching out. It was

easy and natural to form the strong relationship that we enjoy today,” says Mary, who

also maintains ties with the University through her employer, Lockheed Martin, which

annually supports up to two ARCS Foundation Lockheed Martin Scholars.

It was through ARCS Foundation local events that both Mary and Tom Snitch came

to know then-University President C. Dan Mote and Patsy Mote. As the University’s $1

billion Great Expectations capital campaign launched, Tom became involved in the Col-

lege of Computer, Mathematics & Natural Sciences (CMNS) strategic planning process

and on the redesign of graduate programs.

Mary and Tom were honored with the 2012 University of Maryland Honorary

Alumni Association membership at a black-tie dinner on campus on April 14. “Tom and Mary

are wonderful friends of our college”, says CMNS Dean Jayanth Banavar. “They continue to be

very giving of their time and their resources, which have made enormous positive differences in

so many lives.”

Mary and Tom Snitch Named Honorary Alumni at U of MD

The annual visits to the 5 Universities that receive scholar awards from the Washing-

ton Metropolitan Chapter of ARCS were as impressive and rewarding as always. Our

Gala theme “IMAGINE THE FUTURE” was with us all the way.

We were introduced to career goals and objectives with intensity from various realms

of science. The visits to the various research labs were presented to us with great interest

and enthusiasm. How rewarding it was to learn of the scholars’ eagerness to contribute

new insights and understanding in the fields of Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechani-

cal Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Neurobiology, and Com-

puter Science!

Each of the scholars expressed genuine thanks and appreciation for the ARCS award.

The funds from MWC ARCS will enable them to enrich the outcomes of their graduate

careers and the details of their extensive research.

I look forward to your participation in the visits to University of Maryland, University

of Virginia, The George Washington University, Georgetown University, and Johns

Hopkins University in the spring of 2013. Alice Laning

University Visits

Summer 2012 Page 7

GALA 2012: Imagine the Futures

Welcome New Members

This extends a warm welcome to the individuals who joined MWC this past fiscal year. We are delighted by your inter-

est in our mission and by your personal commitment to support our efforts. The strength of ARCS builds from the breadth

and talents of its membership – you are truly our first and foremost asset. On behalf of all of the MWC membership, we

look forward to working with you over the year ahead.

Under the leadership of Terry Holmes, VP-Membership, a new member orientation and welcome lunch was held in

May. We were delighted that eight of our new members and their respective sponsors were able to attend. Presentations,

made by Angie Delaney, Alice Laning, Terry Holmes and Lynn Dillon, provided an overview of ARCS history and initia-

tives plus our strategic initiatives with our three key partner groups – members, donors and universities.

New Member: Sponsor: New Member: Sponsor:

Tina Ayiotis Lynn Dillon Ileene Hoffman Bev Herrington

Kristen Bloschock Angie Delaney Lisa Lutz Bev Herrington

Mary Corrado Bev Herrington Caren Merrick Doris Pierson

Claudia Cotca Angie Delaney Joyce Pratt Bev Herrington

Brenda Delano Angie Delaney MaryLou Shedadi Bev Herrington

Janice Feather Doris Pierson Donna Sheridan Mary Snitch

Debbie Gaffney Bev Herrington Maureen Wingfield Bev Herrington

National Annual Meeting: Science in the Rockies

Mark Your Calendars!!

September 20, 2012 General Meeting at Columbia Country Club (Lunch)

October 18, 2012 Scholar Awards Reception at National Academy of Sciences (Evening)

November TBD Embassy Bridge

December 2, 2012 Holiday Party at the home of Holly and Jim Coyne (Evening)

January 24, 2013 General Meeting at TBD (Evening)

April 6, 2013 Gala at Congressional Country Club (Evening)

May 29 - June 1, 2013 National ARCS Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii

From May 30 through June 2, ARCS hosted its 2012 National Annual Meeting in Denver. This four day event,

which was wonderfully coordinated by Toni Schierling (NAM Chair) and Di Alexander (Chair, National Meetings),

attracted over 100 ARCS members and other guests. Each day provided a valuable program of activity – to conduct

ARCS business, to facilitate networking, to build skills and knowledge, to hear from leading PhD’s from the U of

Colorado on the frontiers of bio-medical research, and to tour key science re-

lated sites in the greater Denver area (notably the Denver Museum of Nature

and Science and the U of CO /Anschutz Medical Center).

The National Board slate was approved for the upcoming fiscal year (July

1, 2012-June 30, 2013). Jeanne Berdick (Pittsburgh) will remain as the Na-

tional President, with Nancy Spetzler (Phoenix) as President-Elect. MWC

continues to be well represented on the National Board by: Di Alexander

(Chair, National Meetings), Angela Diaz (Affiliate), Lynn Dillon (MWC

President), Jackie Henson (Chair, Audit), Kathie Olsen (Affiliate), Andi Purple

(Parliamentarian), Mary Snitch (Immediate Past President), and Lana Yary-

movych (Council of Advisors).

Two members affiliated with MWC were given special recognition – Renée Fontenot, our 2012 ARCS Light, was

among the chapter honorees at the special lunch hosted on May 31; Joe Alexander (husband of Di Alexander) was

recognized for his leadership in founding and directing the SEAC (Science and Engineering Advisory) Council for the

past three years. Congratulations to you both!

For the upcoming Scholar Awards Reception, to be hosted at the National Academy of Sciences, we are honored to

have Dr. Lisa Porter as our keynote speaker. Dr. Porter has a highly distinguished academic and professional resume.

She received her undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering from MIT; her PhD in Applied Physics was completed at

Stanford University, at which time she was an ARCS Scholar supported by our Northern California Chapter.

From the onset of her career, Dr. Porter has been actively engaged in research and leadership of key governmental

organizations. She has served as a senior scientist at DARPA, NASA associate administrator for the Aeronautics Re-

search Mission Directorate, and most recently as the first director of IARPA. IARPA (Intelligence Advanced Research

Projects Activity), which operates as a part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, is responsible for high

risk/high payoff research to advance American intelligence capabilities.

In recognition of her achievements, Dr. Porter has received the Medal for Exceptional Service from the Secretary of

Defense (2005) and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2008).

Scholars Award Reception - October 18, 2012

https://www.arcsfoundation.org/metro_washington/