Seattle, WA-Dr.Vincent Poitout, principal scientist at PNRI (now PNDRI), has received the 2004 Education Outreach Service Award from the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR). In presenting the award at yesterday's annual meeting, Jeanne Chowning, NWABR Education Manager, praised Poitout's work with students and teachers for its "seriousness, accessibility and lasting value."

Dr. Poitout has been an active member of the NWABR Speakers' Bureau, and he has led PNRI's institutional support of NWABR's annual middle school science contest. According to Chowning, Poitout's audiences respond to his presentations with the greatest enthusiasm. "Perfect," she reported them saying in their evaluations of his programs; "just what we needed."

Thanks to Poitout's efforts, the winners of NWABR's "Biomedical Breakthroughs" essay and poster contest-along with their parents and teachers-are hosted by PNRI in a day-long program of hands-on science. Traveling from as far away as Idaho and Montana, these young science students are introduced to the work of a professional laboratory at PNRI.

"It is beautiful to see," Dr. Poitout said of the students' contest work and their lab experience. "And it is a very important learning experience for me." Describing the work of his lab and those of the other principal scientists who take part in PNRI's Scientist-for-a-Day event, Poitout explained the value for the student winners. "Just because it's science," he says, "and just because it's complicated and potentially dangerous-the lab is full of toxic chemicals, of course, and radioactive compounds-, doesn't mean we can't explain it to kids."

And the effort to do so, he went on, "enriches both them and us." In a personal note he explained that his work with NWABR has prompted him to renew his efforts to teach his own young children about science, and to bring them into the laboratory as well, for the incomparable learning it provides.