Brookhaven Notebook: BNL Wins Awards, Black History Commission Celebrates Anniversary

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have scored thousands of dollars in educational grants for area schools after nabbing three international prizes for innovation in science and technology.

Battelle, an international nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and development, awarded BNL scientists with two prizes for scientific discovery and one award for technology impact. Their work was deemed to have significant results in the areas of economics and physical, life, or social sciences. Battelle, along with , co-manages BNL for the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to a laboratory release, scientists Oleg Gang and Dmytro Nykypanchuk, along with team members Daniel van der Lelie and Mathew Maye, won for their development of a way to use synthetic DNA to control the assembly of nanoparticles into three-dimensional structures useful in other applications of science. Gang and his team chose in Setauket to receive a $5,000 grant as part of their prize.

A team of more than 1,000 physicists from around the world working with BNL's "RHIC," or relativistic heavy ion collider, produced research with ramifications for the Big Bang Theory, which scientists use to explain the origins of the universe. Dr. Thomas Ludlam, chairman of the physics department at BNL, selected to receive a $5,000 grant on behalf of the team.

The BNL team led by Ralph James and Yonggang Cui developed a high-resolution camera called the ProxiScan.

"It is a technology that can lead to more accurate and timely diagnosis and significantly improve treatment strategies" of cancerous tumors, BNL said in a statement.

Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., known as a predominantly African American school, will receive that team's $5,000 grant.

Black History Commission Celebrates Two Decades

As municipalities, schools and community groups across Long Island celebrate Black History Month, more than 200 people attended a Feb. 4 ceremony during which the Town of Brookhaven marked the 20th anniversary of its Black History Commission.

The commission was formed in 1991 to honor the achievements of African American residents and share resources and promote awareness of African American heritage and culture locally. It honored over 80 high school seniors for their academic achievements, including grade point averages of 3.0 or better, and put the spotlight on 13 "Top of the Class" seniors, who read personal essays describing the road to their successes.

"Their achievements in the classroom are outstanding," Brookhaven supervisor Mark Lesko said. "They are a credit to their teachers and parents as well as role models to their peers. I congratulate each and every one of them for their success and wish them all the best in the future.”

Panico Honored by Touro Law School

Brookhaven councilman Dan Panico has been named the Keith Romaine Elected Official of the Year by Touro Law School, which established the annual award last year in honor of Romaine, the Brookhaven councilman and Touro graduate who died of an illness in 2009 at the age of 36.

Panico, a friend of Romaine's, has represented Brookhaven's sixth town council district since winning a special election in March of 2009 to fill Romaine's council seat.

"I could not think of a better person recipient than Dan Panico to receive this award," said Ed Romaine, the Suffolk County legislator and father of the late town councilman. "In choosing Dan they have chosen a tireless and dedicated elected official who does a great job representing all of his constituents."