Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 47F. Winds light and variable..
Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
Salaheddine Badgui, RN, goes through the process at the Omnicell of the team's workflow changes for the Insulin IV push.
Professor Peter Stearns lectures during his Honors 240 class, History of Emotions. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing Photo Taken:Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Every year, The Brigade of Mercy (BOM), a local nonprofit based in McLean, makes Thanksgiving baskets for the needy in our local communities. BOM has put together more than 220 Thanksgiving baskets with the help of local community groups, including Girl Scout Troop 2958 and McLean Islamic Center (MIC). Each basket feeds a family of six and has a gift card (for the turkey), flour, oil, pasta, vegetable cans, beans, rice, desert and milk. BOM is an all-volunteer run organization where 100 percent of the donations go towards aid.
Every year, The Brigade of Mercy (BOM), a local nonprofit based in McLean, makes Thanksgiving baskets for the needy in our local communities. BOM has put together more than 220 Thanksgiving baskets with the help of local community groups, including Girl Scout Troop 2958 and McLean Islamic Center (MIC). Each basket feeds a family of six and has a gift card (for the turkey), flour, oil, pasta, vegetable cans, beans, rice, desert and milk. BOM is an all-volunteer run organization where 100 percent of the donations go towards aid.
GMU professor receives American Historical Association recognition
Professor Peter Stearns lectures during his Honors 240 class, History of Emotions. Photo by Lathan Goumas/Office of Communications and Marketing Photo Taken:Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Peter Stearns, university professor of History and provost emeritus at George Mason University, thinks there is more to know about happiness. So he is currently at work on a book that collects a variety of perspectives on the subject.
With two colleagues, he is organizing essays that represent diverse takes on happiness.
“Happiness is obviously an important current topic globally, but the historical research is scattered,” said Stearns, whose book “Happiness in World History” was published this year. “It’s an opportunity to collect a wider range of essays to try to establish different regional perspectives on happiness over time.”
The book will be the latest in a long line of Stearns’s impressive output of scholarship over his 58-year career; he has written, edited, or developed new editions of more than 150 volumes.
In addition to his research and writing, Stearns served as Mason’s provost from 2000 to 2014, when the university more than tripled its level of funded research and number of doctoral programs. While provost, Stearns also launched Mason Korea in Songdo, South Korea, and the collaboration with INTO to increase the number and diversity of students recruited from abroad. These projects, deeply rooted in a desire to increase global understanding, have fostered opportunities for constructive collaboration among different societies.
He also remains active in the classroom, teaching a course each fall and spring. Mason’s Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, launched in 2017 and an integral part of Mason’s rapid pivot to online teaching in March 2020, bears his name as a nod to his role as provost, his work in creating Mason’s Center for Teaching Excellence, and in the words of then-provost David Wu, his “tireless advoca[cy] for excellence in teaching.”
Prior to his time at Mason, he taught at Harvard University, the University of Chicago, Rutgers University, and Carnegie Mellon University, also serving in the administration at Rutgers and Carnegie Mellon. It was at Chicago that he founded the Journal of Social History, which is now edited at Mason.
With these contributions to the fields of history and education, and his extensive work with other journals and professional organizations, Stearns has earned a host of awards, the latest of which is the American Historical Association Award for Scholarly Distinction to his list of accolades.
Established in 1984, the award recognizes “senior historians of the highest distinction who have spent the bulk of their professional careers in the United States,” according to the AHA website. A full citation of the prize will be printed in the December issue of the AHA ‘s newsmagazine, Perspectives on History, and an awards ceremony will be held in January 2022, during the AHA’s annual meeting in New Orleans.
“The impact that Peter has made through his teaching, his leadership, and of course his scholarship, is extraordinary,” said Ann Ardis, dean of Mason’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Peter’s students and faculty colleagues at Mason are fortunate to have benefited from all three elements of his career accomplishments.”
Stearns is the second Mason faculty member to earn this honor from the AHA, said Matthew Karush, chair of the Department of History and Art History. Lawrence Levine, who taught at Mason from 1994 to 2005 after retiring from a 30-year career at University of California, Berkeley, also received the award.
“The list of previous winners includes some of the absolute giants in the field,” he added. “These really are the most prominent and influential historians of their time.”
Stearns particularly appreciates the award in light of the variety of work that his career represents.
“I’ve had a good bit of time in administration as well as teaching,” he noted. “But I’ve always been committed to historical scholarship and particularly the exploration of new subjects for historical analysis—like happiness. I’m certainly grateful for the honor given the diversity of my own career.”
Pharmacy team awarded for reducing adverse drug events
Salaheddine Badgui, RN, goes through the process at the Omnicell of the team's workflow changes for the Insulin IV push.
Inova's pharmacy medication team has been recognized for successful implementation of error-reduction strategies around insulin administration by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) annual Cheers Awards . Each year, the ISMP honors individuals, institutions and groups who have demonstrated "exemplary commitment to the continued science and study of medication safety through innovative and creative projects, programs, educational efforts, standard setting, and/or research."
Inova's Intravenous (IV) Insulin Team: Push It, Push It Real Safe initiative received the recognition for their persistence in improving the safety of IV regular insulin administration.
The pharmacy medication team collaborated with other disciplines to implement error-reduction strategies, including restricting regular insulin to the IV route, requiring regular insulin prescribing via order sets with dosing limits, linking orders for IV push regular insulin to ensure dispensing of an appropriate needleless luer lock insulin syringe, and including an image of the appropriate syringe to be used for administration in the medication administration record.
The team also has ensured that commercially available premixed regular insulin is being used for IV infusions.
"It is truly an honor to be recognized by ISMP, the preeminent global organization for medication safety," said Melanie Massiah-White, Inova's chief pharmacy officer. "We are very proud to be part of the Inova team, which is relentlessly dedicated to patient safety and is on a continuous journey to excellence and high reliability in healthcare."
Many ISMP tools and guidelines were utilized during the process, and over the last year there has been a significant reduction in severe hypoglycemic events.
The ISMP Cheers Awards honor individuals, organizations, and companies that have set a standard of excellence for others to follow in the prevention of medication errors and adverse drug events.
COVID-19 at-home test kits will be available at 21 library branches
In a unique collaboration with public health, Fairfax County Public Library branches will become distribution sites for free COVID-19 rapid antigen at-home test kits as part of a pilot program beginning December 3.
BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Card Home Test kits will be available at each of library’s 13 open community branches and eight regional branches.
Quantities are limited. Neither proof of residency nor a library card is required, and the kits are free of charge.
The test should be taken at home, not in a library branch (however, most branches provide a strong Wi-Fi signal in parking lots). If someone is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, please request kits via the library’s contactless curbside pickup service.
Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 and low retail supply, there has been an increased demand for testing throughout the Commonwealth. Health officials hope that increased access to testing through key community partnerships with trusted agencies — such as libraries — will be helpful in stemming the spread of the virus. These at-home test kits are intended for diagnostic testing by community members so that they can know their status and get early care. By early action, it should help break transmission and further protect others.
“Libraries are trusted community hubs, and we are pleased to support public health initiatives like this partnership with the Virginia Department of Health,” said Fairfax County Public Library Director Jessica Hudson.
The 13 community branches are open Monday through Saturday, while the eight regional branches are open seven days a week. Details about branch hours and locations are available on the library’s website.
To take the test, individuals will need an internet connection, an internet-enabled device (computer, mobile phone, or tablet) with a webcam or front-facing camera, microphone, and speaker for the testing session, and a valid photo ID to show the eMed virtual guide. Information on supported browsers is available at this webpage. Valid forms of ID include driver’s license, passport, passport card, birth certificate, state-issued identification card, military ID card, and official school ID.
Once completed, rapid antigen tests provide results in 15 minutes. After the test taker completes the test online, eMed will automatically report the results to the Virginia Department of Health.
Individuals who test positive should isolate and follow up with their healthcare provider or the Fairfax County Health Department. The VDH Antigen Testing Recommendations webpage provides guidance on next steps following antigen test results. Visit the page at https://bit.ly/3E6hym2.
More information on this program is available here or by calling 1-877-829-4682.
Northrup Grumman elects new corporate VP and president, Space Systems
Northrop Grumman Corporation announced that its board of directors has elected Tom Wilson corporate vice president and president, Space Systems, effective January 1. Wilson will succeed Blake Larson, who has announced his intent to retire on February 4, after a 40-year career with Northrop Grumman and its heritage companies.
“Tom’s leadership experience and achievements in the national security, civil and commercial space markets make him ideally suited for his new role," said Kathy Warden, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Northrop Grumman. “I am confident our space business will continue to grow and perform under Tom’s strong leadership, vision and values.
“On behalf of our company and the board of directors, I want to thank Blake for his leadership and significant contributions to our entire business, and particularly our Space portfolio,” said Warden. “His focus and vision have paved the way for the continued success of our space business, and the important customer missions we serve. We wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Larson will continue as corporate vice president, reporting to Warden to support this transition until his retirement.
Wilson is currently sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman’s Strategic Space Systems division in the Space Systems sector, which has delivered strong growth and operating results. Previously, he led the Space Systems sector strategy and business development organization, where he was instrumental in the integration of the Northrop Grumman and Orbital ATK space portfolios. Wilson has held leadership positions in national security, defense and civil government space businesses. He also served in senior positions with the Department of Defense.
Wilson has 32 years of experience in the space industry. He joined Northrop Grumman in 2018 with the acquisition of Orbital ATK, after serving with Orbital ATK and ATK since 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland.
Motley Fool names new diversity and inclusion officer
The Motley Fool announced that Rachel Williams will join as the company's first chief diversity and inclusion officer November 12, reporting to co-founder and CEO Tom Gardner.
"Rachel is an incredible addition to our leadership team, our employees, and all our stakeholders. She brings an unending passion for teamwork, people, fairness, and purpose," said Gardner. "She is a true Fool, with an innovative spirit and high expertise that will help us serve hundreds of millions more people in their journey to invest successfully."
In this new role, Williams will build on the work achieved over the last six years by The Fool's Motley Committee, applying her expertise on recruiting, leadership development, employee engagement, and retention. Her focus will also include advising our product and marketing teams as we expand our reach into diverse communities in our attempt to make the world smarter, happier, and richer.
"I'm completely bought into The Motley Fool's mission and vision," said Williams. "Financial literacy, access to wealth creation, and removing barriers to investing are some of the great societal equalizers. I can't wait to join The Fool as we aim to tackle the audacious goal of making the world smarter, happier, and richer."
Williams most recently served as the head of diversity, equity & inclusion at X, the moonshot factory at Alphabet. Prior to her role at X, Rachel served as the global head of diversity and inclusion at StubHub, and the head of corporate recruiting, diversity and inclusion at Yelp.
Made in Fairfax: your 2021 holiday gift guide
Fairfax County is home to an incredible and diverse group of artisan makers – so much so that the Made in Fairfax initiative was born.
The Made in Fairfax network aims to be a one-stop shop for maker businesses and those who want to support them. The Made in Fairfax directory features dozens of artisans who create a variety of products in the county like custom furniture, baked goods, jewelry, and more.
This holiday season (or any time of year, really!) take “shop local” to new heights by directly supporting the makers of these gift-worthy products – created right here in Fairfax County.
Here’s your Fairfax County 2021 Holiday Gift Guide https://bit.ly/3xAdVCk.
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