Merck & Co. Inc. today announced the winners of the second annual Merck
Index Women in Chemistry Scholarship program. The program is
designed to foster support for women choosing to pursue advanced degrees
in medicinal or synthetic organic chemistry.
"We are pleased to be role models for these exceptional young women,"
said Maryadele J. O'Neil, Editor of The Merck Index. "This
program allows us to encourage them in a tangible way and underscores
Merck's commitment to workplace diversity as well as excellence in
science and education."
The awards will be presented on Monday, Aug. 18, as part of The Merck
Index Women in Chemistry Awards Symposium and Poster Session, being
held at the American Chemical Society 236th National Meeting and
Exposition in Philadelphia. The introductory address will be given by
Dr. Mervyn J. Turner, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Licensing and
External Research, Merck Research Laboratories. Dr. Turner will speak on “The
Challenges of Bringing Drugs to Patients in the 21st
Century.”
The five award recipients will each receive a $5,000 scholarship and
present their undergraduate research at the symposium. The award winners
are: Karen Brown, Harvey Mudd College; Sarah Goforth, Furman University;
Sandra M. King, Grinnell College; Chawita Netirojjanakul, MIT; and Amy
Tremblay, Carleton University.
Closing the symposium will be Dr. Renata Oballa, Senior Research Fellow,
Merck Frosst Canada, who will discuss her transformation “From
Organic Chemist to Drug Discovery Scientist: A Career in Osteoporosis
Research.”
An additional ten students will present their research at the poster
session and will receive special recognition awards in the form of a
travel grant. These students are: Kristen Clary, University of Calgary;
Anna Dawsey, College of Charleston; Maggie He, City College of New York;
Casie Hilliard, University of Florida; Lauren Martini, NYU; Alison
Oostendorp, Elmhurst College; Caroline Proulx, University of Ottowa;
Lindsay Repka, Barnard College; Kelly Volp, University of Kansas; and
Christina Woo, Wellesley College.
The Merck Index Women in Chemistry Scholarship program is
administered by the editorial staff of The Merck Index, Chemistry's
Constant Companion®. The application
deadline for the 2009 scholarship program is March 15, 2009. Detailed
award criteria and application forms are available on The Merck Index website
at: www.merckbooks.com/mindex.
About The Merck Index
With more than 1 million copies sold, The Merck Index has been
the go-to reference for generations of professionals looking for
precise, comprehensive information on chemicals, drugs, and biologicals.
First published in 1899, this publication predates The Merck Manual and
is the most widely used text of its kind. Merck publishes all of the
Merck manuals as a service to the community. All have strict editorial
independence, do not include any marketing information or promote any
pharmaceutical medicines. The manuals are available free in multiple
languages at www.merckbooks.com.
About Merck
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company
dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck
currently discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and
medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive
efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs
that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people
who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a
not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements are based on management's current expectations and involve
risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially
from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements
may include statements regarding product development, product potential
or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed
and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck
undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be
evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck's
business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and
cautionary statements in Item 1A of Merck's Form 10-K for the year ended
Dec. 31, 2007, and in any risk factors or cautionary statements
contained in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-Q or current
reports on Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.
Merck & Co. Inc.
Media:
Maryadele O'Neil, 732-594-4548
or
Amy
Rose, 908-423-6537
