Rady School FlexMBA Scholarship
Given to Local Cancer Researcher
Recipient Plans to use MBA to Grow Institute for Pediatric Cancer Research
April 20, 2007
By Keri Peckham
The Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego, today announced Beth A. Baber as the recipient of the 2007 DLA Piper-Athena FlexMBA Scholarship. Baber is currently performing postdoctoral research at The Salk Institute and is in the process of establishing The Nicholas Conor Institute for Pediatric Cancer Research, named after her son who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2005.
The scholarship, which covers tuition for the two-year FlexMBA program for working professionals, is sponsored in partnership with DLA Piper, an international law firm, and Athena, a Rady School-based membership organization for executives in the San Diego technology, life sciences, healthcare and business communities. Baber will join the FlexMBA program at Rady this fall.
The DLA Piper-Athena FlexMBA Scholarship is awarded to an individual who plays a key role in a technology or science-driven company in the San Diego region and who shows outstanding personal leadership, intellect and integrity. The recipient must also demonstrate commitment to the San Diego community. Baber was chosen by a selection committee of representatives from DLA Piper, Athena and the Rady School.
Baber is in the early phases of establishing The Nicholas Conor Institute for Pediatric Cancer Research. The Institute’s mission is to rapidly translate the discoveries from the clinical laboratory into an integrated, individualized patient treatment program. The Institute aims to develop treatment-specific, predictive tests for customizing the cancer therapy for each child. This strategy will reduce unnecessary toxicity, lead to better responses, longer survival and minimize long-term side effects.
“The university takes great pride in our students who give back to the community,” said UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox. “Beth will be an excellent addition to the Rady FlexMBA class of 2009 and we look forward to welcoming her to the UC San Diego campus.”
“Beth’s commitment to linking academia and industry to develop innovative approaches to pediatric cancer care speaks to the values of the Rady School,” said Robert S. Sullivan, dean of the Rady School. “We look forward to providing new skills that will help her move innovation from the lab to the market, therefore improving pediatric cancer treatment.”
“To be selected as the 2007 recipient for the esteemed DLA Piper-Athena FlexMBA Scholarship is a real honor,” said Baber. “I am elated to have the opportunity to earn a MBA from the prestigious Rady School of Management and to apply the knowledge and skills taught by Rady's faculty to the development of a non-profit organization.”
Baber has more than 20 years of experience in biology, neurobiology and physiology. Her current research at The Salk Institute focuses on DNA damage repair following radiation and chemotherapy treatment. Her work has led to publications in major scientific journals, including Nature and Science. These studies have been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Beckman Laser Institute. Baber received her Ph.D. in macromolecular and cellular structure and chemistry from The Scripps Research Institute.
“By selecting Beth for the scholarship, we are investing in someone who will continue to make positive contributions to San Diego’s business community and society as a whole,” said Lisa Haile, a partner at DLA Piper and Athena president. “Attending the FlexMBA program will provide her with skills to help her launch the Institute and the firm is proud to support her efforts.”
“Beth’s success in the science industry is to be commended,” said Jeanine Jacobson, executive director of Athena. “We are happy to recognize her accomplishments with the 2007 DLA Piper-Athena FlexMBA scholarship.”
DLA Piper is a business law firm of more than 1,500 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, whose core practices are corporate and securities, litigation, real estate, intellectual property and government affairs. Worldwide, DLA Piper has over 3,200 lawyers in 63 offices in 24 countries, offering leading practices in commercial, corporate and finance, human resources, litigation, life sciences, real estate, regulatory and legislative, technology, media and communications.
Athena is an organization for executives with a vision to foster personal and professional change through inclusion, risk-taking, education, recognition, and diversity of thought, thereby enhancing competitiveness and opportunity in the San Diego business community.
The Rady School of Management at UC San Diego educates global leaders for innovation-driven organizations. A professional school within one of the top-ranked institutions in the U.S. for higher education and research, the Rady School offers a Full-Time MBA program, a FlexMBA program for working professionals, undergraduate and executive education courses. Our lineage includes 16 Nobel Laureates (former and current faculty) and eight MacArthur Foundation award recipients. The Rady School is at the nexus of this research, development and innovation – it underlies our curriculum and our academic model.
Media Contact: Keri Peckham, (858) 534-0855