Academic achievements

• Occupation: Volunteer at Greater Baltimore Medical Center
• Home: Lutherville
• Achievement: Dobry, who sits with expectant parents in labor and delivery, was recognized with an Excellence in Service Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution Commodore Joshua Barney-John Eager Howard chapter.  Dobry, 74, has been volunteering since 1981 and has given more than 15,200 hours of her time to GBMC.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and get back as much as I give.”

Jennifer Wenzel

• Occupation: Assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
• Home: Ellicott City
• Achievement: Wenzel is one of 15 junior faculty in the United States to receive an inaugural Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar award. The three-year, $350,000 grant will support her research to address health disparities affecting rural black seniors in cancer treatment.

“I hope to use this generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to improve health outcomes for this at-risk population — to help make a real difference.”

Adam Riess

• Occupation: Astrophysicist and professor at Johns Hopkins University
• Home: Towson
• Achievement: Riess, a leader in the discovery of the universe’s “dark energy,” recently was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, the so-called “genius grants.” The 38-year-old professor of physics and astronomy in the university’s Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences will receive a $500,000 grant to continue studying a force driving the universe to expand, overcoming the effects of gravity.

Peter Pronovost

• Occupation: Professor of anesthesiology, surgery and critical care at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Home: Reisterstown
• Achievement: Pronovost recently was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, the so-called “genius grants.” Pronovost, 43, will receive a $500,000 “no strings attached award” to continue his work advancing simple tools for improving patient safety.

William “Brit” Kirwan

• Occupation: University System of Maryland chancellor
• Home: Pikesville
• Achievement: The University System of Maryland launched a campaign to prepare inner-city students for a successful transition to college. The Way2GoMaryland campaign began recently at the Maryland Science Center, where dozens of Baltimore City students and their families came to speak with representatives from the university system’s 11 schools. The program is supported by Alliant Techsystems Inc., an top aerospace and defense company.

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