Newsmakers for the week of November 18, 2002
Newsmakers for the week of
November 18, 2002

Baritone Michael Balonek of Spencerport, after winning a competitive national audition, performed as a featured artist at the Rome Festival in Rome, Italy.

With instrumentalists, singers, ballet dancers, and graphics artists from nine different countries, Balonek presented major works at a concert site about 900 meters from the world-famous Colosseum.

He also studied with master artist-teachers as part of the Rome Festival's Summer Institute, which is sponsored by the Rome Festival Orchestra, Ltd., an equal-opportunity American Educational Charity.

Balonek has studied voice for more than six years, most recently with Kathleen Miller of SUNY Potsdam where he is completing his degree. He has performed in several musicals at SUNY Brockport.

Spencerport native John Meyers was involved in the Grove City College production of "West Side Story," held in mid-November on the Grove City College campus.

Meyers, an elementary education major and a son of Gary Meyers and Charmian Perry, played Riff in "West Side Story."

Dr. Owen J.-T. McCarty, son of John and Irene McCarty of Ogden, a graduate of NorthStar Christian Academy, Rochester and SUNY Buffalo, received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University recently.

Dr. McCarty's successful dissertation of "Receptor-Mediated Interactions in Inflammation and Cancer Metastasis" marked the conclusion of his studies at the university.

Dr. McCarty studied under Dr. Scott L. Diamond at UB examining various blood coagulation pathways while completing his bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering with a minor in chemistry in the spring of 1997.

Under the direction of Dr. Konstantinos Konstantopoulos at Hopkins, Dr. McCarty was first author on the following five papers: "Immobilized platelets support human colon carcinoma cell tethering, rolling, and firm adhesion under dynamic flow conditions," "Fluid Shear Regulates the Kinetics and Molecular Mechanism of Activation-Dependent Platelet Binding to Colon Carcinoma Cells," "Evaluation of Platelet Antagonists In In-Vitro Flow Models of Thrombosis," "Exogenous Eosinophil Activation Converts PSGL-1-Dependent Binding to CD18-Dependent Stable Adhesion to Platelets in Shear Flow," "Force-mediated kinetics of single P-selection-tumor cell ligand complexes observed by atomic force microscopy."

Dr. McCarty was a co-author on three other papers and gave numerous talks and presentations at meetings of the Biomedical Engineering Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

In addition to his studies, Dr. McCarty is an avid long distance hiker and during the summer of 2002 completed the 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail. Through this and other hikes over recent years, he has raised over $6,700 for Camp Sunrise, a summer camp for kids with cancer.

Dr. McCarty is looking forward to further pursuing cancer research at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France.

Joseph M. Gallina of Chambers Street in Spencerport, is scheduled to complete his baccalaureate studies in technology education in December at SUNY Oswego.

Jill Burghardt, the daughter of Jon and Ann Burghardt of Lake Road, Brockport, has been selected for inclusion in the 2003 edition of "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges."

Students chosen for the Who's Who are evaluated on the basis of their leadership abilities, academic achievement, service to the community, leadership in extracurricular activities and potential for continued success.

A 1999 graduate of Brockport High School, she is a senior majoring in mathematics and elementary education. At Gordon College, she is a member of the varsity women's soccer team, an academic tutor and a member of the Big Brother-Big Sister ministry.

Adam Amburgey, formerly of Kendall, successfully completed a 26 week training program at the Roanoke County VA Police Academy and is now serving as a police officer with the Roanoke County Police.

The son of Tandy and Carol Amburgey, he graduated from Kendall Central School in 1997, attended Monroe Community College, and served with the Kendall Volunteer Fire Department since the age of 16. He was awarded the 1997 Tops Accent on Youth Award for community service. Adam is also a certified EMT in both New York and Virginia.

Officer Amburgey is now employed by the Roanoke County Police Department. Both the Roanoke County Police Academy and the Roanoke County Police Department are nationally accredited.

Army Pfc. Eric J. Harvey has graduated from the automated logistical specialist advanced individual training (AIT) course at Fort Lee, Petersburg, Virginia.

Harvey is the son of Sharon M. and Phil L. Harvey of Sandy Brook Drive, Hamlin and a 2001 graduate of Brockport High School.