UW research nurses Lois Van Ottingham and Judy Powell were at a cardiology conference in New York City Sept. 11 when they left to respond to the needs of people fleeing the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and the needs of rescue workers at the scene. They volunteered at an on-the-street emergency medical station four blocks from the collapsed buildings.

Lois earned her bachelor of science in nursing from Seattle Pacific University. She served as a registered nurse at Harborview Medical Center from 1975 to 1985. She then conducted diabetes research from 1985 until 1991 at the UW, and joined the Diabetes Care Center in 1991 at the University of Washington Medical Center to conduct research, provide clinical care and offer patient and professional education. Last year she became a researcher at the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Trial at the University of Washington.