Director Charles Shank appealed to UC Berkeley faculty last week to support continuation of the UC-DOE contracts for all three of the DOE labs.
An invited speaker at an April 11 Academic Council forum on the issue of UC management, Shank debated the topic with Warren Gold, a UC San Francisco professor of medicine. Gold headed a Council subcommittee that recommends ending the 53-year partnership between UC and the Livermore and Los Alamos defense labs. The subcommittee does not discourage UC management of Berkeley Lab, which it considers appropriate for continued UC oversight.
Shank warned against what he described as the implicit assumption that DOE would agree to UC managing only one of the Labs and excluding the other two. "I'm concerned about the belief that the University can choose which relationship we want," he told his colleagues. "We have to be careful about the assumptions we make in a political world without a thorough understanding of the issues."
Shank called for continued UC management of the three labs, citing Berkeley Lab's historic relationships with the campus, the synergy that exists between the three Lab facilities and UC campuses, and the changing research missions at Livermore and Los Alamos.
For his part, Gold argued that the classified research conducted at the defense labs is inconsistent with the University's principles of open inquiry and academic freedom. He contested UC's claim that its management fulfills the conditions of appropriate public service.
Gold also reflected the subcommittee's concerns about what he called program-driven rather than peer-driven funding; excessive authority delegated to Lab directors; and the costs of oversight to the University.
Shank acknowledged the subcommittee's "deeply felt views," but contended that the world has changed since the '60s. The defense labs have shifted their focus from making weapons to dismantling them and ensuring the Labs' viability, he said. He also pointed out that everyone who works at the University today chose to do so with full knowledge of the UC-DOE relationships, and that others in the system--at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for example--conduct classified research.
Vowing not to "dwell on the past," Shank focused on the growing non-weapons work conducted at the two defense labs, some of it integrated with Berkeley Lab programs. He noted the genome program, internal confinement fusion, and computation, and highlighted lab-based University programs, such as UC Davis's Applied Science Department, which has a Livermore campus.
He also cited the virtues of University management. "UC is uniquely qualified to bring an extraordinary sense of values and openness to the labs," he said. "Today we should be celebrating 53 years of success in these relationships, rather than discussing another option."
After a question-and-answer session, the faculty voted to conduct a campus-wide mail referendum on the question: "Should the University of California continue its 53-year partnership with the Department of Energy to manage the Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos laboratories?"
The University's Board of Regents has already announced its interest in renegotiating all three contracts, which expire in 1997, for another five years. DOE is expected to announce its preference to either extend the contracts or compete them with other agencies later this spring. The Berkeley faculty vote would be advisory only.
Among the forum's attendees was Nobel Laureate Glenn Seaborg, who noted that portions of UC's management fee from the DOE helped build and now help support the Lawrence Hall of Science.
Architects have an important role to play in creating an environmentally sustainable society, according to Berkeley architect Greg VanMechelen. "To the standard environmentalist's litany of the three R's--reduce, reuse, recycle--we have to add a fourth: redesign."
VanMechelen was at Berkeley Lab on April 9 to give a talk on environmentally responsible and non-toxic building products, one of a series of Earth Month activities. An architect with 10 years of experience, VanMechelen is also on the board of directors of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility, a group focusing on identifying less toxic, lower environmental impact building materials.
Standing near a table of building materials produced from wood and paper wastes, recycled plastics, and other "waste" substances, Van-Mechelen described some of the relative impacts of buildings on the environment. Their construction consumes 50 percent of all the wood used in the U.S.; buildings account for 40 percent of the energy consumed; and construction and demolition debris makes up 25 percent of the solid waste stream.
Suggesting that the environmental reasons for creating a more sustainable society were self-evident to his audience, VanMechelen defined sustain-ability as "living in a manner that doesn't impede the opportunity for future generations to go on living. We look at this as achieving ecological health, social health and physical health."
The impacts of the built environment are great, ranging from the clearcutting of forests for wood to the burning of fossil fuels to heat or cool inefficiently built structures. VanMechelen argued that it is time to rethink completely how we build, in order to reduce pollution, bring resource depletion to sustainable levels and improve human health. "We need to redesign everything: the windows, wall systems, furniture, paints and everything else. We also need to redesign buildings and cities, and we need to do it on a broad social scale-- our entire culture, the means with which we organize our lives," he said.
Progressive designers already are using a number of lower-impact building materials. VanMechelen's slide show featured two of these, rammed earth and straw bale. Rammed earth is a form of compacted earth with embedded reinforcing bars, whose exterior is sometimes sprayed with a cement mix. Although rammed earth is undergoing an environmentally driven renaissance, "rammed earth has been around for thousands of years," VanMechelen said. Northern California architects have built houses out of rammed earth, and walls built with it have passed seismic safety tests with flying colors.
"Another building material that we're excited about," he said, "is straw. This is not to be confused with hay. It's basically inorganic, an agricultural waste product from crops like rice, barley, wheat and rye. In California, we burn 1.2 million tons of rice straw per year, and that produces 47,000 tons of carbon dioxide. Rice straw does not decompose easily like other agricultural products." A new law in California requires that farmers phase out rice straw burning. With agribusiness looking for other ways to dispose of it, straw-bale building offers an alternative.
"The first straw bale house was built in Nebraska in 1895," VanMechelen said, "and there are unmaintained straw bale houses still standing that are 90 years old."
VanMechelen concluded his talk with the suggestion that everyone is a part of the effort to live sustainably. Scientists need to continue their research on better building materials, industry needs to manufacture a wider range of viable lower-impact materials, and architects need to learn the techniques of designing with them, he said. "But the biggest duty falls on everybody, especially those who choose to build ... everybody, in terms of the choices we make, is a designer.
CAPTION: Architect Greg VanMechelen (left) discusses building materials produced from a variety of wastes and recycled plastics.
On Take Our Daughters to Work Day, participants should assemble at 9 a.m. in the Bldg. 50 auditorium for an opening ceremony. The morning workshops begin at 9:45 a.m., with lunch at noon. The science discovery activities begin at 1 p.m. and the ice cream social is at 2:30 p.m. Children should be picked up at 3 p.m. in the cafeteria. Lunch and and the ice cream social are included in the $10 program fee.
The items displayed are used every day and include the on/off switch, the temperature gauge, the lawnmower, the refrigerator, the window cleaner, the egg beater, the typewriter and more than 100 other inventions.
The purpose of the museum is to promote positive images and self-esteem in both children and adults, and to teach people of all nationalities of the contributions that African Americans have given to the world. All employees are invited to tour the display. A museum guide will be on hand to answer questions.
The museum presentation includes:
* The Medical Surveillance Program is designed to detect early health effects resulting from workplace exposures or hazards, making possible prompt medical intervention and correction of the unsafe working conditions. Employees who are included in a medical surveillance program will continue to receive physical exams and testing.
Employees not in a medical surveillance program are still eligible for a periodic health examination, but according to the following age-based frequency: under 40 years of age: every five years; 40 to 50: every three years; over 50: every two years. These examinations consist of an exam by a physician, blood chemistry panel (including total cholesterol and blood sugar), and complete blood count and urinalysis. Examination and test results are provided confidentially to the employee.
During a scheduled exam, employees may request certain tests for a fee (see below).
While the amount of the fees is the "direct" cost of the procedure to the Lab, employees may opt to have these tests conducted through their physicians' offices. Many health plans cover these tests.
* The Injury and Illness Reporting and Prevention Program provides first aid for injuries and minor illnesses, and advice to employees on medical conditions that should be discussed with or treated by an outside physician. All work-related injuries and illness must be reported to Health Services.
On returning to work after time lost for work related injuries and illness, employees must report to Health Services for an evaluation of their condition and ability to resume customary duties. For nonoccupational health problems, employees are required to contact Health Services if five or more consecutive work days have been lost or if a work restriction is needed.
Health Services staff are available (Bldg. 26; X6266) to assist employees with health-related questions or concerns, or to schedule examinations, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. General questions may be directed via e-mail (lbl-medical-reception@lbl.gov).
Tests available through Health Services
"Today, two of the most powerful federal agencies supporting scientific research, Health and Human Services and the Department of Energy, are headed by women, one of whom is African American. The Office of Management of Budget has a prominent female economist as its director, the chair of the National Economic Council is another outstanding female economist; in most of the science agencies, distinguished female scientists preside at the deputy and director levels, and in at least several of those agencies there are prominent minority scientists. Many national scientific societies are or have recently been headed by women or minorities.
"In 1994, the female share of all new U.S. doctorates rose to an all-time high of 46 percent; the number of women scientists increased substantially, and although minorities are still woefully under-represented in many areas of science, at least their overall participation has increased. Twenty-five years ago, these statistics and examples were unimaginable. Yes, more progress is needed, but why aren't we celebrating this remarkable testimony to the power of civil-rights reform?
"This is a time of extraordinary paradox. Just as we begin to reap the benefits that diversification of the scientific leadership of the nation is bringing us, we are also faced with a new popular perception that the tools that helped to open our doors and our eyes were wrong, that they created preferences, not equalizers. This is a bit hard for some of us to swallow. We remember the days when a gentleman with a C could get a job not available to a woman with an A.
"It may be true that it is harder for the average male to get a job at the same level as he could two or three decades ago, but this is not because unqualified women and minorities have taken over. Rather, it is because the hard work of concerned educators, enlightened male colleagues and others helped to ensure the success of more qualified women and minorities than ever before.
"The mark of a civilized society is the ability to do what is right in the face of challenge. In our attempt to survive as individuals, we must not forget that we have an obligation to ensure that those who follow us can also be nourished."
The Berkeley Lab Calendar is published biweekly here on the World Wide Web and in Currents by the Public Information Department. Employees can list a meeting, class, or event in the Calendar by using this submission form. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on Monday in the week that Currents is published.In addition to the events listed below, Berkeley Lab's Washington, D.C. Projects office is hosting a Science and Technology Seminars series.
Scientific Conferences
7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., near Bldg. 77
BODYWORKS
General meeting at noon on the cafeteria patio.
SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SEMINAR
"Nanofriction and Surface Chemical Imaging" will be presented by Nicholas Spencer of ETH, Zurich, Switzerland, at 1:30 p.m. in Bldg. 66-316.
THEORETICAL PHYSICS SEMINAR
"Superstring and M Theory Dualities" will be presented by John Schwarz of Cal Tech at 2:30 p.m. in Bldg. 50B-4205.
DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM
"An Overview of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty and the LLNL R&D Support Effort" will be presented by Jay Zucca of LLNL at 3:30 p.m. in 3105 Etcheverry; refreshments, 3:15 p.m.
PHYSICS DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUM
"Photon Counting in The Visual System" will be presented by Fred Rieke of Stanford University at 4:30 p.m. in 1 Le Conte Hall; refreshments 4 p.m., 375 Le Conte.
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Cafeteria lobby
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS VIDEO
Noon,12:15, 12:30, & 12:45 p.m., Bldg. 50 Auditorium
PHYSICS DIVISION RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING
"Parton Model Sum Rules" will be presented by Axel Kwiatkowski of LBNL at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 70A-3377; refreshments, 3:40 p.m.
General meeting at 12:10 p.m. in Bldg. 2-100
PHYSICS DEPARTMENT SEMINAR
"Bounded Plasma Simulation Using PIC-MCC" will be presented by Ned Birdsall of UCB at 1 p.m. in 240 Bechtel.
ENERGY AND RESOURCES GROUP Colloquium
"How to Use the Media for Environmental Victories! " will be presented by Herbert Chao Gunther of the Public Media Center at 3:30 p.m. in the Lipman Room, 8th Floor, Barrows Hall; reception, 3 p.m.
BLACK INVENTIONS MUSEUM
11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Bldg. 2-100B
BUILDING ENERGY SEMINAR
"Introduction to The Natural Step" will be presented by David Sheppard Surrenda of The Natural Step at noon in Bldg. 90-3148.
CEB FORUM
"Novel Expression Systems for In-Situ Bioremediation" will be presented by Abdul Martin of Stanford University at noon in 338 Koshland.
SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SEMINAR
"Molecular Dynamics Studies of the Tribology of Diamond Surfaces" will be presented by Judith Harrison of the U.S. Naval Academy at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.
PHYSICS DIVISION RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING
"Numerical Evidence for the Observation of a Scalar Glueball" will be presented by Don Weingarten of IBM at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 50A-5132; refreshments, 3:40 p.m.
8 a.m.-2 p.m. in cafeteria foyer
EH&S CLASS
Adult CPR (EHS 123), 9 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 48-109
THE CENTER FOR BEAM PHYSICS SEMINAR
"Beam Dynamics in the BNL Muon G-2 Experiment" will be presented by Yuri Orlov of Cornell University at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 conference room.
Basic Electrical Hazard Awareness-Researchers (EHS 260), 10 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 51-201
DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM
"Fusion, The Competition and the Prospects for Alternative Fusion Concepts" will be presented by L. John Perkins of LLNL at 3:30 p.m. in 3105 Etcheverry; refreshments, 3:15 p.m.
PHYSICS DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUM
"The Almost Magical World of Photonic Crystals" will be presented by J.D. Joannopoulos of MIT at 4:30 p.m. in 1 Le Conte Hall; refreshments, 4 p.m., 375 Le Conte.
Chemical Hygiene & Safety Training (EHS 348), 9 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 51-201
EARTH MONTH ACTIVITY
Pollution Prevention Awards, noon, in the Bldg. 50 Auditorium.
LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINAR
"Double-Strand Break Repair and the Specific Cloning of Human DNA in Yeast" will be presented by Michael A. Resnick of the National Institute of Env. Health Science at 4 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.
SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SEMINAR
"Highly Selective Organometallic CVD of Germanium from 1.3-Di-ter.butyl-1,3,2-Diazagermolidin-2-Yilidine" will be presented by Stan Veprek of the Technical University of Munich, Germany, at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.
"The Coming Energy/Environment/Security Train-Wreck: -Why business as usual is a prescription for disaster. -What we should be doing about it. -Why we're not doing it." will be presented by John P. Holdren of UCB at 3:30 p.m. in the Lipman Room, 8th Floor, Barrows Hall; reception, 3 p.m.
"Microengineering of Heterogeneous Catalysts" will be presented by Abhaya Datye of the University of New Mexico at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.
DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM
"Rings" will be presented by Doug Hamilton of the University of Maryland at 4 p.m. in 1 Le Conte Hall; refreshments, 3:30 p.m. at 661 Campbell Hall.
'87 NISSAN Sentra, 168K mi., 5-spd, gd cond., reliable, $1K. Klaus, X7779, 540-1206 (eve.)
'88 DODGE Dakota w/camper shell, 5-spd, AM/FM, new battery & tires, $3500/b.o. John, X4631, 709-0220
'89 TOYOTA Corolla wgn, 47K mi., clean, gd mech. cond., bumper/fender needs work or replacement from low speed encounter w/parking lot pole, best offer. Mark, X6581
'90 GEO Metro, 2-dr hatchbk, blue, AM/FM, 75K mi., $2200. Bruno, X7311, 658-6830
'94 MITSUBISHI 3000GT, a/t, loaded, moonrf, tan leather/dk grn ext., 10K mi., exc. cond., $23,900. Nancy, X4497
BIKE RACK, Rhodegear shuttle, fits on back of most cars (hatchback or trunk), $30. X5471
VANPOOL, rider wanted from S.F. (Haight, Castro & Inner Mission districts) to Berkeley. David, X6013, Scott, 642-2000 ext. *5288
CHILD CAR SEAT, Gerry DoubleGuard booster seat, model 675, for 4 yr. old & up, like new, $30. Dianne, 886-5527
DINING SET, Victorian style table, buffet & chairs, seats 6-12, $950; school map of USA, 1907, 7' X 5', $150; exercycle, Vitamaster, $75; tablesaw, 8.25" Makita tabletop, $200. Karl, X6129
FREE-STANDING HEATER, Schwank-Perfection, 50K BTU, used twice, exc. cond., $390. Denny, 237-8171
FUTON, queen, black wood frame, folds into couch, cover incl., $120. Aindrea, X5946, 655-9989
FUTON, dbl sz. bed, almost new cover, all exc., $50. Jorge, 524-7995
FUTON, queen sz. couch, $100. Ben, X6683
MAC PLUS w/20 Mb external hard drive, software incl., $125/b.o. Christy, 247-0447
MATTRESS, pillow-top, Serta Ultima, dbl, almost new, $250. Maia, 841-3424
SAILBOATS (2), 22' Columbia fiberglass w/fin keel, sails, 7.5 HP outboard engine, toilet & galley, slps 4; Mystic 24' w/full keel, sails, 4 cyl. atomic gas inboard eng., standing headroom, toilet & galley, slps 4, $1K ea. Nan, 527-4298
TELESCOPE ITEMS, refracting telescope parts, 80mm Jaeger's objective lens in aluminum cell & matching 4 ft tube, never used nds work to assemble, $250 new, will sell for $120/b.o.; 4.25" F-10 Newtonian reflector telescope, homemade w/Coulter optics, simple pipe-thread altazimuth mounting, needs tripod, eyepiece, $40/b.o. Jon, X5974, 841-9638
WARDROBE/ARMOIRE, lg., Victorian, $700.; misc. crystal/fineware, as new; misc. inexpensive furniture; child/infant toys/accessories. X7156, 649-0236
WATER FILTERS, NSA, sink models 50C & 100S. Marek, X5029, 582-5867
BERKELEY, Northside, 1-bdrm apt, on-going short term rental, by day/wk/mo. 549-1876 (eve.)
BERKELEY, 3-bdrm, 2-bth upper unit of 6 yr. old duplex, nr downtown, refrig., dishwasher, washer/dryer, Jacuzzi bth, deck, 2 frpls, w-w carpets, 1 yr. lease, avail. 6/1, $1700/mo. David, 525-4470
NO BERKELEY, furn., lg. bdrm in 4-bdrm house, bay view, shopping, bus stop, parking, washer/dryer, nr Tilden Park, $425/mo. 528-6953
NO. BERKELEY HILLS, furn. 3-bdrms, living rm w/view, dining rm, kitchen, laundry, garden, deck, cat, 2 other tenants on property but only occasionally in main part of house, no smoking, avail. 7/13-8/15 (could be 6/15-8/15, negot.), $1200/mo., utils. incl. 524-6606 (eve.)
CROCKETT, 3-bdrm, 2-bth house, secluded w/trees, spacious living rm, lg. wrap-around deck w/Carquinez Strait view, 15 mi. to LBNL, 5 min. to I-80, $1050/mo. Frank, 540-0838
EL CERRITO, rm for rent in house, pvt garden entrance & full bth, closet, new dbl bed, desk, dresser, privacy, yd, trees, flowers, breakfast negot., nr bus & UC/LBNL shuttles, short/long term stays, prefer quiet visiting researchers, very reasonable rates, avail. 6/15. X5006, 524-2327 (until 8 p.m.)
EMERYVILLE, sublet from mid-June to mid-Aug., 2-bdrm apt, swimming pool, spa, garage, free shuttle to BART, exc. loc., $700/mo. utils. incl. Tony, X5210, 595-7239
KENSINGTON, 3-bdrm, 1-1/2 bth house, GG view, deck, lg. yds, avail. 5/29 till 7/10, max. @ $1200/mo. 524-1641
OAKLAND, Rockridge dist., 1+bdrm house, lg. living rm, 1-bth, brkfst nook, frpl, hardwd flrs, 1-car garage, walk to BART or 10 min. from LBNL, avail. 5/1, $875/mo. + dep. X4046, 527-1066
ORINDA, furn., sm. 3-bdrm, 1-1/2 bth house, 3 blks from BART, avail. 4/29, $1500/mo. Scott, (916) 894-5519, (916) 898-5747
WANTED: 2-3 bdrm apt/house to rent in Albany for a visiting scholar from Japan for 1 yr. from Aug. $1-1.5K/mo. X6759
WANTED: 4 UCB grad students looking for rental nr campus mid-May '96-May '97. Graham, X5436
WANTED: visiting French scientist w/family of 3 children looking for a house to rent in the Bay area 6/20-8/31, pets, could exch. 4-bdrm, 2-bth apt & car in Paris. hagege@glvt-cnrs.fr
WANTED: summer rental, July/Aug., 3-bdrm house in Berkeley, Kensington or No. Oakland for visiting prof. & family from CERN. Luanne, X5853
WANTED: house mid-June thru July for visiting French scientists. Fred, X4892
BED PLATFORM, new, single. X7156, 649-0236
BIRDS, 1-4 sibling society finches, easy to care for. Mark, X6581
CAR PARTS for '88 Mazda 626, oil filter & oil sending unit. Ken, X7739
FIREWOOD, you haul. Tom, X5753, 601-0574 (before 9:30 p.m.)
Published once a month by the Communications Department for the employees and retirees of Berkeley Lab.
Reid Edwards, Public Affairs Department head
Ron Kolb, Communications Department headEDITOR
Pamela Patterson, 486-4045, pjpatterson@lbl.gov
Associate editor
Lyn Hunter, 486-4698, lhunter@lbl.govSTAFF WRITERS
Dan Krotz, 486-4019
Paul Preuss, 486-6249
Lynn Yarris, 486-5375CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ucilia Wang, 495-2402
Allan Chen, 486-4210
David Gilbert, (925) 296-5643DESIGN
Caitlin Youngquist, 486-4020
Creative Services OfficeBerkeley Lab
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Fax: (510) 486-6641Berkeley Lab is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Flea Market is now online at www.lbl.gov/fleamarket
