The faces change each summer, but the whirl of activity and the enthusiasm of high school and college students working alongside scientists have become familiar sights at the Lab over the last few years. Run by the Center for Science and Engineering Education (CSEE) since 1988, the summer research programs offer students an opportunity for hands-on research while guiding them towards future academic and professional careers in science and engineering.
"It really makes a difference in their lives," says Marva Wilkins, CSEE's outreach coordinator, who oversees the high school Student Research Program. "Students talk about how valuable the research experience has been in helping them identify a major and learning real-world work skills."
Local high school students and undergraduates from across the nation as well as Puerto Rico, Taiwan and the Netherlands participated in advanced research projects this summer. Their areas of research ranged from nuclear science, astrophysics, and fusion research to energy, environment, and life sciences.
Debbie Driscoll, a senior at North Carolina State University, researched compact fluorescent bulbs in the hope of developing new energy-efficient lighting technologies for table lamps. "I did most of the research in the beginning of the summer," she said, "and got to see it all the way through. I hope to eventually see the results published."
The program matched each of the 17 high school and 30 college students with a mentor who guided the student's research. Most students worked at the Lab, with a few doing their research at UC Berkeley. Edna Francisco, for example, was especially grateful for the opportunity to work in a genetics lab on campus, a facility she does not have back home at Cal State Northridge. Although she sometimes watched over her experiments on bacterial sporulation for up 12 hours a day, she said she was thrilled with the experience. "I'll feel like an expert in the microbiology class when I go back," she said.
For all its intensity, the program consists of a lot more than poring over science experiments and computer terminals. Activities have included presentations by scientists, seminars on graduate school opportunities, tours of lab facilities, social activities, and trips to attractions throughout the Bay Area. The program culminates each year in poster sessions at the Lab cafeteria in which students display their results.
"This is a great opportunity to interact with the community and share my work," said Andrew Ulmer, a 1996 graduate from UC Berkeley who conducted research in atomic physics. "It is great to be in an internship-type position where you are given the resources. You are a student, but at the same time you are treated like a full-time researcher, so you get the best of both worlds."
In addition to offering them hands-on research experience, the program also gives students a taste of science careers and helps them make decisions about their future course of study. "About 90 to 95 percent of them decide to continue with graduate school," estimates Nancy Sallee, assistant coordinator for the Undergraduate Internship Research Program, which is headed by Laurel Egenberger. "The work impacts their education and future careers."
The student programs are funded mostly through the Department of Energy with support from various other organizations, such as the Oakland Unified School District, the National Institutes of Health, and a Science Consortium, which includes Berkeley Lab, Jackson State University in Mississippi, and two universities in Puerto Rico.
"Unfortunately, the budget has been very tenuous for the past two years," Sallee says. "We have to rely more and more on support from the mentors who pick up some of the student expenses to enable the program to bring more students here."
Teachers here too
In addition to organizing the summer student programs, CSEE offers two federally-funded teacher mentorship programs--the Teacher Research Associates Program (TRAC) and the National Teacher Enhancement Program (NTEP)--as well as the Science Bowl Awards Workshop.
The TRAC program teams up middle and high school science and mathematics teachers with scientists over an eight-week period in which they conduct research at the Lab. The goal of the program, coordinated by CSEE's Eileen Engel, is to enhance teachers' understanding of science and engineering trends and to promote the transfer of this knowledge to the classroom. In contrast, NTEP is a three-week program for local teachers focused exclusively on one topic. This year's program at the Lab examined pollution prevention and industrial ecology. Teachers developed a curriculum around waste reduction and explored careers in waste management.
While the summer programs are the most visible projects organized by CSEE, they are certainly not the only ones. The Center is busy year-round running similar student programs, such as the Science and Engineering Research Semester (SERS) program, which offers upper-division undergraduate students research opportunities at seven national laboratories.
For Lab staff members who run the programs and work with students on a daily basis, the experience is especially rewarding. "I see the personal and professional growth that occurs to students while here," Sallee says. "I see them change in remarkable ways. They're at a crossroads, a stage in their lives when they are very impressionable and receptive to new ideas. They have little fear and learn in leaps and bounds. It is a critical time for them to explore things on their own. The experience benefits them in ways we don't even know, which they may not realize until 10 years down the road. And their work also benefits the Lab."
CAPTIONS: Harry Gomez, a student at the University of Puerto Rico and a participant in the Laboratory's Undergraduate Internship Research Program, explains his summer's research project during an Aug. 5 poster session in the cafeteria. His mentor was Daniel Neumark. Photos by Joe Moore
High school students Andrea Macfie (above foreground), with mentor Annette Greiner, and Felix Jones (far right), with mentor Fred Bieser, conducted hands-on research as part of the Lab's Student Research Program this summer.
Cary Hellman, a teacher at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill, worked with Human Genome's Sylvia Spengler in developing modules for the World Wide Web about ethical, legal, and social issues pertaining to science. They are aimed at junior high and high school students. Photo by Joe Moore
The discovery of what appeared to be a pipe bomb provided some anxious moments for University of California police and some after-hours workers in Bldg. 70 on July 31. However, the device contained no explosives, and there were no injuries or damage.
The device--an 18-inch-long pipe, sealed at both ends and wrapped with wire connected to an old alarm clock--was spotted by a carpenter on a bench in an Energy and Environment Divsion laser laboratory. He notified authorities at about 6:30 p.m., and within minutes Berkeley Lab emergency crews and UC police arrived to evacuate about a dozen employees still in the building.
For the next few hours, members of the UC Bomb Unit conducted a careful analysis of the device, including x-ray photography to determine its contents and construction. When their studies proved inconclusive, they decided to explode the cap from the pipe to examine the contents.
At about 10 p.m., police surrounded the device with 50 sand bags in the parking lot between Bldgs 50 and 70, then set off the charge. They found the pipe empty, and the wiring inactive.
The FBI joined UC Police in the investigation, which is continuing. As of Wednesday, no arrests had been made. Police have indicated that the incident was probably a hoax.
The Laboratory has hired Azucena Coronel to serve as disability management analyst. She will manage the program and coordinate the delivery of benefits and services from insurance companies and other providers.
Coronel brings more than 10 years of related experience to her position, having worked for BART, the City of Oakland and Merritt Hospital. One of her priorities will be the development of a Supervisors' Training Program to assist employees, supervisors and managers in understanding the benefits available to them and the means to access them and assure prompt delivery.
For more information about the program, you may e-mail the Benefits Office at LBLBenefits@lbl.gov or contact Coronel at X5213. Watch Currents for more information about the program and other efforts to improve delivery of services to employees.
CAPTION: Azucena Coronel is the Laboratory's new disability management analyst. Roy Kaltschmidt
From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day, representatives of several ergonomic companies will be on hand with samples and demonstrations of ergonomic accessories, furniture, workstations, alternative keyboards, and an assortment of ergonomic tools.
On Thursday, Aug. 22, Terrie Rizzo, international health and fitness educator, will present her "Sittercise" exercise program and discuss workplace wellness. Informational handouts on ergonomic equipment available at the Laboratory, as well as brochures and posters on how to set up an ergonomically correct workstation will also be available.
The $4 box lunch will consist of southern fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, and dinner roll. Assorted sandwiches ($3), sodas ($1), and salads ($1) will also be available; no sales tax will be added.
The purpose of the remodeling is to streamline the salad bar in order to make more room, allow people to use both sides of the bar, and speed up service. The soup and potato bar will be placed in a separate area and the beverage machines will be moved next to the cash registers.
The work will take four days to complete and the cafeteria will reopen for regular service on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
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
MON, AUGUST 12
EH&S CLASS
Introduction to EH&S Safety at LBNL (EHS 010), 9:30 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 51-201.
BODYWORKS
General meeting at noon on the cafeteria patio
EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB
Classical Group Rehearsal, 5-7 p.m. in the cafeteria, for info. contact Wesley Steele at X7893.
TUES., AUGUST 13
LIFE SCIENCES SEMINAR
"Regulation and Signal Transduction of the Transforming Growth Factor-ß Receptor Kinases" will be presented by Kunxin Luo of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at 4 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.
WED., AUGUST 14
EH&S CLASSES
Chemical Hygiene and Safety Training (EHS 348), 9-11:30 a.m., Bldg. 51-201
Laser Safety (EHS 280), 1-3:15 p.m., Bldg. 51-201
EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB
General meeting at noon on the cafeteria patio
TOASTMASTERS'
General meeting at 12:10 p.m. in Bldg. 2-100.
EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB
Folk Group Rehearsal, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, for info. contact Larry Bell at X5406.
THURS., AUGUST 15
EH&S CLASS
Fire Extinguisher Use (EHS 530), 10-11:30 a.m., Bldg. 48-109
BUILDING ENERGY SEMINAR
"Residential Building Code Compliance: Implications for Evaluating the Performance of Utility Residential New Construction Programs" will be presented by Ed Vine of the Building Energy Analysis Group at noon in Bldg. 90-3148.
FRI., AUGUST 16
CENTER FOR BEAM PHYSICS SEMINAR SERIES
"Microstructures and Micromachining at the Advanced Light Source" will be presented by Keith H. Jackson of the Materials Sciences Division at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 conference room.
MON., AUGUST 19
SHOEMOBILE
7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. near Bldg. 77
THEORETICAL PHYSICS SEMINAR
"Hadron Spectrum and Quark Masses from Lattice QCD" will be presented by Dr. Rajan Gupta of LANL at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 50A-5132.
EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB
Classical Group Rehearsal, 5-7 p.m. in the cafeteria, for info. contact Wesley Steele at X7893.
TUES., AUGUST 20
EH&S CLASS
Adult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (EHS 123), 9 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 48-109.
ERGONOMICS FAIR
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., cafeteria
LIFE SCIENCES SEMINAR
"Phosphotyrosine Phosphatases: Regulators of Cell Motility and Adhesion" will be presented by Andrew Stoker of the Royal Society University, Oxford, at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 66-316.
WED., AUGUST 21
TOASTMASTERS'
Officer's Meeting at 12:10 p.m. in Bldg. 2-100.
SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINAR
"Electrochemical Surface Reconstruction" will be presented by Alexei Kornyshev of Forschungszentrum Juelich (KFA), Germany, at 1:30 p.m., in Bldg. 66-316.
EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB
Folk Group Rehearsal, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, for info. contact Larry Bell at X5406.
THURS., AUGUST 22
BUILDING ENERGY SEMINAR
"Electric Motor and Belt Retrofits" will be presented by Steve Greenberg of the In-House Energy Management Group at noon in Bldg. 90-3148.
SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINAR
"Electron Microscopy and Hydrocarbon Catalysis: Structure-Activity Correlations Observed on Thin Film Noble Metal Catalysts" will be presented by Konrad Hayek of the University of Innsbruck, Austria, at 1:30 p.m., in Bldg. 66-316.
FRI., AUGUST 23
OPEN CALENDAR
'76 MERCEDES BENZ 280, 4-dr, runs well, leaving area, must sell, $1800/b.o. 531-8844
'80 FORD Fairmont, a/t, 97K mi., 6-cyl, new brakes, starter, & battery, AM/FM cass., clean, leaving country, must sell, $750/b.o. Mimo, X4824, 526-7388 (eve.)
'82 TOYOTA Tercel, 158K mi., a/t, runs very well, well maint., recent brake job, tires, body so-so, $1450/b.o. 741-7732 (eve.)
'84 SUBARU GL, 5-spd, 4-dr, 163K mi., blue, cass/stereo, asking $1250. Erik, 548-7102
'85 HONDA CRX HF, 2-dr hatchbk, 5-spd, red/silver, very gd cond., AM/FM cass., 40+ mpg, 101K mi., new tires & shocks, $3525/b.o. Eric, 524-7852
'86 HONDA Accord, 4-dr, 5-spd, orig. owner, clean inside & out, runs well, $3600/b.o. Michael, X6748
'86 HONDA Prelude Si, loaded w/all extras, 5-spd, 93K mi., top cond., 1 owner, all records, $5700 firm. Steve, (415) 459-7430
'87 HONDA Civic, 3-dr, 5-spd, a/c, stereo, 111K mi., engine replaced, new tires, $2490. Ulli, X5347, 601-6541
'87 TOYOTA pickup, 4x4, stereo, a/c, new clutch, $5K/b.o. X5415, 672-2446
'88 FORD Tempo GLS, 90K mi., 4-dr, gd cond., $3300/b.o. Nir, X4491, 528-2371
'88 HONDA Accord, 120K mi., very gd cond. inside & out, moving, must sell, asking $4300. 234-0470 (eve.)
'88 VOLVO 760 turbo wgn, leather, sunroof, loaded, 139K mi., 1 yr. warranty on engine, $9500. Mari, X5932
'90 MAZDA MPV van, 52K mi., a/t, dual a/c, 6 cyl., exc. cond., $10K/b.o. Norman, X5624, 841-9216 (after 8 p.m.)
'91 SUBARU Legacy wgn, 81K mi., exc. cond., 4-dr, a/t, a/c, AM/FM, leaving, must sell, $6K. X4464, 549-9077
CAR STEREO, Alpine system, 100 watt (4x25), tuner/amp/cass./CD controller, detachable faceplate, 6-disc CD changer, transferable warranty, $600/b.o. Brad, 658-9615
ENGINE, Ford 390, w/C6 manual trans., carburetor, headers, etc., like new. 906-9786
TRAILER, '84 Jayco, fold-down, sink, stove, slps 6, exc. cond., new paint, $1950. Terry, 674-1303
BABY-SITTER for 2 yr. old baby. Elisabetta, 841-8763
CAT GYM/scratching pole, lg.; sm. color TV. Christa, X7770
CHILEANS to celebrate the "18" (national holiday in Sept.) w/Chilean food & music. Denise, X4221, Maria, X4035
COFFEE TABLE, blk lacquer, 30" sq., 22" high, $45; inlaid Italian provincial coffee table, 74x21x14" high, w/matching end table, 27" sq., 20" high w/storage, $150/pr. Stan, 758-8017
CORDLESS PHONE, Panasonic KX-T3855, exc. cond., new battery, illuminated keypad, 10 ch., intercom, moving, $60/b.o. Jan, X4417, 548-7120
DESK, lg., $40; desk, sm., $20; dining table, seats 8, $20, 2 roller chairs, $5 ea.; 4-drwr dresser, real wood, $15. 234-0470 (eve.)
DINING TABLE, maple, 42x60, drop-leaf, $300; dining set, 42" dia., oak, $450; bed, queen, Sealy, $400; dbl futon w/pine frame, $150; single futon, $50; exc. couch, $200; upholstered chair, $25; 3-1/2 x 5 wool area rug, $25; lamps; Craftsman 10" table saw, $300; Roland 4000 spinet piano w/sequencer & software $2500; Commodore Amiga 3000 w/UNIX, tape drive $1500; lg. EPI speakers, $300/pr.; JVC turntable, $125; Philco VCR, $35; NordicTrack Walkfit, $250; figure skates, woman's sz. 5-1/2, $20; 2 youth tennis rackets $10 ea., best reasonable offers. Cate, X5835, Bill, X7493, 558-8617
DISHWASHER, full sz., portable Kitchen Aid, solid wood chopping block, 3 yr. old, $500; Nishiki MTBs, 21.5" Deore XT/XTR-$500; 22" commuter, $150; Windsurfer, Hy Fly, 11.5' w/sails(2), mast, boom & hardware $600. Rick, X7341, 234-0451
ELECTRIC BED, head or feet can be raised independently, $1K/b.o. Marie, X4317
EXERCISE MACHINE, Lifestyler Cardiofit plus, paid $260, take $120; 5-pack of unopened 4 to 6 hr video tapes, $10; blk steel frame futon & pad $90; blk vinyl couch, $90; blk 6' floor halogen lamp, $10; director's chair w/grn seat & back, $18; blk dining room set for two, 2 chairs & table, $75, all items are 6 mo. old. Kris, X5571
GARAGE SALE, Sat., 8/17, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Cedar at Grant, Berkeley, to benefit Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra
MACINTOSH PowerBook Duo 250 12/200, incl. 14.4 modem, dock, keyboard & mouse, $1200. Bill, X6693, 601-1404
MOVING SALE, desk, $50; tall lamp, $10; cabinet, heavy, at least 6' tall, 4+2 shelves, $50. Sasa, X6205
MOVING SALE, table w/4 chairs, $60; bookshelves, $15; futon, $40; color TV, $50; lamps, $5-$10. Martin, X4828, 848-2217
MOVING SALE, furn., household items & more, 2466 Virginia #105, Berkeley,
Sat., 8/10,
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
NORDIC TRACK Walk Fit Pro, brand-new cond., $350; Tunturi C401 stepper, $50. Michelle, X5877
STEREO, mini/bkcase, Yorx, 2 spkrs, dual cass., turntable, gd cond., $20/b.o. Benerva, X4787, 849-9560
TAMALES, home-made, fresh, prepared Wed., avail. Thurs., pork w/red chili, $16/dz., grn chili w/cheese, $18/dz. Richard, X5087
TENT, new, 8'X10', never used, waterproof flr, $125; workout machine, Cardio Glide, like new, $150; Wentworth China, "Pampas" pattern, service for 8, incl. platter, serving bowl & gravy boat, $150. 799-3608 (eve.)
WASHING MACHINE, Whirlpool, lg. cap., heavy-duty, soak, perma-press short & reg. cycles, 3 yr. old, exc. cond., asking $150. Doyle, X4568, 538-9456
WADING POOL, children's, w/slide for toddlers. $15/b.o.; wrought-iron fence, w/gate & installation hardware, new, never installed, $330 new, $220/b.o.; kitchen table, heavy pine, dk color, 2 leaves, (48" dia. round w/o leaves in), $60/b.o., chairs avail. at addt'l cost. Philip, X6583
WATER FILTERS, NSA, sink installation. Marek, X5029, 582-5867
BERKELEY, Elmwood, furn. 1-bdrm+ apt, sunny, walk to UCB & public trans., lg. garden terrace overlooking Berkeley Hills, split-level w/lg. windows, linen, dishes, TV, hi-fi, VCR, microwave, for non-smoker, avail. late Aug. (flex.), min. 10 mo., $885/mo. 843-6325 (msg.)
BERKELEY, Walnut Sq. (Vine & Shattuck), studio apt, hardwd flrs, easy walk to LBNL shuttle, upper flr, sublet for Sept. & Oct. only, $500/mo. Joanne, 527-9977
BERKELEY, unfurn. 2-bdrm, 1-bth house, converted garage suitable for study, sm. enclosed yd, 4 blks from 4th St. dist., non-smokers, avail. 8/19, $975/mo. 528-0172
NO. BERKELEY, Miller & Keeler, studio cottage, sm. garden, bay view, very pvt., nr bus #65, easy parking, avail. 8/12, $575/mo. utils. incl. Ara, 524-5583
NO. BERKELEY, rm avail. in 4-bdrm, 2-bth Craftsman house, hardwd flrs, w/d, yd, sun-porch, lots of living space, non-smoking, academic & professional household, $425/mo. + util., last mo. + $200 dep. Michele, Laura or Dan, 848-0827 (eve.)
NO. BERKELEY HILLS, furn. 1+bdrm, 2-bth house, nr UC Shuttle & bus, enclosed yd, sm. bed in study for guests, storage space in basement, parking, non-smokers, no pets, avail. 9/1 (flex.), rental period: 10 mo., $1100/mo. 841-6125
CASTRO VALLEY, furn./unfurn., 2 bdrms, laundry, kitchen privs., $400/mo. + some utils. Marek, X5029, 582-5867
DANVILLE, unfurn. 2-bdrm 2-1/2 bth townhouse, garage, end unit, frpl, a/c, AEK, pool, no pets, nr trans., $1100/mo., 1st + sec. dep. Sig or Cindy, X5534, (707) 745-5272 (eve./wkend)
KENSINGTON, furn., 1-bdrm, 1-bth garden apt, split-level, amenities incl. TV, VCR, stereo, microwave, linens, utensils & phone, off-st. parking, nr shopping, trans. & Tilden Park, $930/mo. 524-9655
WANTED: 3 bdrms for visiting scientist w/spouse & 3 children, 8/19 - 9/2. Serge, X4102, Monica/Serge, 704-0538, hagege@glvt-cnrs.fr
WANTED: accommodation in Sept. for visiting academic from New Zealand, requires a studio/1-bdrm apt for 1 mo. from 9/2, will house sit or rent. 011-64-4-802-6221, michael.donn@vuw.ac.nz
WANTED: house to rent by ALS visitors, late Sept. & Oct. Fred, X4892
WANTED: 1-bdrm, cottage, apt or share, unfurn., for LBNL employee. Steven, X6966, 204-9494
MENDOCINO COUNTY, 2-bdrm, 2-bth country home on Greenwood Ridge nr Elk, set on 24 acres of Redwood forest, panoramic views overlooking the Anderson Valley. Rose, 849-1726
Please note also:
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
Communications Department
MS 65, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley CA 94720
(510) 486-5771
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
