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Berkeley Lab Currents

February 2, 1996



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Krebs says get the word out on science

CONFERENCE ON HUMAN GENOME PROJECT SPAWNS DISCUSSION

By Lynn Yarris

"I am in a battle to make it hard for people to ignore the Department of Energy's role in basic science (through the national laboratories) and harder still for people to say that we (as a nation) can do without basic science," said Martha Krebs, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Energy Research (OER) for DOE.

Krebs was speaking to a national group of reporters who were either in attendance or connected via teleconferencing to a press roundtable discussion on the Human Genome Project. The roundtable was held on Jan. 30 in Santa Fe, N.M. Through teleconferencing, reporters from the New York Times, Washington Post, and Science magazine, among others, were able to participate in the 60-minute question-and-answer session.

At the table with Krebs were Dave Smith, who as director of Health Effects and Life Sciences, oversees OER's $70 million annual contribution to the genome project's funding. Joining them were Joe McInnery, director of the Biological Sciences and Curriculum Studies, a non-profit organization out of Colorado that develops genome educational materials for high schools; and Tony Carrano, director of the human genome center at Lawrence Livermore National Lab, who also spoke on behalf of the genome centers at Los Alamos and Berkeley Lab.

The purpose of the roundtable discussion was to inform members of the media about the contributions of the national laboratories to the Human Genome Project. It was 10 years ago at a meeting in Santa Fe when the genome project really began, Krebs said, and five years ago that the joint collaboration between DOE and NIH on the project was formalized.

"We at DOE place a very high priority on the Human Genome Project and are excited about the successes we have had and the significant contributions we have made so far," she said. "However, NIH seems to get all the credit."

Krebs said it was important that the research and contributions of the national labs to the genome project, as well as to science in general, be recognized in the media.

"There is a general environment in Washington, particularly in the House of Representatives, that raises serious questions about our ability to sustain the federal investment in scientific research," she said. "I am looking for ways to highlight DOE's contributions to basic science."

Krebs pointed out to the reporters the persistence on Capitol Hill of the belief that only NIH and NSF do basic research. This is potentially troublesome for the future of the national laboratories, she said, because Congress is also making a "poisonous distinction between basic and applied research."

Krebs repeatedly characterized the distinction as "poisonous" because she said that basic and applied research go hand-in-hand. "You can't have healthy physics, chemistry, and biology programs if your engineering programs or your applied physics programs are weak."

The roundtable panel members cited advances in sequencing technology, and in instrumentation and infomatics (computing and automation), plus the gene libraries, as the areas of the Human Genome Project in which the three participating national labs have made their biggest contributions. Krebs and Smith both portrayed the Genome Project as a good example of how life scientists can effectively work with researchers from the physical and chemical sciences.

"We want to get broad information out about the quality of (multidisciplinary) research funded by DOE," Krebs said. "We need this to win support for all of science."

As head of OER, Krebs oversees a budget of approximately $2.5 billion/year, which funds much of the research at the national labs. Prior to being nominated to her current post by President Clinton, Krebs was associate director of Planning and Development at Berkeley Lab.

CAPTION: Martha Krebs

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Lab to present plan to modify on-site mixed waste storage

Open meeting set for 6:30-9 p.m., Monday, Feb. 5

By Ron Kolb

Berkeley Lab's plan to change the way it manages its radioactive mixed wastes on site, given limited off-site treatment and disposal options, will be explained to the public on Monday, Feb. 5 in an open meeting at the North Berkeley Senior Center.

The Laboratory is seeking permission from the state Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to alter its existing permit to allow for, among other things, expanding "mixed waste" storage capacity at the Lab's existing and new Hazardous Waste Handling facilities.

At previous public sessions on the issue, some community members have voiced concern over the prospect of greater toxic waste and the associated impacts of earthquake, fire and accidents. But Robin Wendt, the Laboratory's Group Leader for Waste Management, says the requested storage limits are manageable, and that adequate safeguards are in place to effectively handle any emergency that may arise.

"At the same time that we're asking to increase the amount of mixed waste storage capacity, we're also proposing to decrease our hazardous waste storage," Wendt said. Under the permit modification request, Berkeley Lab would be authorized to store about 8,000 gallons of mixed waste--about 5,000 gallons more than is presently authorized--and about 15,000 gallons of hazardous waste--2,000 gallons less than previously authorized. Radioactive waste storage, while not subject to the permit modification process, is subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis and will be reduced.

Changes in storage

Mixed waste is a combination of radioactive and hazardous wastes. The increase in storage capacity at the existing facility would be accomplished by redesignating two large storage units for mixed waste and two smaller units for hazardous waste, and expanding capacity at one existing mixed waste storage area. Overall, mixed waste storage capacity at the existing facility would increase by 5,060 gallons while hazardous waste capacity would decrease by 1,980 gallons.

The requested increase at the replacement facility, due to begin operation later this year, would be accomplished through the addition of one storage unit and expanding or redesignating other storage units. Overall, mixed waste capacity there would increase by 1,925 gallons, and hazardous waste capacity would decrease by 1,880 gallons.

The Lab now stores about 4,800 gallons of mixed waste under a temporary authorization granted last May and extended in November, which allows expanded storage capacity for mixed waste. Wendt says he doubts it will ever reach the proposed 8,000-gallon maximum, given Berkeley Lab's ongoing efforts to reduce waste generation (a 10 percent annual reduction in mixed waste, 120 gallons of which was generated in 1995, is anticipated).

Nationwide shortage

The need to seek additional storage capacity stems from a nationwide lack of treatment and disposal facilities. Congress enacted the Federal Facilities Compliance Act in 1992, which required DOE sites such as Berkeley Lab to develop mixed waste treatment plans. Berkeley's plan provides for it to send mixed waste to out-of-state sites that will not be ready to receive shipments until 1998 or 1999. Until then, the Lab must continue to store its current and future waste inventory.

DOE's Hanford site in Washington state is no longer available, and commercial vendors are largely unable to treat the Lab's mixed waste, although Wendt said that negotiations with at least two alternative waste handlers are proceeding positively.

The existing facility at Bldg. 75 was first given a permit by the state in 1983, and the new 12,400-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, permitted in 1993, is now under construction behind Bldg. 83. The $13.1 million structure is meticulously designed to withstand a 7.5-magnitude earthquake and to effectively contain spills and fires.

The Lab's temporary waste storage authorization runs out in May, and two meetings remain in the mandated public comment period. Next Monday's Berkeley meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. A hearing sponsored by the DTSC is set for March 7. After that, Berkeley Lab will consider all comments submitted in the environmental review process and present its determination to the DTSC for a final decision.

Among the requirements for changing the permit is for the Lab to complete an environmental analysis as provided in CEQA. The "initial study" now being prepared seeks to evaluate the potential impacts of the changes to the environment and surrounding community and, if necessary, identify appropriate mitigation measures. Based on these findings and the Lab's recommendations, DTSC could either grant the permit without further analysis or request an environmental impact report (EIR). The initial study is due for completion by mid-February.

Other modifications

Wendt pointed out that, although the storage changes in the permit are important, they aren't the only modifications being requested. Others include: The permit modification request was submitted to DTSC on Jan. 11. A notice to the public was published on Jan. 4, triggering a 60-day public comment period. A final decision from the agency is expected in May.

CAPTION: The lab's new Hazardous Waste Handling Facility, now under construction, is expected to begin operation later this year. Photo by Diane Tani

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Biosciences Distinguished Lecture

HUMAN GENOME PROJECT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SAYS NIH CENTER DIRECTOR

By Jeffery Kahn

Five years after its official launch, the Human Genome Project, with its epic goal of reading the blueprint for human life, is both ahead of schedule and under budget. That's the report from Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Human Genome Research.

"This is an historic 15-year research endeavor, one that is paying dividends long before its completion," Collins said during a Jan. 25 Biosciences Distinguished Lecture here.

Noting that he is both a physician and researcher, Collins said the public has supported the Genome Project because of the expectation that, ultimately, it will benefit human health. He says the belief in the value of basic science is being rewarded because what is being learned about fundamental genetics is being applied in the field of clinical medicine.

Four thousand or so diseases are known to have a genetic underpinning. Moreover, Collins said, virtually all human diseases have at least a minimal genetic component. The Genome Project is attacking human disease through its effort to map an uncharted genetic wilderness, the three billion base pairs of nucleotides that make up the human genome.

Collins said the project's first goal, to create a low-resolution genetic map of the genome, is virtually complete. The map consists of 10,000 genetic markers or guideposts spread throughout the 23 human chromosomes.

A more detailed "physical map" of the genome is also under way. To date, Collins said, the physical map is 85 percent complete, putting it two years ahead of schedule.

Collins credits Maynard Olson of the University of Washington in Seattle with the strategy now guiding the assembly of the physical map. Olson proposed the use of sequence-tagged sites, short DNA sequences that characterize mapping landmarks on the genome. By determining the order of a series of sequence-tagged sites, using tools such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a region of the genome is said to be physically mapped.

The final goal for the Genome Project is a complete sequence that reveals the exact order of the three billion base pairs of nucleotides. Collins said knowing when to proceed full bore with sequencing is a difficult decision. "It's equivalent to the decision of whether to buy a personal computer now, or wait until the price comes down," he said. "There are always benefits to waiting, but ultimately, you have to act."

He said the NIH has decided to hedge its bets, funding sequencing projects that use existing equipment but also funding efforts to further improve sequencing technology. As technology advances, NIH plans to shift its funding emphasis from mapping to sequencing.

Collins said that, as with mapping, sequencing has advanced more rapidly than expected. He said he forsees that in the near future, researchers will be able to sequence several hundred thousand base pairs with bench-top equipment, and that the entire genome will be sequenced in eight to 10 years.

Translating what is being learned into practical medical usage is a difficult proposition, Collins said. Many disease genes are being identified and the first clinical tests for the presence of these irregular genes are beginning to emerge.

Collins predicted that in the future, the knowledge gained from the Genome Project will lead to gene and drug therapy for the prevention and treatment of many genetic diseases. But for now, he said, individuals and their doctors should not rush into genetic testing for diseases without first considering the consequences.

"All of us walk around with perhaps four or five seriously fouled-up genes and 20 or more significantly flawed genes," said Collins. "Most of these are recessive and not evident to us. Whether you should use genetic testing is a major question, particularly in a case where you can't help a person who tests out to be extremely susceptible to a disease. You don't want people walking around with a sense of doom. Until gene and drug therapy catch up with the diagnostics, testing presents a quandary."

CAPTION: Francis Collins

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In Memoriam: Terence Johnson

Berkeley Lab shuttle bus driver Terence John Johnson died on Jan. 26 while attempting to foil a robbery. He was 34.

After witnessing six youths breaking into the trunk of his car in Oakland, Johnson jumped on top of the suspects' fleeing van. While he clung to the top, the van raced through Oakland and Berkeley with police in pursuit. After hitting a curb at the corner of Grant and Dwight in Berkeley, however, the van flipped over and Johnson was killed.

Coworkers described Johnson as spiritual, quiet, and friendly. He had been at the Lab for the past year and a half as a contract bus driver, usually working in the afternoons.

"Passengers really liked Terence," said Bus Services supervisor Tammy Brown. "He'd give people jump starts when their cars broke down, or do whatever he could to help."

A resident of El Sobrante, Johnson was involved in many community activities, including organizing social events for minority-owned, small businesses. According to Brown, he was trying to start up his own business selling cellular phones and pagers.

Johnson is survived by his wife Dayna, and four children--Jordan, Justin, Jon and Mikial. Funeral services were held Jan. 30 at the Progressive Baptist Church in Berkeley. Brown (X4165) is collecting donations to help the Johnson family.

CAPTION: Shuttle bus driver Terence Johnson

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Tote boxes in demand

Because of the many office moves now taking place at the Laboratory, the need for Lab tote boxes and Baines moving boxes is high. Please empty boxes as soon as possible so they can be used elsewhere.

To arrange for the pickup of unused boxes, contact Martin Dooly at X4371, MKDooly@lbl.gov, or LBL-Tote-Boxes@lbl.gov.

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N e w s w i r e

Berkeley Lab at environmental conference:

The environmental future of seven western states will be spotlighted Feb. 13-15 when government, education and business leaders meet in Sacramento for the 1996 Government Conference on the Environment. GCOE is an annual, multi-disciplinary forum designed for public and private professionals who are seeking solutions to environmental problems. Among the speakers will be Curt Oldenburg of the Earth Sciences Division, who will give a talk to industry on "Select Software to Prioritize Your Remediation Strategy." Earth Sciences, Technology Transfer, and the Center for Environmental Biotechnology will have exhibits at the conference.

Women in science:

Project Access, a Harvard University study that began in 1988, is probing the attitudes and experiences of more than 800 scientists, about a third of them women, who began their careers between 1952 and 1987. Among the observations so far, it seems that while women scientists publish slightly fewer papers than men, the citation rates for those papers is higher. Project members have concluded that women scientists have adopted "an extra-high measure of conformity" to the formalities of research. The study has also revealed that women who had female advisers during their postdocs left science at a higher rate than those who had male advisers. One woman scientist said, "The more you got to know a female adviser, the more you realized she'd given up all personal life to be a scientist."

Tighter limits proposed for foreign researchers:

A bill sponsored by Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) would change the rules for legal immigration to this country and place strict new limits on people with technical skills. In the wake of a recent increase in science and engineering immigration, which shot up 80 percent between 1991 and 1993 to about 23,500 persons per year, the publication Science and Government Report says that lawmakers are responding to pressure from young scientists who are pushing for tighter immigration quotas. The Simpson bill would lower the cap on skilled workers from 130,000 to 90,000 and require employers to pay a fee for each worker, including those holding temporary visas as postdocs. The bill is backed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and by the Network of Emerging Scientists, a subset of the Young Scientists' Network.

For whom the AT&T bell tolls:

This past fall, AT&T officials announced that their company would break into three units. As a consequence, AT&T Bell Labs, birthplace of the transistor, stereo sound, and UNIX, as well as the former employer of Berkeley Lab Director Charles Shank, would be split in two. Officials said the breakup would not result in research layoffs. However, Science, citing analysts, warns that the split will accelerate recent trends at Bell Labs favoring applied over basic research, and information sciences over physical sciences. The analysts say that 1996 may toll the end of an era for privately funded basic research.

Of mice and molecules:

In a year in which scientists cloned a gene dubbed "obese," whose mutant form produced grossly fat mice and raised the specter of genetically-based weight control products, they also cloned the DNA for the biggest protein molecule known. Aptly named "titin," this molecule is made up of 27,000 amino acids linked in a continuous chain, which is about 50 times larger than the average protein. Titin spans a distance of one micrometer and acts as a spring to pull stretched muscle fiber back into shape. Speaking of molecules, Science named the Bose-Einstein condensate as its "Molecule of the Year." This exotic form of matter--in which the atoms in a gas chilled to ultracold temperatures loose their individuality and behave as a single, collective entity--may be a deserving choice as it will be ideal for studying quantum mechanics. However, as the editors acknowledge, the Bose-Einstein condensate is not a molecule.

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1996 Pollution Prevention Awards Call for nominations

The Pollution Prevention Awards program recognizes pollution prevention and recycling-related activities completed or performed in calendar year 1995. If you feel that an individual or group at the Lab has performed an outstanding pollution prevention activity and you would like to recognize their effort, contact Shelley Worsham (X6123) for information on how to proceed. The deadline for completed nomination forms is Monday, Feb. 12.

Nominations can be made in the following categories, each with specific criteria:

A complete description of each award category is available from Worsham.

Awards are open to all pollution prevention-related activities performed by DOE employees, facilities, programs, and contractors. Self-nominations are allowed.

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Career development opportunities

The UC Berkeley campus has agreed to make available to Lab employees a number of career development classes on a first-come, first-served basis.

Information on the current course offerings, enrollment policy, and payment procedure is available on the World Wide Web via the Berkeley Lab home page. Use the index to navigate to "Employee Development and Training Unit." Select "Career Development," and then "UC Berkeley Career Development Program." You may also gain access via the address http://www.lbl.gov/~rmoshima/.

The web site also contains information and forms on the Employee Development Plan, Tuition Reimbursement Program, off-site and on-site training, and consulting services. For more information on any of these programs, contact Christa Brothers at X4238.

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Science Bowl still needs volunteers

The 1996 Berkeley Lab Regional Science Bowl will be held at the Lab on Saturday, Feb. 24. Volunteers are needed as judges, moderators, time keepers, and other positions.

Graduate students are especially encouraged, but all are welcome to participate in this fun and educational day-long event. Students from 16 Bay Area high schools will participate; questions will be drawn from a variety of scientific disciplines. The winning team will go to the National Science Bowl, to be held in May in Washington, D.C.

To volunteer, contact Karin Levy at X5513.

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Black History Month activities on tap

At Berkeley Lab...

The Lab's Work Force Diversity Office is finalizing several events for the Laboratory's celebration of Black History Month. All employees are invited to attend activities scheduled throughout February.

The first event is a return visit to the Lab by storyteller, actress, and comic Marijo, who will perform at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 6, in the Bldg. 50 Auditorium at noon.

Marijo has taught drama at Mills College Upward Bound and in Bay Area schools. In addition to a number of professional stage appearances, she has performed in several Oakland Ensemble Theatre productions, including her one-woman show "I Don't Wanna Be Just Another Black Actress."

She currently works as a voice-over actor, and teaches storytelling at Malcolm X school in Berkeley as an artist-in-residence with the California Arts Council. She also uses storytelling as a consultant to many businesses, colleges and corporations.

At Lawrence Hall of Science...

In a performance at the Lawrence Hall of Science, acclaimed storyteller Tureeda Mikell and students from Oakland High School present a story of how knowledge of African American contributions in space affect the lives of two inner-city children. "Outta Sight," written by Beverly Jarrett, is a collaboration of LHS and the Oakland Ensemble Theatre. Performances are 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11, and Monday, Feb. 19.

Mikell is a Bay Area storyteller, historian, biologist, musician, and writer known for her work featuring poetry, African folk tales, rhythm, rap, instruments, dance and rhyme. The performance is free, after LHS admission.

Watch Currents for announcements of upcoming Black History Month activities.

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Diversity Calendar coming this month

The first issue of the Laboratory Diversity Calendar will be available to all employees later this month. Each issue of the calendar will list events--such as lectures, videos, and music and dance performances--that celebrate diversity. Upcoming Laboratory-sponsored events for February celebrate Black History Month.

The Diversity Calendar was developed by the Laboratory Diversity Committee and the Work Force Diversity Office. It was based in part on proposals from employees and employee associations responding to a call for proposals that appeared in Currents last August.

Suggestions for diversity activities and events are still welcome and should be forwarded in writing or by electronic mail to a member of the Diversity Committee, committee co-chairpersons Janet Jacobsen or Mary Worth, or Gail Kato in the Work Force Diversity Office. Questions regarding upcoming events should be directed to Kato at X6588.

The Diversity Calendar will be published in Currents each month and will be available to employees on the World Wide Web under "Our Workplace" on the Laboratory's home page

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Berkeley Lab years-of-service awards

Congratulations to the following employees who celebrated anniversaries of service with the Laboratory during the quarter October - December 1995.

35 years

Paul Concus, Physics
Donald Cowles, AFRD
John Gurule, Engineering
James Hunter, Engineering
Albert Kanzaki, Engineering
Noel Kellogg, Engineering
Donald Oldfather, Engineering
Kenneth Rex, Engineering

30 years

David Fong, Engineering
Gary Gachis, Engineering
Gerald Stoker, Engineering

25 years

Aloke Chatterjee, Life Sciences
Diana Duhnke, E&E
Rita McLean, ICSD
Michael Press, Engineering

20 years

Paul Berdahl, E&E
Alan Campbell, Operations
Christopher Cork, Engineering
Leslie Evans, Facilities
Nathaniel Greenhouse, EH&S
David Littlejohn, E&E
Emma Mims, Operations
Richard Montez, Facilities
Diana Morris, E&E
Theodore Phillips, Life Sciences
Clayton Radke, Earth Sciences
Columbio Reyes, Facilities
Dwight Taylor, Operations

15 years

Hashem Akbari, E&E
James Beaudry, Engineering
Andre Bell, Earth Sciences
Dione Carmichael, Materials Sciences
Robin Curtis, Engineering
Juanita Dedmon, Operations
Ahmet Erden, E&E
Soledad Espinoza, Facilities
David Goldberg, AFRD
Eric Gullikson, Materials Sciences
Cheryl Hauck, AFRD
James Iler, Engineer
Dennis Kincy, Facilities
Kenneth Miller, E&E
William Moses, Life Sciences
Barbara Robbins, Materials Sciences
Karen Springsteen, Life Sciences
Yvonne Tsang, Earth Sciences
Loretta White, Facilities
Peter Yu, Materials Sciences

10 years

Dean Bugnatto, EH&S
Tru Huynh, Facilities
Robert Jahnigen, Facilities
Harold Lecar, Life Sciences
Raymond Low, Engineering
Paul Pipersky, Engineering
Yolanda Reyna, Life Sciences
Pepi Ross, Directorate
Bernard Sadoulet, Physics
William Thur, Engineering
Tim Williams, Engineering

5 years

Lindarae Aubert, Chemical Sciences
Harry Beal, Chemical Sciences
David Bintinger, Physics
Matthew Blackwell, Chemical Sciences
Judith Campisi, Life Sciences
W. Z. Cande, Life Sciences
Daniel Chemla, Materials Sciences
David Cohen, Earth Sciences
W. J. Cole, E&E
Juan Contreras, Facilities
Stephen Cramer, E&E
Michael Crofoot, Facilities
Charles Elliott, Facilities
James Etchells, Facilities
Charles Fadley, Materials Sciences
Raymond Fellers, Chemical Sciences
Lawrence Fischel, Materials Sciences
Mateusz Idzkowski, Engineering
Paul Johnson, EH&S
Young-Kee Kim, Physics
Jennifer Knox, Life Sciences
Case Larsen, ICSD
Andrea Lin, Engineering
David Loretto, Materials Sciences
Janice Mann, Life Sciences
David McPherson, Facilities
Robert Meuber, Engineering
Jeffrey Pelton, Structural Biology
Timothy Person, Materials Sciences
Jonathan Sinton, E&E
Phyllis Smith, Physics
Douglas Sullivan, E&E
Zahra Taat, Life Sciences
Xin-Nian Wang, Nuclear Science
Shimon Weiss, Materials Sciences
Marvin Williams, Facilities
Sally Williams , Operations
Nancy Wishner, E&E
Yu-Shu Wu, Earth Sciences
Paul Yaswen, Life Sciences

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Calendar of Events -- February 5-16

Calendar of Events at Berkeley Lab

BERKELEY LAB CALENDAR

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

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Monday, Feb. 5

Physics Department Colloquium

"What Can Heavy Quarks on the Lattice Tell Us About the Standard Model of Particle Physics?" will be presented by Junko Shigemitsu of the University of Chicago at 4:30 p.m. in 1 Le Conte.

Tuesday, Feb. 6

EH&S CLASSES

Chemical Hygiene and Safety Training (EHS 348), 8:30 a.m.-noon, Bldg. 51-201

Laser Safety (EHS 280), 1-3:30 p.m., Bldg. 51-201

Black History Month

Storyteller Marijo will entertain at noon in the Bldg. 50 Auditorium

LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINAR

"Synchrotron Radiation: What's in it for You?" will be presented by Neville V. Smith of LBL at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 66-316.

Wednesday, Feb. 7

THE ENERGY AND RESOURCES GROUP Colloquium

"The Right-Wing Assault On America's Environment -- And How We Can Stop It" will be presented by Bruce Hamilton, National Conservation Director of the Sierra Club and Alita Paine, Director of Activist Services of the Sierra Club at 3:30 p.m. in the Lipman Room located on the 8th floor of Barrows Hall.

Thursday, Feb. 8

SHOEMOBILE

7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., near Bldg. 77.

EH&S CLASS

First Aid (EHS 116) at 8 a.m.-noon in Bldg. 48-109

Center for Environmental Biotechnology Seminar

"Electrokinetic and Bioelectrokinetic Remediation of Contaminated Soils Containing Metals and Organics" will be presented by Reinout Lageman, General Director of Geokinetics BV. Rijssen, The Netherlands, at noon in Bldg. 50A-5132.

AFRICAN AMERICAN EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION

General meeting at noon in Bldg. 90-1099.

SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINAR

"Electropolymerization" will be presented by Rene Winand of the Free University of Brussels, Belgium, at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66.

DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM

"The Ghost of Ly[[alpha]] Evidence for Radiation Acceleration in Quasars" will be presented by Nahum Arav of CIT at 4 p.m. in 1 Le Conte; refreshments, 3:30 p.m., 661 Campbell Hall.

Friday, Feb. 9

THE CENTER FOR BEAM PHYSICS SEMINAR

"The Electron-Cloud Effect In Bunched Positive Beams" will be presented by Miguel Furman of LBL at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 Conference Room.

Monday, Feb. 12

EH&S CLASS

Lockout/Tagout Training (EHS 256) at 9-11 a.m. in Bldg. 51-201

Bodyworks

General meeting at noon in the lower cafeteria.

DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM

"An East Asia Regional Compact for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy" will be presented by Jor-Shan Choi of LLNL/Stanford University at 3:30 p.m. in 3105 Etcheverry; refreshments, 3:15 p.m.

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUM

"Black Hole Condensation and Duality in String Theory" will be presented by Andrew Strominger of UCSB at 4:30 p.m. in 1 Le Conte.

Tuesday, Feb. 13

EH&S CLASS

Radiation Protection - Fundamentals (EHS 400) at 2:30-5 p.m. in Bldg. 51-201

Wednesday, Feb. 14

EH&S CLASSES

Crane/Hoist (Level 1) Training for Incidental Operators (EHS 211) at 8 a.m.-noon in Bldg. 70A-3377

Recertification for Crane/Hoist (Level1) (EHS 216) at 8-10 a.m. in Bldg. 70A-3377

Fire Extinguisher Use (EHS 530) at 10-11:30 a.m. in Bldg. 48-109

EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB

General meeting at noon in the lower cafeteria.

TOASTMASTERS'

Officer's meeting at 12:10-1 p.m. in Bldg. 2-100.

Thursday, Feb. 15

SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINAR

"Anomalous Stabilization of CO Adsorption on Cu(100) by Atomic

Coadsorbates" will presented by Tong Leung of the University of Waterloo, Canada, at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM

"Structure and Dynamics in the Central Sub-Parsec Region of the

Galaxy NGC4258" will be presented by Eyal Maoz of UCB at 4 p.m. in 1 Le Conte; refreshments, 3:30 p.m., 661 Campbell Hall.

Friday, Feb. 16

EH&S CLASSES

Introduction to EH&S Safety at LBL (EHS 010) at 9-11:30 a.m. in Bldg. 51-201; pre-registration not required.

Radiation Protection - Lab Safety (EHS 432) at 2-5 p.m. in Bldg. 51-201

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Special offer on film developing

Now through Feb. 9, you can get the second set of prints free when developing rolls of film through the Employee Buying Service, located in the cafeteria lobby. Payment must be enclosed with order (check or money order, payable to Qualex).

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New employee handbook hot off the press

The new Employee Handbook, "PUB-80 (1995)," has just become available for distribution to new employees at Berkeley Lab. A combined effort of Human Resources and Community Relations, the 36-page booklet contains general Lab information as well as specific information regarding work schedules, personnel policies, benefits, services, transportation, health and safety, and more.

"The handbook was the next phase in the overall redesign of the New Employee Orientation process," says Community Relations' Shaun Fennessey. "We knew that we needed to make the whole process simpler, and the information easier for a newcomer to process."

Fennessey collaborated with Human Resources' Mary Anne Holman and TEID's Jim Miller to produce the handbook. It is scheduled to be available on the Berkeley Lab home page by the end of February. It is also available to division administrators by calling Shirley Claire at X4521.

For more information about the handbook, or the New Employee Orientation, contact Claire or Human Resources Head Walter Blount (X7560).

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Dining Center -- February 5-9

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F l e a M a r k e t

Flea Market ads may be sent via e-mail to fleamarket@lbl.gov, Fax to X6641, or Lab mail to Bldg. 65B. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday.

AUTOS/SUPPLIES

'71 PORSCHE 914, 1.7 liter, exc. mech., red w/blk int., $1950. Wayne, X7685, 837-2409

'73 MERCEDES 350SL, coupe conv., 4.5 liter, 225HP V-8, immac., sun yellow w/neutral int., new sheepskins, burlwood trim, Pioneer sound, 2 tops, extras, $20.5K. Wayne, X7685, 837-2409

'78 DODGE Tradesman van, rebuilt engine '94, gd cond., 8-cyl., a/c, new parts, furn. (bed, closets, table), runs well, leaving country, $2500/b.o. Martin, X4800

'83 LINCOLN Town Car, 137K mi., gd cond., runs great, loaded, $2K/b.o. X4025, 528-7991

'84 TOYOTA Corolla hatchbk, 5-dr, 93K mi., silver-gray, gd cond., a/t, a/c, AM-FM cass., $2500/b.o. X4149, 845-5643

'85 TOYOTA van, well-maint. (w/records), gd engine & appearance, new tires, radiator & clutch, many miles, no back seats (for cargo), $2K/.b.o. Judy, X6540, 631-6642

'88 HONDA Accord coupe, exc. new tires & muffler, $5500. Bob, 845-3753

'89 HYUNDAI Excel, 4-dr, 80K mi., AM/FM cass., p/s, p/b, new tires, clutch & belts, silver, runs great, $1390. Edas, X7780, 848-6137, 849-1147

'90 FORD Taurus, SHO, 225HP, 3.0 liter DOHC, 5-spd, met. champagne w/blk leather, exc. cond. in & out, 80K mi., $7900. Wayne, X7685, 837-2409

'90 VW Jetta GL, Wolfsburg edition, orig. owner, 4-dr, 5-spd, pullout stereo, sunrf, low mi., garaged, exc. cond., $7K. John, 531-1739 (eve.)

'92 GEO Metro hatchbk, 5-dr, 60K mi., a/t, a/c, AM/FM, garaged, great cond., $4900/b.o. 528-4158

MOTORCYCLE, '82 Yamaha Seca 650, exc. cond., $1800. Judy, X6540, 631-6642

CARPET KIT, blue, storage spaces on both sides, fits on Toyota long bed pickup truck, $25. John, 531-1739

SKI RACK for car w/rain gutters; cable chains for 13" wheels. Stu, 525-2367

CAR/VANPOOL

VANPOOL, riders wanted from Rohnert Park - stopping at Petaluma and Novato - ending at Berkeley BART, Commuter Checks accepted. Shirley, X4521

WANTED

INFORMATION regarding Berkeley HS 1986 graduates for ten year reunion planning committee. Alicea, 849-3321

LAPTOP to receive weatherfax on board a sailboat, must have 3 meg hard drive, VGA b/w screen, older, inexpensive. Frances, X5516

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, equip. & accessories, donations, for Employee Music Club. Larry, X5406, 283-2791

UNIQUE LOCATION for a Sept./Oct. wedding & reception, looking for a pvt. home or lg. vacation rental that could accommodate 40 to 50 guests outdoors. X7945, (415) 864-2550

MISCELLANEOUS

BEAN BAG CHAIRS (3), lg., red cloth, exc. cond., $20 ea. H. Matis, X5031, 540-6718

BICYCLE, 12-spd Sekai road bike, exc. cond., red, $100/b.o. Brad, X7685, (415) 615-9551

COMPUTER, Mac Performa 475, great cond., 1 yr. old, MS Word, 4MB Ram, 36MB VM, 20mhz, color monitor, modem & Internet software, $800/b.o. Everett, 548-4267

COMPUTER, PC beginner's dream, 386sx-16mhz, 8mb RAM, Windows, word processor, games, color monitor, incl. delivery, set-up & 2 hrs. training, $495. Rachel, X4439, 525-0139

FREE-STANDING HEATER, Schwank-Perfection, model no. VC2500TN-R, 50K BTU, used twice, exc. cond., $490; kitchen table, 42" round butcher-block w/4 Brewers chairs, gd cond., $125. Denny, 237-8171

FUTON, queen sz., solid wood frame w/ethnic print mattress & cover, $325; dining table w/4 chairs, $150; bookcase, PVC, $10; ironing board, $10, all less than 9 mos. old, exc. cond. prices negot.; antique writing table w/chair & sm. writing table, $60 (negot.). 528-4158

GOLF CLUBS, set of "Sting", used twice, irons are 2 thru sand wedge, 3 metal woods, swing weight D-1, stiff shafts, standard grips, cost $650 new, sell for $450 firm. Kathy, 837-7062 (eve.)

ICE SKATES, ladies figure skates, CCM, sz. 6, like new, incl. skate bag, $70/b.o. Suzanne, X7987

MOUNTAIN BIKE, Trek 7000, alum. frame, sz. 16-1/2", Shimano LX components, light, great shape, $325. Vlad, X5177, 849-1579 (eve.)

MOVING SALE, 2 single beds, one can be folded under another, or they can be combined to form a queen sz. bed, $10 ea.; queen sz. bed, $30. Hong, X7039, 527-7956

NOTEBOOK COMPUTER, Toshiba Satellite T1910, 486 SX 33MHz, w/leather laptop case, 1 yr. old, perfect cond., 4MB RAM, 200MB HD, lg., 9.5" monochrome LCD VGA display, full VGA emulation, w/graphics accelerator, parallel port, video port, PS/2 mouse & PS/2 keyboard ports, ball pt. mouse w/quick port connection, NiMH battery, 6.5 lbs. w/battery, $900/b.o. Wu, 525-7260

PRINTER, compact dot matrix, Brother M1109, w/manual, $40. 235-3983

RECLINER, $25/b.o. Julie, X4583, 232-6919

SAILBOATS (2), 22' Columbia fiberglass w/fin keel, sails, 7.5 HP outboard engine, toilet & galley, slps 4, $2K; Mystic 24' w/full keel, sails, 4-cyl. atomic gas inboard engine, standing headroom, toilet & galley, slps 4, $3K. Nan, 527-4298

SATELLITE TV RECEIVER SYSTEM, Chaparral, 10' dish, mount, drive, receiver, and de-scrambler, can deliver, asking $500. Dennis, X7859, 939-2006

SKI EQUIP., woman's boots, Lange, sz. 7-1/2 & 8-1/2, Atomic skis, 160 cm. w/bindings; Casio keyboard, CT-360 w/AC adapter & stand, $120; computers, Atari & Commodore, w/Basic, games & music composer; darkroom equip., Omega enlarger w/lens, $45; drum dryer, $30. Stu, 525-2367

SKI LIFT TICKET VOUCHER for Northstar at Tahoe, $20. 313-9037

SKI VOUCHERS for Homewood, $12 worth for $8. Ken, X7739

VOLLEYBALL NET, full set, new, $30. Edas, X7780, 848-6137, 849-1147

TRI-WAY BED (bunk, twin or trundle), Ethan Allen, maple, $300; trundle bed w/bolsters, $100; 24" maple mate-style swivel counter stools (2), $20 ea. Neville, X5423, 843-1643

HOUSING

ALBANY, 1-bdrm in a 2-bdrm apt, some furn., no pets, bus to UCB, short term OK, $200/mo., util. incl. Wen, 528-2970

ALBANY, share newly renovated 2-bdrm house w/1 other woman, nr Solano Ave., sunny, hardwd flrs, kitchen, garden, washer/dryer hookups, allergy-free household, $505/mo. + util. & dep. Nance, 559-9296

ALBANY, unfurn. 2 master bdrm condo, sec. garage, nr BART & E.C. shopping plaza, no pets, no smoking, $1K/mo. Mrs. Kim, 524-4199

ALBANY HILL, Jackson St., 3-bdrm, 2-bth condo, sweeping hill view, $1150/mo. + $1500 dep. 235-3983

BERKELEY, furn. 1-bdrm apt, hardwd flrs, pvt., garden, avail. now - summer, $675/mo. for 1 person, $690/mo. for 2. 841-5055

BERKELEY, share 2-bdrm house, nr No. Berkeley BART, yd, patio, washer/dryer, prefer female non-smoker, $390/mo. + util. 849-0728

NO. BERKELEY, nr Rose & Shattuck, 1-bdrm avail. in 2.5-bdrm apt., share w/1 student, prefer female, walk to trans., UC & shops, washer & dryer in bldg., $310/mo. 849-3321

NO. BERKELEY, furn. rm in lg. house, walk to LBL shuttle, downtown & UCB, w/d, kitchen privs., non-smoker, short/long term, $400/mo. Rob, 843-5987

NO. BERKELEY, nr Rose & MLK, furn. 1-bdrm unit, avail. 3/1, furn. & equipped, $650/mo. 527-1358

NO. BERKELEY, nr Rose & MLK, 3-bdrm house, sublet for the month of April, nr shopping & trans., $1100. 527-1358

NO. BERKELEY HILLS, share luxury house w/4 others (Irish, Brazilian, Australian), spacious, bright, deck w/SF view, on No. 7 bus route, nr Kensington shops, prefer female, $400/mo. Deirdre, X4020

CONCORD, 1-bdrm condo, upper unit, new carpet/paint, pool, deck, laundry fac., nr hwys 4 & 242, walk to BART, water, garbage, basic cable, refs req'd, $575/mo. + dep. (negot.). Martin/Bobbie, 370-6002

SAN LEANDRO, Assumption Dist., rm for rent (2 ea.), shared housing, nr hwy 580, no pets/alcohol, $425/mo., utils. incl. Marilyn, 351-2288

WANTED: furn. studio/apt in Berkeley/Berkeley Hills for French lab researcher, for 1 yr., up to $600/mo. Jean-Marc, X7039, X5401 (FAX), 845-7300

WANTED: furn. 2-3 bdrms, for visiting physicists, 2/5-3/22. Jinghua, +46 (18) 183561, +46 (18) 183524 (FAX), jinghua@fysik.uu.se

VACATION

NO. LAKE TAHOE, 3-bdrm, 2-1/2 bth home, greenbelt views, shopping, lake, Northstar & casinos within 10 min. Wayne, X7685, 837-2409

SO. LAKE TAHOE, Tahoe Keys, 3-bdrm, 2.5-bth house, W/D, mountain & water views, XC & downhill skiing nearby. Bob, 376-2211

SO. LAKE TAHOE, The Ridge, exc. view, slps 6, pool, hot tub, ski in/out at Heavenly, avail. 2/17-23. Todd, 339-8268

SO. LAKE TAHOE, 4-bdrm cabin, exc. loc., 2 mi. from Heavenly Valley, AEK, washer/dryer. Bill, X4822, 283-3094

LOST & FOUND

FOUND: T-shirt, 1/24, at Wells Fargo ATM nr cafeteria. James, X4558

LOST: ladies wristwatch, 1/30, walking from Bldg. 90 to the Reception Center (Bldg. 65). X6479

FOR FREE

GAS RANGE, Magic Chef, 30", fair cond. Ron, 526-6328

SOCIETY FINCHES, 1 to 4, 6 wks old, close to full grown, easy & fun pets, great for kids. Mark, X6581

===================

currents

MANAGER

EDITOR

  • Mary Bodvarsson, X4014
    mgbodvarsson@lbl.gov
  • STAFF WRITERS:

    EDITORIAL ASSISTANT:

    PRODUCTION:

    FLEA MARKET/CALENDAR:

  • Mary Padilla, X5771
    currents_calendar@lbl.gov
    fleamarket@lbl.gov
  • Public Information Department Berkeley Lab, MS 65 (Bldg. 65B)

    Berkeley Lab is managed by the
    University of California for the
    U.S. Department of Energy