By Mike Wooldridge
In a welcome respite from questions about past radiation experiments, Secretary of Energy Hazel O'Leary visited an Oakland public school on Wednesday, Jan. 12, to see some of the results of DOE's educational efforts. The Secretary toured Lafayette Elementary, a participant in the DOE-funded Bay Area Science and Technology Education Collaboration (BASTEC). Eileen Engel and Rollie Otto, both of LBL's Center for Science and Engineering Education, accompanied O'Leary. For the past four years, BASTEC has helped the Oakland School District update its facilities, curriculum, and teacher expertise in classroom science, pooling scientific talent and resources from national laboratories, educational institutions such as the Lawrence Hall of Science, and local colleges and universities. During her hour-long tour, O'Leary watched a sixth-grade class experiment with soil and water to simulate erosion, had a colorful portrait taken with the school's infrared camera, and played with homemade silly putty students made out of borax. The previous day, O'Leary visited the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center to help inaugurate the B-factory, a $230 million project that should offer scientists the best opportunity yet to study the difference between matter and antimatter. LBL Deputy Director Pier Oddone, whose idea sparked the initiation of the project, attended the ceremony, as did Senator Dianne Feinstein. The remainder of the secretary's week-long visit to the Bay Area focused primarily on the declassification of information regarding to radiation tests in the 1940s and 1950s. In San Francisco, she held a meeting with the San Francisco Chronicle editorial board and chaired the first in a series of DOE stakeholders meetings. At the stakeholders meeting, O'Leary stressed the Clinton administration's commitment to openess, and their efforts to ensure that department policies are in step with the national and international environments. The public also had a chance to air their concerns before the secretary and a diverse panel of scientists, local reporters and nuclear activists. A number of stakeholders meetings will be held at different sites across the country in the coming months, and will culminate June 1, 1994, with a release of recently declassified information, O'Leary said. "We have a lot of hard work ahead of us," O'Leary told the packed conference room at the meeting. "This is about our future, our children's survival and the survival of our nation. We have to be bold enough to trust one another."
Lenore Blum, deputy director of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at UC Berkeley, will speak at the next Women in Science and Engineering Seminar at 12:15 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 24, in Bldg. 70A-3377. Refreshments will be served at noon. Blum's discussion, "MSRI: An Emissary for Mathematics," will highlight the broadening mission of MSRI (pronounced "emissary") to include education, outreach, and human resource development. She will discuss what MSRI has been doing to communicate the spirit of mathematics and mathematical endeavors to the broader public, especially to under-represented groups. After receiving her Ph.D. in mathematics from MIT in 1968, Blum came to UCB as a postdoc and lecturer. She founded the Mills College Math and Computer Science Department in 1973, and served as department head for 13 years. Since 1988, Blum has been a research scientist in the Theory Group of the International Computer Science Institute, and since 1989, an adjunct professor of Computer Science at UCB. Blum's research, from her early work in model theory (logic and algebra), to her most recent work in developing a theory of computation and complexity over the real numbers (mathematics and computer science), has focused on the interface between different fields. Recently, she has spent an increasing amount of time promoting the participation of girls and women in mathematics. The Women in Science and Engineering Seminar Series is open to all interested employees. The series provides the Laboratory community opportunities to learn about the research of women scientists and engineers, and discuss career issues and common concerns. n
By Jeffery Kahn The Laboratory has named Mohandas Narla acting head of its Human Genome Center, replacing Jasper Rine as of January 14. Narla, an engineer turned molecular biologist, has headed the Life Sciences Division's Cell and Molecular Biology Department since 1992. He is also a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at UC San Francisco. Rine, a professor of genetics at UC Berkeley, will continue to pursue his research interests. During his two-and-a-half-year tenure as head of LBL's Human Genome Center, major progress has been reported across a number of fronts. Automated laboratory equipment has been developed that increases both the speed and accuracy with which the genome can be mapped and sequenced. Robotsteamed with computersare closing in on the goal of sequencing DNA at the rate of 1.2 megabases per year. Under Rine, the effort to develop databases to deal with the massive amount of information being generated by the genome project also has come to maturity. New systems allow scientists to use computer networks to manage, share, and manipulate the collective body of data being generated worldwide. Life Sciences Division Director Mina Bissell said that in the future, the Center hopes to further strengthen its ties to the biology department on the neighboring UCB campus. "Jasper Rine has done a remarkable job of bringing together the various aspects of the center's efforts," Bissell said. "We hope he will continue to pursue aspects of this research at LBL. In addition, we look forward to expanding our efforts in developing sequencing capabilities, both for the human genome and possibly for drosophila, in collaboration with UCB."
Stocking up now on emergency supplies can add to your safety and comfort during and after an earthquake. Store enough supplies for at least 72 hours. Survival Water2 quarts to 1 gallon per person per day First aid kitfreshly stocked First aid book Food (packaged, canned, no-cook, baby food, and for special diets) Can opener (non electric) Blankets or sleeping bags Portable radio, flashlight and spare batteries Essential medication and glasses Fire extinguisherABC type Food and water for pets Money Sanitation Supplies Large plastic trash bags for trash, waste, water protection Bar soap and liquid detergent Shampoo Toothpaste and toothbrushes Feminine and infant supplies Toilet paper Household bleach Newspaperto wrap garbage & waste Safety and Comfort Sturdy shoes Heavy gloves for clearing debris Candles and matches Change of clothing Knife or razor blades Garden hosefor siphoning and fire fighting Tent Cooking Barbecue, camp stove, chafing dish Fuel for cooking (charcoal, camp stove fuel, etc.) Plastic knives, forks, spoons Paper plates and cups Paper towels Heavy-duty aluminum foil Tools and Supplies Ax, shovel, broom Crescent wrench for turning off gas Screwdriver, pliers, hammer Coil of 1/2-in. rope Plastic tape and sheeting Toys for children
Monday's Los Angeles area earthquake was a jolting reminder that we need to be better prepare for disasters. Don Bell, LBL's Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, says the Lab offers classes in Earthquake Safety Training, First Aid, and CPR. You can sign up individually or in groups. The quarterly courses,offered at no cost to the individualare listed in the EH&S Health and Safety Education Course Information booklet, which should be available in your division office. Bell says special arrangements can be made to handle groups. "We will work with you to tailor a program to fit your needs," Bell says. "If you can put together a group of 12 people, we will come to your location." The Laboratory also has safety pamplets, emergency checklists, and other information that would be helpful in preparing for disaster. For more information about classes, brochures, safety pamplets, and checklists, contact Bell at X6016, or Mark Turner at X6554. n
Employees who wish to make donations to help victims of the Jan. 17 earthquake in Southern California may send checks to the American Red Cross, 2111 E. 14th St., Oakland, CA 94606. Please make checks payable to American Red Cross, and write "LA Earthquake" in the memo portion of the check.
The Survey Research Center on campus reports that about half of the Laboratory population has returned the LBL Child Care Survey that was distributed in early December. If you received a survey and have not yet completed and returned it, please do so as soon as possible so that final results may be tabulated. If you need another copy, please call X5532.
The deadline for this year's the AAAS '94 meeting, being held in San Francisco Feb. 18-23, has been extended to Feb. 1. A limited number of extra applications are available from Mike Wooldridge at X6249.
Tom Glimme of EH&S's Environmental Monitoring Unit reports that the year-to-date amount measured in the rain gauge atop Bldg. 75 as of midnight, Tuesday, Jan. 18, was 7.9 inches, indicating there has been no rainfall in the past week. The current rainy season officially began on July 1, 1993. In addition to measuring rainfall, the EMU regularly takes some 200 air and water samples around the Hill.
In recent months, a number of construction projects have been started at the Lab. Many of them, such as the seismic bracing of Bldg. 90, will make LBL a safer place to work. Many of them also are taking up space normally devoted to parking. As a result, some space assignments have changed at lots on the Hill, according to Fred Lothrop, LBL's manager of parking administration. Since most of the Blue Triangle and Director's spaces in front of Bldg. 90 are now occupied by construction crews, six spaces in the Bayview lot across from Bldg. 55 have been temporarily marked for Blue Triangle permits. They will revert to general parking within the next month. All of the parking spaces on the rim of the hill in front of Bldg. 90 will soon be restricted to either Director's permits or Blue Triangle permits. A few of those spaces will also be marked for special visitors on a day-to-day basis. Lothrop says all Laboratory parking policies are still in effect. Illegally parked cars may be issued three types of tickets: a warning ticket goes on file at the traffic office; an order to "show cause" may be appealed to the UC citation hearing examiner, but may result in a ticket and bail; traffic citations are issued for violations of the California vehicle code, and require that a person deal directly with the municipal court. While LBL is doing its best to provide parking for as many employees as possible, a spot for every car at cannot be guaranteed, Lothrop says. Employees can help free up space by using stack parking lots, in which vehicles are parked behind one another. Stack lots are particularly useful for employees with regular hours. Just be sure to leave your name and extension on display on the dash of your car. n
If you are interested in helping with the planning and coordination of Earth Week 1994, you are invited to attend a meeting scheduled for noon on Thursday, Feb. 3, in the Bldg 50 Auditorium. Please bring your enthusiasm, ideas, and a brown-bag lunch. For more information, call Shaun Fennessey at X5122.
All employees are invited to visit the Laboratory's new facilities in the Promenade Building in downtown Berkeley from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 31. The Open House will feature refreshments, tours, and demonstrations. Since April 1993, the Promenade Building has housed the following offices: Human Resources Department, Information Systems and Services Department, and the Center for Science and Engineering Education. During the Open House, CSEE program administrators will be available for questions and discussions of projects, and posters and handouts will be available on a number of exciting programs. ISS will staff will be on hand to discuss and demonstrate such projects as electronic time reporting and the account authorization system. Human Resources will present a computer slide show and demonstrate new tools, including Resumix, a computerized resume-reading system. The Promenade Building is located at 1936 University Ave., one block west of the LBL shuttle bus stop at the corner of University and Milvia. Street parking is limited.
The Department of Energy's regional office, which, since its establishment in 1951, has been known as the San Franscisco Operations Office, or DOESAN, has changed its official name. It is now called the Oakland Operations Office, a reflection of its current location in the Oakland Federal Building. With a staff of 406 full-time employees, DOE's Oakland Operations Office administers a $1.7 billion budget and oversees such government-owned contractor-operated (GOCO) laboratories as LBL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, and the Energy Technology Engineering Center of Rockwell International's Rocketdyne Division.
24 m o n d a y Women in Science & Engineering Seminar 12:15 p.m., Bldg. 70A-3377; L. Blum, MSRI, "MSRI: An Emissary for Mathematics," Refreshments, noon SHOEMOBILE 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Bldg. 77 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM 4 p.m., 120 Latimer; J. Clarke, UCB, "High-Tc SQUIDS: An Emerging Technology" NUCLEAR SCIENCE DIVISION COLLOQUIUM 4 p.m., Bldg. 70A-3377; S. Koonin, Caltech, "Massively Parallel Computing, Monte Carlo, and Nuclear Structure" 25 t u e s d a y LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINAR 4 p.m., Bldg. 66 Aud.; D. Agard, UCSF, "Chromosome Structure in Three and Four Dimensions" 26 w e d n e s d a y LBL DATABASE FORUM 10:30 a.m., Bldg. 50A-5132; E. Schroeder, J. Putnam, S. Abraham, R. Bolton, LBL, "Development, Evolution, and Control of Corporate Databases" SPECIAL NUCLEAR SCIENCE DIVISION COLLOQUIUM 2 p.m., Bldg. 70A-3377; T. Wienold, GSI, "Flow and Cluster Production at Intermediate Beam Energies" PHYSICS DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUM 4:30 p.m., 1 Le Conte; S. Garrett, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, "Thermo Acoustic Refrigeration," Refreshments, 4 p.m., 375 Le Conte 27 t h u r s d a y MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SEMINAR 4 p.m., 3110 Etcheverry; Z. Zhang, National Institute of Standards and Technology, "Radiative Properties of Thin Solid Films Including High-Temperature Superconductors" 28 f r i d a y OPEN CALENDAR CAFETERIA MENU monday Breakfast burrito Lima bean w/bacon Crumb-coated chicken breast Polish w/sauerkraut Chilito's tuesday Strawberry French toast Beef barley Southwest meat loaf Santa Cruz chicken Chicken Caesar salad wednesday Chorizo & eggs Chicken noodle Hearty chicken stew Chili burger Chilito's thursday Blueberry pancakes Manhattan clam chowder Chicken-fried steak Fishwich Pizza pizza friday Sadie's choice Vegetarian vegetable Filet of sole w/lemon pepper Basil chicken salad Chilito's