March
22, 2002
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March
22, 2002 |
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NERSC, IBM Announce Science Grid Partnership
NERSC, IBM Announce Science Grid PartnershipBy Jon Bashor IBM Corp. and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) today announced a collaboration to make one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers available via the DOE Science Grid. The target date for the project, which will also bring NERSC’s 1.3 petabyte mass storage system on line to the DOE Science Grid, is December 2002. “Computing and data grids have the potential to provide scientists with a uniform computing and data handling environment — independent of location — that can be integrated with their work environment in much the same way that the web provided a way to integrate on-line documents into the scientific work environment,” said Horst Simon, director of the NERSC Division. “Connecting supercomputer centers to grids will provide the scientific community with a much more capable set of computing and data tools than those available today, and tools that can be used more easily and effectively than today’s tools. This should have a substantial productivity benefit for scientific R&D, and in some cases will open up entirely new avenues of exploration.” The project’s goal is to enhance the ability of DOE scientists to explore the physical world through computational simulation and scientific experiments and analysis of the resulting data. The Science Grid will enable scientists at national laboratories and universities around the country to perform ever-greater calculations, manage and analyze increasingly-larger datasets, and perform increasingly complex computer modeling necessary for DOE to accomplish its scientific missions. As it evolves into a reliable infrastructure supporting scientific R&D, the DOE Science Grid will also facilitate development and use of collaboration tools that speed up research and allow scientists to tackle more complex problems. NERSC has been developing distributed collaboration and distributed data handling technology for the past 10 years — an effort that provided some of the precursor Grid tools and technologies. “The combination of NERSC and the DOE Science Grid should provide an unprecedented capability for incorporating high-end simulation and data handling into the scientists’ working environment, where it can be combined with local computer and data systems and eventually with the experiments themselves,” said Bill Johnston, head of NERSC’s Distributed Systems Department and one of the architects of the Science Grid.“NERSC provides DOE’s Office of Science with its major tools for computational simulation and data analysis and storage, so this integration of the most capable computing facilities directly with the scientists’ working environment is what will create new levels of scientific capability and productivity.” NERSC, which operates a 3,328-processor IBM RS/6000 SP supercomputer (currently the third most powerful computer on Earth), had originally planned to make its high-performance computing systems accessible via the DOE Science Grid by 2004. “We have been working closely with IBM since the installation of our SP supercomputer in 2000, and since we have a common interest in advancing grid technology, it made sense to work together,” said Bill Kramer, who is in charge of NERSC’s computer operations. “As DOE’s flagship center for unclassified computing, making our resources more easily and more widely accessible via the grid will enhance research across a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines.” The goal of the project is to ensure that Globus — the open source software at the heart of most Grid services — works efficiently on IBM platforms. In addition to the large SP system, grid software will be integrated into NERSC’s archival data storage system, which is managed using IBM servers. NERSC and IBM have a strong history of working together to bring new technology to bear on the most challenging scientific problem. For example, NERSC and IBM are two of the six development partners that created and improved the High Performance Storage System, known as HPSS. NERSC also operates a 160-processor IBM cluster computer system. “IBM and NERSC have a strong track record as partners in developing and deploying computing and storage systems at the leading edge of performance, and this collaboration to bring the Grid closer to everyday utility plays to the strengths of our organizations,” said Peter Ungaro, IBM vice president for government systems. “We fully expect the trail we blaze with this collaboration will open up new computing resources to scientists throughout the nation’s research community.” By the end of the year, all three of NERSC’s IBM systems are expected to be on the Grid. To do this, IBM will develop its software to be compatible with Globus and other Grid software, and NERSC will then move the software into service. NERSC and IBM will also use the collaboration to identify areas where the Grid software can be improved. For its part, IBM will learn how three of its high-profile systems function while running Grid software. For NERSC, the agreement will allow a core group of its 2,100 users to begin accessing resources via the DOE Science Grid. The agreement calls for quarterly progress reports from the combined team to measure progress against a series of milestones.  Design Works Provides Fast, Efficient Project SupportBy Dan Krotz
As Berkeley Lab evolves, so does the Engineering Division. It is modernizing its infrastructure to provide the Laboratory with more efficient project support and turnaround without sacrificing strict quality standards. “We are shifting our focus from general fabrication to very specific, high-tech, state-of-the-art capabilities to better respond to the Laboratory’s current and future scientific needs,” says Jim Triplett, director of the Engineering Division. “This will benefit small and large projects alike by offering efficient, flexible engineering services at a lower cost.” As Triplett elaborates, the division has convened some of its best technicians, machinists, and engineers into small groups that provide drop-in services and a wide range of engineering and technical resources for projects of any size. One of these groups is DesignWorks, which offers comprehensive design support to the entire Lab by quickly matching nearly any engineering puzzle with a solution. “We specialize in design engineering for small and medium-scope devices and software as well as components of bigger projects,” says group leader Ken Chow. “We love the challenge of taking a napkin-sketched idea and developing it into a real solution.” DesignWorks’ emphasis on quick turnaround and small to medium-scale projects mirrors the changing role of the Engineering Division. As Chow explains, the division originally evolved to provide support for large-scale projects, such as particle accelerators. But over the last 10 years, the Lab has diversified beyond particle physics to the earth sciences, biosciences, genomic research, energy and environmental research, and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. These groups generally don’t require large engineering projects, but a constant stream of small instruments and components — and the division is changing to accommodate these needs. In addition, DesignWorks represents a significant shift in how the engineering division interacts with researchers who need small components. Previously, if a scientist needed a fluid component, for example, they were paired with an engineering expert in fluids who shouldered the project from the first brainstorming phase to final fabrication. But it is rare to find an engineer who has expertise in every discipline. Perhaps the fluids expert lacked prototyping experience or conceptualization skills. Now, a scientist can take his or her project to DesignWorks where an interdisciplinary team shepherds the project from start to finish.
“Good design engineering should be available for projects large and small,” Chow says. “But before DesignWorks it was difficult to get help for small projects. Now, a principal investigator can be confident that even a small project will receive the best resources the Engineering Division has to offer.” The team’s core strength is engineering design, Chow says. That means taking an engineering need and determining the best solution. It’s a marriage between design and engineering in which the team utilizes any combination of analysis, testing, and hands-on tinkering to best meet the needs of a project. Building on Teamwork They also pride themselves on teamwork and a proven experimentation process. The group’s workspace comprises one large room. There are no cubicles. A mechatronics specialist sits across from a software engineer who shares a printer with a composites design guru. Everyone’s desk is just a few quick steps from a mechatronics prototyping lab that sports an array of electric motors, circuits, wires and bins of odds and ends. Here, an idea becomes a rough prototype in a couple of hours. There’s also a small reference library. But instead of dusty manuals, this includes a selection of the latest science and technology magazines. Brainstorm material, says Chow — skim a few articles, see what other researchers are up to, and maybe get an idea for the next project. Simply put, DesignWorks places much of the Engineering Division’s design expertise under one roof. And while each member of the eight-person team possesses different skills, together they become a complete engineering team. With a collective background in everything from software and electrical engineering to rapid prototyping and computer-assisted drawing, the group can take any design need — from determining the best way to measure gaseous flow in solid rock to optimizing a robot’s wheels — and piece together a working prototype. A diversity of backgrounds also fosters a cross-fertilization of ideas. For example, the team used automation technology in a device that measures magnetic field alignment in induction particle accelerators.The same technology can be applied to automate laboratory processing in genomic research. In other words, the team is always on the lookout for opportunities to transplant lessons learned developing one technology to other applications. In addition, DesignWorks frequently draws on resources from throughout the Engineering Division. Sometimes that means using the precision machine shop to fabricate a high-precision part, other times it means bringing a radio frequency expert into the design team. Quick prototyping The team also utilizes state-of-the-art creative design technology and methodology, including a rapid prototyping laboratory with a fused deposition modeler and a stereolithography system. With these tools, they can use a computer to sketch a contraption composed of several interlaced gears, and then “print” the rendition out as a plastic, working, three-dimensional model. This technology enables quick, up front prototyping, which minimizes the risk of discovering design flaws in later stages of a project. “The rapid prototyping lab is a key element to our design process because it allows us to accelerate the design cycle,” Chow says. “Nothing beats having a prototype in your hand to play with, show people, and even test to destruction.” Since the group was launched in early 2001, they have brainstormed their way through a wide range of projects. They mocked-up and built a model of a portable neutron generator in just two days using only two-dimensional sketches as a guide. They designed and delivered a booth display for a new, energy efficient fluorescent lamp. And they created a scale model of an eight-chamber liquid helium distribution cooling device. “It’s exciting because of the great diversity of science at this lab,” says Chow. “We’re really looking forward to working with all of the different investigators here.” For more information see the DesignWorks website at http://engineering.lbl.gov/dw/.
Best Pratices Report Gets High MarksBy Ron Kolb
“Best Practices,” a popular assessment term in management these days, has been defined for public institutions as those activities that enhance the ability of the organization to achieve mission success in a cost-effective and efficient way while being a responsible steward of the people’s resources entrusted to it. Last fall, U.S. Department of Energy Undersecretary Robert Card asked Berkeley Lab to lead a pilot study to identify the best practices that will make federally-funded research centers like this operate in the most efficient, fiscally responsible way possible. This would ensure that the scientific mission is achieved at minimal cost to the government. That’s a weighty responsibility for Berkeley Lab and the two other federal laboratories asked to participate in the study — the National Science Foundation-sponsored National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Colorado and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at Caltech. The DOE has high hopes that the effort will yield positive results. A preliminary airing of the study’s report before the DOE’s Laboratory Operations Board (LOB) in February received high marks. “The study is needed to assist the Department and the laboratories in identifying strategies that will improve the laboratories’ operational efficiency and management effectiveness in performing research and development activities in support of the Department’s missions,” the LOB’s charge stated. This study comes at an important time in Berkeley Lab’s management cycle — DOE’s five-year contract with the University of California is up this fall. If the DOE decides to extend that contract, outcomes of the best practices study could be incorporated into the new document and into the Lab’s business relationship with the Department. In fact, this approach has such widespread interest that DOE’s Office of Science is developing a new set of contract guidelines. Teams from Berkeley Lab and the UC Office of the President used site visits, phone interviews, and written documents during the last four months of 2001 to gather information that eventually became part of the “DOE Best Practices Pilot Study,” published in February. The Berkeley Site Office also played an important role in evaluating and synthesizing the information gathered from the three laboratories. The study took a comprehensive look at how the laboratories operated. Areas of investigation included contract management and accountability, implementation of directives, EH&S oversight, security and counterintelligence, business and personnel policy, facilities and infrastructure, and construction project management. (A pdf file of the study can be downloaded from a “best practices” link on the Berkeley Lab home page on the web.) During the assessment, however, many best practices were identified at the three laboratories, including 30 specific actions that could be implemented at Berkeley Lab. Most important, the team identified six best management practices that provide a blueprint for how DOE’s laboratories could be managed more effectively and efficiently. Recommendations include:
The study group estimates that, if adopted, the best practices could result in significant cost savings for the DOE in laboratory administration and operational support. “These savings could be reinvested in scientific programs, modernizing the laboratory’s infrastructure, and in developing our people,” said Berkeley Lab Deputy Director for Operations Sally Benson. “What these new actions would also do is increase the accountability of DOE contractors,” Benson added. “’Best Practices’ helps both the DOE and Berkeley Lab focus on results, not process.” The DOE is now reviewing the results, and it appears that the study is already making a difference. The Office of Science has convened a team of contracting officers and DOE field/site office staff to develop a set of guidelines for a new model contract for Office of Science labs. This is very timely for Berkeley Lab and lays the groundwork for a new contract that will enable more effective and efficient operations. Members of the Berkeley Lab study team, as well as key Berkeley Site Office, NCAR, and JPL participants, are listed in the appendix of the report.
Bright Enough for a Nobelist
Washington ReportDOE Defends FY2003 BudgetConfronted by some skeptical members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, DOE officials defended the Department’s proposed FY 2003 budget for science programs, as well as for renewable energy and nuclear power. Citing Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham’s declaration that national security is DOE’s top priority, Robert Card, DOE’s under secretary for energy, science and the environment, responded to Capitol Hill critics. “We have identified a number of areas in which our national energy security is not as assured as it could be,” he said in his written testimony. “Through the course of a number of internal reviews and self-assessments, we have found that many of DOE’s processes, and in some cases programs, are simply not up to the task. In the budget proposed for FY 2003, we hope to take a firm step toward the structural transformation that needs to occur at DOE.” Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind), the subcommittee’s ranking member, was especially critical that DOE is funding national laboratory projects at the expense of university initiatives. He questioned James Decker, acting director of the Office of Science, about the status of the nanoscience centers proposed for several labs, including the Molecular Foundry at Berkeley Lab, and asked to what extent universities would be involved. Decker said that university researchers would be welcome to use the facilities but would not be involved in their management. “All labs have sought input from potential users at universities,” Decker said. “Once the facilities are completed, the use of the facilities would be wide open. Applications from universities and industry will be peer reviewed and selected.” Card later made a strong case for basic research, saying, “You can easily trace developments in national security back to basic research. The work being done now is 20 years out from when we’ll need it.” However, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) countered that if basic science is so important, why has DOE essentially proposed a flat budget for it. Answered Card, “The science budget is better than it looks.” DOE science fits DOE missionLast October, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham caused a stir within the scientific community of the national labs when he said that national security was DOE’s “overarching mission.” The concern was that basic science would not be a very good fit with this priority. However, Robert Card, DOE’s under secretary for energy, science and the environment, told members of the Energy Communities Alliance that a department review has shown that the overwhelming majority of the programs under DOE’s Office of Science appear to be “clear fits” with DOE’s national security mission. He added that all of DOE’s energy and defense programs met that same criteria. — Lynn Yarris
Tech Transfer, Energy Project Win AwardsTech Transfer AwardsThe Federal Laboratory Consortium has chosen resear-chers involved in two Berkeley Lab project as recipients of the 2002 Excellence in Technology Transfer award. They are Michael Siminovitch and Erik Page for the Berkeley Lamp and Fred Winklemann, Fred Buhl, Ender Erdem, Joe Huang, and Kathy Ellington for the Energy Plus building energy simulation program. The awards recognize outstanding accomplishments by Laboratory employees in the process of transferring technologies developed at a federal lab to the commercial marketplace. “This speaks very highly of the contribution to society made by these technologies as well as the outstanding efforts of these team members,” said Pam Seidenma of Tech Transfer at Berkeley Lab. “We have only received two such awards in the previous seven years.” The awards will be presented on May 8 at FLC’s national meeting in Little Rock, Ark. Energy Globe AwardA project of the International Energy Agency (IEA) to reduce the waste of standby electrical power by common household appliances has won an Energy Globe 2002 award. Alan Meier, a scientist in the Environmental Energy Technologies Division, proposed the 1-Watt Initiative as a way to reduce wasted electricity through standby power loss, which accounts for as much as 10 percent of a typical household electricity bill, according to his research. IEA’s Benoit Lebot, a former staff member in EETD, developed the initiative into a program of workshops and conferences to help the agency’s 25 nations, as well as many other countries, implement solutions to reduce standby power loss. The award notes that “each watt consumed by an appliance in standby mode totals 8.76 kWh per annum and costs one Euro on average.” Meier’s project received second prize in the category “Public and Private Initiatives.” More than 2,100 energy and water saving projects were nominated. Energy Globe awards are given yearly to public agencies and private companies throughout the world by O.Oe. Energiesparverband, an Austrian energy agency that promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and innovative energy technologies. The awards were announced at a gala in Linz, Austria on March 6.
Jackson Named Head of the Society
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John Landy (center), governor of the State of
Victoria, Australia, listens as John Bozek (right) of the Advanced Light
Source discusses current research at the ALS. The governor, accompanied
by representatives of the Victorian Department of State and Regional Development,
was here to learn about development, capabilities and potential applications
of a third-generation synchrotron. The Victorian government is planning
to build its own synchrotron, the Australian Synchrotron Light Source
(ASLS), at Monash
University in Melbourne.
By Paul Preuss
"DON'T TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT YOU THINK THEY
SHOULD KNOW.
FIND OUT WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW."
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During the first week of March over 250 professional
communicators and academicians met at the headquarters of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland,
to tackle the challenges of “Communicating the Future: Best Practices
of Communication of Science and Technology to the Public.”
“We hope you get that there are many publics,” said Jon Miller of Northwestern University, one of the conference organizers, “and every group needs individual attention”: funding agencies and Congressional staff; local governments and activists; students and teachers; fellow scientists and other Lab employees; and the all-important “science-attentive” public, the better than 10 percent of adults in the U.S. who are willing to seek out scientific information wherever they can find it.
Among some 40 institutions whose specific programs were chosen to represent the field’s best practices, four were Department of Energy national laboratories, including Berkeley Lab, Brookhaven, Jefferson Lab, and Fermilab. Of these, only Berkeley Lab was picked to present two projects: MicroWorlds, the Advanced Light Source’s electronic science magazine for high school students, and “Did You Ever Wonder?”, the Communications (formerly Public Information) Department’s program to acquaint citizens of Berkeley and nearby communities with the Lab.
Annette Greiner and Elizabeth Moxon of the Technical and Electronic Information Department were on hand to explain the MicroWorlds website to crowds who packed the poster sessions after each day of talks. One of the conference’s chief values, says Greiner, “was the chance to rub shoulders with other scientific communicators,” whose target audiences are broader than those for traditionally defined technical communications.
Greiner got plenty of ideas for upcoming ALS projects, such as how to handle open houses, but when it came to the web she found that “MicroWorlds probably benefited other websites more than they benefited us.” Beyond cyber-specifics, however, she was impressed by high standards of good writing and the humor in websites like the University of Wisconsin’s renowned Why Files.
Berkeley Lab’s “Did You Ever Wonder?” attracted notice as one of only two projects that used bus posters as a way to reach out to the community. Many people complimented the strategy of hooking the viewer with a short tag line on a colorful poster, then following up with web and print materials of increasing complexity.
The conference also featured results of academic communication research. Speakers argued that, no matter what kind of public one is addressing, whether face-to-face or via the web, effective communication demands relationships in which all parties are willing to listen and learn.
“Don’t tell the public what you think they should know,” cautioned Rick Borchelt, former director of communications for the Office of Science, which cosponsored the conference with NIST. “Find out what they want to know.”
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The importance of listening carefully was underlined by chemist Joe Schwarcz of McGill University, who hosts a long-running call-in radio show in Ontario. Questions that sound stupid often aren’t: a caller who asked “Is it safe to burn my ex-husband’s picture?” really wanted to know whether there was enough formaldehyde glue in a particle-board picture frame to release dangerous fumes.
Nor does addressing what the public wants to know mean dumbing down the science. Researchers and working professionals agreed that the secret is finding the story in every science report — and keeping it short, at least until they’re hooked. As Peggy Girshman of NPR’s “Science Desk” put it, “Everybody’s got a remote.”
Berkeley Lab’s Lori Tamura, an at-large attendee, found the “nitty-gritty,” how-to presentations more valuable than the academic results. “I got a lot more out of the poster sessions,” she says, but concedes that there were nuggets even in the driest talks. “I was fascinated to learn about the science-attentive public who don’t need a lot of translation.”
The take-home message for any group that wants to communicate science: get to know your audience and give them the information they want, in a form they can understand. As the editors of Time and Life used to say, “Never underestimate the reader’s intelligence and interest, but never overestimate their prior knowledge.”
More about MicroWorlds is at http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/; “Did You Ever Wonder?” is at http://www.lbl.gov/wonder; details of “Communicating the Future: Best Practices for Communication of Science and Technology to the Public” can be found at http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/bestpractices/practices.html.
Published twice a month by the Communications Department for the employees and retirees of Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Ron Kolb, Communications Department head.
EDITOR: Monica Friedlander, (510) 495-2248, msfriedlander@lbl.gov
STAFF WRITERS: Lisa Gonzales, 486-4698; Dan Krotz, 486-4109, Paul Preuss, 486-6249; Lynn Yarris, 486-5375
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jon Bashor, X5849; Allan Chen, X4210
FLEA MARKET / CALENDAR:
(510) 486-4698
fleamarket@lbl.gov /currents_calendar@lbl.gov
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
One Cyclotron Road, MS 65A
Berkeley CA 94720
(510) 486-5771 Fax: (510) 486-6641
Berkeley Lab is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department
of Energy.
By Dan Krotz
Hoping to save the paper manufacturing industry millions of dollars in energy costs, Berkeley Lab and Institute of Paper Science & Technology (IPST) engineers have developed a laser ultrasonic sensor that measures paper’s flexibility as it courses through a production web at up to 65 miles per hour.
The project’s principal investigators are Berkeley Lab’s Rick Russo and IPST’s Chuck Habeger.
“We’re measuring the elastic properties of paper at manufacturing speeds using a noncontact, nondestructive monitor,” says Paul Ridgway of the Environmental Energy Technologies Division.
Last summer, Ridgway, Russo and IPST engineers tested the laser ultrasonic sensor at a Mead Paper Company mill in Ohio. They installed the sensor on a pilot paper coating machine and ran six paper grades through the web press, ranging from copy paper to heavy linerboard. The sensor’s signals remained excellent even at paper speeds up to 5,000 feet per minute, and the laser didn’t damage the paper. The effects of the papers’ moisture, tension, basis weight, and speed on the measurements were also examined.
“The Mead test demonstrated the instrument works in an industrial setting,” Ridgway says. “It’s a successful step toward a mill trial on a paper-making machine in which the environment will be much harsher. It will be hotter and wetter, and there will be more vibrations and fiber debris in the air.”
The project is part of Industries of the Future, a research and development collaboration between the Department of Energy’s Office of Industrial Technologies and several industries to improve energy and resource efficiency. Under this program, the American Forest and Paper Association created Agenda 2020, which outlines the goals and research priorities of the forest products industry.
 The laser ultrasonic sensor, successfully field-tested by the Mead Paper Company, could lead to future savings in resources and energy use. |
To understand how the sensor contributes to this initiative, consider how paper is currently evaluated. After being manufactured, a small sample of a three-ton paper roll is manually analyzed for its mechanical properties by observing how it bends. If the sample doesn’t meet specifications, the entire roll is scrapped or sold as an inferior grade. To avoid this costly mistake, manufacturers often overengineer paper, erring on the side of caution and using more pulp than necessary to ensure the final product isn’t substandard. Not only does this use up more raw materials, it consumes more energy — the more pulp used per unit of paper, the more heat is required during the drying phase, which even in the most efficient mills requires an enormous amount of energy.
Rather than relying on postproduction evaluation, the team has developed a sensor that measures flexibility on the fly, in real time. It also conducts the measurements without touching the paper, an important advantage given that at 30 meters per second the slightest contact can mar lightweight grades such as copy paper and newsprint. This sensor represents an improvement over contact transducers, another real-time evaluation tool that measures paper’s tensile elasticity by placing an ultrasound head directly onto the paper as it courses through the web. But because it touches the paper, this technique can only be used with thicker stock.
How it works
In simple terms, the sensor measures the time it takes ultrasonic shock waves to propagate from a laser-induced excitation point to a detection point only millimeters away. The velocity at which the ultrasound waves travel between these points through the paper is theoretically related to two elastic properties: bending stiffness and out-of-plane shear rigidity.
More specifically, a detection beam from a commercially available Mach-Zender interferometer is directed toward a quickly rotating mirror. As the mirror spins, the beam is reflected in a circular pattern, much like a lighthouse beam. During a portion of each revolution, the beam meets the paper as it courses along the production belt and remains with the paper until the beam’s arc leaves the paper’s plane. Think of the lighthouse beam momentarily tracking a speedboat as it races parallel to shore. Because both the beam and the paper are moving at the same speed, the detection beam remains on the same point on the paper throughout their brief contact.
An optical encoder determines when the detection beam is perpendicular to the paper, at which time a specially designed, adjustable delay circuit fires the pulsed neodymium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. This nanosecond pulse causes a microscopic thermal expansion — or ablation — on the paper, which is too small to mar the paper and affect how it absorbs ink, but strong enough to send ultrasonic shock waves through the sheet. The waves propagate through the paper until they are registered by the detection beam. Because the laser is synchronized to only fire when the detection beam is perpendicular to the paper, the distance between the ablation point and detection point is known, and the waves’ speed is calculated.
A full-scale pilot test of the laser ultrasonic sensor is scheduled for the summer of 2003. Further in the future, the sensor could provide quality-control safeguards and real-time process information for feedback control in any manufacturing process involving thin, moving sheets such as metals, plastics, polymeric materials, and glasses.
In addition, the sensor’s auspicious Mead Paper Company field test represents a Berkeley Lab success under the Laboratory Coordinating Council (LCC). The LCC was established in 1995 by the DOE Office of Industrial Technologies to merge the research and development capabilities of the 16 national labs and research facilities with the process needs of nine major industries: agriculture, aluminum, chemical, forest products, glass, metalcasting, mining, petroleum and steel.
Berkeley Lab will receive $500,000 from the California Energy Commission to research ways to trim the electricity used by Internet server farms, or “server hotels,” in the state by at least 30 percent. The Commission’s move is in line with California’s goal of lowering overall electricity use in times of high demand.
Lab researchers estimate that three percent of U.S. electricity is consumed by digital equipment (computers, servers, routers, etc), with roughly 0.12 percent of that going to power Internet server farms throughout the country. This research is intended to eventually lead to a plan for dramatically improved energy efficiency of building systems and computers used in data centers.
Look to the a future issue of Currents for more information.
After reviewing proposals from three vendors to provide Lab employees with computer training courses, the Computing Infrastructure Support Department has selected CompUSA for the job
“We’re excited about the classes that CompUSA offers — especially classes like ‘Presentation Skills using PowerPoint’ and other soft skills classes they offer in addition to the computer training,” said Heather Pinto, CIS’s onsite training coordinator and member of the selection committee. “We found their flexibility, expertise and add-on options to be above and beyond those of the other companies.”
Services provided by CompUSA include:
The class registration process will also change effective April 10. Employees will sign up via the Employee Self Service website at https://hris.lbl.gov/.
Other organizations that have chosen CompUSA for training include the city and county of San Francisco, Contra Costa County, the City of Oakland, the IRS, Charles Schwab, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Education.
The Lab’s computer training room, currently in Bldg. 51L, will be moved to Bldg. 941 in downtown Berkeley later this year.
In addition to presenting classes at the Lab, CompUSA will allow employees to take classes at CompUSA training sites, including Emeryville, San Francisco, Concord, Pleasanton, North Sacramento, Sacramento, Vacaville, San Bruno, Santa Clara and San Jose. — Jon Bashor
Photo: comp_training
This year’s Daughters and Sons to Work Day will be held on Thursday, April 25. Applications are available in the cafeteria at cash registers. The submission deadline is April 11, with applications accepted on a first come, first served basis.
Organizers are still looking for volunteers to serve as chaperones for either all day or part of the day. To volunteer send an e-mail to Alyce Herrera at Alyce_Herrera@lbl.gov. Lunch and a free T-shirts will be provided to all chaperones.
The event will include new workshops this year, as well as some old favorites. For more information, look up the DSTW website at http://www.lbl.gov/Education/CSEE/dstw/dstw_2002.html.
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About 80 to 90 students from Castlemont and Oakland Life Academy schools were in the audience on March 8 as famed civil rights attorney John Burris of Oakland gave a presentation as part of activities organized in celebration of Black History Month. Burris has represented many famous and controversial figures, including Rodney King.
In his presentation, Burris discussed the civil rights movement from historical, civil rights, legal and social justice perspectives. He also explored the interaction between the civil rights movement and the criminal justice system.
Burris addressed the students, telling them about the different paths they may take in life. He encouraging them to make right choices when interacting with law enforcement and to become role models through their actions.
A special thank you from Sonia Mueller
Lab employee Sonia Mueller, now in her second week back after an extended medical leave, would like to thank those who donated their vacation time towards her catastrophic leave.
Said Mueller, “Thank you very much to those of you who donated time for my needed medical leave. I truly appreciate the support I have received from the Lab. I’d like to thank each of you individually, but since I don’t know who most of you are, please accept this as a heartfelt thank you.”
March 26-28 * 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
A traveling resource center in Pleasanton will provide assistance next week to nuclear weapons workers and their survivors who wish to apply for benefits under a new federal workers’ compensation program.
The Federal Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, which became effective on July 31, 2001, provides for compensation payments of up to $150,000 and coverage of medical expenses to employees who became ill as a result of their exposure to radiation, beryllium or silica. Conditions covered under this program are: radiogenic cancers, beryllium diseases and chronic silicosis. Qualified survivors of a covered employee are also eligible for compensation. These include spouses or adult children if there is no qualified surviving spouse.
Anyone who needs help filling out claim forms can schedule appointments at the traveling resource center by calling toll-free (866) 697-0841 or dropping in on March 26-28 at the following location.
Four Points Hotel
5115 Hopyard Road
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 460-8800
The UC Office of the President would like to make a special appeal to employees who have not yet filed their state income tax return to take that opportunity to make a donation to the Breast Cancer Research Fund, which is administered by UC. Line 56 on the 2001 California Income Tax Return Form 540 allows for this donation to be made either through deduction from the tax refund or as a contribution to the tax bill.
The program spearheads research into the causes, prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer. Approximately $15 million has been raised each year.
Have the sniffles? Don’t let a good sneeze go to waste!
The most frequent cause of the common cold is the rhinovirus, which is spread from person to person either by direct contact or through inhalation of virus-containing aerosols. A group in the Indoor Environment Department of EETD (Regine Goth-Goldstein, Marion Russell and William Fisk) is now conducting a study to quantify the virus in aerosols in a room occupied by a person with a cold. Infection through aerosols was first demonstrated in an experiment performed in the 1980s.
The group is trying to recruit volunteers to help out with this important research. If you are coming down with a cold (runny nose and sneezing are indicators of rhinovirus) and you wish to participate, contact Goth-Goldstein at X5897 or Russell at X2915.
Volunteer spend two to three hours in a controlled office environment complete with Internet access, phone and radio, located in Building 70. They can work or relax while they sample the air. The time required for participation in the study can be charged to the account for this research project.
The researchers have found that in people with a cold, the viral load can be as much as 10 million viruses in a nostril. When an infected person sneezes or coughs they produce airborne particles with rhinovirus. The size of these aerosol droplets determines their range of transmission indoors and the effectiveness of intervention measures.
Knowledge gathered from this study could lead to improved measures for reducing disease transmission. The estimated annual cost of common respiratory infections in the U.S. is $70 billion.
All employees interested in learning about enrolling in the CalPERS long-term care insurance plan are invited to attend a brown-bag presentatation and question and answer session on Thursday, March 28 at 10 a.m. in Building 2, Room 100B. Long Term Care refers to the extended care needed due to a serious accident, chronic illness or the frailties of old age, and is not covered by the UC disability, health insurance or Medicare program.
The plan is open to all Lab employees, retirees, spouses, parents, parents-in-laws, and siblings 18 years and older.
To sign up send an e-mail to benefits@lbl.gov. For more information see UC Bencom’s website at http://www.ucop.edu/bencom.
SPRING DANCE GALA 2002
Starts at 6 p.m., International House
LONG-TERM CARE BROWNBAG
10 a.m., Bldg. 2-100B
SHOEMOBILE
7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., cafeteria parking lot
TRIPMOBILE
12 - 1 p.m., cafeteria parking lot
ECO FAIR
11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., cafeteria lawn
Send us your announcements
Announcements for the General Calendar and Bulletin Board page may be sent to MSFriedlander@lbl.gov. Seminar & Lectures items may be mailed to currents_ calendar@lbl.gov. You may also fax items to X6641 or mail them to Bldg. 65B. The deadline for the April 5 issue is 5 p.m. Monday, April 1.
CENTER FOR BEAM PHYSICS SEMINAR SERIES
A Compact Hadron Therapy Accelerator
Speaker: Bill Chu, Life Sciences Division
10:30 a.m., Bldg. 71, Room 264 (Albert Ghiorso Conference Room)
Refreshments at 10:20 a.m.
LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINAR
Trading Places at the Telomere: Recruitment of Multiple Complexes to Chromosome
Ends
Speaker: Vicki Lundblad, Baylor College of Medicine
4:00 p.m., Bldg. 66 auditorium
PHYSICS DIVISION RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING
The Neutrino Program at JHF
Speaker: Kam-Biu Luk, Berkeley Lab
4:00 p.m., Bldg. 50A, Room 5132
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS COLLOQUIUM
Trends in Nanoscience: Challenges and Opportunities
Speaker: Daniel Chemla, ALS director, UC Berkeley
4:30 p.m., 1 Le Conte Hall
LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINAR
PABC: A Novel Peptide Binding Domain from Poly(A) Binding Protein
Speaker: Kalle Gehring, McGill University
4:00 p.m., Bldg. 66 auditorium
NUCLEAR SCIENCE DIVISION COLLOQUIA
Towards the Quark-Gluon Plasma: Experiments with Ultra-Relativistic Nuclear
Collisions
Speaker: Peter Braun-Munzinger, GSI, Germany
11:00 a.m., Bldg. 50 auditorium
PHYSICS DIVSION RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING
Dark Energy and Dark Matter: Chicago, AAS and UCLA
Speaker: Eric Linder, Berkeley Lab
4:00 p.m., Bldg.. 50A, Room 5132
BIOSCIENCES DISTINGUISHED LECTURE
Positron Emissions Tomography in Endocrine Responsive Neoplasms
Speaker: Steven M. Larson, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New
York
4:00 p.m., Bldg. 66 auditorium
LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINAR
On the Role of Spectrin in Regulation of Integrin-Induced Signaling
Speaker: Joan E.B. Fox, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland
4:00 p.m., Bldg. 66 auditorium
|
Date |
Course |
Time |
Building |
||
|
4/1 |
EHS 52 |
Back Safety |
10:00 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/1 |
EHS 10 |
Introduction to EHS at LBNL |
1:00 – 3:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/3 |
EHS 116 |
First Aid |
8:30 – 12:00 |
48-109 |
|
|
4/5 |
EHS 20 |
ES&H for Supervisors |
10:00 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/5 |
EHS 60 |
Ergonomics for Computer Users |
2:00 – 3:30 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/9 |
EHS 10 |
Introduction to EHS at LBNL |
8:00 – 10:15 |
50 aud |
|
|
4/10 |
EHS 123 |
Adult CPR |
8:30 – 12:00 |
48-109 |
|
|
4/10 |
EHS 210 |
Hoist |
10:30 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/11 |
EHS 800 |
Occurrence Reporting |
9:00 – 11:00 |
48-109 |
|
|
4/11 |
EHS 260 |
Basic Electric Awareness |
1:30 – 3:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/16 |
EHS 348 |
Chemical Hygiene |
9:00 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/16 |
EHS 60 |
Ergonomics for Computer Users |
1:30 – 3:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/17 |
EHS 530 |
Fire Extinguisher |
10:00 – 11:30 |
48-109 |
|
|
4/17 |
EHS 210 |
Hoist |
10:30 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/17 |
EHS 61 |
Ergo Evaluator |
1:00 – 3:30 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/18 |
EHS 231 |
Compressed Gas |
9:00 – 11:30 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/18 |
EHS 154 |
Building Emergency Team Training |
9:00 – 11:00 |
48-109 |
|
|
4/18 |
EHS 280 |
Laser Safety |
1:00 – 4:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/18 |
EHS 135 |
Earthquake Safety |
1:30 – 2:30 |
48-109 |
|
|
4/19 |
EHS 275 |
Confined Space Hazards |
8:30 – 11:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/19 |
EHS 274 |
Confined Space-Retraining |
11:00 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/19 |
EHS 330 |
Lead Hazards Awareness |
1:00 – 2:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/19 |
EHS 277 |
Confined Space-Permit Writer |
2:00 – 3:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/22 |
EHS 62 |
MoveSMART |
8:30 – 11:30 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/22 |
EHS 62 |
MoveSMART |
1:00 – 4:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/23 |
EHS 62 |
MoveSMART |
8:30 – 11:30 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/23 |
EHS 62 |
MoveSMART |
1:00 – 4:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/24 |
EHS 62 |
MoveSMART |
8:30 – 11:30 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/24 |
EHS 66 |
MoveSMART Retraining |
1:00 – 2:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/24 |
EHS 66 |
MoveSMART Retraining |
2:00 – 3:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/25 |
EHS 400 |
Radiation-Fundamentals |
9:00 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/25 |
EHS 256 |
Lockout/Tagout |
1:30 – 3:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/26 |
EHS 432 |
Radiation-Lab Safety |
8:00 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/29 |
EHS 20 |
ES&H for Supervisors & Managers |
8:30 – 10:30 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/29 |
EHS 10 |
Intro to EHS at LBNL |
1:00 – 3:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/30 |
EHS 604 |
Hazardous Waste Generator |
9:30 – 11:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/30 |
EHS 622 |
Radioactive & Mixed Waste |
11:00 – 12:00 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/30 |
EHS 735/ 738/739 |
Biosafety/Bloodborne Pathogen |
1:30 – 2:45 |
51-201 |
|
|
4/30 |
EHS 730 |
Med/Biohazard Waste |
2:45 – 3:30 |
51-201 |
|
To enroll, contact Valarie Espinoza at VMEspinoza@lbl.gov or enroll via the web at https://hris.lbl.gov/self_service/training/. Preregistration is required for all courses except EHS 10. For a full, updated schedule, see http://www-ia1.lbl.gov/schedule/.
‘95 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE, white, 104K mi, pwr steer, at, ac, am/fm, recent smog check, $2,600/bo, Shutao, X4663, 524-5298
‘90 HONDA ACCORD, 4 dr, 5 spd, am/fm/cass/cd deck, ac, good cond, blk, 156K mi, $3,000, Steve, X5396, 559-8669
‘85 HONDA CIVIC hatch, 5 spd, 199K mi, red, am/ fm/cass, runs well, looks ok, 30 mpg, $800, Kathy, X6594, 530-1210
‘85 TOYOTA TERCEL, 120K mi, manual, new batt & breaks, runs well, recent somg check, $600/bo, Shutao, X4663, 524-5298
ALBANY, fully furn, elegant & quiet 2 bdrm/2bth lge condo (1,200 sq ft), avail after 4/1, many amenities incl pool & fitness center, 2+ garage parking spaces, gated, pub trans across the street, Geoffrey, 848-1830
CENTRAL BERKELEY, nice furn rooms, kitchen, laundry, TV, DSL, hardwd floors, linens, dishes, continental breakfast, walk to pub trans & shops, $950/ mo incl utils, $350/wk, Jin or Paul, 845-5959, jin. young@juno.com, Paul X7363
EL SOBRANTE, 2 unfurn bdrms avail in 3 bdrm house, owner has border collie mix, common kitchen, 1 bth, liv rm, w&d, patio, quiet house, no smoking, avail April 1, $500/mo + 1/3 util, $500 dep/bdrm, Karen, X 4012, KSEdwards @lbl.gov
NORTH OAKLAND, temp sublet thru 4/30, furn room in 2-bdrm apt, walk to BART, 25 min walk to campus, no pets/smoking, male pref, prorated at $500/mo incl util (except long distance) + $150 dep, David, X7083, dcmays@lbl.gov
WALNUT CREEK, 3 bdrm/ 2 bth single family home, lge garden, big garage w/ workshop space, close to freeway, walk to BART & shops, wired for DSL, avail 5/1 for 12-24 mo, no pets, $1750/mo, Bob, X6243, (925) 933 7536, RARimmer@lbl.gov
KENSINGTON FAMILY of 4 looking to housesit or rent for the summer while house is being remodeled, no pets, Barbara or Tom, 524-7538, tombeach@pacbell.net
VISITING FRENCH GRAD STUDENT (male) seeks furn 1 bdrm or shared 2 bdrm close to Lab, staying for 6 mos starting mid-March, Thomas, tgibaud@ caramail.com
17" ALBA CYCLONE RIMS w/ Nitto tires, set of 4, chrome w/ locks, like new, $1,500/bo, Frank, X7368, 965-9375
7’ CABOVER CAMPER, 4 corner jacks, $600; 2 horse Circle J trailer, gold/tan, ramp, $1,400; Circle Y 14” saddle, silver, $300, 2 others, Charlotte, 223-4506
CHIHUAHUAS, long hair male, born 1/21, blk&wht, $200, Charlotte, 223-4506
CRIB, CHANGING TABLE, Child Craft, lt solid oak, very nice, incl mattress, $165/bo for both; toddler bed, Child Craft solid wood, $45/bo, all for $200, can email pictures, Lisa, 533-8765, Norm, X4867
DSL MODEM, efficient networks, Speedstream 3060, int ADSL modem for PCI slot, orig box, software & manual incl, uses PpoA protocol and was compatible with my Win98 system on Pac Bell's network when I used it 1 yr ago, $20/bo, Toby, 495-2726, 981-0602
GLASS AQUARIUM, 15 gal on 24" solid pine stand w/ full accessories: hood, power filter, heater, airpump, syphon vac, gravel, ornaments, used 1 yr, exc cond, paid $200, sell $60/bo; vacuum cleaner, Eureka upright, top-of-the-line Smartvac, brand new in box, paid $160, $95/bo, Dave, X4506
GREEN SOFA & loveseat, exc cond, $300 for both, will email pic on request, Dawn, x7307, (925) 252-9212
SKIS, Elan FAS 190cm w/ Tyrolia 420 bindings $50; Rossignol 180 cm w/ Salomon 447 bindings, $50; Dolomite boots, men’s size 10, $25, Rick, X7846, 482-5259
VIOLIN, size 3/4, $150; 2 deck chaise lounges w/ cushions & wheels, deck table, deck umbrella w/ mount, $150; desk w/ 2 drawers/2 files, $30; twin bed, complete set, $80; portable heater, queen bed frame, queen headboard w/ storage, microwave stand w/ wheels, storage cabinet, fish tank w/ pump/heater, photos avail, Ming, X5616, 530-0462
LOVESEAT sofabed or small sofabed, Suzanne, X7564
TAHOE, Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, luxurious guestroom, 5 nights for 2, $650 (incl tax)/bo, avail through 6/6 (excluding 2/14-17), Barbara, X7367, 652-7044
KIHEI, MAUI, 1 bdrm condo, across the street from Kam 2 beach (best beach on Maui), fully equipped, view the ocean/Haleakela, $400 + 12% Hawaii hotel tax ($450/wk), Fred or Shar 981-2073 days, 523-4150 eves
PARIS, FRANCE, near Eiffel Tower, furn elegant sunny 2 bdrm/1bth apt, avail for sabbatical and/or vacation, year-round by week/month, Geoffrey, 848-1830
SANTORINI, GREECE, package for 2, suite, 5 nights, breakfast & dinner, gorgeous hotel, avail through 10/30, $750/bo, Barbara, 652-7044
FREE PUPPY, 6 mo old, mother was a Lab, vaccinated & licensed for 1 yr, cute, friendly & smart, looking for a nice new home, Aurora, X4783, 799-2323
Collapsible pouring spout for KitchenAid mixer, 5 qt model, Kathy, X4931
LOST: Pair of tickets for a bus trip to Reno on 4/6, tickets are on a manifest & can be used only by orig purchaser, Jerry, X4165 or X2280
Ads are accepted only from LBNL employees, retirees, and onsite DOE personnel. Only items of your own personal property may be offered for sale.
Submissions must include name, affiliation, extension, and home phone number. Ads must be submitted in writing via e-mail (fleamarket@lbl.gov), fax (X6641), or delivered/mailed to Bldg. 65B.
Ads run one week only unless resubmitted, and are repeated only as space permits. They may not be retracted once submitted for publication.
The deadline for the April 5, 2002 issue is Thursday, March 28.
