October
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Lab Scientists Share In Big NIH Grant
Lab Scientists Share In Big NIH GrantBy Lynn Yarris
Berkeley Lab scientists have been selected to receive nearly $14 million of the $135 million being awarded to 11 different projects by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for the purpose of establishing "Programs for Genomic Applications" (PGAs) for heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders. The PGA at Berkeley Lab is a multiple grant award that will be coordinated by Edward Rubin of the Life Sciences Division. It is aimed at "comparative genomic analysis of cardiovascular gene regulation." A member agency of the National Institutes of Health, the NHLBI is making these PGA grants the centerpiece of an initiative it calls the "most ambitious, wide-ranging effort to-date" for applying the knowledge gained from the Human Genome Project to medical research. Each PGA is approved for a four-year period, starting in FY 2000, and offers a possible renewal for an additional four-year period. Said NHLBI Director Claude Lenfant in announcing the PGA, "As the world begins to benefit from the culmination of work spearheaded by the Human Genome Project, we hope that this NHLBI genomics initiative will provide the impetus to stir our creativity and thereby bring new light and new hope to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders." While the other PGAs being funded by this NHLBI initiative will focus on DNA sequences that code for genes, the Berkeley Lab grants will focus on DNA sequences that regulate gene expression. As Rubin and his research group demonstrated in earlier work on transgenic mice, comparative analysis techniques used to identify gene-coding DNA sequences can also be used to identify the sequences that control whether and when genes are activated. (See Currents, April 21, 2000). Under the new NHLBI grants, Berkeley Lab researchers will study DNA sequences that regulate genes associated with the heart and blood vessels.
"Common cardiovascular system disorders are frequently the result of environmental factors coupled with the actions of several genes that together contribute to determining individual susceptibility," says Rubin. "An important means by which individual genes are believed to contribute to these disorders is through alterations in their temporal or quantitative expression." Using a comparative genomic approach, Berkeley Lab researchers will first seek to identify all the noncoding gene regulatory elements within mouse and human genomes that are important to cardiovascular research. They will then seek to characterize the specific functions of these elements. The work will involve utilizing existing mouse and human genome databases and filling in any missing data with original mapping and sequencing efforts; building an extensively annotated cardiovascular comparative genomic database (CVCGD) that will be web-accessible and user-friendly for medical resear-chers; using the CVCGD for basic biological studies as part of Berkeley Lab's PGA; and training cardiovascular researchers on the use of the CVCGD and other new genomic databases and tools.
The PGA awarded to Berkeley Lab consists of six components, each of which is a separate grant with its own principal investigator even though the research will be done cooperatively. These components are: mapping and sequencing, led by Jan-Feng Cheng of the Life Sciences Division (LSD); informatics led by Inna Dubchak of NERSC; expression profiling led by Michael Eisen of LSD; education and training led by Sylvia Spengler of LSD; and two programs led by Rubin in addition to his coordination duties. One of Rubin's programs will involve the use of transgenic mice to identify noncoding sequences that have been conserved in mice and humans through millions of years. The other program will investigate aberrations in these conserved noncoding DNA sequences -- known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs -- to determine whether they play an important role in cardiovascular disorders. This second program will be coordinated with research at the genome center at Stanford University and will also include a clinical study led by LSD heart specialist Ron Krauss. "The components of our PGA are all connected to understanding the function of the regulatory elements that are embedded in the noncoding sequences of a genome," says Rubin. "Right now we know very little about these regulatory elements, but over this project's four-year duration, we are planning to analyze 200 human and 200 mouse orthologous genomic intervals that contain important cardiovascular genes. Comparing sequence analysis between the two species will give us a window into those regions of the genome that have been conserved largely through their role in gene regulation." Approximately 95 percent of the sequences in the human genome do not code for genes. Once labeled as "junk DNA," it has long been known that some of these sequences have important duties including the regulation of genetic expression. It was also suspected that these no-coding sequences have been conserved between related species such as mice and humans, just like seque-nces that code for genes. Proof came last April when a paper in the journal Science, co-authored by Rubin, described a study in which cross-species sequence analysis followed by in-depth functional analysis was used to identify a stretch of 401 base pairs, dubbed "CNS-1," that regulates the activation of three interleukin genes -- IL-4, IL-13 and IL-5. "What was unique about our study is that we were led to the interleukin regulatory element CNS-1 entirely by computational analysis of mouse and human sequences," says Rubin. "We demonstrated that cross-species sequence analysis can be a successful strategy of interpreting the sequence information coming from the various genome programs into meaningful biology."
Dresselhaus Visits for On-Site ReviewBy Ron Kolb
On her first visit to Berkeley Lab for the annual on-site review, Mildred Dresselhaus, the new director of the Department of Energy's Office of Science, was briefed on the Laboratory's latest programs, initiatives, and plans for the future. Apparently she liked what she heard. "It was a very good day," said the 69-year-old physicist after almost 12 hours of meetings, presentations and tours. "We enjoyed the wonderful science and the great views." What she saw and heard were the Laboratory's visions for future program development, its challenges with infrastructure and the community, and its hopes for strengthening the DOE scientific and education missions in the coming years. She also visited with some of the Lab's most promising young scientists, saying, "I commend you on the people you are attracting." Laboratory Director Charles Shank began the tutorial with a description of a venerable institution whose heritage includes teams of people working across disciplines to solve complex problems of scale. "We operate large user facilities, and we are problem-driven rather than discipline-driven," he told her, distinguishing the laboratory environment from the one Dresselhaus has inhabited at MIT. He called this team approach to science the "center of gravity" for Lab programs. Then Shank noted what he called "disturbing trends" in Washington, in particular a decade of budgetary attrition in the core fundamental science programs which "impairs our ability to attack complex problems." As he emphasized the importance of healthy support for basic energy sciences, high energy and nuclear physics, and biological and environmental research, Dresselhaus responded, "We're trying to accommodate this action; it's very important on the Hill." The Director reviewed the Laboratory's "Vision 2010" and the areas in which he feels the Lab can make significant contributions to science -- new materials and nanoscience, understanding the universe, the new biology, energy sources and impacts, and integrated computation and computing. For each of those thrusts, division leaders later provided details and project examples. A nanoscience initiative received special attention, and Dresselhaus, an award-winning solid state physicist known for her work with fullerenes and carbon nanotubes, was particularly engaged. Berkeley Lab's goal is a "molecular foundry," with modern laboratories and facilities to design, synthesize and assemble nanocrystals for use in electronics, catalysis, biology and bioceramics, and instrumentation. "It will take at least two decades for nanotechnology to become a reality," said Daniel Chemla, division director for the Advanced Light Source and Materials Sciences. "Current materials will have to continue to fuel the economy. But atomically designed materials will eventually result in killer applications in many fields." The molecular foundry as conceived would be a major building next to the ALS, where much of the imaging and analysis will take place. Chemla was followed by researchers Paul Alivisatos (nanocrystals), Alex Zettl (nanostructures) and Jean Frechet (dendrimers), who discussed their work and the state of their respective fields. The scientific presentations concluded with Associate Laboratory Director Bill McCurdy addressing high performance computing and plans for NERSC; Genomics Division Director Trevor Haw-kins addressing the post-sequencing future of data generation and analysis; and Astrophysicist Saul Perlmutter reviewing the ambitious SuperNova Acceleration Probe (SNAP) proposal to study dark energy and the accelerating universe from a satellite in space. David McGraw, director of EH&S and Community Relations, told Dresselhaus and her DOE companions about the Laboratory's efforts at community partnerships and interactions. He strongly urged more departmental support for educational outreach activities, an effort which Dresselhaus, a former teacher, conceded was for her "a lifetime obligation." Deputy Director Klaus Berkner concluded with a discussion of Laboratory stewardship, which included an appeal for help in building up Berkeley Lab's aging infrastructure and establishing a timeline and commitment for cleanup and reuse of the decommissioned Bevatron. Robert Shelton, UC Vice President for Research, said he brought a strong message on behalf of UC President Richard Atkinson about the importance of Berkeley Lab to the University. "We have top scholars from all the campuses coming here," he told Dresselhaus, "and we take management of this laboratory very seriously. It is a real asset to us." "Of all the universities that participate as contractors [in the DOE]," she replied, "the UC system has the closest interactions with the labs as a university component. You are a model for us. We are proud of that." During the lunch hour Dresselhaus enjoyed brief tours of the ALS and the Functional Genomics program. Contributing to the discussions were Lou Ferminello, Z. Q. Qiu, David Attwood, Thomas Earnest, Li-Wei Hung, and Mhairi Donohoe at the ALS; and Mina Bissell, Steve Derenzo, Derek Yegian, and Derek Symula at Bldg. 84. On Wednesday, Oct. 11, Dresselhaus kicked off her brief but busy visit to the Bay Area with an appearance at DOE Day in Oakland, where she took questions from school children on the plaza of the Federal Building. Later she gave an afternoon seminar at the UC Berkeley campus on the topic of bismuth nanowires.
Braving the Hill: Runaround 2000
XXIII Annual Berkeley Lab RunaroundA beautiful autumn day -- mild and clear, with blue sky views stretching all the way to the bay -- was the setting for the 23rd annual Berkeley Lab Runaround. Five hundred and ninety people participated in the 3 kilometer race -- some running and some walking, but all getting a workout as they negotiated the cruel elevations of the course. New winners were crowned this year in both the male and female categories -- both of them from the Environmental Energy Technologies Division. Brett Singer, second last year, won this year with a time of 10:33. "The best part of the race is seeing people make a big push at the end," he said.
For Singer, a runner more familiar with marathons and 12 K's, the Runaround is the only short distance race he runs. A postdoc currently applying for a position as a scientist, Singer jokes that this win is bound to help his chances so that he can uphold "the pride of the division." And Osborn's win no doubt solidifies that divisional pride. While not a runner, the research assistant plays soccer in a recreation league and bikes to work every day. "Riding my bike around the Lab has really gotten me used to the hills," she says. A list of winners and times, broken down by age group, will be posted on the Runaround website at http://cfi.lbl.gov/~derenzo/runaround/. Results will be available after Oct. 30. -- Lisa Gonzales
Open Enrollment StartsThe annual Open Enrollment Month begins on Wednesday, Nov. 1 and runs through Thursday, Nov. 30, giving employees the opportunity to review current selections for their coverage and make changes for the upcoming year. This is a good time for everyone to review medical and dental insurance, as well as other benefits, such as disability insurance, life insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, in order to ensure that their current coverage is adequate to meet their and their families' needs. (You may refer to your pay stub for coverage amounts). Career and limited career employees can use the Open Enrollment Action (Phone) Line to make Open Enrollment changes. All transactions must be completed by midnight (PST) on Nov. 30. Core employees must use forms to make their changes, which must be received by the Benefits Office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 30. The Open Enrollment changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2001. The UC Human Resources and the Lab's Benefits Office will mail out Open Enrollment information packages the last week of October. The package will contain information regarding plan premiums for the year 2001, changes in plan benefits, and instructions on how to make changes to current plan selections using the Open Enrollment Action (Phone) Line. Informational EventsThe Benefits offices of UC and Berkeley Lab will host several events intended to help employees make informed decision regarding their Open Enrollment options.
Open Enrollment Question and Answer Session
Benefits Department representatives will review the Open Enrollment package contents and answer questions regarding the Open Enrollment process.
Annuitant (Retiree) Open Enrollment Vendor Fair
Health plan representatives will meet with annuitants/retirees and answer questions regarding the UC Annuitant Group Insurance plans. UC Berkeley/LBNL Employees Open Enrollment Vendor Fair
Health plan representatives will answer questions regarding UC group insurance plans. The fair is open to both UC Berkeley and Berkeley Lab staff. LBNL Employees Open Enrollment Vendor Fair
Health plan and LBNL Benefits representatives will answer questions regarding UC group insurance plans. Complimentary blood pressure screenings, body fat screenings and head/neck massages will be offered. Other resources recommended by the Benefits Office include:
The Benefits Office encourages everyone to take full advantage of these resources when considering changes during Open Enrollment Month. This opportunity comes only once a year, so explore your options now.
Your Additional Benefits BrownbagIn order to provide more information on these and other benefits available through UC, the Benefits Office will host a brownbag lunch on "Your Additional Benefits" on Oct. 31 from 11:30 to 1 p.m. in Perseverance Hall. Representatives from organizations that offer discounts to Lab employees will participate.
Federal Budget Update: Final DeliberationsBy Reid Edwards At press time, the Congressional budget process is finally concluding, weeks after the Oct. 1 start of the 2001 fiscal year. As the debate has moved from reducing federal spending and cutting the deficit to finding the best way to handle the increasing budget surplus, the lack of a consensus has led to delays in the budget process and continuing resolutions designed to keep the federal government from shutting its doors. On Oct. 11, President Clinton signed into law the Interior Appropriations Bill. Its provisions include funds for energy-efficiency and fossil energy programs within the DOE. While not providing all of the increases proposed by the Administration, the bill increases most of the programs in which Berkeley Lab participates. The fossil energy R&D budget goes up by $40 million (from $393 million to $433 million) and the energy conservation program is increased by $95 million (from $720 million to $815 million). The Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which contains the rest of DOE's funding, is under final deliberations before being sent to the President for signature. A controversy surrounding a proposed Army Corps of Engineers program has delayed final action, and was a major factor in the President's veto of an earlier version of this legislation. As indicated in the Oct. 6 issue of Currents, the overall FY 2001 budget for DOE and its Office of Science turned out quite favorably. A number of additional items included in the legislation should also be noted. Among them: the legislation deals with the newly controversial issue of travel. In the FY 2000 budget, Congress reacted to concerns over perceived excess travel by laboratory staff by capping travel by all labs at $150 million. This year, Congress increased the cap to $175 million and also provided an additional $10 million to be administered by DOE's chief financial officer and to be used for "emergency travel requirements." Another perennial Congressional concern is the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program. Last year, Congressional concern led to a reduction in the maximum allowable level at each laboratory from six to four percent of the laboratories' budget. This reduction did not affect Berkeley Lab, as our LDRD program is under four percent. It also prohibited using funds from the Environmental Management program for LDRD. This year, Congress restored the program to the previous six percent level. The bill also provided a two percent level for the nuclear weapons production plants and exempted travel funded through the FY 2001 LDRD program from the travel cap. There was a significant increase in DOE's Transmission Reliability program, which went from $4.5 million in FY 2000 to $9 million this year. Berkeley Lab is leading a major effort involving other national laboratories, universities and private companies to look at the nation's electrical transmission system in a world of increasing power deregulation. The Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS) is a growing program funded through this DOE program and the California Energy Commission. Science education has been an important program at Berkeley Lab for many years. Unfortunately, budget reductions over the last six years have dramatically reduced the level of effort by the Lab's Center for Science and Engineering Education (CSEE). This trend may have been turned around with an agreement to provide $4.5 million of the $6.5 million requested by the Office of Science for its national effort. Finally -- on an unfortunately down note -- the DOE budget agreement provides for two general reductions for the Office of Science. These are cuts made to the bottom line of the Office's budget, and are expected to be distributed across the board and "not applied disproportionately against any program, project or activity." The first is a general reduction of $34 million; the second is a reduction of $38 million specifically to fund a consolidated and centralized safeguards and security effort in the Office of Science. With the end of the FY 2001 debate, eyes are already turning to next year's budget, which will be proposed early next year. The debate will take place under a new administration, new leadership of the House Science Committee which authorizes DOE's civilian research programs, and the House appropriations subcommittees, which allocate DOE's funds. These changes will make for an interesting and perhaps even more contentious budget debate next year.
Gene Conference on Biotech Boom
Nobel Prizes Go to Three UC Professors
UC Berkeley economics professor Daniel L. McFadden is the corecipient of this year's Nobel Prize for economics. He shares the honor with James J. Heckman of the University of Chicago. McFadden is the E. Morris Cox Professor of Economics in the College of Letters & Science and director of the Econometrics Laboratory. McFadden and Heckman's work explores issues such as how people make basic lifestyle choices about where to live, how to travel and what to buy. In congratulating McFadden, UC President Richard C. Atkinson said, "His economic models have proven extremely helpful in developing a broad range of programs and policies, from employment and housing to transportation and communication systems. This award is a great personal honor for Professor McFadden and a tribute to the world-class caliber of the University of California's faculty." Also adding to the University's roll of Nobel laureates are two UC Santa Barbara professors. Physics professor Alan J. Heeger, along with two other researchers, shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry. And physics professor Herbert Kroemer and two other researchers received the Nobel Prize in physics. University of California researchers have won 43 Nobel Prizes since 1939, 17 of them from UC Berkeley. Berkeley Lab scientists have won nine.
New DOE Anti-Discrimination ActionsOn Oct. 9, Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson announced five new measures intended to expand on the DOE's efforts to combat racial profiling and discrimination in the DOE complex. "We have made progress addressing concerns of racial profiling, but more needs to be done," Richardson said. The new actions will direct the Inspector General to investigate whether there has been any profiling of the DOE federal or contractor work force; make compliance with the revised diversity plan a factor in determining the fee earned by contractors; revise contractor diversity plans to address profiling based on race and national origin; expand the staff of the ombudsman (a position created this year); and develop a plan to attract and retain a diverse work force at DOE labs. Earlier this year, the Task Force Against Racial Profiling made policy recommendations which included the appointment of a national ombudsman, holding a department-wide educational "stand-down," conducting a review of recruitment/retention efforts, and devising better evaluation of diversity management activities in contracts.
Lab, CUE Settle Contract Issues; Await Systemwide Agreement for ImplementationNegotiators for Berkeley Lab and for the Coalition of University Employees, representing approximately 235 clerical workers at the Laboratory, have reached a tentative agreement which, if approved, will resolve a two-year contract dispute over compensation issues. The proposal will become part of the University-wide contract package for CUE-represented employees, and will take effect once settlement is reached on that contract. Under the terms of the agreement, classification ranges for clerical employees at the Lab will increase by 4% for FY 2000 (effective Oct. 1, 1999) and 5% for FY 2001 (beginning Oct. 1, 2000). Within a merit pay pool of 4% for FY 2000, employees who received a "meets expectations" (M) evaluation will get at least a 3% pay increase; those receiving an "exceeds expectations" (E) will get at least 3.5%; and those receiving an "outstanding" (O) will get at least 4%. For FY 2001, a merit pay pool of 5% will include at least a 4% pay increase for employees who receive an M, at least 4.5% for those receiving an E, and at least 5% for those receiving an O. Equity adjustments based on longevity are also included in the proposed settlement. Clerical employees who have been at the lab from five to nine years and who have received satisfactory evaluations will be assured of pay at least at the midpoint of their salary ranges. Employees who have provided satisfactory service for over 10 years will be paid at least at the 75th percentile of the third quartile of their classification. A pool of funds is assured for posted promotions and reclassifications during both fiscal years. It is also agreed that bargaining unit employees at the Laboratory will receive first consideration for promotion for new positions or vacancies in the clerical and allied services bargaining unit. "I am gratified that both parties in this negotiation were able to come to agreement on an equitable settlement," said Laboratory Director Charles Shank. "I believe this agreement allows for fair and appropriate compensation for our hard-working staff and provides long-overdue increases that will maintain our competitive status in the marketplace. At the same time, it recognizes the value of our merit-based compensation process and appropriately rewards our highest achievers." Berkeley Lab also committed in the agreement to offer skills training to bargaining unit employees to enhance current job skills and for increased promotional opportunities. The Laboratory and the union will meet and discuss the program and specific training opportunities to be offered. University of California negotiations with CUE over a contract for about 18,000 clerical employees in the system, including Berkeley Lab, are continuing. Updates on systemwide negotiations between UC and CUE can be found at http://www.ucop.edu/humres/labor/cxhome.html.
Claude Lyneis Wins Tom Bonner PrizeBy Paul Preuss
Claude Lyneis of the Nuclear Science Division, director of the 88-Inch Cyclotron, has been awarded the American Physical Society's prestigious Tom W. Bonner Prize, established in 1964 "to recognize and encourage outstanding experimental research in nuclear physics." The prize, to be awarded at the annual APS meeting next April, is shared with Richard Geller of the Institut de Science Nucleaire, Grenoble, France, and cites Geller and Lyneis's "leadership in conceiving and developing electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources." "ECR sources had a major impact in making heavy-ion physics possible," says Lyneis. "They are why the 88-Inch Cyclotron is going strong today." In an ECR ion source, cycling electrons are boosted to high energy inside a plasma chamber, a "magnetic bottle" where they form a dense cloud that strips multiple electrons from atoms by collision; eventually the highly charged ions are released and accelerated to form intense beams. The 88-Inch Cyclotron's upgraded advanced ECR source (AECR-U) produces record charge states of very heavy ions -- including uranium stripped of 60 electrons -- and record currents of many lighter ions. Lyneis says the first thing he did on learning of the Bonner award was to send Geller congratulations. "Richard Geller is the inventor of the ECR source, the father of the field and still active in it." For his part, Lyneis says he is "probably the North American expert," having built the first ECR in the United States, which began operating in 1985 at the 88-Inch Cyclotron. Berkeley Lab still leads the US in ECR source development, with the AECR-U as its current workhorse and the high-capacity VENUS superconducting ECR source scheduled to come on line next year. The ECR designs of Lyneis and his colleagues have been adopted by leading nuclear science facilities in the U.S. and Europe. Lyneis says that, for many ions, ECR performance has "improved a thousand times since the principle was demonstrated in 1977." Geller got the idea by observing the production of high-charge-state ions in experimental magnetic-containment fusion devices, considered a drain on energy at the time. Recognizing that multiply charged ions were valuable in their own right, he persisted until he built the first practical ECR source. The result, says the citation that accompanies the Bonner prize, is that ECR sources "have opened a new era in heavy ion studies of nuclear phenomena." The prize is primarily intended to recognize the development of "a method, technique, or device that significantly contributes to nuclear physics research;" for this reason, Lyneis says, "the ECR ion source really matches this particular award." The recipients will receive certificates and share $5,000. The 88-Inch Cyclotron is a U.S. Department of Energy national user facility, open to researchers from around the world. For more about the 88-Inch Cyclotron's ECRs, see ecrgroup.lbl.gov and http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/adv-ion-source.html.
Nogales Awarded Microscopy Medal
Biophysicist Eva Nogales of the Life Sciences Division was awarded the Year 2000 Burton Medal by the Microscopy Society of America (MSA). She is shown here with her former mentor and current MSA president, Ken Downing. Nogales holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division and UC Berkeley's Molecular and Cell Biology Department. She was on the Lab team that completed the first three-dimensional atomic model of tubulin -- a highly versatile molecule which, among other functions, enables a cell to undergo mitosis. The medal is MSA's major award, recognizing major contributions to the field of microscopy and microanalysis by scientists who are under 40 years of age. For more information on the MSA and its awards see www.msa.microscopy.com/ MSADocs/MSAAwards.html.
Bulletin BoardPower OutagesSaturday, Oct. 21 A power outage is planned for tomorrow for switchgear and building systems maintenance. The power will be turned off to Bldgs. 2, 2A, 29, 29A, 29B, 29C, and 29D starting at approximately 6 a.m. until approximately 6 p.m. For additional information contact George Ames at X6837 or X6023. Saturday, Oct. 28 Another power outage is scheduled for Oct. 28 to facilitate construction activities. The power will be turned off for two days in the Bldg. 71 complex from approximately 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday. And in the Bldg. 90 complex the power will be turned off for one day, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. This outage is necessary to facilitate connection of new feeders from the new Unit Substation 514 at Bldg. 71. For more information contact Chuck Taberski at X6076 or Mahesh Gupta, X5220.
Self-Service Parking Application
Starting Monday, Oct. 23 through Friday, Oct. 27, the Site Access Office will assist employees who do not have access to a computer with their parking permit applications in the cafeteria lobby from 12 to 1 p.m. Parking permits will be reissued in November. All career employees must review and update their vehicle information. Those with secure web access can complete the form at https://hris.lbl.gov/self_service/parking/index.html. The deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Month-Long Activities Celebrate Native American Heritage
During the month of November, Berkeley Lab's Latino and Native American Association (LANA) will be hosting a number of events in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. These include: Film Screening and Discussion: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 12 p.m., Bldg. 50 auditorium "Follow Me Home" explores the issues of race and identity by means of a defiant, humorous, and poetic tale about four artists and their journey. The film weaves together traditions of Native American, African and Latin cultures. The screening will be followed by a question and answer session with award winning writer and director Peter Bratt -- himself of South American Indian ancestry. The film earned Bratt the best director award at the 1996 American Indian Film Festival and was also an official selection at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival. Speakers Forum: Nov. 16, 12 p.m. Bldg. 50 auditorium The cofounders of Indian People Organizing for Change (IPOC), a grass roots organization committed to building a stronger, more united Indian community, will be on hand to discuss the group's recent community service activities and their plans for the future. IPOC provides help with housing, health care, elder care, employment, and educational services to the Native American community in the Bay area. Native American Culture Display: Nov. 1 - 30, cafeteria lobby A wide array of Native American cultural items, including books and artwork, will be on display at the cafeteria through the month of November. For more information contact LANA chair Claudia Quezada at CQuezada@lbl.gov or X2828.
NERSC Move to Oakland Facility to Block Access, Parking on West Side of Bldgs. 50, 70
Beginning Friday, Oct. 27, Computing Sciences will move the bulk of NERSC's hardware off the Hill to the new Oakland Scientific Facility in downtown Oakland, resulting in three days of blocked access and parking. To ensure unimpaired access to the Bldg. 50B lower loading area for the two 70-foot moving trucks, forklifts and other moving equipment, the service road leading to Bldgs. 50B, 50E, 50F and the Bldg. 70A loading dock and lower parking area will be blocked to traffic Friday to Sunday, Oct. 27-29. Employees who usually park in that area will need to find alternative parking arrangements for those days. For more information contact Martin Dooly at MKDooly@lbl.gov.
Scoping Meeting for Long Range Development Plan
Members of the general public will get a chance to comment on the scope and content of environmental review for Berkeley Lab's forthcoming Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) at a meeting next Thursday, Oct. 26, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center (1901 Hearst Street). The last time the Laboratory prepared a broad plan projecting growth and land use was in 1987. Since then, says Laura Chen, the Lab's chief facilities planner, "we've had some major changes in research areas, plus we've added 66 acres" to the site. For example, the Bevalac has long since been decommissioned, and major initiatives in computing sciences and genomics have been added. Therefore, she said, with UC Berkeley developing its New Century Plan and the city of Berkeley its General Plan, this is a good time to take stock of current and future programs and relate that to a fresh planning vision that will guide development of the site. The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that accompanies such planning efforts is an important and legally required document. It will address such topics as potential impacts of the Laboratory's growth as set out in the LRDP, mitigation measures to reduce impacts, and project alternatives. The public has 30 days to comment on the scope of the EIR, either by letter or in person at the public scoping meeting. The entire LRDP-EIR process is expected to last two years, culminating in a document for UC Regents' approval. The planning effort is designed to answer some key questions, Chen says, such as how much the Laboratory will grow by 2022 (a 20-year timeframe); how much of the growth will be onsite, what new growth in programs and facilities is anticipated; and what major changes in operations can be expected. Such an exercise "links site development to programs and embodies the vision and goals of the lab," said Facilities Planner Rich McClure. "It provides population projections and a land use map for the Regents." McClure said that two analyses are underway as part of LRDP development -- one that looks at opportunities for new areas of research and redevelopment and another studying site constraints for new facilities. He noted, however, that this process will not assess individual projects and programs, but will establish a general blueprint for growth and land use. Pending completion of the planning process, the Lab has developed some general parameters for the plan. For example, Lab population growth is expected to remain near the historic rate of 1.5 percent per year, which would mean a population of 5,500 by the year 2022. Space needs are expected to increase at about the same rate as population as scientific programs attract new initiatives. The LRDP will likely emphasize that most future development will take place in existing developed areas, meaning current structures will be rehabilitated or replaced. The project EIR, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will assess the impacts of this projected growth and of the activities themselves, said Jeff Philliber, the Lab's EIR coordinator. He added that the EIR will also include analysis of project alternatives, cumulative effects and other considerations. Among the environmental resource areas that will be assessed in the EIR are: land use plans and policies; geology, soils and seismicity; hydrology and water quality; biological resources; historic and archeological resources; visual quality; population, employment and housing; traffic, circulation and parking; air quality; noise; public services; utilities and energy; and hazardous materials. A copy of the Notice of Preparation for the EIR, which includes a project description and a checklist of potential environmental impacts, can be acquired by calling Philliber at X5257.
Lab Life
Retirement Lunch for Glenn Garabedian
A retirement party is being organized for Glenn Garabedian of E&HS, who will retire on Oct. 24 after 42 years at the Lab. Friends and colleagues are invited to salute Glenn at H's Lordship's restaurant on Friday, Nov. 17 at noon. The cost for the event is $26, which includes buffet lunch, gratuity and gift. To attend contact Jeanne Gerstle at X5258.
Marie Alberti Retires
After 41 years of service at Berkeley Lab, Marie Alberti of the Physical Biosciences Division retired on Oct. 2. A retirement luncheon was held in her honor at H's Lordship's restaurant on Oct. 10. Alberti started her Lab career in 1959, conducting research in brain biochemistry and behavior. In 1983 she joined John Hearst's group and was instrumental in the DNA sequencing of more than 45,000 bases from Rhodobacter capsulatus. Over the last two years she has worked with Adam Arkin in studying yeast circuitry. Throughout most of her career Alberti has also had a strong influence in the management of safety in her division, where she served on the Safety Review Committee, the PBD Safety Planning team, and the PBD Safety Committee. She now looks forward to spending more time in her garden, visiting her granddaughter, and traveling with her husband Ray.
SHARES Charity Fair
A representative from the Berkeley Public Education Foundation describes her organization's services during the SHARES Fair held at the cafeteria during the Runaround. Sixteen organizations participating in Berkeley Lab's SHARES charity giving campaign took part in the event. A second SHARES fair was held at the Lab's downtown location (Bldg. 937) on Oct. 17. Representatives from donor federations of the United Way of the Bay Area, Community Health Charities, Earth Share of California, and the Bay Area Black United Fund were present to provide information, as were members of some of the 18 local charitable agencies chosen by SHARES for their special compatibility with Berkeley Lab's missions in science and education. For more information on the SHARES campaign, see the Oct. 6 issue of Currents. A list of the charities served by SHARES can be found at http://www.lbl.gov/shares/.
CalendarGeneral InterestTHURS., OCT. 26SCOPING MEETING FOR LONG RANGE DEVELOPMENT PLAN6:30 - 9 p.m., North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Street FRI., OCT. 27RETIREMENT IN VIEW12 p.m., Bldg. 66 auditorium To sign up call Fidelity Investments at 1-800-642-7131. TUES., OCT. 31YOUR ADDITIONAL BENEFITS11:30 - 1 p.m., Perseverance Hall WED., NOV. 1START OF OPEN ENROLLMENTNov. 1 - 30 Open Enrollement THURS., NOV. 2SHOEMOBILE7:30 - 3:30, cafeteria parking lot
TRIPMOBILE
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 mailto:currents_calendar@lbl.gov. You may also fax items to X6641 or mail them to Bldg. 65B. The deadline for the Nov. 3 issue is 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30
Seminars & LecturesMON., OCT. 23PHYSICS DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUMThe First Year of Physics with the BaBar CP Violation Experiment Speaker: Robert Jacobsen, UC Berkeley 4:30 p.m., 1 LeConte Hall TUES., OCT. 24LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION SEMINARCryo-EM Imaging: Structural Biology and the Next Dimension of Complexity Speaker: Phoebe L. Stewart, UCLA 4 p.m., Bldg. 84-318; Refreshments precede seminar. THURS., OCT. 26SURFACE SCIENCE AND CATALYSIS SCIENCE SEMINARWater Confined: SFG of the Interface, IR and Raman of Clusters Speaker: M. J. Shultz, Tufts University 1:30 p.m., Bldg. 66 auditorium
PHYSICS DIVISON RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING MON., OCT. 30PHYSICS DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUMAttacking the Cosmological Constant Problem Speaker: Nima Arkani-Hamed, UC Berkeley 4:30 p.m., 1 LeConte Hall TUES., OCT. 31CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGYVadose Zone Microbiology Speaker: Thomas L. Kieft, New Mexico Tech 12 p.m., 338 Koshland Hall, UC Berkeley WED., NOV. 1JOINT COLLOQUIUM OF THE NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND PHYSICS DIVISIONSPhysics from LIGO Speaker: Professor Barry Barish, Caltech 2 p.m., Bldg. 50 auditorium 1:30 a.m., refreshments
PHYSICS DIVISON RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING THURS., NOV. 2PHYSICS DIVISON RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETINGCosmological Parameters Speaker: Craig Hogan of University of Washington 4:00 p.m., Bldg. 50A-5132 FRI., NOV. 3CBP SEMINARReproducing the Early Universe in the Laboratory: Searching for the Quark Gluon Plasma at RHIC Speaker: Jay Marx, Nuclear Science 10:30 a.m., Bldg. 71 conference room
AIM Computer Classes: Oct. - Dec. 2000AIM, a Walnut Creek-based computer software training firm, provides onsite PC computer courses to Lab employees.
Classes are held in Bldg. 51L from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Class descriptions and registration procedure are available online at http://www.lbl.gov/Workplace/EDT/computers/ PC_Classes.html. For more information or to provide feedback about the program, contact Heather Pinto at hmpinto@lbl.gov. Note: All in-house courses at this time are taught on PCs with Windows 98reg.. The 97 series programs are used by the newest version of Microsoft Office for Windows 98reg.. Series 6.x programs for the Mac are nearly identical to the Windows 98reg. versions. For users of a Mac 6.x series or an older Mac or PC version, the material covered in these courses will be applicable.
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Flea Market PolicyAds 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 Nov. 3 issue Thursday, Oct. 26.
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