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Berkeley Lab Currents

September 27, 1996



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Cray T3E Will Explore Enigmas of Nature

By Jeffery Kahn

Continuing its mission to extend the limits of scientific understanding, the Laboratory has acquired a Cray T3E, one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world.

The Cray T3E becomes the centerpiece of the Lab's National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) center, a facility that provides high performance computing to thousands of DOE researchers all over the world. The range of energy research problems they work on include fusion, the modeling and design of biological molecules, the development of new materials, and global climate change.

At the leading edge of the revolution taking place in supercomputing hardware, the T3E is a "highly parallel" system capable of teaming thousands of microprocessors. These microprocessors, made by the Digital Equipment Corp., are the world's fastest. Each DECchip 21164 processor can perform 600 million calculations or MFLOPS per second. Berkeley Lab's T3E will begin service with 128 processors, with plans to scale-up to 512 processors early next year. At that time, the machine will be capable of more than 300 billion calculations per second. A person using a hand-held calculator would take some 40,000 years to do what this Cray does in one second.

Bill Kramer, head of NERSC's High Performance Computing Department, said this is the first of the new Cray T3Es "that has passed a performance test suite consisting of a wide range of scientific applications. And, it is the first T3E planned for real production use right from the beginning."

The Cray T3E can be considered a form of time machine. Like eyes that can look into the future, the machine makes it possible to pose questions and solve problems years and years before it would be feasible by any other approach. How can the internal combustion engine be made both more efficient and less polluting? What changes will occur to the Earth's climate? What shape molecule should be engineered to perform a targeted biological function? Large scale computation centers attack questions like these, at the frontiers of science. And, as they do so, they pioneer the future of computing itself--hardware, software, and networks destined to be increasingly important to our daily lives.

Bill McCurdy, the Lab's associate laboratory director for Computing Sciences, is among those who believe that supercomputers have changed the very nature of science. The traditional interplay between theory and experiment now has been joined by a new mode of inquiry, that of computational experiment.

"Over the past quarter-century," McCurdy says, "a fundamental change has occurred in the way scientists and engineers view computation as a tool of research. In the 1960s, computation was a specialized tool whose application was largely limited to a few disciplines of physics, engineering, and chemistry, and which was widely considered to be merely an adjunct of theory. After a quarter-century of spectacular advances in computing hardware and numerical algorithms, we now commonly speak of experiment, theory, and computation as the three principal elements of modern scientific research. The change in our thinking is dramatically highlighted by discussions of large-scale computational experiments appearing in the scientific literature, side-by-side with the results of physical experiments."

In many cases, computer simulation or modeling is the only approach available to researchers. Physical experiments may not be possible because they are prohibitively large or small, unfold too quickly or too slowly, or because they cost too much. Researchers, however, can create computational models of physical phenomena and validate them with experiments. Through these models, supercomputers are able to simulate and explore what otherwise can be off-limits.

Researchers all over the nation have lined up to use the T3E. Kramer says half the machine's time has been dedicated to "Grand Challenges," scientific problems that the federal government designates as national priorities. More than 100 research groups have submitted proposals for use of the remaining time available. Despite the enormous computing resources of the machine, the Cray can accommodate only one-tenth the requests.

Scientists interact with NERSC's supercomputers through DOE's major high-speed network, the Energy Sciences Network or ESnet, headquartered here.

Like a virtual office hallway, ESnet connects users all over the world to Berkeley's supercomputers as well as to a number of other DOE facilities. Because of its need to move huge streams of information, the ESnet is a prime shaper of the future face of the Internet. ESnet is the first national production network to make use of the new Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology, which can transmit both voice and data. Some legs of ESnet's ATM network run at speeds of up to 155 million bits per second. That's compared to the 28 thousand bit-per-second speed of modems now coming into use on PCs.

CAPTION: A technician works on the installation in Bldg. 50B of one of the world's most powerful supercomputers, the Cray T3E. The computer is the centerpiece of the Lab's National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) center. Photo by Roy Kaltschmid

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Jobs Classes Updated in Lab-Wide Review

By Ron Kolb

Berkeley Lab's ambitious laboratory-wide review and updating of the compensation program met another milestone this week, when more than 230 non-exempt administrative employees--mostly clerical and office support personnel--were mapped into their new job families.

The completed task means that well over half of the 2,400 affected positions to be reviewed have been completed in the most comprehensive update of job classifications ever attempted. Begun in 1994, the process is carefully assessing all classification descriptions and salary levels for the first time since 1976. Completion is expected by the end of fiscal year 1997.

"This assessment is important so that we can continue to have fair and equitable compensation policies, market-driven and focused on rewarding individual performance," said Klaus Berkner, deputy director for Operations.

Berkner said simple work requirements such as computer skills weren't even a part of the job descriptions of the mid-1970s. Positions, titles and pay plans are regularly reviewed by industry every four to five years, according to Human Resources Head Walter Blount.

For several months, positions in the administrative services area--administrative, clerical, finance and budget, human resources, travel, payroll, purchasing and contracts, and executive--have been reviewed, first by supervisors and division management, then by Human Resources and a lab-wide review team. Final placements were made in six job families with 17 classifications, effective Sept. 28.

For salary range-setting purposes, surveys were used encompassing more than 100 companies in Northern California, including comparable programs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Pacific Bell, Apple Computer, Sun Microsystems, the University of California, and many others.

"This review process focused on the position, not on the individual in that position," Berkner said. "With clearly defined position descriptions, it helps to clarify the specific kinds of knowledge and skills required to establish career paths and developmental goals."

Employees in affected positions were scheduled to meet with their supervisors about the new classifications during the past week.

The process to establish a consistent pay program started two years ago with about 1,100 scientists and engineers. Next up will be the remaining administrative and management positions, and then the union-represented technical positions.

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Introducing "Waste Watchers"

This week we are introducing a new monthly column from EH&S's Waste Management Group (WM) called "Waste Watchers." In future issues it will appear in the "Around the Lab" section. The column is written for all generators of waste at Berkeley Lab, including hazardous, radioactive, mixed, biomedical, and waste destined for sanitary land-fill. Each month, WM will present guidance and news on accumulation of wastes in your offices, laboratories, and shops, as well as issues relating to waste characterization.

"Waste Watchers" will also keep you current on waste minimization strategies you may be able to adopt in your research or support activities. As you'll read in the coming months, DOE seems intent on putting waste management budget and resources back with its site landlords. Often this is referred to as "Re-engineering EM-30." Part of such a move would be to make generators responsible for the costs of managing their wastes. Reducing waste generation, especially mixed and radioactive, could provide direct financial benefits to your organization.

Generator Training: WM has recently completed its first round of generator training using the new Generator Guidelines (Pub-3092, Revision 3, June 1996.) Copies and follow-up training are available from your Generator Assistance Specialist or Brian Smith, head of Generator Assistance and Waste Minimization, at X6508. The Guidelines are more prescriptive and demanding than previous versions. This is because the off-site disposal contractors Berkeley Lab uses are more demanding than in years past, especially over characterization issues.

WM Group Charter: Rules on waste management are difficult for generators. WM pledges to work with you as much as possible to develop solutions which are the least burdensome while still meeting the demands of the Lab's off-site waste contractors. WM's charter is as follows:

"In partnership with the gener tors we serve, we will manage waste generated at Berkeley Laboratory compliantly and in a manner which minimally impedes or causes alteration to our Research and Support Programs, and strive to minimize waste wherever possible."

Look for these topics in coming issues:

WM wants to hear from you. The best way to provide input on future topics or comment about the current issue is to contact Brian Smith (X6508) or WM Group Leader Robin Wendt (X6012).

Look for Waste Watchers next month!

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Mariachi Serenade

CAPTION: The group Mariachi Los Gavilanes performed Sept. 16 on the cafeteria lawn as part of the Lab's month-long celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Other activities during the month included video screenings, a guest lecture, and a concert by the Andean music group Karumanta Jamuyku. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt

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Lighting Lab has new head

Stephen Johnson has joined Berkeley Lab as the new head of the Energy & Environment Division's Lighting Laboratory. Johnson was most recently founder and a principal of Paradigm Company, a consulting firm specializing in energy-efficient lighting. His extensive industry experience includes seven years with Philips Lighting Co. The Lighting Lab's work has led to such advances as the energy-efficient electronic ballast for fluorescent lights and the sulfur lamp.

Kudos

Robert O. Ritchie, head of the Structural Materials Department in the Materials Sciences Division and a professor in the Materials Science and Mineral Engineering Department at UC Berkeley, has been chosen as the recipient of the 1996 Structural Matierals Distinguished Materials Scientist/Engineer Award by the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS-AIME). The award, which recognizes long standing contributions to the fundamental understanding of microstructure, properties and performance of structural materials for industrial applications, will be presented to at the 126th Annual TMS Conference in Orlando, Fla., next February

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News From Washington, D.C.

DOE to help sequence Arabidopsis:

DOE has signed a memorandum of understanding with NSF and the Agriculture Department for a $13 million, three-year program to sequence the DNA of Arabidopsis, the plant with the smallest known genome. DOE will contribute $2.1 million to the effort from its basic energy sciences programs, USDA will contribute $1.5 million, and the rest will come from NSF. Information from sequencing the genome of the fast-growing Arabidopsis plant is expected to be helpful for engineering plants that can be used in bioremediation, or in the development of vaccines. Arabidopsis has a genome of 100 million base pairs, compared to the 3 billion base pairs of the human genome.

DOE taps Sandia and LANL for radioisotope production:

The days of U.S. researchers depending upon a single, aging Canadian reactor as their sole source of the short-lived medical radioisotope molybdenum-99 may be numbered. DOE has announced that the Sandia and the Los Alamos National Laboratories will soon begin production of Mo-99 and are expected to be meeting 10 percent of domestic demand within a year. Mo-99 is used in tens of thousands of medical imaging procedures in the U.S. each day, yet there is no domestic source of this isotope, which has a half-life of 66-hours. It is the goal of DOE to eventually privatize domestic production of Mo-99.

Want money, find the right rock:

NASA continues to reap the benefits from the Martian meteorite discovery last month. The space agency scored three victories in Congress when the Senate preserved a controversial life sciences program involving orbiting monkeys, rejected a move to cancel the space station, and protected the "Mission to Planet Earth" program, which the House wanted to badly chop. The 1997 budget for NASA and for NSF could be delayed, however, because both agencies are being funded in a bill that contains money for President Clinton's AmeriCorps service program, which the House has voted to kill.

-- Lynn Yarris

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Spotlight on Facilities

CAPTION: Although you can't see it here, the Bldg. 50 complex--which happens to be a major landmark in the East Bay--is boasting a new paint job these days, both inside and out. What the photo does show is the installation of new sunshades both on the south side of Bldg. 50B, shown here, and Bldg. 50A. Other parts of the Bldg. 50 complex, as well as Bldgs. 70 and 70A, are also undergoing changes through September, including new flooring in some areas, repainted corridors, and painting of the outdoor metal handrails. The Bldg. 50 lobby and auditorium were refurbished earlier this summer. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt

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Tech Transfer Efforts Lauded

Viviana Wolinsky (left) of the Technology Transfer Department and Rick Inada (right) of CFO/Sponsored Projects Office have won DOE Technology Partnership Customer Service awards. Both won their awards "in recognition of unique and valuable contributions to Customer Service when developing partnerships with the private sector." This work was done while serving on the CRADA Multi-Lab Working Group.

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LANL Director Stepping Down

Sig Hecker, director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, has announced his resignation effective Oct. 1, 1997. Hecker has been the director of LANL since January 1986. He plans to remain at that laboratory and continue his research in plutonium metallurgy. In a public statement, UC President Richard Atkinson expressed his appreciation for Hecker's many accomplishments during his directorship. "The nation, the University of California, and the states of New Mexico and California owe Director Hecker a tremendous debt for his selfless dedication over the past decade," Atkinson said. "The name Sig Hecker will long be linked with (LANL's) stellar scientific, engineering, and technological achievements and reputation." Atkinson has asked Hecker to serve as a senior adviser to the UCOP on national lab issues.

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UC Has New Vice Provost for Research

Robert N. Shelton, a professor of physics and vice chancellor for research at UC Davis, has been named UC vice provost for research. Shelton will coordinate the development of systemwide research policies among the Office of the President, the nine UC campuses, and the three national labs managed by UC. Shelton was named to the post by C. Judson King, UC provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, who charged Shelton with improving cooperative research efforts between the campuses and the national labs.

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Recycle Currents

Currents is printed on recycled and recyclable paper, using soy-based inks. It may be recycled by placing it in one of the "white paper" receptacles provided by Richmond Sanitary (after you've read it, of course!)

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Employee Assistance a Short Bus Ride Away

UCB's CARE Services free to Lab employees

By Brennan Kreller

Berkeley Lab has signed a three-year contract with CARE Services, the employee assistance program of the University Health Service, to provide free, confidential counseling and referral services to Lab employees. CARE (Counseling, Assessment, Referral, and Education) has provided temporary services to the Laboratory since the phase-out of the Lab's own program last year.

Housed in the Tang Center at 2222 Bancroft Way, the CARE offices are easily accessed by taking the Lab shuttle to the stop at the corner of Bancroft Way and Ellsworth Street. Metered parking spaces are also available near the building. The facility is completely wheelchair accessible.

The counseling staff of five licensed mental health professionals are trained to help employees with a broad range of issues, work-related or not. The contract liaison at CARE Services is Carol Hoffman.

"We help people who are experiencing a serious crisis," Hoffman says, "and also people who come in because things `just aren't right.'" She says the problems cited most often by people seeking help are:

Most cases requiring continued treatment are referred to outside therapists or programs. Many people seeking therapy will go through CARE Services as a first step in finding the right therapist. CARE Services staff are also prepared to help employees who are concerned about a family member, colleague, supervisor, or co-workers.

Free educational materials and a lending library are also available to Lab employees. Subjects covered are:

CARE Services can be reached directly at 643-7754. Appointments can usually be obtained as soon as needed, including the same or next day, and can be arranged before and after work as well as during lunch. All services provided by CARE are free to Lab employees.

CAPTION: A diverse staff of mental health professionals awaits those seeking assistance from CARE services. Pictured (from left) are Laurie Yamamoto, Bill Coysh, Carol Hoffman, Luna Hananel Calderón, and Administrative Assistant April O'Dea. Not shown: counselor Dianne Rush Woods and administrative assistant Bruce Williams. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt

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Energy Awareness Month

Changing the Way We Do Business Can Bring Serious Savings

By Antonia Reaves

As part of DOE's declaration of October as Energy Awareness Month, Berkeley Lab's In-House Energy Management program would like to challenge staff to design methods for

increasing the energy-efficiency of laboratory operations. The payoffs are cost savings to divisional budgets and a reduction in emissions that are harmful to the environment.

Mark Rosenberg, group leader of Central Microcomputer Support, has

already set an excellent example of how to make laboratory operations more energy-efficient while increasing reliability. Rosenberg oversees the operation of 36 file servers providing essential computing services, such as support for electronic mail delivery and Meeting Maker. In November 1995 he was asked to move these servers and their attendant monitors and keyboards into a space in 50B that could not accommodate all the equipment. Rosenberg was able to redesign the configuration of these systems so that the space is not only adequate for the equipment, but a significant amount of energy is saved as well.

The changes Rosenberg instituted came about in two stages. First, he purchased a Cubix(TM) Communications Server to eliminate the need for seven PC monitors and keyboards. Slightly larger than the height of a normal CPU, the Cubix contains eight separate mother boards and hard drives. In addition to saving space and energy, fault tolerant features specific to the Cubix act to enhance the reliability of electronic mail delivery.

Next, Rosenberg purchased four sets of electronic switches for the remaining PC and Mac servers. Each set or box of switches is capable of switching 12 CPUs. He configured the switches to allow 19 PC servers to be accessed using only four monitors and 17 Mac servers to be accessed using only two monitors.

The total cost for the switches was about $9,600, and the cost for Cubix was approximately the same as purchasing eight hard drives separately. Because Rosenberg's redesign reduced the number of monitors used from 36 to 6, ICSD will save about $2,500 annually in electricity costs. The payback period to ICSD for these equipment changes is les than four years.

Aside from saving the laboratory money, the reduction of 26,000 kilowatt hours annually also prevents the following amounts of environmentally harmful emissions from being discharged into the atmosphere:

If you have ideas on how your division or program might operate more energy-efficiently, the In-House Energy Management program would like to hear from you. Contact Antonia Reaves at X7228 (AReaves@lbl.gov).

CAPTION: Mark Rosenberg used ingenuity to save the Lab money, and reduce harmful emissions. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt

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Weight Watcher's Personal Journey has Big Payoff

Dedication, determination bring new lease on life

By Monica Friedlander

When Terry McGuire first walked into the Lab's Weight Watchers class back in January, he took a look around and told the class leader, "I want to lose one of you."

A short nine months later he accomplished what few would have thought possible. He lost a whopping 127 pounds, and in the process bought himself a new lease on life.

"I feel like I'm 20 again," McGuire says now, beaming with joy. "I'm almost 50 and I have the excitement about life that I had when I was 20 or 22. I have a future."

McGuire's weight loss journey is not over, but along with other members of the Weight Watchers class, he has changed both his eating habits and way of life. "I come up the hill every day at lunch instead of waiting for the bus to pick me up," he said. "I start walking until the bus catches up with me."

The 10-week-long Weight Watchers program, conducted at the Lab by Wendy Gronner, is offered to Lab employees for $120. The current series started on Sept. 10, and classes meet every Tuesday at noon in Bldg. 26. The key to the success of the program, Gronner says, is not just the disciplined diet prescribed by the plan, but the inspiration and peer support that participants draw from one another.

"It helps people believe in themselves," she says, "(and learn) that they can be consistent and persistent about something and succeed."

Gronner herself started out in a Weight Watchers class three years ago and lost 40 pounds with the program, demonstrating that she can practice what she now preaches. As a result of her positive experience, she enrolled in a leadership course and now conducts 16 Weight Watchers meetings a week. The first session of each series describes the program, while subsequent meetings cover various topics, such as behavioral issues or exercise programs.

And this year, every series here at the Lab stars with a special introduction: a round of applause for Terry McGuire, who has inadvertently become a powerful inspiration to all who hope to follow his example.

For all his accomplishments, McGuire did not always appear to be a promising candidate for a story-book success story. To begin with, the task ahead of him seemed daunting. McGuire, who works in the Lab's sheet metal shop, weighed almost 450 pounds in January. Originally he was hired to do ventilation work, but eventually had to change job duties when he became too large to climb a ladder. He tried dieting, but had only limited success.

After having hit a brick wall trying to lose weight on his own, McGuire showed up in Gronner's class with a less-than-inspiring attitude. Gronner remembers him, then barely able to breathe under the load of his extra weight, coming up to her after class and saying, "You didn't give me anything. What I need is a Nazi regime." She didn't think she'd see him back in class. But she must have said or done something right, because McGuire hasn't missed a series since, and his vanishing pounds speak louder than words.

As to how he did it, Terry's is a classic case of success breeding success. With every few pounds lost, McGuire says he felt better and discovered things about himself that most people take for granted, such as walking and turning in the same move, or strolling up a hill. "After the first 25 pounds," he says, "I found out I had two speeds instead of one."

All that is not to say that sticking with a program is easy. Asked what the hardest thing is, McGuire blurted without a second's thought: "Barbecue potato chips!" Still, with the help of Gronner and his supportive classmates, he has stuck with the program. "It's a struggle," he says. "But I'm finding out that life is a struggle."

For more information about Weight Watchers classes at the Lab, contact Judy Kody in Health Services at X6266.

CAPTION: Terry McGuire (right) has lost 127 pounds so far with the help of Weight Watchers class instructor Wendy Gronner. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt

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Tiny insect comes to rescue of towering trees

Lab using biological measures to help eucalyptus

By Monica Friedlander

A wasp the size of a grain of salt? And it doesn't sting? Only in Australia! Well, not any more. The entomological wonder has not only reached the shores of California, it has taken up residence at Berkeley Lab, and with the noblest of purposes.

The Avetianella longoi, as scientists call the tiny wasp, may hold the key to saving eucalyptus trees threatened by another insect--an accidentally imported borer insect capable of destroying the trees in a single season. First identified in 1984, the borer pests have destroyed thousands of trees in Southern California, and in recent years have started to take a toll in the Bay Area. This year they have been found in groves in the north Oakland hills (Sibley Grove), the UC Berkeley Hills area, and at the Lab in the grove adjacent to Bldg. 88. The Laboratory grounds staff is working in conjunction with UC Riverside entomologists to identify locations infested by the borer and devise strategies to combat it.

The little wasps, which are harmless to humans and other insect species, act as natural predators to destroy the unwelcome invaders and, in conjunction with other efforts, save eucalyptus groves both here and throughout the state.

UC Berkeley's Joseph McBride has examined trees in Australia and the United States and found that the eucalyptus longhorned borer and the yellow phoracantha borer tend to attack eucalyptus trees that are stressed. The trees naturally grow 25 to 35 feet apart, but in the Bay Area they have been planted within eight to 12 feet of each other, which prevents them from obtaining adequate water and nutrients. Thinning the groves to more natural densities may allow the trees to combat the infesting pests themselves.

In the meantime, the tiny parasitoid wasps will do their part by destroying the eggs of the tree-killing pests.

Lab staff are also working in conjunction with the East Bay Regional Park District to minimize the damage from the pests and preserve healthy eucalyptus trees on site.

CAPTION: The tiny parasitoid Avetianella longoi.

CAPTION: Laboratory grounds person Dayna Powell (left) and UCR Entomologist Chris Campbell identify an infected tree and release the parasitoid biological control.

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Bulletin Board

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Health Notes

Get Your Flu Shots Here

Health Services will offer low-cost flu and pneumonia vaccinations to employees over age 18 from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Bldg. 26. The vaccination program is made possible through the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of Northern California (VNAHNC).

The cost is $10 for each vaccine, payable by check that day to VNAHNC. To make an appointment, please call Health Services at X6266 by Monday, Sept. 30. It is suggested that you contact your own physician if you have specific personal questions about receiving the vaccine. For more information, contact Judy Kody, R.N., at X6266.

When should you consider getting a flu shot?

Health Services also has pamphlets available on colds and flu, plus many other health-related problems. Staff are available between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to answer any health-related questions.

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Runaround XIX--Two Weeks Away

The 19th annual Berkeley Lab Runaround is set for Friday, Oct. 11. The fun run will start promptly at noon near the Firehouse (Bldg. 48) and end at the cafeteria parking lot (see page 5 for course map). All employees and retirees are encouraged to participate; there will be ample time for everyone, whether walking or running, to complete the course.

Runaround T-shirts, designed by TEID's Crystal Stevenson, will be given to all finishers. Individual and group costumes are a popular feature of this fun event and repeat participants are encourage to wear their oldest Runaround T-shirts.

Before the run: The course is 3.0 kilometers (1.86 miles) long, with some steep elevation changes. Participants in average physical condition should be able to jog the level and downhill sections. For more preparation, jog two or three times a week, one to two miles per session.

When you cross the finish line: Keep your finishing order and form a single file in the chute, moving quickly to kee it clear for others runners. You will be handed a numbered envelope, which you should fill out at the results table and exchange for a T-shirt at the T-shirt table.

Following the event: There will be food, music, and fun prizes, and trophies will be awarded to the first man and woman to finish the course. The top three men and women finishers in each age category will receive medals. Prizes and free water bottles will be provided by the University and State Employees (USE) Credit Union.

BikeAround: Once again this year, there will be a bicycling component. The strictly non-competitive ride begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Firehouse and follows nearly the same course as the Runaround. It should finish in plenty of time for bikers to participate in both events.

Race results will be published in Currents as soon as they are available. Complete results, including your individual time, will be mailed to you.

Please avoid driving on the Hill during this hour. Shuttle bus service will be suspended while the run is in progress, and the cafeteria parking lot will be closed to cars.

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DOE Day coming October 11

The U.S. Department of Energy's Oakland Operations Office will host its second DOE Day on Thursday, Oct. 10. It will begin promptly at noon at the Oakland City Center and last until 1:30 p.m. The purpose of the event is to introduce the office and its work to the people in and around Oakland, including friends and family of employees. Approximately 1,000 people are expected to attend.

The informal event has many fun and educational activities for everyone. Features will include science demonstrations, free electric car rides, KTVU's Dennis Richmond as guest speaker, and a variety of displays and entertainment. Berkeley Lab, as well as the University of California, the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and Lawrence Livermore and Sandia-CA national laboratories, will participate, as will several local schools. DOE Secretary of Energy Hazel O'Leary and other White House dignitaries may attend. Lunch will be available from a wide variety of City Center restaurants. For more information, contact Carole Word at 637-3195.

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Blood Drive

The Blood Bank of the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association will host its quarterly blood drive for Berkeley Lab employees in the Bldg. 70A conference room on Thursday, Oct. 3. Appointments are available (although not necessary) between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, contact the Benefits Office at X6403.

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Currents Online

The full text of each edition of Currents is published on the Lab's home page on the World Wide Web. View it at http://www.lbl.gov/ under "Research News and Publications." To set up your computer to access the World Wide Web, call the Mac and PC Support Group at X6858.

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C a f e t e r i a M e n u s

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS -- September-October

Calendar of Events at Berkeley Lab

BERKELEY LAB CALENDAR

The Berkeley Lab Calendar is published biweekly here on the World Wide Web and in Currents by the Public Information Department. Employees can list a meeting, class, or event in the Calendar by using this submission form. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on Monday in the week that Currents is published.

In addition to the events listed below, Berkeley Lab's Washington, D.C. Projects office is hosting a Science and Technology Seminars series. 

Scientific Conferences

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MON., SEPT. 30

EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB

Classical Group Rehearsal, 5-7 p.m. in the cafeteria; for information contact Wesley Steele at X7893.

TUES., OCT. 1

OPEN CALENDAR

WED., OCT. 2

EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB

Folk Group Rehearsal, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria; for information contact Larry Bell at X5406.

THURS., OCT. 3

Blood drive

7 a.m. - 1 p.m., in the Bldg. 70A main conference room.

SHOEMOBILE

7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., near Bldg. 79.

FRI., OCT. 4

OPEN CALENDAR

MON., OCT. 7

EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB

Classical Group Rehearsal, 5-7 p.m. in the cafeteria; for information contact Wesley Steele at X7893.

TUES., OCT. 8

OPEN CALENDAR

WED., OCT. 9

TOASTMASTERS'

General meeting at 12:10 p.m. in Bldg. 2-100.

EMPLOYEE MUSIC CLUB

General meeting at noon in the lower level cafeteria.

Folk Group Rehearsal, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria; for information contact Larry Bell at X5406.

THURS., OCT. 10

DOE day

The Department of Energy's Oakland Operations Office will host its second DOE Day from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Oakland's City Center. See article on page six.

AFRICAN AMERICAN EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

General meeting at noon in Bldg. 90-1099.

FRI., OCT. 11

19th Annual Berkeley Lab runaround

Starts at noon near the Fire House (Bldg. 48); ends at the cafeteria parking lot.

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Meetings & Classes

October 2, Wednesday

Energy and Resources Group Colloquium

"Plant Exploration and Genetic Resources Politics in Nazi Germany" will be presented by Michael Flitner of the Freiburg University, Germany, at 4 p.m. in 2 Le Conte Hall.

October 3, Thursday

Center for Environmental Biotechnology Seminar

"Phylogenetic Diversity and Community Structure of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in a Salt Marsh Sediment" will be presented by Juliette Rooney Varga of the University of New Hampshire at 11 a.m. in 338 Koshland Hall.

Building Energy Seminar

"Outlook of Energy Use and Efficiency in Iran" will be presented by Hashem Akbari of E&E at noon in Bldg. 90-3148.

Surface Science and Catalysis Science Seminar

"Atomic Scale Studies of Interfacial Shear and Adhesion" will be presented by D. Frank Ogletree of MSD at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

Physics Division Research Progress Meeting

"High Energy Scattering in QCD" will be presented by Jeff Forshaw of Manchester University at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 50A-5132; refreshments, 3:40 p.m.

October 4, Friday

Center for Beam Physics Seminar

"Self-Channeling of Picosecond Laser Pulses in Air: Interferometric Investigations" will be presented by Nadja Vogel of the University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany, at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 Conference Room.

October 8, Tuesday

Life Sciences Division Seminar

"Chromosomes, Motors and Mitosis" will be presented by Don Cleveland of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at 4 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 auditorium.

October 9, Wednesday

ALS/CXRO Seminar

"Future Interests of CXRO at the ALS" will be presented by Dave Attwood of CXRO at 4:10 p.m. in Bldg. 2-100B; refreshments, 3:50 p.m.

October 10, Thursday

Building Energy Seminar

"Design of an Energy Management Program for the University of Washington" will be presented by Leslie Kramer of Brown, Vence & Associates at noon in Bldg. 90-3148.

Center for Environmental Biotechnology Seminar

"Thin-Layer Chromatography: Traditional Techniques, New Developments, and Applications for Environmental Science" will be presented by Clement Welsh of the University of Utah at noon in Bldg. 50A-5132.

Surface Science and Catalysis Science Seminar

"Making Contact to the Nanoworld: Electrical Measurements of

Nanostructures" will be presented by Paul McEuen of MSD/UCB at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

Physics Division Research Progress Meeting

"A New Measurement of Rb Aleph" will be presented by Andrew Bazarko of CERN/Princeton University at 4 p.m. in Bldg. 50A-5132; refreshments, 3:40 p.m.

October 11, Friday

Center for Beam Physics Seminar

"Planning for Fermilab's Luminosity Upgrades" will be presented by David Finley of Fermilab at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 Conference Room.

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FLEA MARKET

Autos/Supplies

'74 JENSEN HEALEY convertible, gd shape, 65K mi., $3500/reasonable offer. Amy, X6596, 525-5041

'79 ALFA ROMEO Spyder, runs great, $3100/b.o. Jan, 254-2296

'85 MAZDA RX-7, needs engine, clean body, great for parts, $1.5K/b.o. 525-3384

'85 TOYOTA Tercel, hatchbk, 5-dr, 5-spd, 145K mi., white, $2200. 548-4062 (eve.)

'85 VW Golf Cabriolet, 2nd owner, complete records, incl. new tires, clutch & brakes, 5-spd, leather seats, radio-cass., leaving country, must sell, $3500. 528-9408

'89 HONDA Civic, 70K mi., 5-spd, great on gas, $4500/b.o. Jessica, 845-1369

'89 MAZDA 323, 2-dr HB, 97K mi., AM/FM/cass., gd cond., 30 mpg, new smog, new registr., $2700/b.o. Andreas, X5265

'92 HONDA Civic CX, red hatchbk, exc. cond., very well maint., 45+ mpg, 5-spd, AM/FM cass., 100K hwy. mi., $5300. 540-7023 (afternoon/eve.)

'94 CHEVY 1/2-ton pickup, short bed, extended cab, 37K mi., exc. cond. Steve, X7855, 682-6008

'94 TOYOTA pickup, 33K mi., 22R.E., 4-cyl, 5-spd, new tires, like new, $7250. Daryl, X5901, (707) 643-2895

MOTORCYCLE, '87 Honda Hurricane 600, newly painted, new front tire, new Sabaki chain, full jet kit, well taken care of, $2K/b.o. Otto, (415) 242-9595

ANTI-THEFT DEVICE, The Club, never used, $20. X6005

Tickets

BASKETBALL, Warrior's season ticket pkg., San Jose Arena, 2 tix, center court, upper level, row 9, $27 ea. Fred, X6070, 283-4407

FOOTBALL, Raiders rights (PSLs), 50-yd line season ticket, $400. 637-1811

SF OPERA, Hamlet, 9/27, (bal. crc., Orpheum), $120/pr.; Lohengrin, 10/4, (sec. 314, Civic Aud.), $140/pr. Diana, X6444

SF OPERA, Wed. eve., 11/27, Harvey Milk (include. candlelight procession), Orpheum Theatre, first-row balcony Opera House equiv., 2 tickets, $42 ea. Dave, X7344, 524-2904 (eve.)

SF OPERA, Lohengrin, Sat. eve., 10/12, pair of seats equivalent to Opera House front balcony, $104/pr. (415) 584-1680

Wanted

BED FRAME, single sz., don't need mattress. Edmund, 841-6811

COMPUTER, used, 486 notebook. Kristin, X4555

ENGINE HOIST for Chevy sm. block, air compressor & pneumatic tools (prefer 110/115V); 8' pool table. Ken, X4527, 338-0231

FOOTBALL TICKETS (2), Raiders vs. Miami, 12/1, prefer 100 sec., between the 30s. Scott, X4874

KITCHEN FARM TABLE. Nancy, X7959

UPGRADE CERTIFICATES on United Airlines for int'l travel in Oct. Debbey, X6430, 527-8219

Miscellaneous

AIRLINE TICKETS, reservation before 10/14, anywhere in the contiguous U.S., last minute OK, $400 ea. 528-7285

BIKE, 10-spd, super clean, under used, exc. cond., $125. 548-1287

CAMERA FLASH, Minolta TTL 280 PX, MF lenses, standard, 24mm wide angle, 70-210mm zoom, 3 automatic extension tubes for close up photograph, altogether $250/b.o., for ea. item negot. X6878, 528-3408

CAR SEAT, like new, Gerry DoubleGuard booster, model 675, 4 yr. old & up, orig. $50, $25; kneeling chair, black, $15; windup baby swing, Graco, $15. Dianne, 886-5527

COLOR PRINTER, Panasonic Impact dot matrix, model KX-P2124, 24-pin, 7 colors, 12 fonts, friction or traction paper feed, quiet, $150/b.o.; high chair, Fisher-Price, great quality & cond., $30; table desk, Queen Ann style, cherry finish on oak, w/captain's chair, $200/b.o. Auben, X4796, 245-0343

COMPUTER, Mac Classic 2/40, immac. cond., +2400/9600 data/fax modem, gd for simple logins & word process., $200/b.o. John, 865-9023 (msg.)

COMPUTER, PC compatible, 286, 16Mhz, w/math processor & color monitor, best offer. X6203

COMPUTER MEMORY, 8 MB, 72 pin SIMM, RAM used in many Macintosh computers, $50/b.o. Mark, X8646

DISHWASHER, portable Kitchen Aid, full sz., w/solid wood chopping block top, disposal, color panels, used for 3 yrs., like new, $450/b.o. Rick, X7341, 234-0451

DRESSER w/3 drwrs, $30; dresser & nightstand w/mirror, $30, U pick up from SF. Julie, X4375, (415) 752-3752

FUTON FRAME, single, new, unpacked, $25; file cabinet, 4-drwr, $15; TV stands (2), $5 ea.; living rm chairs, asst'd, $12 ea.; bookcase, $15. Viki, 549-1876

HEALTHRIDER, 1 yr. old, rarely used, paid $500, asking $300. X4181 (7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.), 832-3829 (5-10 p.m.)

HIDE-A-BED, Simmons, full sz. bed, sturdy, gd cond., $500; Wingback swivel rocker, brn velvet, $75. Jane, X4832, 527-2353

KOI POND, plastic-irregular 3x6', w/pump & filter, $400/b.o. Matthias, X7075

LEATHER JACKET, Macy's, black, sz. L, exc. cond., $100. Bob, X4562

OFFICE DESK w/return, executive, walnut panels, top quality metal frame, $600 new, $400/b.o.; children's wading pool w/slide for toddlers, $15/b.o.; wrought iron fence, w/gate & installation hardware, new, never installed, $330 new, $220/b.o.; kitchen table, heavy pine, dark color, 2 leaves (48" dia. round w/o leaves in), $60/b.o., chairs avail. at addt'l cost; audio/video rack style cabinet, 6' tall, 30" wide, 12" deep, 4 adj. height shelves, 2 glass, wood finish, $60/b.o. Philip, X6583

PERSONAL SAFETY ALARM, Quorum, products & sales materials, orig. $1500, 2 yrs. old, make offer. 704-8236

POWERMAC 6100, 66MHzCPU, 24 MB RAM, 350 MB internal & 1K MB external disks, 17" Apple monitor, 6x10 table, assorted software, $1800/b.o. Bill, X5104, 524-2717

PUPPIES, Dalmatian, champion pedigree, AKC, DCA nominated, exc. temperament, 5 males, 5 females, avail. 10/9, $350-$650. David, X7685, 516-2358

REFRIGERATOR, sm. (19.5x20x 32.5"), approx. 5 cu. ft. cap., Italian made, brn outside (wood grain), works well, asking $75/b.o. Ed, 843-2396

SAILBOAT, lg., Catalina 30, all major systems either new or recently replaced, new engine & electrical, recent rigging improvements, $28K. X5626

SLEEPING BAG, North Face, left-hand zipper, no cold spots (stored loose), great cond., incl. stuff sack, $40. Johanna, X8675, (916) 758-0259

SOFABED, woven fabric, neutral colors, removable covers on cushions, $125. Krista, X7523, 548-3769

TWA DISCOUNT COUPON for $50, gd on any TWA published fare of $300 or more, travel must be completed by 12/31/96, asking $25. H. Matis, X5031, 540-6718

WASHER, compact portable, Whirlpool, $350; stereo cabinet, wood w/glass doors, $25. X5896, 524-8897

WINDOW SHADES (8 avail.), rattan, matchstick roll-down, gd cond., $5 ea.; futon, queen sz., gd cond., $50. 558-9212

Housing

BERKELEY, furn. rm in pvt. home, share bth, $275/mo. avail. 10/1. Jean, 841-1242

BERKELEY, nr College & Dwight, lg. rm avail. in a household of grad students & young professionals, 4 blks so. of UCB, $400-$450/mo. + utils. Kerrie, X7063

NO. BERKELEY, furn. 3-bdrm duplex, exc. loc., linens, dishes, laundry fac., enclosed garden, exc. schools, walk to shopping & UCB, min. 6 mo. lease, avail. 12/7, $1470/mo. 527-3856 (FAX)

SO. BERKELEY (2 listings), both 10 min. walk to UCB, 1-bdrm apt, garden, $575/mo. utils. incl.; furn. 1-bdrm. apt, sublet avail. 11/14 nr bus & shops, all utils. incl., 4-unit brn shingle, $600/mo. Kathy, 482-1777

MONTCLAIR, 1 rm in_ 3-bdrm, 2.5 bth house, 3 decks, hardwd flrs, yd, off-st. parking, workspace, share w/2 UCB grad students, $567/mo. negot. Ken, X4527, 338-0231

WANTED: 2-bdrm house (or 3-bdrm if not too expensive) for postdoc & wife, needed now for 1 to 2 yrs., prefer No. Berkeley/No. Berkeley Hills, expecting a child in Jan. Uli, X4125

WANTED: furn. 3-bdrm house for visiting scientist from Japan w/his family, from 10/3-12/31. Shimon, X5202, 215-7708 (eve.), sweiss@ux5.lbl.gov

WANTED: single apt/studio for 2 months from now, no shared rm, prefer nr LBNL shuttle stop, price nr $500/mo. pavia@cad17.lbl.gov, emanuele@mirage.unipv.it

WANTED: inexpensive apt or house-sitting for visiting Rabbi for 5 wks starting in early Dec., call w/leads or suggestions. 704-8236

WANTED: short-term accommodation for visiting researcher (f) from Germany, 11/15 - 12/15. X5205, 528-0810

WANTED: 2-bdrm apt/house for visiting Italian scientist & family (wife + 7 yr. old son), 2-4 wks starting mid-October, sublet/house-sitting OK. Marco X6513, 644-3634

Real Estate

BERKELEY, at Oregon & Fulton, 2-bdrm, 1-1/2 bth townhouse/condo, 1 mi. from to UCB, pvt. yd, $115K. 235-3983

BERKELEY, Euclid nr Buena Vista, 1-bdrm condominium in 1923 4-unit bldg., 1100 sq. ft, high ceilings, classical detailing, S. F. view, seismic retrofit., 7 min. walk to LBNL shuttle, $152K. Jon, 704-0530

Vacation

BAHAMAS, Taino Beach Resort, nr Freeport, 1-bdrm condo, slps 4, every amenity, pool, tennis, on beach, 60 days adv. notice, $500/wk, X6005

HIGH SIERRAS, 4-bdrm cabin, washer, dryer, deck, frpl, hiking, fishing, swimming, canoeing, 4 hrs. from Berkeley, 1 hr. from Truckee on hwy 49, wk/wkend. Jane, 849-4096

PUERTO VALLARTA, beachfront, 1-bdrm condo, slps 4, daily maid service, secluded, nr shopping, sightseeing, restaurants & nightlife, avail. 12/21-28, $500. 987-9179, 687-1267 (eve.)

STATELINE, NV, The Ridge Tahoe Resort, above Lake Tahoe, 2-bdrm suite, frpl, fully-equip. kitchen, amenities incl. tennis cts, indoor tennis, direct access to Heavenly Valley, racquetball, indoor/outdoor pool, weights, saunas, steam rms & spa, nr casinos, avail. 12/07-14, 60 days adv. notice, $600/wk. Cole, X7324, (408) 977-3498 (eve.)

For Free

DOG, pit bull mix, female, playful, gd-natured, needs a gd home, Priscilla, 16 mo. old, fawn color, loves long hikes & runs, very healthy & friendly, passed obedience school w/flying colors, spayed & shots up to date. Karen, X5862, 845-6364

LAWN GENIE 6-station sprinkler timer. Dianne, 886-5527

TOPSOIL, 2605 Carmel St., Oakland, below Mormon Temple. Ken, X7739

Lost & Found

FOUND: sm. carved cross w/beads, nr Bldg. 25. X7067

FOUND: pair of glasses, 1 lens broken, found 8/20 nr the ladies restroom, 90G deck area, padded pouch w/multi-colored leaf design. Roxanne, X6661, 90K-111

LOST: white sweatshirt w/lg. sunflower on it, center of the sunflower is a cat's head, last seen on the stair railing by cafeteria, Fri., 9/13 morning. Mary, X7933

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Flea Market ad policy

Due to the large volume of ads received each week, ads are accepted only from LBNL employees, retirees, and on-site DOE personnel. No other ads will be accepted. We encourage past contributors to the Flea Market to use other local services, such as LBNL's online housing listing (call X6198 for information), and the UC Housing Office.

Please note also:

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

Currents/The View and the Communications Department Staff

Published once a month by the Communications Department for the employees and retirees of Berkeley Lab.

Reid Edwards, Public Affairs Department head
Ron Kolb, Communications Department head

EDITOR
Pamela Patterson, 486-4045, pjpatterson@lbl.gov
Associate editor
Lyn Hunter, 486-4698, lhunter@lbl.gov

STAFF WRITERS
Dan Krotz, 486-4019
Paul Preuss, 486-6249
Lynn Yarris, 486-5375

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ucilia Wang, 495-2402
Allan Chen, 486-4210
David Gilbert, (925) 296-5643

DESIGN
Caitlin Youngquist, 486-4020
Creative Services Office

Berkeley Lab
Communications Department
MS 65, One Cyclotron Road, 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.

Flea Market is now online at www.lbl.gov/fleamarket

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