Yu, left, and Walukiewicz

Photovoltaic Cells:
Power at a Price

Sunlight in, electricity out. The quest to achieve this transformation efficiently has been driving scientists in the field of photovoltaics for decades. Power-producing solar cells have been used in a variety of applications for years: nonetheless, the push is on to develop new technologies that boost their performance and efficiency. For example, other types of semiconductor materials are being examined for use in photovoltaic systems. At Berkeley Lab, Kin Man Yu, Wladek Walukiewicz, and their coworkers have been exploring ways of increasing the efficiency of solar cells by designing materials that are sensitive to a broad spectrum of sunlight. Full story.

Celebrating their finish (from left) are Draney, Shank, Steve Woodhall, and John De Meter.

'First Light' Sails Into
Hawaii 2nd in Division

Skipper Chuck Shank and Navigator Brent Draney , Berkeley Lab's own intrepid sailors who guided Lab Director Shank's craft "First Light" in the West Marine Pacific Cup race to Hawaii, finished second in their division at 1:53 a.m. on Tuesday, two weeks after setting out from San Francisco. They were the 32nd overall boat out of 100 starters to enter the harbor at Kaneohe Bay. Another Lab employee, David Littlejohn , was crewman on the boat "Cirrus" in Division B, where they finished in 5th place, 21st overall when crossing the finish line on Sunday. His boat's daily e-mail reports, "First Light" arrival photos, plus complete race charts, position reports and the July 13 summary can be found here.

Final Summer Lecture
Looks at Energy, Water

McMahon

Jim McMahon, a scientist with the Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD), will give the last talk in the Lab's Summer Lecture Series tomorrow. He will discuss "The Energy-Water Connection: Can We Sustain Critical Resources and Make Then Reliable, Affordable and Environmentally Sound?" at noon in the Building 50 Auditorium. McMahon, head of EETD's Energy Analysis Department, and his colleagues have helped the nation save tens of billions of dollars in energy costs.

Rocks 'n' Stars:
Night Above the Bay

Lab employees are invited to attend an evening event at the Lawrence Hall of Science on Friday, July 23. From 6 to 11 p.m., attendees can visit the museum's outdoor science park, "Forces That Shape the Bay," and get a taste of high-altitude bluegrass music with a live performance by Hot Buttered Rum String Band. Guests can bring a picnic dinner or grab a drink at the no-host bar and relax on the grass while taking in spectacular sunset views. Admission is reduced for all UC Berkeley and Lab staff, from $8.50 to $5. Go here for more details.

Look Out For Fake Bank,
Credit Card Messages

Beware of fake e-mail messages that appear to come from banks and credit card companies. They are intended to cause you to reveal your credit card numbers and other personal information such as your social security number. Banks and credit card companies never use e-mail to update account information. If you have fallen prey to this kind of ploy, be sure to call your bank or credit card company immediately to report what happened.

Saturday Summer
Dance Cancelled

The Summer Dance scheduled for this Saturday has been postponed. The Lab's Dance Club will reschedule the event, probably in September.