Berkeley Lab Interim Director Paul Alivisatos will deliver his State-of-the-Lab address on Thursday, April 9 at 9 a.m. in the Building 66 auditorium. The address will be broadcast to various locations around the Lab and webcast as well. Details about the precise locations will be announced in TABL next week, as will a Public Affairs’-monitored e-mail address where viewers watching remotely can send questions.
People: Fleming Named UC Berkeley's Research Vice Chancellor Berkeley Lab physical bioscientist and UC Berkeley chemistry professor Graham Fleming has been appointed the campus's vice chancellor for research, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau announced Wednesday. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research administers all federal, state and private research funds received by the campus and oversees all campus museums and research units. More>. Go here to read a statement by Interim Lab Director Paul Alivisatos on Fleming's appointment.
Research: Keep on Spinning in Sync Berkeley Lab researchers — including Jake Koralek (pictured) — have taken a major step forward in the technology of spintronics by creating the “persistent spin helix,” which allows them to control the spin states of highly mobile electrons at different locations in a semiconductor and turn the collective state on and off at will. The discovery represents a new conservation law, an important advance in fundamental physics. More>
The EHS 400 Radiological Worker 1 training course is now available online. The course provides information on the risks of radiation exposure and working safely with radioactive sources and materials. This introductory course is mandatory prior to working with radiation under most Radiation Work Authorizations (RWAs) and Sealed Source Authorizations (SSAs) and some Radiation Work Permits (RWPs). Any other required radiation protection courses will be specified in the RWA, SSA or RWP covering the work. The course is available on JHA training profiles and the EH&S training website. Contact James Basore (x7524) for more information.
In Memoriam: Mirriam SchwartzLab retiree Mirriam Schwartz, 81, passed away on March 17. Trained as an artist and draftsman, Schwartz worked as a technical illustrator at the MIT Instrumentation Lab in the 1950s. After raising her three children, she began a second career at age 55 at Berkeley Lab, providing illustrations for engineers and physicists. She retired in 1990 after 15 years. “My mother’s employment at the Lab was a major highlight of her life,” says her daughter Anne. “She maintained an active interest in what was going on there long after her retirement.” Go here to read an obituary placed in a local paper in Washington, where she resided.
The Berkeley Lab Learning Institute is offering “Tips and Time Saver” classes for Microsoft Excel and Word 2003 on Tuesday, April 14, and Wednesday, April 15. The classes, taught by CMC, cost $100. Due to limited space, interested employees are encouraged to sign up soon. Go here for information and to register. E-mail a Project ID to Karen Paris for payment, or call x5122.
The Lab’s Health Care Facilitator reminds employees that April is “National Autism Awareness Month.” Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. It is a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Autism has a spectrum of symptoms, affecting each individual differently to varying degrees. Early intervention has dramatic impact on reducing the symptoms of autism. More>
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