The Advanced Light Source kicks off its Science Cafe series today in Building 2-100B at noon. The series provides an opportunity for beamline scientists to present their recent work in an informal environment. The series will start with a focus on energy research and technology, featuring such topics as bioenergy, carbon sequestration, and advances in solar-cell research. The Lab community is invited to attend.
[symmetry] When Hitoshi Murayama (pictured with his wife) of the Physics Division took on the directorship of the Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe at the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo, his friends joked that he had became "Director of the Universe." Little did they know that he would soon meet someone who, less than 70 years ago, would have been regarded as a deity: the Emperor of Japan, whose title in Japanese (tennō) means "Heavenly Emperor." Tea with the Emperor, his family, and 2,000 other guests involved conversation, however brief, on such universal topics as dark matter and what physicists talk about at home. More>
Harry Bash, a carpenter in the Lab's Facilities Division, has passed away after battling pancreatic cancer. A memorial service will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Tulocay Cemetery in Napa (707-252-4727). Bash was known for his dedication to safety, his excellent customer service skills, and cooking prowess (he won the Facilities Division chili cook off twice). Donations in Bash's honor can be made to Hospice Foundation of America. Go here to read an obituary written by his co-worker.
A memorial celebration for Harry Reed, who passed away on July 21st, will be held Friday, Sept. 11, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Perseverance Hall (Bldg. 54-130). Reed began work at the Lab in 1982 as a collective bargaining representative in Labor and Employee Relations. He served as the Lab’s Personnel Director (now the Chief Human Resources Officer), was instrumental in establishing the Office of Workforce Diversity and the Diversity Council, and was the Lab's Ombudsman. Guests are invited to bring photos and memories to share. Those who plan to attend are asked to RSVP.
Some of the most impressive images in science are produced when researchers take numerical data and represent it visually through modeling and computer graphics. The Department of Energy honored 10 of this year’s best scientific visualizations with its annual SciDAC Vis Night awards. Researchers submitted visualizations to the contest, and program participants voted on the best of the best. From earthquakes to jet flames, this gallery of videos and images show how beautiful (and descriptive) visual data can be. More>
Berkeley Lab’s Tennis Club held their annual tournament last week, with 26 players lobbing, volleying, and serving through several competitive matches. But two doubles teams emerged at the top: Jose Pereira of Physical Biosciences (second from left) and Jin Ling of the Environmental Energy Technologies Division (third from left) took first place, while Sherman Wong of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (far left) and Tanveer Batth of Physical Biosciences placed second.
Dancing in the streets, drumming in the avenues, and singing on the boulevards: all of these and more are yours this week as Berkeley's arts and entertainment hub springs into action for the Downtown Berkeley MusicFest. The festival features a rich array of musical performances at venues throughout the downtown area today through Sunday. More>
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