To help the Lab accommodate staff moving up to the Hill from Building 937 in downtown Berkeley — and make the transition financially feasible — the Facilities Division offered to reduce their physical imprint by 32 percent. What they got in return was a uniting of most Facilities staff under one roof in Building 76, which was transformed from craft shops to a hip and efficient office space. More>
The numerous staff who helped prepare Berkeley Lab for the Department of Energy Health, Safety and Security (HSS) Integrated Safety Management Review, which was completed last week, will be honored by Interim Lab Director Paul Alivisatos at a ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The group includes members of the Operations and scientific divisions that provided assistance in preparation for and during the review. Lab employees are invited to join in the recognition event from 3 to 3:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, during which Alivisatos and Associate Lab Director for Operations Jim Krupnick will make remarks.
Special Event: ‘Theater’ Talk Tonight on Sugar Coated Cells and Cancer DetectionMolecular Foundry Director Carolyn Bertozzi will speak at 5:30 p.m. this evening at the Lab’s "Science at the Theater" event, discussing why cells are coated with sugars and new tools for cancer detection that take advantage of the cell’s sugar coating. The talk takes place at the Berkeley Repertory Theater (2025 Addison St.). More>
Research: Harnessing Wood Rot Machinery for Better BiofuelsAn international team led by scientists from the Joint Genome Institute has translated the genetic code that explains the complex biochemical machinery making brown-rot fungi uniquely destructive to wood. The same processes that provide easier access to the energy-rich sugar molecules bound up in the plant’s tenacious architecture are leading to innovations for the biofuels industry. More>
Safety: Don’t Dump Household Hazardous Waste at the LabTrash dumpsters are located throughout the Berkeley Lab site to collect trash or refuse generated at the Lab. They are not for wastes brought from home, such as paint, batteries, appliances or other household hazardous waste. Recently an uncapped jug of motor oil (pictured) was left at Building 79. Your county sanitation district has a household hazardous waste collection point that will accept these items for free. More>
LBL-VPN provides unrestricted access to LBLnet via an encrypted connection for employees on travel or otherwise working from remote locations. The Lab has installed a new Virtual Private Network (VPN) with added features. Current users are encouraged to migrate at their earliest convenience, and must do so before May 7, when the old servers are decommissioned. For more information, view the help and release documentation accompanying the VPN Client downloads on software.lbl.gov.
The Lab invites individuals with a disability and covered veterans to self-identify as part of the federal mandate for institutions to take affirmative action when hiring and promoting individuals. Submitting such information is voluntary and will be kept confidential. Employees who wish to self-identify can do so via the Employee Self-Service website or by filling out a form and mailing it to the Equal Employment Opportunity Office (MS 90K-0119). The forms should be completed by Feb. 29. For questions, contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Office (x7443).
