Representative Bill Foster, one of only three physicists in the U.S. Congress, will speak on "What It's Like to be a Scientist in the U.S. Congress" at Berkeley Lab on Monday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. in the Building 50 Auditorium. Foster, who represents the 14th district in Illinois, was a researcher at Fermilab for 22 years. While there, Foster helped discover the top quark, the heaviest known form of matter. He also led the team that designed and built several scientific facilities and detectors still in use today, including the Recycler Ring particle accelerator. Foster serves on the Financial Services Committee.
Josh Heazlewood, a plant biologist with the Lab’s Physical Biosciences Division and director of the systems biology program in the Feedstocks Division of the Joint BioEnergy Institute, is the subject of an online interview in the November 2009 edition of ScienceWatch.com. In the interview, Heazlewood talks about SUBA, the subcelluar database for Arabidopsis thaliana, one of the model plants for biofuel research. By providing information on where proteins are located within a single cell, SUBA can help researchers determine which proteins may be working together to perform specific biological roles. More>
The IT Division received 98 highly creative submissions for the Mobility Competition: Idea Track, including “iBiofuel,” “iParticleData,” “LabSitter,” and “LETS Go.” Judges Jay Keasling and Jim Krupnick are seeking input from the Lab community, so staff are invited to rate the applications, ranging from "ho-hum" to "fantastic" (click "Sign in to Berkeley Lab" link). Those planning to enter the Mobility Competition: Code Track (with awards of up to $2,500) must submit their proposal by Dec. 1. More>
Education Outreach: Kits Help Lab Staff Share Science With Local School Children Have you ever wanted to share your enthusiasm for science in your child’s classroom or at a local school? The Center for Science and Engineering Education (CSEE) provides kits of age-appropriate, kid-tested, educationally sound science activities for check out and use by Lab employees through its Berkeley Lab in School Settings (BLISS) Resource Center. Workshops are available to help prepare staff to use these resources. The next classes will take place on Monday, Dec. 7 ("Electric Circuits" for Grade 4) and Monday, Dec. 14 ("Eggs, Eggs Everywhere" for pre-kindergarten) in Building 7-211 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch is provided. More>
Employee Activity: Discount Tickets for Dickens Christmas Fair The Lab’s Arts Council is sponsoring a discount ticket promotion for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, taking place Nov. 27 through Dec. 20 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Cost is $15 per ticket. Oder tickets here. For more information, contact Cynthia Jones (x4242).
The Philanthropy Club will be hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Bloodmobile will be parked in the Cafeteria parking lot. Go here to register (sponsor code is LBL).
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