A consortium including researchers from the Joint Genome Institute — including Dan Rokhsar of the Lab's Genomic Division — reports the complete sequence of the wild grass Brachypodium distachyon in the Feb. 11 issue of Nature. B. distachyon has great potential as a tool for developing grasses specifically tailored for biomass and biofuel production. As the first wild grass species to be sequenced, Brachypodium completes a strategic triad of sequenced major grass genomes, from the three most economically important subfamilies of grasses, enabling researchers to compare complete genomes across these three grass subfamilies for the first time. More>
While the Carbon Cycle 2.0 initiative seeks to apply Lab research to solving the world's energy and environment issues, it also focuses on what's happening right here on the Hill. As part of that effort, a website was created to help employees learn about the many sustainability initiatives taking place at the Lab. The sustainLBL site includes information on "What You Can Do" to save energy (such as enabling energy management features on computers), and "What the Lab is Doing" (increased size of electric car fleet and replacement of boilers, for example), as well as links to policies and requirements, program documents, and resources and tools. Details on the recently announced Building Energy Savings Challenge are also available on the site.
The next Women's Scientist & Engineering Council Luncheon Seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16, in Perseverance Hall (54-130) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The speaker will be Dawn Munson, a mechanical engineer for the Lab's Engineering Division. Munson is a fabrication manager who works closely with project engineers and designers to review equipment designs and optimize them for fabrication. At the luncheon, Munson will discuss "Engineering as a Tool for Discovery." Munson was recently featured in the SPIE "Women in Optics" Planner for 2010. Lunch will be provided. For more information, call x7443.
ALS: Facility Celebrates One Year of Successful Top-Off Operation Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Advanced Light Source operating with top-off injection. The top-off mode of operation was a major improvement in the performance for users — doubling the photon flux, improving the stability, and eliminating fill-time interruptions. This first year of operation has surpassed all expectations. More>
Special Event: Talk on Nanostructured Materials Next Wednesday"In Conversation With…" is the next-generation science seminar series, during which host Alice Egan interviews scientists about their lives and work in language everyone can understand. Her next guest is Matt Francis, who will discuss how proteins can be used to make new materials. The event takes place Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 1:30 p.m. in the Building 66 Auditorium.
Make sure that the University of California has your current mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number to correctly administer benefits and send information. Personal information can be updated by visiting the Lab's Employee Self Service website and clicking the "Name/Home Address Change" link on the left side.
The first meeting of the new Employee Activities Association club PASSport To Wellness takes place today at noon in Building 2-100B. The meeting will include a demonstration of Xiang Gong exercise (to help prevent repetitive motion disorder), plus health and wellness tips. Call Tennessee Gock for more information (x5013).
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