This week, Computing Sciences is hosting 14 local high school students as part of an outreach program to introduce students to various career options in scientific computing and networking. The sessions include presentations, hands-on activities, and tours of various facilities. The program was developed with input from computer science teachers at Berkeley High, Albany High, Kennedy High (in Richmond), and Oakland Tech. Teachers referred students they thought would most benefit from such a program. Staff from NERSC, CRD, ESnet, and the IT Division are presenting a range of topics including assembling a desktop computer, cyber security war stories, algorithms for combustion and astrophysics, the role of applied math, networking, science portals, and Green Flash.
Research: EBI Hydrolysis Model Aids Cellulosic Biofuel Studies Scientists are working hard to develop the tools and find the organisms to break down the complex structure of plant cellulose into its component sugars – the key step toward fermentation of those sugars into usable biofuel. This process needs to be simple and economically efficient before cellulosic biofuels can compete with fossil fuels for transportation energy use. In a paper published in the journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering, four EBI scientists Doug Clark (PBD) and Harvey Blanch, both with Berkeley Lab’s Physical Biosciences Division, postdoctoral researcher Seth Levine, and graduate student Jerome Fox – detail their analysis that led to the most specific model of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to date. More>
Outreach: Cosmology Center Hosts Teacher, Student Workshop The Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, supported in part by a grant from Berkeley Lab, is hosting a “Physics In and Through Cosmology” workshop for teaches and students, which culminates with a closing ceremony and cosmic-concept mapping contest tomorrow. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Advanced Light Source patio. Eight teachers and 43 students from local Bay Area high schools participated in the program, which promotes teacher development and academic achievement around math and science. More>
Last week, Director Paul Alivisatos hosted a Town Hall meeting on the Early Career Research Program. A video of the event is now posted. DOE's Office of Science Early Career Research Program supports the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers. It is anticipated that up to $15 million will be available in FY 2011 for awards at U.S. academic institutions and national laboratories. Lab PIs should contact their division management for the name of the "Authorizing Representative" for their division before completing the mandatory pre-application (due August 13). Joint Faculty must apply through their home campus. Details on eligibility, program rules, and application process are available here, or on the Lab’s informational website.
Employees can learn more about all the Lab’s Google applications during tomorrow’s Google Day. Google Calendar training will be held at 9:30 a.m. followed by Google Doc training at 10:45 a.m. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., IT staff will be available to answer questions on Gmail, Google Docs, Sites, Contacts, and Calendar. Bring your mobile device if you want help configuring it for Google. The day will wrap up with another Google Calendar training session starting at 1:30 p.m. More>
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