An international panel of experts has declared an end to the controversy over what triggered the extinction of the dinosaurs – an asteroid or volcanoes. The winners are the late Berkeley Lab Nobel laureate physicist Luis Alvarez and his son Walter, a geologist with UC Berkeley, who in 1980 proposed that a large asteroid slammed into the Earth 65 million years ago. The impact set off massive earthquakes and tsunamis, and shrouded the globe for years in a thick cocoon of dust and debris. The Chicxulub crater off the Yucatan Penninsula was the site of the impact. More>
Employees are invited to attend a special scientific symposium and celebration to honor Mina Bissell’s seminal contributions to the field of tumor biology, distinguished service, and 70th birthday. The daylong event takes place on Saturday, May 8, in the Building 50 Auditorium. The free symposium, "Cancer, Complexity and the Microenvironment: A Scientific Symposium and Celebration in Honor of Mina J. Bissell," will feature presentations from internationally renowned scientists and Bissell's trainees whose current work attests to the rich scientific legacy that she has promoted. Go here to view the program and registration information, or contact Francesca Guagliardo.
The Joint Genome Institute (JGI) invites scientists interested in the application of genomics to bioenergy and environmental issues, as well as all current and prospective users and collaborators, to attend the 5th Annual JGI Genomics of Energy and Environment Meeting, March 24-26 in Walnut Creek. This international gathering of researchers with an interest in sequence-based science offers three days of presentations, tours, workshops, and poster sessions. Keynotes include former National Science Foundation Director Rita Colwell and Joint BioEnergy Institute CEO Jay Keasling. More>
Telephone service will be interrupted tomorrow beginning at 5 p.m. for approximately 15 minutes to conduct electrical work on the telephone system. Many onsite buildings will be affected, including Building 48 (Firehouse). If there is a life-threatening emergency during this time, dial 911 from a cellular phone. To report incidents that are not life threatening, dial 486-6999 from a cellular phone. Those experiencing trouble with their telephone service on Friday morning, should contact Telephone Services (x7997).
Training: Performance, Career Mentoring Conversations WorkshopWant to increase your comfort level and effectiveness at conducting ongoing performance and career mentoring conversations with your staff? Get tips and tools to help set goals, give feedback, and handle common challenges at Berkeley Lab Learning Institute’s Performance and Career Mentoring Conversations Workshop on Tuesday, March 16. This two-and-a-half-hour session is relevant for both scientific and operations supervisors. Participants will collaborate with peers on case studies, plus discuss and brainstorm your own conversation challenges. Go here to learn more, and here to register.
The Lab’s HR Benefits group is hosting a free workshop on “Managing Stress in Times of Change” today at 11:30 a.m. in Perseverance Hall Addition (Bldg 54). This workshop will discuss reactions and stress associated with change, identify common processes for change and transition, and explore common pitfalls to avoid. The guest speaker will be Laurie Yamamoto, LCSW and a senior counselor for UC Berkeley’s CARE Services. Registration is required (course #106).
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