The California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) at UC San Diego is operating a set of servers in a campus data center on 380-volt DC (direct current) power. The project is one of the first installations in the United States to utilize system components specifically manufactured for this 380-volt DC power system topology. Switching to an all-DC power distribution is expected to increase the "computing work per watt," a barometer of energy efficiency in computing environments.
This technology approach was pioneered by researchers in the Lab’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division in partnership with the Electric Power Research Institute and numerous high technology private sector manufacturers. More>
Special Event: JBEI Reaches Out to Thousands at Inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival On October 23-24, the Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) participated in the inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C. More than 500,000 students, teachers, citizen scientists, and parents converged on the National Mall to learn about science, technology, engineering, and math at more than 1,500 interactive exhibits. JBEI's Chief Operating Officer Ellen Ford and postdoctoral researcher Anthe George spoke with thousands of attendees, explaining JBEI’s biomass-to-biofuels research with demonstration samples, posters, and handouts. JBEI was invited to participate in the event by the DOE's Office of Science.
Grants: 2011 Call for Projects from France Berkeley Fund The France Berkeley Fund, established in 1993 as a partnership between the government of France and UC Berkeley, is accepting applications for research. The fund is committed to supporting all areas of research, including the humanities, social sciences, exact sciences, applied sciences, and engineering. The fund encourages and supports original research of the highest quality and new collaborations. All projects will be funded to a maximum of $10,000 per year. Previous recipients of FBF awards can reapply two years after completion of their collaboration. Applications are available online and are due by January 31, 2011.
Jay Keasling, JBEI Chief Executive Officer and Associate Lab Director for Biosciences, will discuss the blossoming field of synthetic biology on Oct. 29, noon to 1 p.m. Watch the talk live online at Ustream.tv. This session also will be available afterward for online viewing. The talk is part of a UC systemwide speakers series, sponsored by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies at UCOP. Keasling, who is also a professor at UC Berkeley, is a pioneer in synthetic biology, which turns microbes into tiny chemical factories that can churn out valuable life- and earth-saving compounds. More>
Want to improve your time management skills? Or maybe you’re finding it a challenge to facilitate meetings? On Nov. 9 Berkeley Lab Learning Institute will offer two one-hour webinars that can help. Managing Your Time and Getting Things Done (BLI0132), from 11 a.m. to noon, will explore best practices for managing your workload and responding to changing priorities. Conducting Effective Meetings (BLI0131), from 1 to 2 p.m., will provide useful tips for planning meetings, handling challenging participants, and keeping discussion on track. Content is relevant for all employees, and you’ll participate from the convenience of your own desk. Registration required.
There are significant changes to both the medical plan rates and plans. Employees should do the following things for this year’s Open Enrollment period, which runs until 5 p.m. on Nov. 23:
• Look at the 2011 medical plan rates. Note: in some cases, the 2011 medical rates are doubling or tripling over the 2010 rates
• Log onto the Health Benefits Open Enrollment Website to read the detailed information on your 2011 medical plan choices
• Enroll your children up to age 26 in your benefit plans—you must enroll them during open enrollment
• Attend a benefits Open Enrollment training session
• Enroll or re-enroll in a Health and/or Dependent care flexible spending account
• Confirm your changes and print a copy of your elections for your records
• Contact the HR Benefits Group, if you have any questions, x6403 or [email protected]
Classes on Google Calendar, Docs, and Sites will be available on Nov. 5 and 19. They are 1.5-hour courses with a morning session (9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.) and an afternoon session (1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.). On Nov. 5, learn about Sites in the morning and Docs in the afternoon. On Nov. 19, learn about Calendar is in the morning and Sites in the afternoon. Go here to register.
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