Special Event: Lab Director To Give Science Talk on NGLS

Lab Director Paul Alivisatos will give a science talk on the Next Generation Light Source in the Building 50 Auditorium on Nov. 1 at noon. The intent of this presentation is to stimulate more discussion with researchers of the scientific impacts such a source may enable. The NGLS is a key initiative for the future of Berkeley Lab. With the NGLS, experiments that would take months, years, or even decades to complete using today’s light sources could be done within hours or even minutes. Bring your lunch and questions.

Research: A Wiki for the Biofuels Community

Harvey Blanch (right), Blake Simmons (left), Daniel Klein-Marcuschamer and Piotr Oleskowicz-Popiel of the Joint BioEnergy Institute have developed a technoeconomic model that should help accelerate the development of clean, green biofuels that can compete with gasoline. The on-line, wiki-based model enables researchers to pursue the most promising strategies for cost-efficient biorefinery operations and share their results with other members of the biofuels community. More>

In the News: Accelerators Have a Stake in America’s Future

[symmetry magazine] Almost exactly one year ago, DOE’s Office of High Energy Physics sponsored a symposium on Accelerators in America’s Future in which both the practical applications and pure research opportunities for accelerators were examined in detail. Berkeley Lab scientists were prominent in organizing the symposium and are also featured in Fermilab’s beautifully designed and produced report of the meetings, which appeared this summer. For more about Accelerators and America’s Future go here.

UC Update: Yudof Issues Letter on Retirement Benefits

University of California President Mark Yudof has issued a letter to faculty and staff regarding the recommendations he is intending to bring to the Regents this month concerning changes to UC retirement benefits. In his letter, he proposes a new pension program for employees hired after July 1, 2013. The annual cost to UC and its future employees for this proposed new pension program is 15.1 percent of annual payroll, 2.5 percent lower than the 17.6 percent that the current UCRP pension program costs UC and its faculty and staff. More>

SHARES 2010: Annual Giving Campaign Underway

For the 13th year, Berkeley Lab is sponsoring its charitable giving campaign called SHARES (Science for Health, Assistance, Resources, Education, and Services). Employees can contribute online, via check, or payroll deduction. For check or payroll deduction, mail the completed to Building 90G-117. The SHARES campaign ends Wednesday, Nov. 24.

World of Science: Campus Adds ‘Math for America’ as Part of STEM Program

With the introduction of Math for America Berkeley this semester, UC Berkeley is stepping up its efforts to address a critical national issue—the failure of the United States to educate the scientists, tech experts, engineers, and mathematicians demanded by the economy. Six outstanding math and science teachers from urban public schools in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale have just entered Math for America Berkeley's five-year Master Teacher Fellowship. The program is designed to help the fellows take their teaching to a higher level and to give them the intellectual engagement and professional development that they need to stay in a demanding and undercompensated job. More>

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