Today is the start of a new effort by Director Chu to improve safety at the Lab and increase accountability. A website has been created as a resource to help staff perform their work safely. It includes videos, news, and links to safety tools.
To launch this effort, staff are asked to join Chu in an all-hands meeting today at 10 a.m. in the Building 50 Auditorium. His talk will be simulcast in the Building 66 Auditorium and Perseverance Hall, and will be streamed live on the web.
Shuttle Bus: New Routes, More Frequent Stops, and GPS Service In an effort to improve service for passengers using the Lab’s shuttle buses, changes have been made to the routes, a GPS system to provide real-time arrival information will soon come online, and an on call service will be piloted. When launched on Nov. 3, these features are expected to shorten the amount of time between bus arrivals especially during peak hours, increase coverage between the Lab and the campus, and improve overall efficiency. More>
Runaround: Annual Fun Race Starts at Noon Today at the FirehouseStaff are reminded that Runaround will start at the Firehouse at noon today, concluding with music, a ceremony, and $6 BBQ lunch on the cafeteria lawn. Participants will receive a bottle of water, snack and t-shirt. As noted in Wednesday’s TABL, the bus schedule will be altered during this time. The Bikearound will start at 11:30 a.m. at the Firehouse.
Research: Discovering a Single-Species Ecosystem Deep in the EarthAlmost three kilometers down in Earth’s crust, in the Mponeng gold mine in South Africa, a multi-institutional team has discovered the first single-species ecosystem. The rod-shaped bacterium Desulforudis audaxviator lives on the products of radioactive decay in complete isolation, total darkness, and 60-degree-Celsius heat. Berkeley Lab team members include Eoin Brodie, Todd DeSantis, Gary Andersen, and Terry Hazen of Earth Sciences; Alla Lapidus, Stephen Lowry, and Paul Richardson of Genomics; and Paramvir Dehal, Adam Arkin, and lead researcher Dylan Chivian of the Physical Biosciences Division. More>
SHARES 2008: Annual Giving Campaign Launches TodayFor the 11th 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. If donating by check, print the completed form and send to the payroll office at Building 90G-117. The SHARES campaign ends Monday, Nov. 10.
Health Note: Lab Offers Low-Cost Flu Shot Clinics For Lab EmployeesThe Lab’s Health Services Department is holding flu clinics on Thursday, Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Joint Genome Institute (Bldg. 310-350); Friday, Oct. 17 and 24 from 8 a.m. to noon in Bldg. 26; Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to noon in Bldg. 937’s first-floor conference room; and Friday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon in the NERSC conference room. A flu shot is $10 and a pneumonia shot is $45. Call x6266 for an appointment.
EH&S: Latest Site Environmental Report Now AvailableStaff are encouraged to take a look at a recent report that sheds light on how the Lab interacts with and impacts the surrounding environment. Published by the Environmental Services Group, the annual Site Environmental Report includes information on the Lab’s permit requirements, Environmental Management System, groundwater contamination, radionuclide emissions, and regulatory sampling of air, storm water, wastewater, sediment and soil. Go here to access the report.
Employee Activities: New Photography Club FormingA new Berkeley Lab photography club is currently being formed. The goal is to bring together employees with an interest in photography to take photos as a group activity, and to display and discuss them in a constructive environment. Those interested in joining can contact Nathan Smith (x4916).