In response to an e-mail about a safety concern received last Friday during Director Chu's all-hands meeting, the Lab's Facilities Division Monday repaired a loose stair tread on the steps that lead up to Building 70A.
Do you have a safety concern you'd like to share? If so, send e-mail here. Visit the "Our Safety" website for the latest on the Lab's new safety effort.
Jay Keasling and Blake Simmons were interviewed for a story in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal about efforts at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) to create the “ultimate liquid fuel — one that is clean, cheap, easy to make and doesn't compete with food stocks.” More>
In The News: Lonely Microbe Makes HeadlinesReporters worldwide have been entranced by the tale of Desulforudis audaxviator, the lonely microbe found deep underground in a South African gold mine, where it lives on the products of uranium decay in complete darkness, extreme heat, lack of oxygen, and total isolation. Dylan Chivian of the Physical Biosciences Division, lead author of the Science paper describing the bug, has appeared in numerous media including NPR’s “Science Friday” with Ira Flatow (podcast), and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Special Event: The Sights and Sounds of the Lab's 31st Annual RunaroundBlue skies, bright sun and crisp temperatures greeted the 647 employees who turned out for the Lab’s 31st Runaround on Friday. The men’s winner was Dula Parkinson, who ran the race in 9:57 minutes, and Meredith McMurdo was the female winner at 13:05 minutes. Go here to watch a 1.5-minute video capturing some of the sights and sounds of the race, and here to view a slide show taken by Lab photographer Roy Kaltschmidt. Lab staff in Washington D.C. also participated in their own mini version of the Runaround. Go here to view a photo of the participants.
Lab Guest: Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey Addresses ALS User MeetingRep. Lynn Woolsey visited Berkeley Lab on Monday to participate in the annual meeting for the Advanced Light Source User Group, where she delivered an address on Congressional support for basic science. While here, Congresswoman Woolsey learned about the following Berkeley Lab initiatives: the Darfur Stove Project, arsenic removal in Bangladesh, energy efficiency in buildings and the Joint Bioenergy Institute.
Shuttle Bus: Guidelines for Bike Riders Boarding BusesBike riders who use the Lab’s shuttle buses must adhere to the following guidelines when boarding: inform the driver that a bike is being loaded, and when using a rear rack, hang the bike by the rear wheel. Before disembarking, inform the driver that a bike must be unloaded, then signal the driver when done. Both loading and unloading should be done as quickly and safely as possible.
BLI Class: Archiving and Transferring Records Course on Oct. 23To help employees learn more about the archiving and transferring of records and files, the Archives and Records Office, along with the Berkeley Lab Institute, is conducting a one-hour workshop on Thursday, Oct. 23, in Perseverance Hall from 11 a.m. to noon. Go here to register.
Employee Activities: Free Tickets for Piano Concert on Nov. 2Berkeley Lab staff can receive two free tickets to a concert by pianist Jeanne Stark-Lochmas on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 4 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Theatre in Oakland. She will perform works by Mozart, Chopin, and Debussy. E-mail requests by Friday.