Lab Websites Offer
Summer Energy Savings

During these peak demand summer months Governor Schwarzenegger has called on all Californians to “use power wisely and take advantage of the available programs to save energy.” Berkeley Lab has three websites, developed by researchers in the Lab’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division, that can help consumers manage their energy use and cut energy bills. Want to know if the region you live in is running out of electricity? Connect to the Current Energy website and see real time updates of the supply/demand balance of the electrical grid. The Home Energy Saver provides homeowners and apartment dwellers throughout the U.S. with custom-tailored advice by zip code on how to save energy. The 20% Solution website shows Californians how to reduce the energy use of their homes by 20 percent.

Record Federal Support
For Academic S&E

Latest statistics from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions show that Federal agencies obligated a new high of $24.4 billion for academic science and engineering (S&E) activities in FY 2002, an increase of $1.9 billion (more than 8 percent) over FY 2001 levels. This follows a 13 percent current-dollar increase (nearly 11 percent in constant dollars) in total Federal academic support between FY 2000 and FY 2001. Department of Energy contributions, however, did not follow this trend. DOE academic support for S&E was down 4 percent in that same period. The information is reported in a four-page June 2004 NSF InfoBrief entitled "Federal Science and Engineering Obligations to Academic and Nonprofit Institutions" (NSF04-324). For the full report go here.

Hans Frese, at satellite dish connecting DESY to the world

Computing Sciences Public Affairs Officer Jon Bashor has been traveling in Europe this summer, working with communications groups from research organizations there. While in Germany, he was struck by the number of people who ask him if he knows friends and colleagues in California. “When I was eating lunch at the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg,” he writes, “one of the people at the table said, ‘I know some people in Berkeley. Do you know Deb?’ It was obvious that he was referring to Deb Agarwal. It turns out that Hans Frese, head of telecommunications and web operations at DESY, had met Deb through their common connection to a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBTO) working group. But his connections with Berkeley Lab, and especially ESnet, go back more than 10 years.” Read Bashor’s dispatch here.

A Reminder of Policy
For Suspicious Packages

Berkeley Lab Security would like to remind all employees to be alert regarding suspicious packages. The earmarks of a questionable package include:

If you find or receive a suspicious package, do not handle it. Instead, call Security at x5472 for assistance. For any questions regarding this policy, call the Lab Security Manager, Dan Lunsford, at x6016.

Bldg. 72 Power Outage
Scheduled for Saturday

There will be a scheduled power outage at the Building 72 Complex for switchgear and building systems maintenance this Saturday. This outage is scheduled to begin at approximately 6 a.m. and continue until approximately 6 p.m. Please take all necessary precautions. A hill-wide public address announcement will be made prior to switching. For additional information contact Jim Murphy at x4175 or x6023.