Chu, Ehlers

Rep. Vern Ehlers Stops
For Chat with Director

Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers, D-Michigan, took time out from his schedule yesterday to meet with Berkeley Lab Director Steve Chu and discuss various science-related matters. A nuclear physicist with degrees from UC Berkeley and experience at Berkeley Lab, Ehlers serves on the Science Committee in Congress and is a national spokesman for reforming K-12 education in science and math. Among his appointments was a talk on campus yesterday entitled "Physicists and Congress: a Weak Interaction."

Fleming greets Korean visitors

Korean Contingent Tours
Lab, Receives Briefings

A dozen members of the Science and Technology Policy Institute of Seoul, South Korea, spent the morning yesterday receiving briefings from Berkeley Lab leaders and touring facilities. Deputy Laboratory Director Graham Fleming welcomed the group, and Associate Laboratory Director David McGraw provided the institutional overview. Tour stops included the Advanced Light Source, where Korean scientist Simon Mur explained his work, and the Molecular Foundry construction site. The Institute is considering establishing a similar multi-program lab in Korea.

China Penalized
By Poor Energy Use

Sinton

Jonathan Sinton of the Environmental Energy Technologies Division is quoted in a recent BusinessWeek article that highlights how China’s environment and economy is suffering from its inefficient use of energy. For example, China has many wasteful steel, paper, chemical, and power plants relying on decades-old coal-fired turbines. Some steelmakers boast modern facilities. But China is still dotted with the blast furnaces and smelters of many minor players. "There are instances of steel plants set up just to meet local needs," notes Sinton. "These are terribly inefficient." Full story.

Andersen to Analyze
Plague Genome

Andersen

Perlegen Sciences, Inc. announced yesterday that it has received a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to analyze the genomes of approximately 150 Yersinia pestis and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strains, the causative agents of the plague. With this funding, Perlegen will study a genome-wide set of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Yersinia species, which will aid in distinguishing strains. "In addition to creating a SNP resource that can be used for diagnostic purposes, we expect to gain insights into the relationship between Yersinia pestis and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and the biology of these two species," said Gary Andersen, a Berkeley Lab staff scientist who will collaborate with Perlegen on this study. Full story.