Lab Scientists Help Confirm
Earth’s Energy Imbalance

Scientists have concluded that more energy is being absorbed from the Sun than is emitted back to space, throwing the Earth's energy "out of balance" and warming the globe. The study, which appears in this week's Science Magazine Science Express, was led by NASA’s Jim Hansen and includes scientists from New York’s Columbia University, as well as Tica Novakov and Surabi Menon of Berkeley Lab’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division. The scientists confirmed this energy imbalance by using precise measurements of increasing ocean heat content over the past 10 years. Full story.

Consortium to Legislators:
Fund Bay Nanoscience

The Bay Area Science and Innovation Consortium (BASIC), a regional collective dedicated to advancing Bay Area leadership in science and technology, has written a letter to California members of Congressional appropriations committees seeking their support for nanoscience research "because of its critical importance to the future of the entire state." The letter, signed by BASIC Chairman and IBM Almaden Research Center Director, Robert J. T. Morris, highlights several federal agencies, including the Department of Energy which has requested $18.15 million to complete and begin operations at Berkeley Lab's Molecular Foundry in FY06. Laboratory Director Steve Chu is a member of the BASIC Board of Directors. Go here to read the letter.

Mini-Med School Series
To Feature Six Classes

UCSF has announced six new lectures in its popular Mini-Medical School series, all focusing on the theme “Brainstorms to Breakthroughs: Frontiers of Medicine.” In the series, scientists and teachers describe the latest in health sciences research and how those discoveries may be translated into therapies. Each lecture takes place on Wednesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. in Cole Hall, 513 Parnassus Ave., beginning May 18. Go here for the complete list of classes.

Immersed boundary simulation of heart

To build one of the most detailed models of the human body ever, it takes some heart. Berkeley Lab researcher Katherine Yelick, who is also a UC Berkeley computer science professor, has brought one of the first steps of that goal to life with software designed to simulate the human heart. In a joint project with mathematicians at the University of New York, Yelick developed a program that models fluid dynamics of the heart, which include mapping blood flow and blood cell coagulation. Such a detailed model could lead to more effective medical aids, such as prosthetics and artificial heart valves. Yelick wrote her program in the computer language Titanium, which she developed along with UC Berkeley professors Paul Hilfinger and Susan Graham, and Lab researcher Phil Collela. For more information about Yelick's work, visit her home page.

Wuy, left.

Linda Wuy Receives
Office of Science Award

Linda Wuy, formerly of the Earth Sciences Division and now Business Manager for the Chief Financial Officer, was presented with a special award from the Office of Science for her outstanding contributions in coordinating the PI meetings for the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) Program. The award was presented at DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research 8th Annual PI meeting in Warrenton, VA, and was attended by more than 170 scientists and DOE program managers. Wuy has organized the meetings and provided program support for NABIR since its inception in 1997. The award was signed by Ray Orbach.