(L-R): Birgeneau, Schwarzenegger, Chu, Dynes, and Bruce Darling, UC Senior Vice President.

Superlatives Dominate
At Governor’s Visit

“Tremendous.” “Terrific.” “Incredible.” “Exciting.” Those aren’t publicity snippets from a movie poster. They are descriptors used by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his hosts during a brief visit to Berkeley Lab and its Advanced Light Source on Friday. Accompanied by Lab Director Steve Chu, University of California President Robert Dynes, and UC Berkeley Chancellor Bob Birgeneau, the Governor experienced the wonders of the ALS, then emerged to a news conference of two dozen reporters and a couple of hundred curious lab employees. Full story.

IT Division to Cut Costs,
Reduce Workforce

Due to anticipated flat Laboratory funding, higher fixed cost and inflation, reductions must be made in the Lab's FY 2006 Institutional budget. Therefore, the portion of the Information Technology (IT) Division funded by overhead and recharge entered into a Reduction in Force (RIF) effective Aug. 17, 2005. A call for volunteers for layoff has been issued and will extend through August 29. Based upon business needs, volunteers will be considered in lieu of the layoff of others. Employees accepted as volunteers for layoff and employees who are to be laid off involuntarily will be notified no later than Friday, Sept. 30, 2005. However, the Division hopes to conclude this activity sooner.

Outside Consulting
and Employment

When is it permissible to engage in outside consulting, employment, and other types of paid work? Outside employment opportunities are extremely varied, but five basic rules to remember are: the work is done outside Lab hours and not on Lab premises; it does not interfere with or detract from the performance of your Lab duties; it does not create a real or apparent conflict of interest; you do not use Lab supplies, equipment, facilities, or resources; and your management supervisor is aware of and concurs with your employment arrangements. Go here for more details.

The Information Technology (IT) Division will pull the plug on the Windows NT4 domain servers at 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 24. The NT4 domain is no longer supported by Microsoft and all 600 known Lab users have been migrated to Microsoft Active Directory. No service disruptions or other problems are expected from this shutdown. Those who encounter any logon or other difficulties at the time of the shutdown or immediately after should call the IT Help Desk at x4357.

On-Site Dental Rep
In Cafeteria Today

The Onsite Dental representative will be in the cafeteria lobby from noon to 1 p.m. today to answer questions and book appointments for the new Dental Mobile Service. The mobile on-site dental service for employees, students, and guests, will begin Wednesday, Aug. 31, and will include a full range of general and cosmetic services. The trailer will be located near the ATM machine in the cafeteria parking lot during visits. Major PPO insurance plans, including UC's Delta Dental DPO (not PMI), will be accepted. A 15 percent discount will be offered for those without insurance.

Keasling, left.

Life From Scratch,
Molecule by Molecule

This article from the Associated Press appeared in hundreds of newspapers across the country last week.

They're called "synthetic biologists" and they boldly claim the ability to make never-before-seen living things, one genetic molecule at a time. They're mixing, matching and stacking DNA's chemical components like microscopic Lego blocks in an effort to make biologically based computers, medicines and alternative energy sources. "We're building parts that can be assembled into devices and devices that can be turned into systems," said Jay Keasling, head of Berkeley Lab’s synthetic biology department, which was created last year. Full story.