DOE Proposes Cuts
In Nuclear Medicine

Budinger

Proposed budget cuts by the Department of Energy would phase out research in nuclear medicine at Brookhaven National Laboratory and eliminate funding at 23 universities and 3 national labs. Last month, the Office of Management and Budget announced cuts including $37 million for nuclear medicine research nationwide. The budget drops from $37 million to $13 million in fiscal year 2006, and thereafter is eliminated, if approved by the House in September. The Budget Office cited the National Institutes of Health as a "better source" for this research. But that organization has also been hit with cuts, says Berkeley Lab life scientist Thomas Budinger, whose lab would lose more than $2 million a year. Full story.

Bodman Promotes Energy Bill to Governors

Bodman

U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman in a speech before the Western Governors Association yesterday expressed the need for Congress to pass comprehensive energy legislation and highlighted the benefits of the proposal for the western United States. Secretary Bodman also discussed a number of important energy initiatives including: nuclear defense; scientific research; oil and gas exploration in Alaska; hydropower; the strengthening of our power grid; further development of renewable energy; hydrogen powered fuel-cell vehicles; and clean-coal power generation. A link to the full text of his speech is available here.

Date for Site Services Class is March 9

Tuesday's edition of Today at Berkeley Lab incorrectly listed the date for an upcoming class on Site Services at the Lab. The class will be held next Wednesday, March 9, at 9 a.m. Go here to register (ASD 9041).

"Reach for the Stars" is the theme for this year's Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, which takes place next Thursday. Now in its 12th consecutive year, Berkeley Lab will host guests of employees, both girls and boys ages 9 to 16, to a day of science filled with fun. Volunteer opportunities also exist. Registration packets are due tomorrow. Go here to learn more.

Rokhsar Genome Lecture
Now Showing on UCTV

Rokhsar

Berkeley Lab Physical Bioscientist Daniel Rokhsar gave a lecture last summer titled "Beyond the Human Genome: What's Next." The lecture is now available for viewing on UCTV. Rokhsar and his colleagues were instrumental in sequencing three of the human body's chromosomes. Now he is turning to the structure and function of genes in other organisms, some of them no less important to the planet's future than the human map. Go here to view the lecture (requires Real Media Player).

Bailey's New Math
Book a 'Fun Read'

Bailey

Two new mathematics books, co-authored by Lab computational researcher David Bailey, have garnered a favorable review by American Scientist Magazine. Says the reviewer of "Mathematics by Experiment" and "Experimentation in Mathematics": "These are such fun books to read...they have the liveliness and feel of great Web sites, with their bite-size fascinating factoids and their many human- and math-interest stories and other gems. But do not be fooled by the lighthearted, immensely entertaining style. You are going to learn more math than you ever did from any two single volumes." Go here to read the full review.