Nancy Padgett Selected
As Assistant to Director

Padgett

Berkeley Lab Director Steve Chu has announced the appointment of Nancy J. Padgett as Assistant to the Director, effective immediately. She has served the Laboratory since 1998, for the last six years as Business Manager of the Environmental Energy Technologies Division. Prior to joining the Lab, Padgett worked at Stanford University, including 10 years as Associate Dean and Director of Finance and Information Systems for the School of Humanities and Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford, an M.B.A. from UC Berkeley, and M.A. and B.A. degrees from Emory University. "The Laboratory is privileged to have Nancy bring her wealth of knowledge and understanding to this key position," Chu said. "I am confident that the Laboratory will benefit from her intellectual strength and leadership, and I am delighted to welcome her as a key member of my immediate staff."

457(b) Enroll, Change
Deadlines Coming Up

As the end of the 2005 tax year fast approaches, the Lab's Benefits Office would like to remind employees of two important deadlines related to enrollment in or changes to the 457(b) retirement plan. Employees must enroll or change contributions by 5 p.m. on Oct. 31. These changes will be reflected on the Dec. 1 paychecks for monthly paid employees, or the Nov. 11 paycheck for biweekly paid employees. Biweekly paid employees can also enroll or change contributions by 5 p.m. on Nov. 30. These changes will be reflected on the Dec. 9 paycheck. Go here for more information about the plan and its associated deadlines.

Sign up for Biotech
Business Forum

The Berkeley BioBusiness Association will host a BioEntrepreneurship Roundtable and Venture Capital Forum on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. in Burlingame’s Hyatt Regency Hotel. The event will bring together top Bay Area entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, business students and researchers from Berkeley Lab, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco for an evening of networking. The Berkeley BioBusiness Association is a student-led organization at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Interested researchers, including postdocs and grad students, should contact Jesse Lemberger. Go here for more information.

The Berkeley Lab SHARES charitable giving campaign is under way, and all employees are urged to review the information packets they received yesterday. SHARES is a convenient way to assist non-profit health and service agencies while supporting the Laboratory's commitment to the community. Payroll deduction and one-time gift options are available. The campaign will run through Nov. 18. Send any questions to the SHARES answer line here. Employees can also learn about the campaign by going here, and make online contributions by going here. SHARES representatives will staff an information table at the Runaround tomorrow.

SHARES Runaround
Tomorrow at Noon

Don’t miss the SHARES Runaround, which starts tomorrow at noon in front of the firehouse and finishes at the cafeteria. Pre-registration is not necessary for this 3 km race, which is open to all walkers and runners. In addition, an informal bike-around will start at the firehouse at 11:30 a.m. After the SHARES Runaround, enjoy refreshments and entertainment on the cafeteria lawn. Go here for more information.

JGI’s Julita Madejska with the next generation of scientists

Lab Scientists Participate
In Orinda Science Night
By Jackie Burrell

Scientists may look serious, but if the denizens of Orinda's Family Science Night were any indication, beneath those white lab-coated exteriors lurk the heart of a 12-year-old. Orinda's award-winning science extravaganza, which took place Oct. 6, featured scientists from many Bay Area science facilities, including Berkeley Lab physicist Carl Haber, who gave a keynote address, as well as several scientists from the Joint Genome Institute. The annual science event, which drew thousands of children, families and teachers from Orinda's elementary schools and elsewhere, was rich with intellectual marvels, slime and liquid nitrogen ice cream.
Full story.