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  Tuesday, February 20, 2007 spacer image
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Today

11 a.m.
Chemistry Department
From Targets to Strategies and Back Again: Some Examples from Complex Molecule Synthesis
Andrew Phillips, U. of Colorado
120 Latimer Hall (campus)

1 p.m.
EHS 135
Earthquake/Wildland Fire Safety
Bldg. 48-109

4 p.m.
Chemistry Department
The Mechanisms of Hydrocarbon Conversion Catalysis: Regioselectivity, Stereoselectivity, and Enantioselectivity
Francisco Zaera, UC Riverside
120 Latimer Hall (campus)


Tomorrow

9 a.m.
EHS 280
Laser Safety
Bldg. 70A-3377

9 a.m.
EHS 530
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Bldg. 48-109

Noon
CITRIS
Advanced Technologies for Observing a Changing Ocean
Francisco Chavez, Monterey Bay Aquarium
3110 Etcheverry Hall (campus)

Noon
Dance Club
American Tango Lesson Practice
Bldg. 51 Lobby

12:15 p.m.
Yoga Club
Class with Chris Hoskins
Bldg. 70-191

Events Calendar button
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spacer imageCAFETERIA
 

Morning Editions: Breakfast Burrito with Roasted Potatoes
Tomorrow's Breakfast
: Chili and Cheese Omelet with Toast and Hash Browns
Market Carvery: Pasta Bar with Side Salad and Garlic Bread
The Fresh Grille:  Meatloaf Sandwich with Fries and Fruit
Menutainment: Fiesta Taco Salad

B'fast: 6:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
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Levine
Fisk
Mark Levine,
EETD Director,
Steps Down

Mark Levine, director of the Lab's Environmental Energy Technologies Division, has announced that he will step down from that position, due to health reasons. Bill Fisk will serve as acting director. Levine, who announced his resignation last Thursday, will eventually transition back to full-time research. Lab Director Steve Chu said that he will form a search committee for Levine's successor, and that he will hold an all-hands meeting with EETD this Thursday to discuss the transition. Go here to read Chu's Friday letter to staff.

IN THE NEWS


Putting 'Proof'
In Its Place

Bailey

In an article in the current issue of American Scientist pondering the changing meaning of proof, author Brian Hayes admits to "misgivings about the place of proof in mathematical discourse." He cites David Bailey of the Computational Research Division as contributing to these misgivings with two volumes on experimental mathematics, which Hayes calls a "manifesto of the field," and on which Bailey collaborated with Jonathan Borwein and Roland Girgensohn. The problem isn't that Bailey and his colleagues want to abandon proof, says Hayes, but that "they give greater scope to other activities" — like computation. Go here to read the article.

Foundry Fuels New Era
In Nano Collaboration

By Vance McCarthy

Molecular Foundry

Nano World News interviews Jim Bustillo, assistant director of Berkeley Lab's Molecular Foundry, part of DOE’s $500-million push for multi-disciplined nano research. In the story, Bustillo discusses "the dawn of a new era in government/private sector collaboration in many promising areas of nanoscience." Go here to read the first installment of the two-part series.

ANNOUNCEMENTS


Workplace Survey Data
Posted; Chu Sets Talks

A statistical breakdown of the results from the first-ever employee workplace survey at Berkeley Lab has been published on the Best Practices Diversity Council website. More than 1,700 Lab employees, three-fourths of whom were career employees, answered questions last fall about physical work conditions, workplace climate, safety, supervision, and work/life balance. Lab Director Steve Chu has announced that he will follow up with brown-bag discussions with employees about issues that were reflected in the survey responses, at noon on March 12, 15 and 20. Go here for details and results.

Reminder: New Bus
Schedule Tomorrow

Lab employees are reminded that a new schedule for the Blue shuttle bus route will be implemented tomorrow. The stop at the campus's West Circle will be eliminated. Passengers in this area can board the bus at the Hearst Ave./Arch St. stop. Also, a third bus will be added to the Blue route from 8 to 9:30 a.m. to alleviate overcrowding during that time. Schedules will be updated online and at the bus stops. Hard copies will also be available for riders. Comments on these changes can be sent to Tammy Brown.

BUDGET NEWS


Continuing Resolution
Signed: Ensures Funding

President Bush last Thursday signed House Joint Resolution 20 into law. The resolution funds the federal government through the end of September. Although the resolution includes a $200 million increase over FY06 for the Office of Science, there is no final indication from the Department of Energy as to how these dollars will be dispersed. Additionally, the resolution allows the Office of Science to reallocate approximately $130 million in funds that were previously earmarked for specific Congressionally backed projects. The resolution gives DOE Secretary Bodman 30 days to inform the appropriations committees of how the funds will be used. Though the resolution includes a significant increase for the Office of Science above FY06 levels, it is well below the FY07 budget request. Go here to read a Washington Post story on the resolution.


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Partly cloudy.
High: 56° (13° C)
IMAGE: Weather icon
Extended Forecast
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Emergency: Call x7911
Cell Phones: Call 911
Non-emergency Incident Reporting: Call x6999


SECON level 3

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