Galaxy Survey Focuses
On 'Pre-Teen' Years

Newman

A massive project to generate an all-color map of the galaxies in a small area of sky, utilizing four satellite telescopes and four ground-based telescopes, is yielding new information about the universe's "pre-teen" years. The All-Wavelength Extended Groth Strip International Survey (AEGIS) project has researchers observing the same small region of sky in the radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. "We have looked at this patch of sky with every possible telescope, at wavelengths covering nine orders of magnitude - that's a wavelength range of a billion, compared to the ability of our eyes to see a range of two," said Berkeley Lab cosmologist Jeffrey Newman. "Each provides a little piece of the puzzle of how galaxies evolve." Full story.

Check for Shifted Dates
In Calendar and PDAs

Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday.  Employees should check their Lab Calendar to see if any meetings, especially recurring meetings, have shifted. The IT Division recently upgraded the Oracle calendar software, but the software contains a bug that may cause some events to shift one hour. Events affected by this bug would occur between March 11 and April 1, and Oct. 28 to Nov. 4. Go here to learn how to correct calendar entries. PDA users should check with their service provider's or manufacturer's support sites for information. For Palm support, go here. Contact the Help Desk (x4357) for further assistance.

South Pole Telescope

UC Berkeley Defends
BP Research Pact
By Matt Krupnick

UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau yesterday adamantly defended the university's part in a $500 million research deal with energy giant BP. Speaking to more than 200 faculty members and students at a campus forum to discuss last month's announcement of the pact, Birgeneau said those who oppose the new Energy Biosciences Institute are ignoring the tenets of academic freedom. People who attack corporate funding deny the value of the resulting research, he said. "I consider that to be abhorrent," he said. "I'll defend academic freedom to the hilt" (Berkeley Lab is a partner in the institute, which will study ways to increase energy production and reduce energy use). Full story.

The Impact of EBI
On Berkeley, World

In the latest edition of Bear in Mind, an ongoing webcast series about campus issues, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau speaks with Vice Chancellor Beth Burnside, Berkeley Lab Director Steve Chu, and energy researcher Dan Kammen on the emerging plans for the Energy Biosciences Insitute, or EBI. Go here to read the transcripts or watch a video of the conversations. To read or view only the discussion with Chu, scroll to "Part Two" section.

CUCSA Delegate Sought;
Staff Invited to Meeting 

The Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) is comprised of delegates from every UC-managed institution, including Berkeley Lab. Members discuss issues that affect staff with top UC administrators and Regents. CUCSA members are also asked for their feedback on programs and initiatives that UC is developing. The Lab is seeking a new junior delegate to serve alongside a senior delegate for 2007-08. Details on who is eligible and the nomination process are available here. To get an inside look at how CUCSA operates, staff can attend the group's quarterly meeting at the Lab today, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Perseverance Hall. 

Employees not able to attend Wednesday's meeting on proposed changes to the Lab's S&E policy, hosted by Deputy Director Graham Fleming and Scientific Advancement Committee Chair Natalie Roe, can watch a video of the proceedings here. Go here to view a PDF of the Powerpoint presentation used at the meeting. Comments on this proposal will be accepted through April 1.

Daylight Saving Time
Begins This Sunday

Staff are reminded that Daylight Savings Time occurs this Sunday, so clocks should "spring forward" one hour before going to bed on Saturday night. Standard Time will resume on Sunday, Nov. 4.