Award For Paper
On Code Optimization

At the recent IEEE International Parallel and Distributed Processing Symposium held in Miami, the award for Best Paper in the “applications” category went to research exploring ways to make a popular scientific analysis code run smoothly on different types of multicore computers. Samuel Williams, with Berkeley Lab’s Computational Research Division, was lead author of the paper, titled “Lattice Boltzmann Simulation Optimization on Leading Multicore Platforms.” Full story.

Funding for Energy
Research Proposals

The DOE’s Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) is soliciting proposals from individual investigators and small groups for research on advanced energy technologies. Berkeley Lab pre-proposal submissions will be reviewed by Deputy Director Paul Alivisatos. Approximately $60 million may be available starting in FY ‘09, pending appropriations. Applications are being sought in two areas: Grand Challenge Science and its enabling tools, described in the recent BESAC report, and use-inspired discovery science, as described in ten workshop reports from the Basic Research needs series. Go here to view these reports. Potential applicants may review the DOE guidelines and additional submission materials here. Go here for more information, or Contact Kristin Balder-Froid.

Lab Softball League
Looking for Players

The 2008 season of the Lab Softball League is just around the corner, with games starting in mid-June and continuing through late August. Games are played on campus every Wednesday at 6, 7:15 and 8:30 p.m. Players who are looking for a team, or would like to form their own, can contact Commissioner Steve Blair.

Fungus Has Biofuel
Production Potential

Trichoderma reesei

The genome analysis of Trichoderma reesei, a champion biomass-degrading fungus has revealed a surprisingly minimal repertoire of genes that it employs to break down plant cell walls, highlighting opportunities for further improvements in enzymes customized for biofuels production. The results were published in Nature Biotechnology by a team led by the Joint Genome Institute and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Full story.

New Supercomputers
For Climate Modeling

Using a supercomputer with low-power embedded microprocessors would overcome limitations posed by today’s conventional supercomputers and provide an innovative way to improve global climate change predictions, according to three Berkeley Lab computer scientists. Michael Wehner and Lenny Oliker of the Computational Research Division, and John Shalf of NERSC, propose a new breed of cost-effective and energy-efficient supercomputers based on the embedded microprocessor technology used in cell phones, iPods and most other modern day electronic conveniences. Full story.

Next Onsite Weight
Watchers Session

The next session of Berkeley Lab’s onsite Weight Watchers program begins with an informational meeting tomorrow at noon in Building 26 (Health Services). The 17-week session will cost $186, payable in three installments of $62 over the course of the session. Call x5334 for more information. The last session of Weight Watchers at the Lab yielded a loss of more than 1,000 pounds by over 80 employees.