News Briefs: March 21, 2008
U.S. Sen. Bennett and NNSA Administrator D'Agostino visit
U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah and two of his staff members visited the Lab Thursday for briefings and tours. National Nuclear Security Administration Administrator Tom D'Agostino joined the group.
Bennett, Mark Morrison, deputy chief of staff and legislative director and Scott O’Malia, Senate Appropriations Committee, and D'Agostino heard briefings on national security, stockpile stewardship, Advanced Simulation and Computing, radiation detection, the BioWatch program and climate change.
In addition, they toured the National Ignition Facility and the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center.
Bennett is a member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, counsel to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, founding chairman of the Senate GOP’s High Technology Task Force, former chairman of the special committee responsible for the Year 2000 computer switch, a member of the Senate Republican Energy Working Group and former chief deputy Majority Whip.
Massie representatives visit Lab
Representatives of the Samuel B. Massie Chairs of Excellence Program visited the Laboratory this week for presentations, discussions and a tour of NIF.
The Massie Chairs Program comprises nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and one Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS). The program was established in September 1994, by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM).
IPO's Stenehjem offers course for entrepreneurs
Scientists and engineers who have an entrepreneurial bent will soon have the chance to receive a helping hand from the director of the Laboratory’s Industrial Partnerships Office (IPO).
Erik Stenehjem, who took over the helm of the IPO on Oct. 1, plans to offer a lecture series on entrepreneurship during the last four Wednesdays of April.
The series, entitled "Developing Business Models for Emerging Technologies," will be presented on April 9, 16, 23 and 30 for one hour, starting at noon, in IPO in Trailer 6925, room 1110.
Before joining LLNL, Stenehjem taught a formal course on this topic for graduate students in science, engineering and business at the University of Washington and Washington State.
This course is designed to promote entrepreneurial behavior by helping matriculating multi-disciplinary students understand what is needed to find compelling business models in breakthrough technologies.
Stenehjem’s background, which includes developing new ventures for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, teaching college courses and helping teams of students compete in business plan competitions, may be helpful to LLNL staff with an "entrepreneurial itch."
Stenehjem will lead discussions based loosely on his course outlines to any interested in exploring the intricacies of starting high-tech ventures.
Attendance will be limited to the first 30 people who express interest. Those who would like to attend should contact Yvonne King at 2-7299.
Employees to receive new dosimeter covers
Employees will soon receive new covers, or "flaps" for their dosimeters via Lab mail. The flaps replace current dosimeter covers that either bear the University of California name or are different in design and color from the original blue cover.
Employees are asked to replace their existing flap with the new version and discard their old flap in the regular waste. It is important to wear the flap provided, as it is an integral part of the dosimeter. "Many people are unaware the dosimeter undergoes testing and accreditation with the flap in place," explained Jack Topper, the external dosimetry team lead.
In October, the Laboratory transitioned to management under Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, necessitating the change in the flap design.
Some organizations have used different colored flaps to denote special groups or achievements without realizing that different flaps can affect the dosimeter performance.
Topper noted: "Believe it or not, different pigments and different plastics do absorb low-energy radiation at different rates, thus affecting the dosimeter response." In order to maintain the dosimeter’s accreditation, Hazards Control must acceptance-test flaps that differ in color or composition from the institutionally provided flaps. For more information about the dosimeter flaps, call Topper at 3-8082.
The American Cancer Society’s fund-raiser, Daffodil Days, returned to the Lab this week. Employees purchased daffodils — the first flower of spring and the society’s official symbol of hope. LLNL has been participating in the Daffodil Days program since 1988.
In 2007, the Lab was cited by the American Cancer Society as the largest contributor to the Daffodil Days campaign in Northern California, raising nearly $32,000, and receiving the society’s Corporate Recognition Award. This year, Lab employees raised more than $32,000 for Daffodil Days.
