News Briefs: March 28, 2008

Miller recognized for work with state S&T council

Director George Miller was awarded a copy of a state resolution for his work as a member of the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST).

2008 marks the 20th anniversary of CCST. The Laboratory is one of the six laboratory affiliates. Other affiliates include: Lawrence Berkeley, Sandia, Stanford Linear Accelerator, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA-Ames. Robin Newmark of the Global Security Principal Directorate serves as LLNL's lab affiliate representative.

The California State Assembly drafted a resolution in recognition of CCST's role and accomplishments and in honor of its 20th anniversary. As a member of the council, Miller was presented with a framed copy of the resolution.

The California Council on Science and Technology was established in 1988 by state legislation to provide independent and objective findings on public policy issues involving science and technology that affect the state of California. It is a nonpartisan, impartial, not-for-profit corporation, patterned after the national academies on the federal level.

CCST conducts studies on current issues; recent studies include policy frameworks for intellectual property derived from state-funded research, innovation in the state and a California response to the national "Rising above the Gathering Storm" report. CCST has been conducting a series of forums on key issues of interest to California and to the nation, several of which are important complements to LLNL programs in climate change, energy (including nuclear energy) and infrastructure.

For more information on CCST, go to the California Council on Science and Technology Website.

Regents appoint Yudof president of the University of California

The University of California Board of Regents Thursday voted unanimously to appoint Mark G. Yudof, current head of the University of Texas system and a recognized leader in American higher education, the 19th president of the University of California.

The appointment was made during a special meeting of the board following a search committee's recommendation last week. Yudof will succeed Robert C. Dynes, who last August announced his intention to step down by June 2008 after nearly five years in the position.

Yudof's appointment will become effective this summer, with the exact date to be determined.

"I am deeply honored by this appointment," said Yudof. "The University of California stands as a model for the world, creating tomorrow's leaders and innovators and helping to solve many of society's most pressing problems. I can think of no greater personal privilege than to have the opportunity to lead this remarkable institution."

Yudof, 63, has served as chancellor of the UT system since 2002. He heads one of the largest university systems in the country with 15 campuses, 194,000 students and an annual operating budget of $10.7 billion. Yudof previously was president of the University of Minnesota and a longtime faculty member, dean and provost at the University of Texas at Austin.

Yudof currently heads a public university system with nine academic campuses and six health institutions. Before being named chancellor of the UT system, he was a faculty member and administrator at UT Austin for 26 years and then served five years as president of the University of Minnesota. A highly regarded legal scholar and the recipient of many professional awards, Yudof is an expert on constitutional law, freedom of expression and education law.

Yudof said that in addition to academic excellence and student opportunity, among his priorities at the University of California will be continuation of the effort to review and refine the roles and responsibilities of systemwide administration.

Yudof also emphasized the importance of accountability mechanisms at the systemwide and campus levels to demonstrate the return on the public's investment in the university. Likewise, he said he will place a priority on communicating with Californians and building greater understanding of how the university contributes to their daily lives.

In addition to serving as president, Yudof will hold a faculty appointment in the School of Law at UC Berkeley.

Yudof, a native of Philadelphia, earned a bachelor's degree and an LL.B. degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He began his academic career at UT Austin in 1971 as an assistant professor of law and later became dean of the School of Law from 1984 to 1994 and executive vice president and provost from 1994 to 1997, when he left for the University of Minnesota.

He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of the American Law Institute, and a member of The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, an appointment President George W. Bush made in 2006.

For more news and information about the University of California go to the UC Website.

Liedle reaffirms commitment to LLNL Library journals

A cost-cutting proposal to cancel various technical journals at the Lab's library has caused concern, prompting Deputy Director Steve Liedle to reaffirm his commitment to this important research requirement.

"I want to assure all Laboratory employees that I am very committed to keeping our Lab at the forefront of science and engineering research, and this clearly requires access to leading technical journals," Liedle said. "I've asked Tomas Diaz de la Rubia, associate director for Chemistry, Materials, Earth and Life Sciences, to lead an institutional team to review this. We must ensure that we involve stakeholders in this process."

Liedle noted that while cost-cutting measures for the library are being considered, a thorough plan for quality library and journal services must be developed.

"We will not cancel any journals while this review process is under way and without a thorough understanding of the implications," he said. "While journal costs have accelerated and now consume more than half of the library's annual budget, we must look for creative ways to gain efficiencies without harming our access to these important research publications. Again, I want to reassure all employees that we have heard the concerns and we will act in the best interest of our Lab."