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Employees can contribute to a renewed effort to restore areas of Argonne-East to a more natural state, where savannas, woodlands, wetlands and abundant prairie grass offer a haven to wildlife.
Both Argonne and the U.S. Department of Energy recognize the importance of the site as a valuable natural resource and are striving to restore native habitats. Argonne contains diverse land areas and holds promise for high-quality prairies, woodlands, savannas and wetlands. A "Greening the Government" order signed by President Clinton mandates that the government take a proactive role in protecting natural habitats.
A 12-member Habitat and Restoration Committee led by Rabinder Malhotra (PFS) has recently begun to encourage Argonne employees to work on this restoration process. A recent bus tour of the site offered a glimpse into this diversified ecosystem and the areas where help is greatly needed.
Prairie restoration at Argonne began in 1996 with the elimination of an area of non-native plants near East Gate. Once these non-native plants -- crown vetch and garlic mustard plants, for example -- start to flourish, they quickly outcompete and overwhelm the native plants, reducing biodiversity.
A more recent example was the removal of the tall non-native vegetation that had nearly hidden the pond in front of Building 201. It was replaced with native species to comply with "Greening the Government" guidelines to use regionally native plants for landscaping and to incorporate native plants into landscape designs.
Wetlands restoration isn't just an aesthetic activity. Healthy wetlands:
Reduce or prevent flooding.
Provide a habitat for animals.
Minimize erosion from rainwater runoff.
Provide a natural cleansing filter for water.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers required replacement of wetlands destroyed during construction of the Advanced Photon Source. Mark Kamiya (ESH) and Robert Van Lonkhuyzen (EA) are spearheading a grassroots effort to restore two wetlands near the facility. To sign up for the restoration effort, call the Pollution Prevention hotline at ext. 2-6778.
-- Linda Jakubowski
A lecture series on complementary and alternative medicine begins Thursday, June 15, with "Traditional Chinese Medicine," by Jim Hennigan.
All lectures will be held in Argonne East's Building 362 Auditorium from noon to 1 p.m. Interested employees whose schedules permit are invited to attend the free lectures.
The series, sponsored by Human Resources, is in response to nearly 400 replies by employees to a recent interest survey.
For more information about the lecture series or complementary therapies, call Marge Vaught (HR) at ext. 2-2985.
Other scheduled lectures include:
"Therapeutic Massage," by Ray Miller,
Wednesday, June 21.
"Tai Chi and Qi Gong" by Jim
Hennigan, Thursday, June 22.
"Meditation," by Chris Chroniak.
Tuesday, June 27.
"Yoga," by Kathleen Wright. Thursday,
June 29.
"Pranic (Energetic) Healing," by
Susan Cox and Ginny Gilcrease, Tuesday, July 11.
"Integrated Holistic Healthcare," by
Pieter Van Heule, Wednesday, July 12.
"Chiropractic Medicine," by Kent
Christianson, Thursday, July 20.
Dieter M. Gruen (CHM) was one of 12 recent recipients of the Alumni Merit Award from Northwestern University, Evanston. The award recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their fields.
Gruen received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University in 1944. During World War II he worked on the Manhattan Project, the effort to build the first atomic bomb, as part of the team involved in the electromagnetic separation of uranium-235. He earned a master's degree from Northwestern in 1947 and a Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of Chicago in 1951.
While at Argonne, Gruen has worked on chemical heat pumps, high-temperature superconductivity, laser phototherapy, diamond coating of surfaces and resonance ionization mass spectroscopy. Sixteen years ago, Gruen and his team developed excimer lasers, lasers that can remove abnormal tissue without damaging surrounding tissue. Last year, Argonne signed a research and development agreement with Baxter Health Care to develop new applications for the lasers.
The Alumni Merit Award is Gruen's latest honor. He received two U.S. Department of Energy Materials Science Awards, the first in 1987 for developing resonance ionization mass spectroscopy; the second in 1997 for developing a new method to make diamond films on surfaces.
Gruen has written more than 400 journal articles, served on the editorial boards of several scientific journals and lectured at international conferences. He holds more than two dozen U.S. patents.
Argonne employees will present drama, music and comedy at a variety show Thursday, June 22, starting at 7 p.m. in the Advanced Photon Source Auditorium Conference Center.
Tickets will be $3 at the door.
The show is sponsored by the Argonne Club and Sodexho Marriott.
The Argonne Speakers' Bureau needs staff employees to talk to the community about the research being done at the laboratory. The Speakers' Bureau helps take some of the mystery out of the laboratory and builds goodwill between the community and Argonne.
Community groups call the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) to ask for speakers. Depending on the topic the group would like to hear about, a speaker is matched with the request.
Talks are usually 20-30 minutes long, with 10 minutes afterward for questions. Speakers can give a general talk on research being done at Argonne using the slide show OPA provides, or they can talk about their own research.
The best speakers can explain their research in ways easy for laypersons to understand.
Speaking to community and service groups and schools has its rewards, say Argonne employees who are longtime Speakers' Bureau members.
"I give my weather and climate research activities and experiences to the general public to show them that tax dollars are spent wisely," said Doug Sisterson (ER), who has been speaking to school children for most of the 25 years he has worked at Argonne.
Jill Morgenthaler (ECT), who also speaks to many school children, said it's gratifying to see the kids become excited when she talks about science.
"When I first come into the class and ask `who wants to be a scientist,' none of them raise their hands," she said. "But 40 minutes later when I ask the same question, five to six kids will raise their hands."
Anyone comfortable with public speaking can join the Speakers' Bureau. For more information, call Cindy Wilkinson (OPA) at ext. 2-5561.
-- Yolanda Lukaszewski
From January through May, Argonne speakers and their topics were:
D. Ettinger (DEP) -- St. Andrews Grade School, Romeoville, Feb. 2, science fair judge; St. Patrick's School, Lemont, Feb. 10, Invention Fair Judge; Jefferson Junior High School, Naperville, Feb. 29, science fair judge.
E. Rexer (CHM) -- Westview Hills Middle School, Westmont, Feb. 5, science fair judge.
D. R. Cook (ER) -- Jefferson Junior High School, Naperville, Feb. 29, science fair judge.
J. Greene (PHY) -- Jefferson Junior High School, Naperville, Feb. 29, science fair judge.
R. Erck (ET) -- Jefferson Junior High, Naperville, Feb. 29, Science Fair judge.
D. Sisterson (ER) -- Jefferson Junior High School, Naperville, Feb. 29, science fair judge; (Sertoma) Service to Mankind, Crestwood, March 7, "Is Climate Changing?"
J. Liljegren (ER) -- Jefferson Junior High School, Naperville, Feb. 29, science fair judge.
V. Maroni (CMT) -- Jefferson Junior High School, Naperville, Feb. 29, science fair judge.
L. Nunez (CMT) -- Chicago State University, April 3, "Nuclear Clean-Up R&D Activities at Argonne."
D. M. Baurac (OPA) -- Lombard Senior Men's Club, April 18, "What's Going on at Argonne?"
J. P. Herman (PFS-WMO) -- South Suburban College, South Holland, May 12, "First Annual Youth Summit."
K. Trychta (PFS-WMO) - South Suburban College, South Holland, May 12, "First Annual Youth Summit."
S. Ahmed (CMT) -- Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, Des Plaines, May 17, "Fuel Cell Vehicles."
W. McFall (HR) -- Visitation High School, Bright Futures Evening -- "Career Trends and Directions in the 21st Century."
Jill Morgenthaler (ECT) will present her award-winning speech at the next meeting of the Argonne Toastmasters, Wednesday, June 14, in Bldg. 201, Conference Room 190A, from noon until 1 p.m.
The talk is based on her experiences with the international peacekeeping force in Bosnia. Morgenthaler is a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Morgenthaler, an Argonne Toastmasters Club member for eight years, recently won first place in the International Speech category for the Toastmasters Chicagoland District. Miriam Bretscher (ECT), an Argonne Toastmaster since 1985, won in the "Table Topics" category at the same competition.
Morgenthaler will go to East Peoria June 24 to compete in the six-state regional competition.
Toastmasters is an international organization that offers participants an opportunity to improve their communication skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Members learn skills in public speaking and presentation delivery. The club meets the second and fourth Wednesday of every month.
A representative from Fidelity will visit Argonne-West Wednesday, June 21, for individual consultations on asset allocations, retirement planning and transfers of assets.
To schedule a consultation, call (800) 642-7131 and identify yourself as an Argonne-Idaho employee.
Argonne's Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) will sell baseball caps, ornaments and key clasps starting Friday, June 16.
Baseball caps are adjustable and decorated with white-tailed or fallow deer. Cost is $10 (reduced from $12). Holiday ornaments cost $5, and key clasps plated with 22-karat gold are $10.
The sale will be held every other Friday during the summer in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Personal checks can be made out to "Argonne Chapter IAAP."
Proceeds help raise money for IAAP's annual $500 scholarships to two high school students.
