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NE-CAT, the latest collaborative access team to take advantage of Argonne's Advanced Photon Source, will conduct research in a variety of biomedical areas. The results will be applied to human health care, pharmaceutical development and biotechnology.
Representatives of the Advanced Photon Source and NE-CAT (Northeastern Collaborative Access Team) signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" May 3, making NE-CAT the 20th collaborative access team to officially assume management responsibility for one more sectors at the APS. NE-CAT will operate sector 24.
NE-CAT is a collaboration of several prestigious institutions from the northeastern United States, including Columbia University, Cornell University, the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Rockefeller University, Yale, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Funding for NE-CAT as a research resource is provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The scientific program of NE-CAT centers on applying X-ray crystallography to a range of biological systems, including signal transduction, DNA transcription, cell cycle regulation, viruses, membrane proteins, protein folding and enzymes. An arena of particular interest will be the ways biological macromolecules interact to form large macromolecular complexes. The research may have applications in many biomedical fields, including immunology, virology, neurobiology, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology and biophysics.
Membership in NE-CAT includes both senior investigators with long-standing records of productivity and young investigators at the beginning of promising careers. NE-CAT will also provide training opportunities to several hundred graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows for careers in the biological sciences.
In welcoming the group to Argonne, Murray Gibson, associate laboratory director for the APS, noted that, "This is the eighth APS CAT dedicated to structural biology. The fact that crystallographers and the NIH are joining forces to utilize this nation's most brilliant X-ray beams is very gratifying to those of us who built, operate and manage the APS facility. It is also, I know, gratifying to Hermann Grunder and to the University of Chicago, who strive to make Argonne an institution that nourishes the best researchers in many fields. And occasions like this are certainly gratifying to the Department of Energy and the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, which support the construction and operation of APS, because their mission is to see that the national investment in the APS pays dividends to the common well being."
Too often, Argonne employees seem to be losing the war with paper. In some offices, the file cabinets, bookcases, and desks -- and even the chairs and the floor -- are buried. Simply recycling the paper is not the right solution, because some of it must be saved as a record of work at Argonne.
Janet Anderson (IPD), the laboratory records coordinator, is available to help employees decide what paper needs to be saved and what can be discarded. Anderson is Argonne's expert about federal requirements for maintaining records.
"I can help people evaluate collections of records in their offices," says Anderson. "I work with individuals and groups to identify the official records that must be saved. After we have done that, the rest of the paper mountain can be recycled. Another source of help is the individual's division records coordinator. People can reach their coordinators through their division offices or through me."
Argonne's requirements for maintaining records are based on federal law and follow directives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the Energy Department. IPD's current focus is on the research and development records that have accumulated at the laboratory over the last 50 years. Research records include notebooks, raw data, proposals and summary reports. DOE requirements that went into effect in 1998 specify the type and duration of storage for these records.
With Anderson's help, Harold Spinka (HEP) applied these requirements in preparing to store records from Argonne work on the Zero-Gradient Synchrotron project, the Superconducting Super Collider project and an experiment with Fermilab. "It's a relief to be sharing the corporate memory with others and not be totally responsible myself," says Spinka.
Most of his 32 boxes went to Argonne's off-site storage, but the extremely valuable primary logbooks, drawings and other project documentation were sent to NARA.
Decisions about records of the joint work with Fermilab were made in cooperation with Fermilab staff. Spinka says, "It's good to have the records going to the right place and out of our building space."
Charles Dickerman (retired from RE) echoes Spinka's satisfaction in preserving research records and sharing the corporate memory. In Dickerman's records transaction, Anderson helped him collect records and specifications for a unique imaging instrument that captures pictures at up to 1,000 frames per second inside the TREAT reactor at Argonne-West.
Dickerman considers Argonne's records support "the kind of `no news' that is sometimes the most important news. It's one of the good things that happen often at Argonne without really being noticed."
In addition to research records, administrative records must be saved. These generally contain decision-making information, such as health and safety documentation, training records and human resources files. Research and administrative records occur not only on paper, but also on electronic, video, photo, tape and other media. Anderson can advise on the handling of all types, to ensure their integrity during storage.
After laboratory organizations identify their official records, Anderson can arrange for them to be picked up and transferred to Argonne's off-site storage. The off-site materials can be retrieved in 24 hours or less if they are needed.
At the end of the retention period specified by federal law, the records will be destroyed with authorization from the division records coordinator. Storage can be extended if desired.
To request Anderson's help, call her at ext. 2-7844 or contact a division records coordinator.
-- Karen Haugen, IPD
Last week's planned aerial spraying at Argonne-East to prevent Gypsy moth infestation has been rescheduled to due to cold weather. The new date is Tuesday, May 21.
"National Buckle Up America Week" will be marked at Argonne-East May 20-22 with a series of lunchtime displays and exhibits by Illinois safety agencies at the Building 213 Cafeteria May 20-22.
Organizations to be represented include:
Monday, May 20: the Illinois State
Police will exhibit a vehicle rollover simulator, the DuPage County SafeKids program and the
Illinois Secretary of State.
Tuesday, May 21: Mothers Against Drunk
Driving and the Illinois Secretary of State
Wednesday, May 22: Illinois Secretary
of State.
The 30 percent of the population who refuse to wear automobile seat belts cost society $10 billion per year in lost work time and productivity, higher worker compensation costs, higher healthcare and automobile insurance premiums and emergency medical service costs.
This event is sponsored by Argonne's Traffic Safety Committee. For more information, call Grey Dely (EQO-SPC) at ext. 2-6440.
by Mike Boxberger, Director of Safeguards and Security
In the aftermath of the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and while efforts to combat terrorism continue, Argonne employees must maintain their vigilance and awareness of security conditions.
Argonne's current security status is "SECON-3 Modified." Under this security condition, all personnel should maintain vigilant security awareness and report suspicious personnel, particularly those carrying suitcases or other containers, or those observing, photographing or asking questions about site operations or security measures. Unidentified vehicles parked or operated in a suspicious manner on or in the vicinity of the site or near site facilities should be reported, as well as abandoned parcels or suitcases or any other activity considered suspicious. To report suspicious situations or activities, call ext. 2-5730 or ext. 2-5731. Dial 911 if the situation is an immediate concern.
Security personnel at the gates are not required to physically touch all badges to check for tampering. Security personnel will need to see badges and gate passes as employees and visitors enter the site. Random vehicle inspections and inspection of delivery vehicles will continue.
Other security procedures and requirements begun in October 2001 will continue:
All employees and visitors must
prominently display their badges or passes while on site.
All visitors, including employees'
spouses and other relatives, must stop at the Argonne Information Center (AIC) for passes before
entering the site.
Employees hosting special events must
provide the AIC with a list of attendees far enough in advance to allow security to prepare passes
for them. The list must include the names and citizenship of all attendees. Hosts of special events
should inform attendees of security requirements that may delay their entry to the site, such as
vehicle searches.
Visitors who are not U.S. citizens
cannot enter the site after regular business hours unless prior site-access arrangements have been
made.
Passes for visitors attending special
events held after regular hours (5 p.m. - 6:30 a.m.) or on weekends will be prepared by AIC
employees and issued at the main gate. Arrangements must be made well in advance of conferences,
seminars and other meetings to minimize potential problems or delays.
All visitors will be positively
identified before receiving a pass, and must wear their passes while on site. Those with visitor
passes will also need positive identification at the gates.
Argonne and DOE employees may no
longer vouch for visitors in their vehicles by displaying their badges. These visitors should be
processed through the AIC.
Items that may not be brought onto the
site at any time include pets, firearms and other weapons, explosives (including fireworks),
illegal narcotics and radioactive sources.
Security levels
Argonne's Safeguards and Security has five levels of security for the Illinois site:
SECON-5: This condition exists when a
general threat of possible terrorist activity exists, but warrants only routine security measures
associated with daily operations.
SECON-4: This condition applies to a
possible threat of terrorist activities and generally enhances security awareness responsibilities.
SECON-3: This condition is used when
an increased and more predictable threat of terrorist activity exists and may increase access
controls to include additional personnel and vehicle barriers.
SECON-2: This condition is set when a
terrorist incident occurs or intelligence information is received indicating that some form of
terrorist action is imminent. It requires specific protection measures to be put in place.
SECON-1: This most serious condition
is declared in the immediate area where a terrorist attack has occurred which may affect the site
or when an attack is initiated on the site. This significantly increases protective measures and
may require additional protective elements along with those in SECON-2.
Offsite considerations
Wearing badges outside of the laboratory or leaving them in vehicles is strongly discouraged. Employee badges have been stolen at other U.S. Department of Energy facilities, which can lead to unauthorized use.
Materials scientist Ali Erdemir (ET) has won the 2002 Al Sonntag Award of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) and the 2002 Allan Manteuffel Award of the Chicago section of the STLE.
The Sonntag Award honors the best paper on solid lubricants published by the society during the preceding year. This is Erdemir's second Sonntag Award and recognizes his paper, "Dry Lubricant Films for Aluminum Forming." He will receive the award at the annual meeting this month.
The Manteuffel Award recognizes outstanding personal contributions to the field of lubrication engineering. Erdemir's most recent development is a "near-frictionless" ultrahard carbon coating many times slicker than Teflon.
When tested in a dry nitrogen atmosphere, it has a coefficient of friction less than 0.001, 20 times lower than the previous record holder. Teflon's coefficient of friction is around 0.04; steel has a coefficient of about 1.1.
Promising applications for the coating are for use in automobile and engine parts such as turbocharger rotors and fuel injector components.
Other potential applications include oil-less bearings, spacecraft mechanisms, rolling and sliding gear systems and bearings of ultrahigh vacuum instruments.
Erdemir's previous awards include the 1999 American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Innovative Research Award. In 1998, work by Erdemir, George Fenske (ET) and Osman Eryilaz was listed among the top 100 developments of the year by R&D Magazine.
The deadline for all news, seminars and classified ads for the Monday, June 3, issue of Argonne news will be Friday, May 25, due to the Memorial Day holiday.
The Guest House Restaurant will be closed Saturday, May 25, through Monday, May 27. The 5 to 9 Grill will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, and will have extended hours Monday, May 27, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
"Writing For Researchers," to be offered by Human Resources in June, can help researchers write more powerful, effective and clear papers, letters, reports, proposals and manuals.
Classes include a mix of individual instructor conferences combined with half-day workshop sessions and a follow-up e-mail conference, allowing each researcher to tailor the class to his or her needs.
The course is scheduled for June 13, 14, 20 and 21, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in Argonne-East's Building 362, Room F108. An individual pre-conference will be held Tuesday, June 11.
To register, contact a Training Management System representative; registration deadline is Friday, May 24. The course number is HR266.
Call Betty Iwan (HR) at ext. 2-3410 for more information. For complete descriptions of courses visit the HR Web site.
Representatives of the laboratory's retirement vendors will visit Argonne-East in June to meet individually with employees who have questions about their retirement plans or their retirement plan assets. To arrange a half-hour appointment, call the number listed.
Fidelity: Tuesday, June 4, and
Tuesday, June 25. (800) 642-7131.
TIAA-CREF: Monday, June 10, and
Tuesday, June 11. (800) 842-2005.
Prudential: Wednesday, June 5, and
Wednesday, June 19. (847) 619-3519.
A book fair will be held in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria Tuesday, May 21, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Books, games and toys will be available for 30-70 percent off the retail prices.
Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted.
Service Awards for April include:
55 Years
Dieter M. Gruen (MSD).
40 Years
Sidney G. Holder, Sr. (PFS), Philip H. Kier (DIS), Roland F. Maharry (FAC).
35 Years
Sylvia M. Hagamann (ET), Sue E. Smith (TD), Richard H. Wesel (RAE).
30 Years
Marquis A. Kirk, Jr. (MSD), G. Schwartzenberger (ENT).
25 Years
David R. Cook (ER), Elwyn H. Dolecek (CMT), Paul E. Rausch (ECT), Barbara H. Richardson (CMT).
20 Years
Stuart J. Freedman (PHY), Roy P. Grant (NT), Lolita M. Groves (FAC).
15 Years
Karen A. Kerwin (OTT), Daniel J. Miller (DIS), Simon R. Phillpot (MSD), Catherine M. Riblon (IPNS), Raymond L. Rucinski (PFS), William S. Vinikour (EA).
10 Years
Jane Andrew (IPD), Kay Borman (PFS), Jon M. Bradley (RPS), Fred Brewer (PFS), Kent W. Burch (FAC), Thomas Carten (PFS), Edmund Chang (ASD), Dannie Davis (PFS), James Gleeson (OTT), Darryl Howe (HR), Daniel Huml (PFS), John A. Lazarz (BIO), Neil MacDonald (PFS), Corrie G. Patterson Kamiya (TD), Robert Pfile (OCF), Sushil Sharma (ASD), Connie J. Tessmer (FAC), Glenn Willes (PFS).
5 Years
Terry J. Battisti (ENT), Melvin H. Brown, III (PFS), Frederick G. Carter (UPD), Gary R. Drake (HEP), Anthony E. Ferrazzi (OSS), Guy Savard (PHY), Dana M. Stasiak (ECT), John T. Vaughey (CMT), Won Sik Yang (RAE), Gennadiy M. Yershov (BTC).