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New beamlines recently dedicated at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) "will take us into the superheated cores of planets and back to the origins of life, without ever leaving sector 16," said Murray Gibson, associate laboratory director for the APS.
The new High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HP-CAT) will use those beamlines to conduct investigations into properties that may lead to new materials for new technologies, and pursue information in the areas of nuclear and other highly energetic materials.
"HP-CAT is a wonderful example of the new set of physical science CATs at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) dedicated to a specific technique or field of research," Gibson said.
David Mao of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (CIW) Geophysical Laboratory is director of HP-CAT.
"HP-CAT will unleash the full potential of high-pressure methods for materials research," Mao said.
Some of the research avenues to be explored at HP-CAT include novel superconductors and superhard materials, the search for scientific knowledge of nuclear stockpile and energetic materials, the exploration of new physical properties inside highly compressed, hot planetary interiors and tests of hypotheses of high-pressure origins of life.
In addition to the latest in experimental equipment, such as large-volume diamond-anvil cells, HP-CAT researchers combine established X-ray techniques and apply them in new types of experiments that will lead to complete crystallographic studies of materials at multi-megabar pressures. These will include measurements of the dynamics of electrons, atoms and nuclei, and detailed studies of complex materials as functions of pressure, temperature and time. Researchers will be able to study local chemical environments, including atomic coordination, structures and bonding character, with a wide variety of X-ray spectroscopies.
"Thus far, high-pressure X-ray spectroscopy has been hindered by insufficient synchrotron radiation intensity and by the opaqueness of high-pressure vessels at crucial X-ray energies," Mao said. "With the dramatic improvements in X-ray intensity offered by the APS and X-ray transparent ultra-high-pressure cell components, the new facility opens a window on a previously unavailable energy range."
Installation of the HP-CAT beamlines by project director Daniel Häusermann and his team began in January. Nine experiment stations have been constructed. Four stations will house optics, while five will accommodate experiments. Commissioning of the first microdiffraction station is taking place now. The other experiment stations will come on-line at the rate of one every three months until early summer of 2003.
Signatories to a memorandum of understanding with APS for operation of the HP-CAT beamlines include CIW, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV). The U.S. Department of Energy, the Keck Foundation, the Vetlesen Foundation and UNLV all provide support for the facility.
Argonne Director Hermann Grunder welcomed a bevy of VIPs at the July 26 HP-CAT dedication. They included CIW President Maxine Singer; Mao, William Goldstein, associate director, physics and advanced technology at LLNL; Carol Harter, UNLV president; Michael Kreisler, of DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration; and Wesley Huntress, director of the CIW Geophysical Laboratory. Grunder thanked project director Daniel Häusermann and his team for their work to bring HP-CAT on line.
The Human Resources Policy and Procedure Manual underwent a recent review that resulted in revisions to many of the 110 policies and procedures.
Most of these revisions seek to clarify existing policies or procedures.
Revisions shown below may be of particular interest to laboratory employees. They clarify or alter a previous policy or procedure or introduce a new policy.
Procedure 2600: Initial Employment
Period -- Absence benefits (for example, vacation, sick leave and floating holidays) are not
available to non-exempt employees until the initial employment period is satisfied.
Procedure 2700: Promotion, Demotion,
Reassignment, Reclassification and Transfer -- Reassignments no longer require a written statement
from the employee voluntarily requesting the reassignment.
Policy 4400: Military Leave --
Military pay for employees called to active duty under Operation Enduring Freedom is supplemented
to Argonne base pay from date of induction for a maximum of 180 calendar days.
Policy 4650: Sick Leave -- Sick leave
accruals for part-time employees are now based on the number of regular hours paid in the prior
year. Short-term temporary employees and temporary employees in programs of the Division of
Educational Programs (DEP) are not eligible for sick leave.
Policy 4700: Holidays -- Short-term
temporary employees are not eligible for holiday pay.
Policy 4900: Vacation -- Short-term
temporary employees and temporary employees in DEP programs are not eligible for vacation benefits.
Advance payment for vacation absence is eliminated. Available vacation balance can be paid out to an employee whose long-term disability determination is pending by the insurance carrier.
Procedure 4950: Workers' Compensation
-- The laboratory supplement of insurance benefits is changed from the level of gross pay to the
level of net pay the employee received immediately preceding the occupational disability.
The special extension for non-exempt employees is eliminated.
Procedure 5300: Educational Assistance
-- The Argonne procedure for graduate students does not change, but the Tax Relief Act of 2001
extends the $5,250 annual tax exclusion for employer-provided educational assistance to graduate
education and makes the exclusion permanent for courses that began after Dec. 31, 2001.
More details about the policy revisions can be found on the HR home page under "What's New." HR policies and procedures can be viewed online.
For more information, contact John Hyzer (HR) at Jhyzer@anl.gov or ext. 2-3503.
Pictures tell a thousand words, but a presidential signature is speaking volumes for a group of Argonne researchers.
During his July 22 visit to Argonne-East, President George W. Bush autographed a copy of "Aging and Life Extension of Major Light Water Reactor Components," which was co-edited by Vikram Shah (ET) in 1993.
The book describes the aging degradation of nuclear power plants, providing a useful reference for researchers developing ways to make nuclear reactors last longer.
After reading the title, President Bush asked Amy Hull (ET) -- who asked him to sign the book -- if she was involved with this area of research. When she answered "yes," Bush signed the words "Well done!" inside the book. "Thank you for doing this work for America," Bush said.
Researchers in ET's Aging Management and Transportation of Hazardous Materials Section have developed improved guidance documents for streamlining license renewal and aging management for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Leading the project and working with Brookhaven National Laboratory and the NRC since 1998, Argonne researchers created the Generic Aging Lessons Learned report and the Standard Review Plan for License Renewal. The reports resulted from more than 20 years of research on aging and degradation of materials, carried out by ET since 1982.
As the nation's 103 nuclear power plants near the end of their 40-year licenses, they can apply for license renewals. These documents can help simplify and standardize the extension process.
-- Jodi Genshaft
A new branch of the Argonne Credit Union (ACU) is open in Woodridge at the intersection of 75th Street and Woodridge Drive, just one mile west of I-355 in the Green Ridge Center mall.
There are added services like drive-up tellers and an ATM at the new branch. In addition, the offsite ACU lobby is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. During the week, the drive-up will be open at 7 a.m.
"We're looking to serve family members, retirees, and people who would like to do banking after hours and on Saturday," said Robin Piraino, ACU's marketing manager.
Piraino said the security restrictions on site made it hard for some people to use the credit union's services.
While the official opening was Aug. 5, the grand opening celebration is scheduled for Aug. 23 and 24. There will be one $1,000 and ten $100 giveaways, as well as refreshments and gifts for adults and kids. To sign up for the giveaway, visit the branch during the grand opening.
"Our goal is to get more people to come out and check out the new facility and see how convenient it is to get to us," said Piraino. "We want them to come in, eat a little and get something to walk away with."
-- Katie Williams
James Francis Schumar, 85, of Hinsdale, a retired senior scientist and a pioneering metallurgist in the study of uranium who worked on the Manhattan Project, died of heart failure Tuesday, July 30, at Hinsdale Hospital.
Schumar was recruited to the Manhattan Project, the secret program to develop the atomic bomb, in 1943.
After World War II, Schumar joined other scientists and chemists at Argonne. He served as associate director of the metallurgical division, focusing on nuclear safety and technology.
From 1960 to 1962, he worked at General Dynamics Corp., where he helped set up the company's first metallurgy department. Upon his return to Argonne, he served as a senior scientist until he retired in 1984.
Schumar served on the board of the American Nuclear Society, was a fellow of the American Society of Metallurgy and published numerous papers and articles.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary; two sons, Michael and James; three daughters, Mary Beth Tighe, Kathleen Marie Boyd and Maureen Russmann, and 12 grandchildren. Services have been held.
During an August special enrollment period, employees participating in Aetna's Long-Term Care Plan can increase their current coverage without having to provide evidence of good health. Aetna is also accepting new enrollment.
Non-employees who are enrolled, such as spouses, parents, retirees and adult children, will need to go through the underwriting process to increase their coverage amount.
The special open enrollment period continues through Aug. 31. To request an increase form, or more information, call Aetna at 1 (800) 537-8521.
Deadlines for the Monday, Sept. 9, issue of Argonne News will change due to the Labor Day holiday.
The deadline for news, seminar listings and classified ads for the Sept. 9 issue will be Friday, Aug. 30.
The laboratory's retirement vendors will return to Argonne-East for a second week to discuss the stock market and their retirement plans.
They will cover the history of the stock market, educational tools to help employees through the current volatile market, what help the companies can provide and specifics on their individual mutual funds.
The one-hour talks will begin at noon in the Building 362 Auditorium.
Fidelity: Tuesday, Aug. 20
TIAA-CREF: Wednesday, Aug. 21
Prudential: Thursday, Aug. 22
Argonne-West employees and their families are invited to catch a baseball game on "Family Fun Night" Friday, Aug. 23.
The Idaho Falls Padres will face the Provo Angels. First pitch is 7:15 p.m. at McDermott Field, 568 W. Elva, Idaho Falls.
Tickets are $2.50 per person, and are available from division representatives.
Argonne-East's Novell network infrastructure will be shut down Tuesday, Oct. 1.
The service will be discontinued due to the high popularity of the Argonne Windows 2000 domain, the diminishing number of Netware systems, and the need for cost-effective information technology service and support at the laboratory.
Electronics and Computing Technologies (ECT) will continue to provide Novell backup service, using Windows-compatible backup software, for stand-alone Novell Servers and those installed on independent Novell networks. ECT has contacted all known Novell users, who have agreed to the new arrangements.
For more information or for assistance migrating to the Argonne Windows 2000 domain, call ECT's Help Desk at ext. 2-6969.
A representative from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife) will visit Argonne-East Tuesday, Aug. 27, to meet with individual employees for insurance comparisons and quotes for the "METPAY" group automobile and homeowners insurance program.
To schedule an appointment with MetLife's Craig Riddick, call (630) 810-0346, ext. 143.
Service Awards for August include:
35 Years
Victor A. Maroni (CMT), Ernest P. Wesley, Jr. (PFS).
30 Years
Michael P. Dwyer (PFS), Elsie M. Mackey (ECT), Harold F. McFarlane (ENT), Denise K. Moores (ET), Derrick Yeager (PFS).
25 Years
Charles G. Bushnell (ENT), Barbara J. Cervantes (DIS), Barbara L. Markwenas (PFS), James R. Price (FAC), Kathleen S. Rank (RAE), Denise M. Voss (EST), Scott R. Wilde (NT).
20 Years
Terry L. Carbaugh (PFS), Jack C. Demirgian (ER), Thomas D. Haynes (FAC), Linda E. Lewis (RPS), Carol J. Reeves (OCF), Richard G. Slade (ECT), Dave Tao (ECT).
15 Years
Uthamalingam Balachandran (ET), Mark Bateman (PFS), Kenneth C. Goretta (ET), Patricia C. Gutzeit (OSS), Thomas E. Hallman (PFS), Daniel J. McNamee (PFS), James G. Parker (OCF), John E. Pearson (MSD), Philip C. Rash (PFS), Iain R. Tilbrook (ECT), Mary Ann Widing (DIS).
10 Years
Jeffrey Alicz (XFD), Dale C. Baulac (PFS), Steven T. Gihring (RPS), Steven L. Hayes (NT), William G. Jansma (ASD), David Lichty (ASD), Jozef Maj (XFD), Emil Trakhtenberg (XFD), Leovigildo Villasenor (TD).
5 Years
John J. Arnish (EA), Marsha J. Lambregts (NT), Mark E. Middendorf (IPNS).
Classes offered by Electronics and Computing Technologies are held in Argonne-East's Building 201, Room 167. Unless otherwise specified, class sizes are limited to eight participants and cost $215.
September classes include:
Advanced Word 2000 (ECT378) --
Tuesday, Sept. 3, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Advanced Excel (ECT379) --Wednesday,
Sept. 4, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Advanced Access 2000 (ECT380) --
Thursday, Sept. 5, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Introduction to PowerPoint 2000
(ECT372) --Friday, Sept. 6, 8:30 a.m. - Noon.
Intermediate PowerPoint 2000 (ECT373)
-- Friday, Sept. 6, 1 - 4:30 p.m.
Complete class descriptions, schedules and enrollment forms are available online (See "On the Web," page 2). For information about enrollment, contact Diane Cavazos (ECT) at ext. 2-7153 or dkcavazos @anl.gov.