ACCESS -- The Access Grid environment allows groups to interact with other groups in real time. A group seeking to preserve Native American culture is putting technology to work in hopes of bridging the digital divide.

Native Americans benefit from Access Grid

By Margret Chang

It was the sudden appearance of cutting-edge Internet technology that first created a “digital divide” between Native Americans and the rest of the United States. Now, thanks to Argonne’s Access Grid™ project, a group seeking to preserve Native American culture is putting technology to work in hopes of bridging that gap.

Members of the Futures Laboratory branch of Argonne’s Mathematics and Computer Science (MCS) Division recently gave a tutorial on the newest Access Grid technology and software to an audience that included representatives from the Tribal Virtual Network (TVN). TVN, a consortium of Native American communities, is using Access Grid to provide broadband Internet connection to five tribal museums and cultural centers. Having the Grid in place will allow the museums to develop Web-based exhibitions and other educational tools for tribal members and the general public.

“Some families from the reservation have to make a 120-mile trip to the city to have access to some sort of education,” said Arlan Sando, an Access Grid operator for the Jemez Pueblo. “Access Grid technology will make it easier for rural villages to keep up with everything that’s going on in the world.”

Based on technology developed by Argonne’s Futures Laboratory, Access Grid is an ensemble of resources that gives large groups the ability to collaborate through video and voice. These systems rely on specialized “nodes,” or custom-designed spaces, that contain the audio and visual technology required for high-quality user interface. Access Grid nodes aim to make the user completely unaware of the infrastructure needed for the service to work.

Though such user-friendly interfacing has had many applications for scientific collaborations, TVN members view Access Grid as not only a research tool for scientists but also a “collaborative ignition switch between communities.”

“That villages are located far away from each other is the main problem in getting different tribes to interact,” noted Barbara Tracy of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. “This distance factor makes it difficult for them to meet frequently, and as a result, the tribes do not have a strong sense of unity and find it hard to become a political force.”

Despite all the potential advantages, TVN still faces obstacles in convincing tribal leaders of the significant impact of the Access Grid. According to Lee Bitson, one of two network programmers for the entire Apache Jicarilla tribe, a shortage of support staff limits Internet access to a few groups within his village. Since only a handful of people have first-hand experience with the technology, many tribal members remain suspicious of its benefits.

Yet TVN remains optimistic that its efforts to use the Access Grid to link Native Americans with each other and with the rest of the country will prove successful. Already, as Sando explained, their team is hard at work on bringing high-speed T1 Internet connections to the reservations.

“I believe TVN’s actions are going to turn a lot of heads in the technology sector,” said Sando.

As it turns out, the TVN project’s in-depth focus on art and culture is even turning heads within the team that was largely responsible for creating the Access Grid itself.

“I am continually amazed by the wide range of uses for the Access Grid and its continued growth, which now even includes Asian and European Access Grid communities,” commented Mary Fritsch, a member of the Futures Laboratory and an Access Grid liaison for new users. “Access Grid software continues to advance and bring hundreds of people together every day.”

TVN members will give a presentation on their unique application of the Access Grid during SC Global 2003. SC Global is part of SC2003, a supercomputing conference coming this November. This conference follows its 15-year Supercomputing Conference tradition of highlighting the most innovative developments in high-performance computing and networking.

The conference features the latest scientific and technical innovations from around the world, while its SC Global events will showcase achievements in the arts and sciences among dozens of remote locations. SC Global will feature speakers from 16 remote locations, seven countries and five sovereign tribal nations -- all of which will be coordinated through the central Access Grid node in Phoenix, Ariz.

Appraisals go online;
briefings are planned

2003 performance appraisals for employees at both Argonne sites will be completed through a Web application, and briefings are planned to explain the new system. Supervisors can also attend workshops to assist in completing performance appraisals.

This Web application is one of the final phases of the revised performance appraisal process recommended by the laboratory’s Performance Evaluation Process committee. The content is identical to last year’s hard copies. Performance appraisals will be completed through the Web application and all signatures will be given electronically. Upon completion, an electronic copy will be sent to Human Resources.

CIS will make the application available Wednesday, Oct. 1. Links to the application and supporting information will be accessed through the “Inside Argonne” Web site.

This year’s performance appraisals are due in Human Resources Monday, Dec. 1.

Briefings

Ross Pallan (CIS) and Geralyn Becker (HR) will present “Performance Appraisal Web Application Briefings” (HR321), to explain the new application for Web-based performance appraisals. Pre-registration is not necessary, and the sessions are open to all employees.

The briefing will also be available online for Argonne-West employees and those at Argonne-East who cannot attend the sessions.

Briefings will be held:

Friday, Oct. 3, from 2 - 3 p.m. in Building 201, Room 190

Monday, Oct. 6, from 2 - 3 p.m. in Building 402, Room E1100

Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 9 - 10 a.m. in the Building 203 Auditorium

Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 3 - 4 p.m. in the Building 362 Auditorium

Thursday, Oct. 16, from 9 - 10 a.m. in Building 900, Room A04

Workshops

Hands-on performance management workshops will support supervisors in completing the performance appraisal and conversation. All sessions are held in Building 201, Room 190. Argonne-East employees should register through their Training Management System representatives. Workshops will include:

“Writing Performance Appraisals” (HR 294) -- Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1 - 3 p.m.

“Crafting Goals” (HR295) -- Thursday, Oct. 9, 1 - 3 p.m.

“Performance Appraisal Conversation” (HR296) -- Friday, Oct. 10, 1- 3 p.m.

Argonne Combined Appeal starts Oct. 1

The Argonne Combined Appeal (ACA), Argonne-East’s annual campaign to benefit healthcare and service agencies, begins Wednesday, Oct. 1

The campaign, which extends through the entire month of October, gives employees the opportunity to donate a day’s pay to one or more of 21 agencies.

Employees are encouraged to give a day or more of pay to the campaign. Contributions may be given in a lump sum or spread through the year using payroll deduction.

Employees will receive an ACA package from their division coordinators this week. The enclosed form and envelope should be signed and returned to division coordinators as soon as possible, even if the employee is not going to contribute.

Coordinators will turn in the envelopes to be entered into a drawing.

The drawing encourages employees to pledge early. This year, dinner certificates are the prize for both the employee whose name is pulled and his or her ACA coordinator. Four envelopes will be drawn after the Friday, Oct. 3, deadline. The second week three winners will be drawn, the third week two winners and the fourth week one winner.

Winners can choose from restaurants including Rosebud, Cebu and the Argonne Guest House. Certificates are on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the campaign and how to donate, visit the ACA Web site.

Meeting to focus on Mössbauer spectroscopy

Argonne will celebrate the history of Mössbauer spectroscopy and the laboratory’s leading role in its evolution with a retrospective look at the technique’s development and its impact on science over the past four decades.

“Mössbauer History Celebration Day” is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 30, to bring together many of the scientists who participated in the initial experiments. Events will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will take place in Argonne-East’s Building 401, Room A1100.

Argonne has been at the forefront of Mossbauer spectroscopy since 1959. The technique was named after Rudolf Mössbauer, a graduate student who won the 1961 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering nuclear gamma-ray resonance effect. Argonne physicists were the first to reproduce the experiment, thus convincing the scientific community of the validity of Mössbauer’s results.

Early research at Argonne started in the Physics Division and continued in the Materials Science and former Solid State Science divisions. This tradition of excellence has extended in new directions through the use of synchrotron radiation at the Advanced Photon Source.

The program will include historical perspectives from John Schiffer, Gil Perlow, Harry Lipkin, Caroline Herzenberg, Stan Ruby, Michael Kalvius, Art Freeman, Bob Dunlap, Gopal Shenoy, Clyde Kimball, Jim Viccaro, Ercan Alp, Wolfgang Sturhahn, and many others. Argonne Historian Catherine Westfall will record the day’s events.

To register, contact Bonnie Meyer at ext. 2-3098 or bsm@aps.anl.gov.

Researchers to discuss LDRD work

A mini-symposium on the results of Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) projects will be held from 2:30 - 3:45 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30 in Building 201 in Conference Room 190A and B.

All employees whose schedules permit are invited to attend the presentations.

The LDRD program funds creative and innovative research and development at Argonne. Selection of the projects is the responsibility of the laboratory director.

Presentation topics will include:

“Self-Assembly and Self-Organization of Thin Film Nanostructures by Multiscale Computer Simulation” by Dieter Wolf (MSD)

“A New Class of Humidity Sensing and Indicating Materials” by Jim Beitz (CHM)

“Interacting Laterally Patterned Magnetic Structures” by Valentyn Novasad (MSD)

“UHV STM for Self-Assembled Magnetic Structures” by Dongqi Li (MSD)

“Dielectric Spectroscopy of Biological Macromolecules at Microwave Frequencies” by Nachappa Gopalsami (ET)

“Hybrid and Patterned Nanomagnetic Systems” by Axel Hoffmann (MSD)

Counterintelligence redesigns its Web site

The Argonne Office of Counterintelligence Web site, “ CASE: Counterintelligence Awareness Site for Employees,” has been redesigned to better serve the needs of all laboratory employees.

The new site includes newsletters from the senior counterintelligence officer, current terrorist threat information, foreign travel alerts and warnings, cyber threats and links to other government agencies of interest.

The Office of Counterintelligence also handles e-mail “spam.” Employees should forward any unsolicited e-mail that they receive to spam@anl.gov. Unsolicited e-mail received from foreign countries may be forwarded directly to Steve Fuller, Office of Counterintelligence, at sfuller@anl.gov. For more information on the Argonne Counterintelligence Program, call Larry Collins, senior counterintelligence officer, at ext. 2-9919.

ASK THE DIRECTORATE

Q: The silverware in the main cafeteria should be available before the cash registers while a person is standing in line. It used to be like that. Now people standing in several cash register lines after paying converge towards the silverware causing a “traffic jam” and an inconvenience.

A: As you are undoubtedly aware, as of June 2 there was a change in the food service provider at Argonne. The new food service provider, Guckenheimer, prefers offering dessert items at the cash register locations and having the customers pick up their eating utensils on leaving the registers. Guckenheimer recognizes the congestion occurring at the utensil stations and plans to add more utensil pick-up stations. They will closely monitor the new arrangement and make adjustments as needed.

Employees may submit questions to askthedirectorate@anl.gov or fax them to ext. 2-5274. Only questions that include the name of the questioner and contact information, such as e-mail address, office extension or fax number will be answered.

An appropriate member of the Argonne Directorate will answer each question, and the answer will be sent directly to the employee. In addition, Argonne News will periodically print selected responses, and all answers will be posted on the Web. Questioners will remain anonymous in Argonne News and on the Web.

CIS expert can answer software questions

Computing and Instrumentation Solutions (CIS) has begun a new “how-to” service for off-the-shelf software application support.

CIS has selected a leader in the information technology support industry to answer “how-to” questions for more than 160 commercial applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Netscape, Eudora and Acrobat.

To use the free how-to service, call ext. 2-9999, select desktop support (option 1), then select “how-to” (option 1). This service is available weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Callers also have the option of connecting with CIS customer service for desktop computing service requests, mobile computing, wired and wireless telecommunications services, and application server information.

Beidron, Noonan honored

Sandra Biedron (XFD) and John Noonan (ASD) of the Advanced Photon Source have been elected to senior member grade in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The senior member status reflects professional maturity and significant professional achievements.

Only seven percent of the four hundred thousand members achieve this membership grade. Noonan and Biedron were nominated by the Nuclear Plasma and Sciences Society (NPSS) of the IEEE. NPSS is the founding organization of the biennial Particle Accelerator Conference. They were recognized for their contributions to particle beam physics and technology. Biedron is former board member for the Chicago Section of the Magnetics and NPSS societies.

Toastmasters plan speech workshop

The Argonne Toastmasters Club will conduct a six-week Speechcraft Workshop beginning Monday, Oct. 13, at Argonne-East.

The workshop will be held every Monday in Building 201, Conference Room 190, from noon - 1 p.m. Participants will learn and practice effective communication skills in a friendly, comfortable and supportive environment.  The cost is $50.

For more information, contact Carolyn Arthur (HR-DPO) at ext. 2-9023 or Eugene Williams (CIS), at ext. 2-3995.

Retirement vendors to visit ANL-E

Argonne’s retirement vendors will send representatives to Argonne-East to meet individually with employees to answer their questions about retirement plans and assets.

To schedule an appointment, call the number listed below.

Fidelity -- Tuesday, Oct. 7 and Tuesday, Oct. 21; (800) 642-7131

TIAA-CREF -- Thursday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Oct. 24; (800) 842-2005

Prudential -- Wednesday, Oct. 1 and Wednesday, Oct. 15; Appointment Desk -Cheryl, (847) 619-3519