Research VP Schramm dies in crash

David N. Schramm, the University of Chicago's Louis Block Professor in physical sciences and vice-president for research, died Dec. 19 in a plane crash near Denver. He was 52.

Schramm was responsible for coordinating the university's academic and scientific relationships with Argonne.

Schramm was piloting his private airplane from Chicago to Aspen, Colo. Sheriff Pat Sullivan of Byers, Colo., said that soon after 8 p.m., Schramm, who was alone in his plane, radioed a control tower and said that the plane was stalling. The plane then disappeared from radar.

Schramm was named the University of Chicago's vice-president for research in October 1995. He led the university's analysis of, and response to, government science and research policies.

His research focused on the theoretical studies of astrophysics, cosmology and dark matter. He also studied stellar evolution and supernovae, neutrino astrophysics, nucleo-chronology, black holes and particle physics.

He is widely credited with having played a major role in combining astrophysics, nuclear physics and particle physics in research about the early universe.

His many writings included "The Shadows of Creation: Dark Matter and the Structure of the Universe" (1991), which he co-wrote with E. Michael Riordan.

Schramm was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and on the board of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

He received the Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize from the American Physical Society in 1993 "for his manifold contributions to nuclear astrophysics" and the Helen B. Warner Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 1978.

He is survived by his wife, the former Judith J. Gibson, whom he married in 1986; two sons, D. Brett of San Francisco and D. Cary of Los Angeles; his mother, Betty, of St. Louis; two brothers, Daniel of St. Louis and Wayne of Jefferson City, Mo.; three stepdaughters, Tegan Ward of Denver, Laura Zielinski of Seattle and Amanda Zielinski of San Francisco, and a stepson, Eric Ward of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Illinois engineers name APS 'Project of the Year'

Argonne's Advanced Photon Source (APS) has been named Project of the Year for 1997 by the Illinois Engineering Council.

Project of the Year Awards are granted to outstanding engineering projects completed in Illinois which "demonstrate interdisciplinary engineering accomplishment and creativity, as well as social benefit."

The award was presented jointly to the APS and to Knight Architects Engineers Planners Inc., the architecture and engineering firm for the APS.

The APS was cited for the way it was designed -- for and with the people who will use it -- with the goal of making research at the facility as efficient as possible.

The APS was also recognized for its aggressive construction safety program which resulted in no serious injuries and no fatalities. Contractors and subcontractors worked more than two million man-hours (more than 1,000 man-years) to complete the APS buildings.

The APS was one of two first-place winners for the award; the other is the Metra North Central commuter service line in Chicago. There were also five honorable mention awards.

Argonne named one of 'healthiest companies'

Argonne has been named one of America's Healthiest Companies by The Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA), a national nonprofit membership organization dedicated to promoting healthier lifestyles.

Argonne was one of 12 institutions in Illinois that received a "Well Workplace Gold Award."

The award recognizes the laboratory's programs in wellness, safety, employee assistance programs, medical, organizational and management processes and community relations. The application was a team effort led by Argonne's Medical Department with help from Human Resources, the ESH Division, the Operations Office and DOE.

WELCOA, established in 1985, counts about 3,000 companies among its corporate members of 13 locally affiliated Wellness Councils or part of the national network.

Reactor pioneer Ira Bornstein retires

Ira Bornstein, Argonne's principal liaison for external affairs and one of its nuclear reactor pioneers, has retired after 30 years of service at the laboratory.

Bornstein in his major role has coordinated resources to respond to congressional inquiries and concerns about laboratory projects, programs and activities.

"Ira was persistent and tireless in his efforts to promote the Argonne lab," said Illinois Senator Dick Durbin. "Ira was a great asset to Argonne and our state. It was always a pleasure to work with him."

Bornstein also founded Argonne's International Student Exchange Program, now in its 21st year. This highly successful program has enabled hundreds of U.S. students to study and work at world-class research institutions abroad and has provided opportunities for students from around the world to work and study at Argonne. For his efforts, Bornstein recently received the first-ever Nuclear Achievement Award of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan and decorated by the French government with the rank of "officier" in the French Ordre des Palmes Academiques, their highest award given for achievement in education.

Bornstein started his career in nuclear reactor development in 1947 at the General Electric Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, where he worked on sodium-cooled reactors. He also pioneered the use of digital computers for reactor design.

He was responsible for the preliminary design of Peach Bottom, the prototype High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor.

Bornstein is the author of the current Encyclopedia Britannica article on nuclear engineering, the inventor of the samarium compensator (a method for increasing safety and fuel life of research reactors) and the recipient of the American Nuclear Society's National Distinguished Service Award.

HR's January classes range from
Russian to stress management

Human Resources will hold classes in a variety of subjects during January and February at Argonne-East.

Additional information and a printable enrollment form can be found on HR's World Wide Web home page under "Performance Development."

* Russian Language (HR164) -- Meets for 1.5-hour sessions on Tuesday and Thursdays. A new session will begin at 10 a.m. Jan. 13 in Building 207, Room FB101. Cost is $210.

* Presentation Excellence (HR532) -- Class will be held Thursday and Friday, Jan. 22-23 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Building 212, Room A157. There is no cost for this class.

* Reading Power: Getting the Most From What You Read (HR222) -- Class will be held on Tuesday and Thursday, Jan. 20 - Feb. 19 from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. in Building 201, Room 238. The cost is $210.

* Space is still available in Facilitating Effective Meetings (HR636), to be held Jan. 28 from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. in Building 402, Room E1100. There is no cost for this class.

* Stress Management Workshop: Health Under Stress (HR337) -- Class will be held Thursdays from Jan. 22 through March 26 from 9 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. in Building 201, Medical Department. The cost is $40.

* Organizational Stress Management Workshop For Managers and Supervisors (HR338) -- Class will be held Fridays from Jan. 23 through March 27 from 9 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. in Building 201, Medical Department. The cost is $40.

The following classes require registration by Monday, Jan. 19:

* The Indispensable Assistant (HR332) -- Class will be held Wednesday, Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Building 402, Room E1100. The cost is $175.

* Technical Communication (HR220) -- To be held from 2:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. on eight consecutive Wednesday afternoons beginning Feb. 18 in Building 201, Room 190A. The cost $350.

Office software
classes offered

Electronics and Computing Technologies will offer several classes in office computer software in January.

Unless otherwise specified, classes cost $135, are limited to eight participants and will be held in Argonne-East's Building 221, Room A142.

Full descriptions of these and other ECT computer classes and schedules are available on-line at http://www.anl.gov/ECT/courses/

For more information about enrollment, call Diane Cavazos (ECT) at ext. 2-7153 or send e-mail to dkcavazos@anl.gov.

* Introduction to Windows 95 (ECT300) -- Tuesday, Jan. 20, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., and Tuesday, Jan. 27, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Prerequisites: Windows 3.1 or Windows 3.11

* Introduction to Word Version 7.0 (ECT301) -- Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Introduction to Windows 95.

* Introduction to Excel Version 7.0 (ECT302) -- Wednesday, Jan. 21, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Prerequisite: Introduction to Windows 95.

* Introduction PowerPoint Version 7.0 (ECT303) -- Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday, Jan. 28, 1:30 p.m. ­ 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Introduction to Windows 95.

* Introduction to Access Version 7.0 (ECT304) -- Thursday, Jan. 22, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and Thursday, Jan. 29, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Prerequisites: Introduction to Windows 95.

* Word Version 7.0: Formatting Documents (ECT306) -- Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Introduction to Windows 95.

* Formatting Excel 7.0 Worksheets (ECT307) -- Wednesday, Jan. 28, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Prerequisites: Introduction to Windows 95 and Introduction to Excel 7.0.

* Internet-Netscape (ECT321) -- Thursday, Jan. 15, 1:30 p.m. ­ 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Windows 95.

* Internet-Explorer (ECT322) -- Thursday, Jan. 15, 8:30 a.m. ­ 11:30 a.m. Location to be decided. Class size is limited to 10. Prerequisite: Windows 95.

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