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Dec. 7, 1998 -- Some of this week's stories
Gibson to lead Materials Science Division
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J. Murray Gibson has been appointed director of Argonne's Materials Science Division.
He replaces Bobby Dunlap, who led the division for 10 years.
Gibson will assume the post early in 1999. He is currently associate director of the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and professor of materials science and physics at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
Prior to his university appointment in 1991, Gibson served for 11 years at AT&T Bell Laboratories at Murray Hill, N.J., as a distinguished member of the technical staff and head of the Electronics and Photonics Materials Research Department.
Researchers in the Materials Science Division (MSD) study the structure and properties of all types of materials, and develop new materials for many uses. Most of the laboratory's basic science work on superconducting materials is housed in this division, as is the Electron Microscopy Center. MSD researchers use the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source, and are a primary partner in developing the Basic Energy Sciences Synchrotron Radiation Center at the Advanced Photon Source.
The division employs 40 staff scientists and engineers, plus management and support personnel, postdocs, visiting scientists and scholars.
Gibson has served as chair of the Materials Physics Division of the American Physical Society, a member and chair of the University of Chicago Review Committee for MSD, a councilor of the Materials Research Society, and physical sciences director of the Microscopy Society of America.
He has also served on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission committee on the Future of Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 2000, and the steering committee for the National Center for Electron Microscopy at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Gibson is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Royal Microscopy Society. He earned a Distinguished Lecturer Award of the American Vacuum Society, and the Burton Medal of the Microscopy Society of America.
He has written more than 130 papers published in scientific journals, and holds seven patents.
Argonne took second place out of 19 teams in the 9th annual Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee, held Nov. 7.
For the third year in a row, first place went to the Westmont Library team sponsored by the Aberdeen Group. But this year's win didn't come easy for the library. The Argonne team of Evelyn Brown, Catherine Foster and Donna Jones Pelkie (all OPA) went head to head with the library for more than 10 rounds before falling to "revenant." The word means a person who returns as a spirit after death; a ghost.
The bee was sponsored by the Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) - DuPage, Inc., and took place at Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove. The competition is both a fund-raiser and publicity opportunity for the group.
LVA-DuPage is a community-based organization that helps adults acquire English literacy skills to improve the quality of their lives and their ability to function independently in the community.
DOE has awarded Argonne more than $3 million in funding for basic research aimed at finding less costly and more effective ways to clean up DOE's "legacy waste" -- the environmental problems resulting from 50 years of Cold-War arms race.
Argonne awards are:
"Supercritical
Carbon Dioxide-Soluble Ligands for Extracting Actinide Metal
Ions from Porous Solids." Researchers will develop new
compounds to extract radioactive materials from solid
wastes. Principal investigators are Argonne's Mark L. Dietz
and Richard E. Barrans, Jr. (both CHM); Albert Herlinger at
Loyola State University, and Joan F. Brennecke at University
of Notre Dame. The project received $926,144.
"Actinide-Specific
Interfacial Chemistry of Monolayer Coated Mesoporous
Ceramics." Researchers will try to adapt a special
materials technique, highly successful at isolating mercury
and heavy metals, to isolating radioactive metals. Principal
investigators are Argonne's Ken Kemner (ER), Glen E. Fryxell
at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and K. N. Raymond
at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The project was
awarded $1,200,000.
"Complexants
for Actinide Element Coordination and Immobilization."
Researchers will study chemicals that bind to radioactive
materials, making them easier to isolate and remove.
Principal investigator is Argonne's Mark R. Antonio (CHM).
The project received $830,000.
"Characterization
of Actinides in Simulated Alkaline Tank Waste Sludges and
Leach Solutions." Researchers will study the chemical
behavior of uranium, neptunium, plutonium and americium in
simulated tank sludges and other wastes. Principal
investigators are Argonne's Kenneth L. Nash (CHM) and
Linfeng Rao at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The
project received $930,000.
A partnership between DOE's offices of Science and Environmental Management, the program has been endorsed by the National Academy of Sciences. Proposals went through a peer review for scientific merit, administered by the Office of Science, and were then evaluated on their relevance to the Environmental Management's program needs.
In all, DOE awarded $47 million for 138 research projects at institutions across the country.
Employees who completed Argonne's flexible account plan enrollment application will receive confirmation of their choices by mail from the Payroll Department.
Employees should review their confirmations and report discrepancies to the Payroll Department (ext. 2-6919) immediately. Employees who have not received a confirmation should contact the Payroll Department.
The confirmation lists the type of flexible spending account elected (health care, dependent day care), the amount of the annual contribution to each account and the salary reduction to the employee's check, beginning January 1999.
The confirmations should help identify and fix notify employees to prevent recurring problems experienced in previous years, such as applications lost in the mail, application errors and employee misunderstandings about prior-year election rollovers.
Frank G. Foote, retired senior metallurgist and director of Argonne's Metallurgy Division from 1948 to 1966, died Nov. 17, at the age of 92.
During World War II, Foote was a principal metallurgist at the University of Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory. His work on the metallurgy of uranium in the Manhattan Project contributed to the development of the first atomic bomb.
Foote taught metallurgy at Cooper Union in New York City, and was associate professor of metallurgy at the School of Mines at Columbia University in New York. His research was the study of various solids by X-ray diffraction.
Papers are needed for the 15th Annual Conference on Advanced Science and Technology, to be held at Argonne-East's Advanced Photon Source Conference Center April 2-3, 1999.
The conference's theme is "advancing science and technology through international cooperation." Papers are needed in life science and biotechnology; engineering, energy and the environment; physics, computers and communications; and economics, finance and marketing.
Abstracts are due by Dec. 31. For details, contact Bang-Jean Hsieh (RE) at ext. 2-6167, or send e-mail to bj_hsieh@anl.gov.
The conference is sponsored by Argonne, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, and the Chinese Academic and Professional Association in Mid-America.
A revised electronic edition of Argonne's Waste Handling Procedures Manual (WHPM) is now available on the World Wide Web. The WHPM contains procedures used by waste generators and support groups as a reference for the proper handling and disposal of all regulated waste.
"This on-line edition provides all Argonne employees with ready access to the information and procedures necessary for successfully managing their waste," said Chris Grandy, manager, PFS-WMO.
Revision notices have been sent to all manual holders, encouraging them to use the electronic version. Manual holders who choose to the keep their manual will remain on the distribution list and still receive hard copies.
Links to the online manual are also found on the PFS and ESH home pages and via the "Employee Manuals and Handbooks" link on theArgonnet page.
There is room for a few more participants in a holiday cooking class, hosted by Chef Chris Kaminski of the Argonne Guest House Restaurant, on Thursday, Dec. 10.
From 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Guest House, Kaminski will prepare -- and participants can taste -- canapes, mushrooms and polenta, vegetable strudel, pan-roasted turkey tenderloin with sweet potato gravy, oven-roasted chicken with pomegranate sauce and berry fudge tart.
Class size is limited, so early registration is encouraged. Registration is $20 and can be made in person at the guest house. For more information, call ext. 5-2006.
The last paper issue ofArgonne News for 1998 will be published on Monday, Dec. 14.
TheArgonne News Web site will be updated Monday, Dec. 21, and again Monday, Jan. 4, 1999.
The paper edition will resume publication Monday, Jan. 11, 1999.
The Argonne Pioneers are selling clear plastic notepad holders decorated with the "running deer" logo.
The notepad holders come with a 4-by-6-inch notepad. Cost is $8. To order, call Evie Fagan at ext. 2-5578 (at Argonne-East) or Dick Lindsay at ext. 3-7655 (at Argonne-West).
Fannie May candies will be on sale in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria Dec. 8, 9 and 10 from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Marriott will offer several varieties, including specialty holiday assortments, at 15 percent off retail prices.
The Argonne Choral Group marks its 17th season with two performances at Argonne-East on Thursday, Dec. 10.
Under the direction of Harry Bell (PFS), the group will sing holiday favorites in the Building 213 Cafeteria at noon and in the lobby of Building 201 at 2 p.m.
