Argonne, University of Chicago reach out to assist those affected by Hurricane Katrina

ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 16, 2005) —Staff members from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago, its operating contractor, are jointly and separately participating in emergency response efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The University of Chicago is providing educational opportunities for students displaced by the destruction on the Gulf Coast, offering admission for the fall quarter in several university schools and departments. Students displaced by Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing flooding can apply to the College of the University of Chicago, the Law School, the Graduate School of Business, and the Divisions of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

In addition, both the university and the university's hospitals are providing matching grants for contributions to Katrina relief, and in the same amounts. Also, the university has sent teams of health professionals to the area. The university hospitals are providing employees paid time off to volunteer to serve with the Red Cross, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Hospital Association and other established relief organizations. The hospitals are also accepting patients as part of the National Disaster Medical System, and are matching employee contributions to the Red Cross or United Way up to a total of $250,000.

Support efforts are also underway at Argonne, and scientists are continuing to search out research opportunities and funding for university researchers displaced by the hurricane's impact.

“We at Argonne are deeply saddened by and the suffering from Hurricane Katrina,” said Argonne Laboratory Director Robert Rosner. “Our thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones, their communities, and those that have been hurt and injured. We are supporting organizational and individual efforts from the lab to help in whatever way we can.”

Argonne's Infrastructure Assurance Center is supporting the Department of Homeland Security's Protective Security Division in identifying vulnerabilities, recommending potential protective measures, and evaluating damages at critical infrastructure and key resources directly affected by the storm. Two Argonne employees, Becca Haffenden and Greg Handke, have been deployed to the Gulf Coast to support these efforts.

Argonne's Infrastructure Assurance Center, a member of the Department of Energy's virtual team, which provides data, analysis, and visualization tools to the Office of Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration in response to energy emergencies and exercises, has been working long hours.

The virtual team was activated more than 48 hours prior to Hurricane Katrina's landfall to identify critical infrastructure assets that may be affected by the storm, as well as to estimate potential impacts and response challenges. During and after landfall, the team has focused on collecting and analyzing facility and system impact and restoration information.

Argonne's role centers on analyzing oil and natural gas infrastructures, along with interdependencies among the infrastructures. The team also includes experts from Los Alamos, Oak Ridge and Sandia national laboratories and the National Energy Technology Laboratory.

Brett Hansard, an emergency risk communication specialist in Argonne's Decision and Information Sciences Division, has been deployed to Baton Rouge to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Other Argonne emergency communications specialists working in Louisiana are Jerry DeFelice and Jim Chesnutt. Argonne firefighter/paramedic Jimmy L. Ross was dispatched to the New Orleans area with a group from the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, an Illinois state-wide mutual aid system.

Also in Louisiana is Moses Lee, M.D., an emergency medicine specialist at Stroger Hospital in Chicago, currently on special appointment at Argonne. Lee also serves as director of the Illinois Emergency Medical Response Team and was deployed for the relief efforts as part of that organization.

On the educational front, Argonne has offered extended appointments to its summer students from New Orleans who are unable to continue their work at Southern University. This past summer three Southern University researchers have been working at Argonne in the Environmental Assessment Division, and they will be able to remain in those positions.

Argonne is also hosting two students to continue their research on a project called "Development of Toxicological Matrices for Contaminants Released in Water and Air." Argonne, through the Division of Educational Programs, has also found resources to support their faculty mentor, Shirley Scott Williams.

At Argonne's request, DOE will make resources available in order to provide opportunities to other students and faculty members to host them at Argonne in research projects. Potentially, Argonne's program to host students displaced by Katrina, could reach the size of its summer program.

Argonne's computer expertise is also assisting in connecting those separated from family members because of the destruction. Argonne information technology specialist Jay Johnson is providing computer networking capabilities at a shelter for Katrina refugees in Tinley Park. Using the computer network allows individuals to communicate with family members and others.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America 's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

For more information, please contact Matthew Howard (630-252-7930 or mhoward@anl.gov) at Argonne.