June 09 Issue - Employee Monthly Magazine

Students’ Association promotes, advocates for students

Pawan Rastogi prepares a quantum dot sample for optical characterization at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies. Photo by Dixon Wolf

The Laboratory’s Students’ Association is a group “by students, for students” that hosts social events such as the annual mentor and student summer picnic, movie nights, and sporting events.

All student employees at the Laboratory are members of this group and are encouraged to attend events sponsored by the Students’ Association. The Students’ Association Web page has useful information about housing, professional development and contacts, ride and carpool information, a calendar of events and hyperlinks to other Web pages with helpful information.

“I got involved in the Students’ Association primarily because I want to help students have a rewarding experience,” said Pawan Rastogi of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, cochair of the association. Rastogi came to Los Alamos as a summer student two years ago. He graduated from Columbia with a degree in chemistry and premedicine.

Rick Korzekwa of Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology, cochair of the association, graduated from the University of Illinois and plans to attend graduate school at the University of Texas, Austin.

A student at the Lab since 2004, Korzekwa said, “The Students’ Association helps connect students. “The association also works to keep students actively engaged with peers and other students, finding activities for them to do during off hours or lectures at the Lab they might be interested in attending.”

Brenda Montoya of the Education and Postdoc Program Office said her office works closely with the Students’ Association with the primary goal to make students’ Laboratory experience fulfilling. “The Laboratory values students, and it’s important that they find their work experience here meaningful,” she said.

—Steve Sandoval

LANL Facebook

A recently created Facebook page gives Laboratory students a venue for networking and learning about activities and events outside the Laboratory. It’s also a place where students can chat and learn about Lab events, summer housing —and options for transportation to and from work. There’s also a section for photos of Lab students and student events.

The Facebook page was created by Pawan Rastogi of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, cochair of the Students’ Association, primarily as a venue to announce activities for students. It’s open to current and former Lab students and is accessible from the Students’ Association Web page.

There is no cost to use the page, but students have to register first with Facebook. Only Students’ Association officers can create group-related Facebook events. Write to saexec@lanl.gov to learn more about the Students’ Association Facebook site.

Other Headlines

• Rich past, bright future
  
• Student helps improve life-saving air monitoring system
• Students challenged to think about environmental stewardship
• Expediting liquid carry-on screening for air travel
• Transforming diabetes monitoring
• My View: Students, diversity, and being unique (C.J. Bacino)
• Kudos
• Notebook
• Our Goals: Anatomy of an emergency kit
• Spotlight: Work experience options for high school students

Student Focus

• Welcome, students
• Plesko lauded for Outstanding Paper
• Rosev paper wins social science award
• Student programs abound at Lab
• The LANL Institutes: Partnering with higher education for the Lab's future
• Summer lecture series under way
• Pay it forward
• Useful information / Student calendar of events, summer 2009
• Student Symposium highlights research
• Postdoc passionate about renewable energy
• Students' Association promotes, advocates for students
• MBA Program helps move Lab technology to market