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Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1997

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Lab and local pueblo concerns discussed at meeting
Director participates in 'The Future of American Innovation' summit
Nigerian money scam letter still popping up at the Lab
Recent news articles feature the Lab
Badge Office gets a facelift

Lab and local pueblo concerns discussed at meeting

PHOTO: Cochiti Pueblo Councilman and former Gov. Joseph Quintana, left, speaks with Laboratory Director Sig Hecker and Gil Suazo, center, of the Community Involvement and Outreach (CIO) Office before a meeting at Jemez Pueblo Civic Center. Hecker and other Lab staff met with governors and other representatives from Cochiti, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso and Jemez pueblos to discuss issues of mutual concern to the Lab and pueblos. The Lab has signed cooperative agreements with the four Native American pueblos. Suazo said the tribes have identified goals and objectives for the year. "Now the tribes are in a much better position to work with the Lab on their various issues, things like air, water, cultural and biological assessments and emergency management," he said. "It was very positive meeting." The pueblos also proposed an amendment to the cooperative agreements to strengthen educational ties between the Lab, pueblos and the University of California, said Suazo. Photo by LeRoy Sanchez

Director participates in 'The Future of American Innovation' summit

On Monday, Director Sig Hecker; Tom Garcia, director for Institutional Development; and Charryl Berger, acting director of the Industrial Partnership Office, attended the first in a series of regional summits on the future of American innovation. The summit was titled "California and the Future of American Innovation: Challenges for Universities, Industry and National Laboratories." go to

Nigerian money scam letter still popping up at the Lab

Last week, a Laboratory employee reported receiving a letter from Nigeria. It appears to be the same money scam letter that was first reported in the Feb. 2, 1996, Newsbulletin, later reprinted in the 1996 second quarter edition of the Security Bulletin (page 3, Adobe Acrobat required). If you happen to receive this or any similar-type letter, call the Special Projects Office (FSS-SPO) at 5-3505 immediately.

Recent news articles feature the Lab

Laboratory employees and their research are highlighted in several recent newspaper, journal and news magazine articles. Among them are the following:

-- Feb. 18 Los Alamos Monitor and the Feb. 19 Albuquerque Journal North published stories about Lab scientists' work to create a cleaner, less expensive method for detecting flaws that can lead to cracks in concrete. George Guthrie and Bill Carey of Geology and Geochemistry (EES-1) developed a test that detects a chemical reaction in concrete that can lead to microscopic cracks that eventually can lead to structurally unsound concrete.

-- The Feb. 1 Physics Today, the Feb. 16 Los Angeles Times and the Feb. 18 Los Alamos Monitor reported on Steve Lamoreaux's research on quantum electrodynamics. Lamoreaux of Neutron Science and Technology (P-23) worked to demonstrate that so-called virtual photons, which spontaneously burst into existence like kernels of popping corn and then disappear almost instantly, ought to push two narrowly separated metal plates together.

-- The Feb. 17 Albuquerque Journal reported on the Facilities, Security and Safeguards (FSS) Division winning a Roadrunner Award from the Quality New Mexico organization for adopting concepts and procedures believed to promote excellence in the state's products and services. Eight other public agencies and departments won Quality New Mexico Piñon awards.

-- The Feb. 15 Santa Fe New Mexican and Albuquerque Journal North published feature stories on the Lab's FORTE satellite. FORTE, which stands for Fast On-Orbit Recording of Transient Events, will develop new technologies for nuclear test ban verification and gather data to help scientists investigate Earth's ionosphere and the physics of lightning. It is the world's first all-composite satellite. FORTE is scheduled for launch in July.

-- The Jan. 2 Federal Technology Report published a story about Pete Lyons of the Industrial Partnership (IPO) Office taking a leave of absence to join Sen. Pete Domenici's office as science and technology adviser to Domenici, R-N.M. Lyons is a 27-year Lab employee.

-- Aviation Week reported Feb. 10 that the Lab, in partnership with Connecticut-based Barnes Aerospace Group, has developed a economical and highly reliable method for the superplastic forming of complex titanium alloy aircraft parts.

-- The February New Mexico Business Journal published a news brief about the Lab's plans with Cray Research to build and have in operation by December 1998 a new supercomputer that can provide more than three trillion calculations per second. The same brief also noted Sandia National Laboratories plans with Intel Corp. to build by December a computer that can perform 1.8 trillion calculations.

-- The Los Alamos Monitor and Santa Fe New Mexican both reported on Feb. 7 and 8 that five companies have submitted bids for the Lab's five-year support services contract now handled by Johnson Controls World Services Inc. The current contract expires Sept. 30.

-- Aviation Week and Space Technology reported Feb. 3 on a Lab-developed laser that produces light in four visible colors -- red, orange, green and blue hues. The technology could play an important role in future full-color projection displays and high-density optical storage. The Albuquerque Journal published a story about the research the next day.

-- The Jan. 18 New Scientist reported on a new Lab-developed laser that can be used for cooling. Richard Epstein of Astrophysics and Radiation Measurements (NIS-2) and Tim Gosnell of Condensed Matter and Thermal Physics (MST-10) were mentioned in the article.

--Compiled by Steve Sandoval

Badge Office gets a facelift

PHOTO: Remodeling at the Badge Office at Technical Area 3 has been completed, as is shown in this photo looking southwest from the entrance. Pictured are Janice Taylor, front, Ruth Ann Vargas, center, and Sabra Edwards, back, all of Personnel and Information Security (FSS-15). The remodeled Badge Office will allow all badging processes to be completed in one location, ensure greater privacy for Department of Energy interviews and create new office space for employees who work in the office. Photo by Fred Rick

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