Fire danger: Moderate
Lab names new CIO
Richard Kendall has been named as the first chief information officer at the Laboratory
In his new job, Kendall will develop, promote and help direct an integrated vision for information management across the Laboratory.
Information management includes the business practices surrounding the use of information to achieve the goals of the enterprise, the infrastructure that delivers the information and the oversight of the mechanisms that safeguard its integrity and security, according to Kendall.
"Information management is a vital component of Los Alamos' continued world-class scientific research and development efforts," said Bill Press, deputy director for science, technology and programs. "Richard will help define and implement a strategic vision for information management for the Laboratory."
Added Laboratory Director John Browne, "Because the world today is increasingly fast paced and information driven, it's important we have someone who can chart our institutional course for implementing appropriate, cutting-edge information technologies and systems. I have great confidence Richard will provide the guidance and vision we need to create an information management program that helps us achieve our mission goals, lets us flourish scientifically within an architecture that meets our stringent security requirements and improves our operations and business practices."
Though some of the functions of chief information officer have been performed informally, the appointment to the Director's Office of this full-time position acknowledges the importance of the position for the Laboratory, said Kendall, who has been at Los Alamos since 1995.
Placing the CIO in the Director's Office reporting to Press also will ensure responsiveness both to the senior executive team and the line organizations, Kendall noted, adding that in appointing a CIO position, the Lab is following a government-wide trend.
"One of the initial goals of the office will be to work with the senior management to help formulate the proper organizational setting for the chief information officer that will help ensure that information is managed as an enterprise asset," said Kendall. "The Laboratory's business and security divisions, for example, each have responsibility for information management. But the CIO will provide a global view to ensure information resources are used with greatest effectiveness in fulfilling the Laboratory's mission and operations."
Kendall came to Los Alamos in 1995 in Geoanalysis (EES-5). In 1996, he became director of Los Alamos' Virtual Laboratory Testbed for Industry, which provides industry access to the Laboratory's computing environment.
Since 1999, Kendall has been program manager for technical cyber security in Los Alamos' former Computing, Information and Communications Division (CIC), directing the technical implementation of Los Alamos' cyber security enhancements mandated by the Laboratory, the DOE and Congress.
Kendall earned a bachelor's degree in math from the University of Texas at Austin in 1963; and master's degrees, also in math, from UT-Austin in 1964 and Rice University in 1970. Kendall's doctoral degree in math also was from Rice University in 1973.
--Steve Sandoval
Trails on Lab property are opening
West Road and some trails on Laboratory property are now open to Lab personnel. However, individuals are asked to use caution when on these trails due to the many hazards that remain from the Cerro Grande fire.
Emergency Management and Response (S-8) began opening the canyons - and trails through canyons - last week. The canyons had been closed for the rainy season because of the potential for floods, according to Ed Hoth of Utilities and Infrastructure (FWO-UI).
Even though the Forest Service has opened various trails to the public at the user's own risk, the Lab is discouraging any activities in burned areas, he said. "Trees are standing with partially blackened bark, looking somewhat alive with green on top, but they may have only a partial root system," said Hoth. "A tree completely burned resembles a visible pile of ash. However, the roots of that tree may still be burning four feet underground."
And the roots could still be burning for six months to a year and there also can be a problem when the wind blows, making trees vulnerable to falling. "Also, the ground can cave in on the root cavity," Hoth said.
"Be careful in burned areas on and off established trails," said Hoth. "People should ask themselves, 'Is it a windy day when I go for a walk? Is the ground under my feet solid?' "
Lab authorities can change the status of trails. Individuals should check to see if their desired destination is open before departing. The road to the reservoir in Los Alamos Canyon, and access to Technical Areas 41 and 2 will remain closed indefinitely.
As of Oct. 10, trails that are currently open to Lab personnel in Los Alamos Canyon are:
Camp Hamilton Trail in Bayo Canyon is open with obstacles and erosion.
Trails leading to Technical Area 16 are open. Access to these trails is from NM 501 (West Jemez Road) only.
Hoth added that the Wellness Fit Trail is temporarily closed because of tree thinning operations.
On the maps, the areas are designated with colored warnings: Green, Orange and Red. Green means the trail is okay to use but hikers and pedestrians should be careful.
Orange means there is the potential for flooding from storms above stream crossings.
Some "hazard trees" are marked in orange marked trails and some are unknown. These trees may look fine, but have little or no root systems, and may easily fall during windy conditions or after rain and snowfall, said Hoth. In addition, sink holes caused by root systems may continue to burn for six months to a year. The empty space caused by the burned roots may cave in and can be a serious tripping hazard, he said.
Concrete areas at major crossings are not for recreation uses. Falls on these surfaces could cause extreme abrasions or concussions. Bike riding and skateboarding on these crossings is prohibited.
A trail designated as Red means it is closed. Hoth said there is construction in the vicinity of these trails and they can be closed regardless of other notifications.
Updates on trail conditions will be published periodically in the Daily Newsbulletin. For a map, click here. Map 1/Map 2
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Lunch Buddies program to be featured
on 'Hometown Heroes' The North Central Community Lunch Buddies program of which
the Laboratory is a sponsor will be featured on KOB Channel 4's
Hometown Heroes. |
No more dish pan hands -- and lots of money saved to boot
In 1999, Gordon Jio, Jim Stine and Ken Uher of HE Science and Technology (DX-2) received a generator set-aside fund grant of $21,040 to purchase two laboratory glassware washer machines for the chemistry labs. The result is tens of thousands of dollars saved in water usage and treatment costs.
The glassware previously was washed by hand in the sink, a process that took hundreds of hours of personnel time and thousands of gallons of water every year. In fact, washing glassware by hand was the largest generator of explosive-contaminated wastewater in DX-2, using approximately 2 gallons of water per item.
The rinse water is collected in a sump at DX-2 until it can be removed for treatment. Before the rinse water can be accepted for treatment, however, the contents have to undergo expensive chemical analysis.
Conversely, the dishwashers use only 0.3 gallons of water per item, which reduces the volume of rinse water used by approximately 75 percent, or about 4,500 gallons of water every month. That alone saved the Dynamic Experimentation (DX) Division $36,000 last year.
The reduced volume of rinse water also means that the sumps fill up more slowly and therefore requires less frequent testing and removal. This saves DX at least an additional $18,000 annually on treatment costs. The chemists now are able to use the time once used for hand-washing glassware for more productive activities.
For more information, contact Stine at jrstine@lanl.gov or 7-4990.
September weather
September continued a weather pattern of warm and dry conditions in Los Alamos and White Rock as storm systems moved north of New Mexico.
The mean maximum temperature in Los Alamos last month was 71 degrees Fahrenheit, according to George Fenton, a meteorologist in the Laboratory's Air Quality Group (ESH-17). The mark was nearly 6 degrees greater than normal for the month, he said.
The mean and mean minimum temperatures also were above normal, said Fenton, adding that the high temperature in Los Alamos was above normal on 26 days in September.
Fenton said several temperature records were established in September in Los Alamos, including a high of 89 F on Sept. 14, and a low temperature of 29 F on Sept. 25.
Precipitation was dramatically below normal in September in Los Alamos, with only .34 of an inch of rainfall recorded at the Technical Area 6 measuring station - only 16 percent of normal for the month - at the Lab, Fenton said. Most of this precipitation was recorded on Sept. 8 and Sept. 21, he said.
Wind gusts of 48 miles per hour were recorded Sept. 8 and 18 in Los Alamos.
It was much the same story in White Rock, where the mean maximum of 81 F was 5 degrees above normal, said Fenton. The mean temperature also was about 3 degrees above normal, said Fenton. And like Los Alamos, the maximum temperature in White Rock was above normal on 25 of 30 days in September, he added.
Three temperature records were established in September in White Rock. On Sept. 14, a record high temperature of 89 F set a record, while the 90 F temperature recorded on Sept. 16 also was a record, he said. Conversely, one minimum record was set: on Sept. 25, the mercury dropped to 27 F, said Fenton.
Only .32 inches of measurable precipitation was recorded at the Technical Area 54 measuring station in White Rock in September, which is 21 percent of normal recorded rainfall for the month.
Wind gusts of 43 and 45 miles per hour were recorded in White Rock on Sept. 23 and 29 respectively.
--Steve Sandoval
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tonight
Fall 2000
Corporate Challenge
