Thursday - July 3, 2008

From the Director: FY08 Supplemental Funding

by Persis Drell

As I have written in earlier columns (May 23, March 21), many constituencies have been advocating consideration of supplemental funding in FY08 that would include increases to science. The President has now signed an FY08 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation that includes $337.5 million for the science agencies. While not as large as had been hoped, it is an important statement of commitment from Congress and the White House to science.

Of the $337.5 million, $62.5 million is allocated for Department of Energy's Office of Science. While we do not yet know the full distribution of the Office of Science funds, we did hear yesterday that $3.5 million will be coming to SLAC to help the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) and Particle Physics and Astrophysics (PPA). In particular, the PPA funds are to be used to restore critical capabilities in high energy physics that were diminished due to the funding shortfall in the FY08 appropriations bill. The SSRL funds will help mitigate some of the operational impacts of the earlier FY08 budget allocation.

The supplemental funding is most welcome at the lab. We appreciate the many people whose efforts resulted in this outcome.

Electronics go Organic

from SSRL Headlines

Using SSRL beamlines 11-3 and 10-1, a team of researchers including Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory scientists and Stanford University researchers, have determined the precise arrangement of molecules within a thin film sample of an organic semiconductor, a step that could soon help scientists better design these materials. The results appear in the March 19 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Although well-understood, traditional silicon semiconductors are costly to manufacture, making large arrays of efficient solar arrays, for example, expensive. Organic semiconductors represent a potential source of inexpensive electronics that may one day be used to make solar cells, LCD displays and electronic paper.

Using Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) and Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction, the team examined thin-film samples of the organic, or "plastic," semiconductor material called thiotetracene, which was first reported by Prof. Zhenan Bao's group. Results obtained using the two techniques to determine the molecular arrangement of the semiconductor gives researchers a better understanding of how the molecular structure of the material relates to its electronic properties, paving the way for greater control over manufacturing such materials.

Learn more about this research in the SSRL Headlines full scientific highlight.

Stanford Summer Science Lecture Series

by Kaye Storm

Stanford's Office of Science Outreach invites the Stanford community and general public to campus this summer for four Thursday evenings filled with the wonders of art and science! Come in the late afternoon to visit the acclaimed Cantor Arts Center, then enjoy dinner at the Cool Café or bring a picnic. Settle into chairs that will be provided or bring your own lawn chairs and picnic blankets and hear Stanford's top scientists talk about their research in terms you will understand. Lectures begin at 7:00 p.m. on July 10, July 24, August 7 and August 21.

The 2008 Stanford Summer Science Lecture Series topics and faculty speakers include:

• Why is Earthquake Prediction so Difficult? with Gregory C. Beroza, July 10

• Global Warming: Is the Science Settled Enough for Policy? with Stephen Schneider, July 24

• Wired for Speech: How Voice Activates Interactions with People and Computers with Clifford Nass, August 7

• Powering the Future with Sustainable Energy with Stacey F. Bent, August 21

More information can be found on the Stanford website.

Events (see all | submit)

• July 9: (1:30 p.m.) AIS: Masaaki Hayashida: Devel. of New Photodetectors for Magic-II Project

Access (see all)

• Pedestrian stairs near Loop/South Target Road intersection closed
• Loop Road traffic restrictions and closures; B040 parking lot closure
• Partial closure of south side of Loop Road from South Target Road to Bldg 033
• Alpine Gate & PEP Ring Road closed
• Gates 17 & 30 open 24-7
• Research Yard bisected

Announcements
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Lab Announcements

• ATOMS: Please update mailstops
• Let's Celebrate Jonathan

Community Bulletin Board

• Charlie Griffin passes away
• HIP Strength Training Class at SLAC - July 10
• HIP Registration for Summer Quarter

News (submit)

• New Money Prevents Layoffs at Fermilab NY Times
• Some Fundamental Interactions of Matter Turn Out to be Fundamentally Different Than Thought Stanford News Release
• Reincarnation can Save Schrödinger's Cat Nature News
• First Images of Solar System's Invisible Frontier Physorg.com

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