Raymond L. Orbach, photographed at the LCLS groundbreaking ceremony last October. (Image courtesy of Diana Rogers.)

symmetry: Focus on the Future

by Raymond L. Orbach

Over the next few years, the United States and the international high-energy physics communities will see great scientific opportunities and profound changes. These, in turn, will pose profound challenges. We must make the right choices on the right timescales to ensure the vitality and continuity of the field of elementary particle physics for the next several decades and to maximize the potential for major discovery throughout that period.

Three events are notable:
• Within the next several years, the US accelerator-based program will complete two highly successful experimental campaigns—the Tevatron at Fermilab and the B Factory at SLAC. These two accelerators are making very significant advances in the field, and I congratulate the teams at both facilities for their achievements to date and for their success in running these accelerators far above their original design luminosities.

• Second, in the next year the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is scheduled to commence operations, opening wide the door to physics at Terascale energies and ushering in a period of new and exciting scientific opportunity.

• Finally, the Global Design Effort (GDE) recently released a reference design for the International Linear Collider (ILC)—a machine that through its power, precision, and clarity holds great promise for deepening our insight into the mysteries of the universe. Read more...

Computer Simulations of the Growth of Massive Black Holes

by Andrés Escala

In recent years, observations have given spectacular insights into the formation of black holes and galaxies. First, astronomers discovered that massive black holes exist in every galaxy observed to contain a spheroidal component. Second, the mass of those black holes correlates with both the mass and average random velocities of the stars in their host galaxies. These observed correlations suggest that black hole mass is intimately connected with galaxy formation.

There are two compelling theories to explain the observed correlations. In one theory, the black holes are formed first, and then regulate galaxy formation by producing huge amounts of radiation that pushes on the protogalactic gas. This pressure would prevent the continued formation of stars and thus determine the mass of the galaxy. In the other theory, the black holes and galaxies grow together. Read more...

Stanford to Hold Event for Administrative Staff

from the Stanford Report

An annual conference put on by Stanford University to recognize administrative associates for their daily contributions and to offer professional development opportunities will be held on Wednesday, April 25, in conjunction with national Administrative Professionals Day. Preregistration is required by April 11.

The conference, sponsored by the department of Training and Organizational Development, will run from 8 a.m. to noon in the Arrillaga Alumni Center and feature opening remarks by Diane Peck, executive director of human resources, and Jacqueline Ward, program manager for T&OD. Also on the agenda are a moderated speed-networking session and a choice of workshops.

Attendees may register for only one of the three workshops: "Improving Your Interviewing IQ," "Tips on Navigating a Successful Career at Stanford" and "Enhancing Your Personal Wellness: A Key Element of Career Success." The event is free and begins with breakfast until 8:30 a.m. and concludes with a raffle drawing. Attendees should bring plenty of business cards for the speed-networking session.

T&OD introduced the conference two years ago as a component of the department's Administrative Associates Development Program. This event is intended for administrative associates A1 to A5, and anyone with questions should send them to jsward@stanford.edu.

SLAC employees are warmly welcomed to attend this event.