LDRD Program Encourages Innovation

LDRD Program Manager Stephen Williams. (Photo by Nicholas Bock.)

by Nicholas Bock

The SLAC executive council has received the recommendations for the top Laboratory Directed Research and Development projects, moving the LDRD process one step closer to distribution of project funds October 1. The executive council will evaluate the proposals and pass their recommendations on to lab Director Persis Drell next month.

Directing $4.5 million in Department of Energy research funds to top-ranked project proposals, the LDRD review process was designed to promote innovative research at SLAC. The LDRD funds are given only to new research ideas, and cannot go to established research programs. According to Persis, the process helps ensure that SLAC is actively engaged in cutting-edge research without departing from the lab agenda.

"The LDRD program enables the laboratory to attract and retain highly qualified scientists and to support their efforts to carry out world-leading research," Persis said. "It encourages innovation, creativity, originality and quality in order to maintain the laboratory's research activities and staff at the forefront of science."

Forty-six research proposals were submitted for consideration following the call for LDRD proposals last April. In June, the submissions were reviewed by two panels of scientists and faculty, including eight from SLAC and three from Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory. The panels rated each based on quality of science and relevance to the lab agenda. Read more...

Lunchtime Seminar Tomorrow:
Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming

Don't forget—bring your lunch and a friend to Panofsky Auditorium at noon tomorrow to hear Chef Laura Stec and Professor Eugene Cordero discuss the environmental, economic and gastronomic aspects of what you eat. According to Stec, choosing local, fresh food could not only combat global warming, it infuses you and your local economy with vitality. And Cordero's numbers indicate that changing one's diet can reduce carbon emissions as effectively as buying a new fuel-efficient car. Their talk is free and open to all. For additional details, see the event flyer.

(Photo by Brad Plummer.)

Around SLAC:
X-ray Mirrors

by John Arthur

This photograph shows two grazing-incidence X-ray mirrors inside their vacuum tank in the Linac Coherent Light Source's Front End Enclosure. Mirrors such as these are used to direct the LCLS X-ray beam into the experimental stations downstream. The mirrors also clean up the beam, since they do not reflect unwanted high-energy background radiation generated upstream. The tank can be moved slightly left or right so that the X-ray beam will reflect off one mirror or the other, giving the beam a kick to either the left and into LCLS experimental hutch 1 or to the right and into LCLS experimental hutch 2. The gray ends of the silicon mirrors are visible in their holders; the highly-polished reflecting surfaces (which face each other) are coated with a thin layer of boron carbide to improve their X-ray reflectivity. Each mirror is 250 mm long, and flat to within about a millionth of a millimeter.

Events

Today (9:00 a.m.) ATLAS Upgrade Simulation Workshop
Today (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: The DRIFT Dark Matter Search
Jul 29 (1:30 p.m.) Theory Seminar: From Omega-minus to Omega-b

Access (see all)

No Access Notices Today

Announcements
(see all | submit)

Lab Announcements

New Course 416: Heat Illness Prevention

Community Bulletin Board

Training (calendar | register)

Lab Training

Today (8:00 a.m.)
Excavation Safety
Today (9:00 a.m.)
Pressure Safety
Today (11:00 a.m.)
Purchasing Power Briefing

Upcoming Workshops & Classes

Excel and Word 2007 Classes

News (submit)

Supernova Starting Gun: Neutrinos Physical Review Focus
Physicists Propose a Method to Observe Dirac Monopoles Physorg
Transparent Aluminium Is 'New State of Matter' Physorg

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View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.

LDRD Program Encourages Innovation LDRD Program Manager Stephen Williams. (Photo by Nicholas Bock.) by Nicholas Bock The SLAC executive council has received the recommendations for the top Laboratory Directed Research and Development projects, moving the LDRD process one step closer to distribution of project funds October 1. The executive council will evaluate the proposals and pass their recommendations on to lab Director Persis Drell next month. Directing $4.5 million in Department of Energy research funds to top-ranked project proposals, the LDRD review process was designed to promote innovative research at SLAC. The LDRD funds are given only to new research ideas, and cannot go to established research programs. According to Persis, the process helps ensure that SLAC is actively engaged in cutting-edge research without departing from the lab agenda. "The LDRD program enables the laboratory to attract and retain highly qualified scientists and to support their efforts to carry out world-leading research," Persis said. "It encourages innovation, creativity, originality and quality in order to maintain the laboratory's research activities and staff at the forefront of science." Forty-six research proposals were submitted for consideration following the call for LDRD proposals last April. In June, the submissions were reviewed by two panels of scientists and faculty, including eight from SLAC and three from Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory. The panels rated each based on quality of science and relevance to the lab agenda. Read more... Lunchtime Seminar Tomorrow: Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming Don't forget—bring your lunch and a friend to Panofsky Auditorium at noon tomorrow to hear Chef Laura Stec and Professor Eugene Cordero discuss the environmental, economic and gastronomic aspects of what you eat. According to Stec, choosing local, fresh food could not only combat global warming, it infuses you and your local economy with vitality. And Cordero's numbers indicate that changing one's diet can reduce carbon emissions as effectively as buying a new fuel-efficient car. Their talk is free and open to all. For additional details, see the event flyer. (Photo by Brad Plummer.) Around SLAC: X-ray Mirrors by John Arthur This photograph shows two grazing-incidence X-ray mirrors inside their vacuum tank in the Linac Coherent Light Source's Front End Enclosure. Mirrors such as these are used to direct the LCLS X-ray beam into the experimental stations downstream. The mirrors also clean up the beam, since they do not reflect unwanted high-energy background radiation generated upstream. The tank can be moved slightly left or right so that the X-ray beam will reflect off one mirror or the other, giving the beam a kick to either the left and into LCLS experimental hutch 1 or to the right and into LCLS experimental hutch 2. The gray ends of the silicon mirrors are visible in their holders; the highly-polished reflecting surfaces (which face each other) are coated with a thin layer of boron carbide to improve their X-ray reflectivity. Each mirror is 250 mm long, and flat to within about a millionth of a millimeter.	Events Today (9:00 a.m.) ATLAS Upgrade Simulation Workshop Today (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: The DRIFT Dark Matter Search Jul 29 (1:30 p.m.) Theory Seminar: From Omega-minus to Omega-b Access (see all) No Access Notices Today Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements New Course 416: Heat Illness Prevention Community Bulletin Board Proposed Marguerite Schedule Change Call for Applications: Al Ashley Fellowship Training (calendar \| register) Lab Training Today (8:00 a.m.) Excavation Safety Today (9:00 a.m.) Pressure Safety Today (11:00 a.m.) Purchasing Power Briefing Upcoming Workshops & Classes Excel and Word 2007 Classes News (submit) Supernova Starting Gun: Neutrinos Physical Review Focus Physicists Propose a Method to Observe Dirac Monopoles Physorg Transparent Aluminium Is 'New State of Matter' Physorg
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	Tuesday - July 28, 2009