SLAC Theorist Receives Presidential Early Career Award

SLAC theorist Jacob Wacker. (Photo by Julie Karceski.)

by Lauren Rugani

SLAC theoretical physicist Jacob Wacker has been named a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Wacker looks to explain physics beyond the Standard Model, a set of laws governing the known particles and forces in the universe.

"Science and technology have long been at the core of America's economic strength and global leadership," President Obama said in a Department of Energy news release. "I am confident that these individuals, who have shown such tremendous promise so early in their careers, will go on to make breakthroughs and discoveries that will continue to move our nation forward in the years ahead."

The award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their research careers. Wacker is one of 13 recipients supported by Department of Energy, and among 85 researchers in 10 federal departments who share this year's honor.

Wacker will receive up to five years of DOE funding to advance his research, which includes probing the existence of exotic particles and combing through data to validate or refute theories about the nature and origin of dark matter—a mysterious, invisible substance thought to make up nearly 80 percent of all the matter in the universe.

He also works closely with experimental physicists, offering new theories to be tested and providing theoretical explanations for the hiccups sometimes seen in experimental data sets.

(Photo by Maria Mastrokyriakos.)

Welcome, New SLACers!

by Maria Mastrokyriakos

SLAC welcomed 22 recently hired employees at the November New Employee Orientation, which took place on November 4. Please welcome our new staff as they embark on their new career paths here at SLAC.

Back Row, from left: Simon Lee, Richard Bonnell, Makoto Hashimoto, Shawn Osier, John Ku, Sandra Northon, Ravinder Mirakhur, Robin Curtis, Scott Calvin, Alev Ibrahimov, Michael Young and Brian Van Klaveren.

Front Row, from left: Deepalaxmi Rasalkar, Carolyn Galayda, Tony Francesconi, Murali Shankar, Julia Zhang, Roenna Del Rosario and Rosa Ciprian.

Not pictured: Henry Lwin, Margery Morse and Linda Rakow.

Seen around SLAC: National Fire Protection Association Signs

(Photo by Catherine Meyers.)

by Catherine Meyers

Have you ever wondered what the colors and numbers on the diamond-shaped signs posted around SLAC might mean? These National Fire Protection Association panels warn emergency responders of the dangers posed by hazardous materials stored within that area. The colored areas indicate the nature of the hazard: red for fire, blue for health, and yellow for reactivity. The numbers indicate the level of the danger, from 0 (no hazard) to 4 (extreme hazard). Within the white area, you might see any of the following symbols noting specific hazards: OXY (oxidizer), CRYO (cryogenic), ACID, ALK (alkali), COR (corrosive), W (use no water), or the trefoil, the three-armed radiation hazard symbol.

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Today (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: The Proton Form Factor Ratio at Low Q^2 - New Results From Jefferson Lab
Today (4:15 p.m.) Stanford Physics Colloquium: Unexpected Physics in Biology

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Rethinking Galactic Architecture: Dark Matter Optional ScienceNOW
Bars Kill Spiral Galaxies, Astronomers and Volunteers Discover Science Daily
Quantum Computing Reaches for True Power New York Times

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

SLAC Theorist Receives Presidential Early Career Award SLAC theorist Jacob Wacker. (Photo by Julie Karceski.) by Lauren Rugani SLAC theoretical physicist Jacob Wacker has been named a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Wacker looks to explain physics beyond the Standard Model, a set of laws governing the known particles and forces in the universe. "Science and technology have long been at the core of America's economic strength and global leadership," President Obama said in a Department of Energy news release. "I am confident that these individuals, who have shown such tremendous promise so early in their careers, will go on to make breakthroughs and discoveries that will continue to move our nation forward in the years ahead." The award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their research careers. Wacker is one of 13 recipients supported by Department of Energy, and among 85 researchers in 10 federal departments who share this year's honor. Wacker will receive up to five years of DOE funding to advance his research, which includes probing the existence of exotic particles and combing through data to validate or refute theories about the nature and origin of dark matter—a mysterious, invisible substance thought to make up nearly 80 percent of all the matter in the universe. He also works closely with experimental physicists, offering new theories to be tested and providing theoretical explanations for the hiccups sometimes seen in experimental data sets. (Photo by Maria Mastrokyriakos.) Welcome, New SLACers! by Maria Mastrokyriakos SLAC welcomed 22 recently hired employees at the November New Employee Orientation, which took place on November 4. Please welcome our new staff as they embark on their new career paths here at SLAC. Back Row, from left: Simon Lee, Richard Bonnell, Makoto Hashimoto, Shawn Osier, John Ku, Sandra Northon, Ravinder Mirakhur, Robin Curtis, Scott Calvin, Alev Ibrahimov, Michael Young and Brian Van Klaveren. Front Row, from left: Deepalaxmi Rasalkar, Carolyn Galayda, Tony Francesconi, Murali Shankar, Julia Zhang, Roenna Del Rosario and Rosa Ciprian. Not pictured: Henry Lwin, Margery Morse and Linda Rakow. Seen around SLAC: National Fire Protection Association Signs (Photo by Catherine Meyers.) by Catherine Meyers Have you ever wondered what the colors and numbers on the diamond-shaped signs posted around SLAC might mean? These National Fire Protection Association panels warn emergency responders of the dangers posed by hazardous materials stored within that area. The colored areas indicate the nature of the hazard: red for fire, blue for health, and yellow for reactivity. The numbers indicate the level of the danger, from 0 (no hazard) to 4 (extreme hazard). Within the white area, you might see any of the following symbols noting specific hazards: OXY (oxidizer), CRYO (cryogenic), ACID, ALK (alkali), COR (corrosive), W (use no water), or the trefoil, the three-armed radiation hazard symbol.	Events Today (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: The Proton Form Factor Ratio at Low Q^2 - New Results From Jefferson Lab Today (4:15 p.m.) Stanford Physics Colloquium: Unexpected Physics in Biology Access (see all) South Linac Access Road Closed at Sector 19 Parking Lot A Closures RSB Project Info and Updates Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements Updated ES&H Chapter 42: Subcontractor Safety Update: Marguerite Shuttle Stop Location Changes Community Bulletin Board NOW Wellness Newsletter November/December 2010 SLAC Run & Walk Shirt Orders Training (see all \| register) Lab Training Calendar Registration Today (8:00 a.m.) CPR/First Aid- Recertification News (submit) Rethinking Galactic Architecture: Dark Matter Optional ScienceNOW Bars Kill Spiral Galaxies, Astronomers and Volunteers Discover Science Daily Quantum Computing Reaches for True Power New York Times
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<% Response.AddHeader "Last-modified", getArticleDate() 'Response.AddHeader "Last-modified","Mon, 01 Sep 1997 01:03:33 GMT" 'Monday, December 06, 2010 %> View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.