Monday, Feb. 18, 2013
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Monday, Feb. 18

THERE WILL BE NO PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS SEMINAR THIS WEEK

3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over

THERE WILL BE NO ALL EXPERIMENTERS' MEETING THIS WEEK

Tuesday, Feb. 19

10:30 a.m.
Research Techniques Seminar - Curia II
Speaker: Shawn Henderson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Title: Surface Commissioning of the DMTPC 4-Shooter Directional Dark Matter Detector Prototype

3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over

THERE WILL BE NO ACCELERATOR PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR TODAY

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Wilson Hall Cafe

Monday, Feb. 18

- Breakfast: pancake sandwich
- Italian minestrone
- Philly chicken sandwich
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Smart cuisine: herbed pot roast with vegetables
- Garden beef wrap
- Assorted pizza
- Creole jambalaya

Wilson Hall Cafe Menu

Chez Leon

Wednesday, Feb. 20
Lunch
- Cornish hens
- Sage and onion stuffing
- Glazed baby carrots
- Pumpkin cheesecake

Friday, Feb. 22
Dinner
Closed

Chez Leon Menu
Call x3524 to make your reservation.

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Feature

Universities Research Association accepts its first member of 2013

The University of Manchester particle physics group gathers for a holiday party in December. Last month, the University of Manchester joined the Universities Research Association. Photo courtesy of Stefan Söldner-Rembold

With more than 80 faculty and students, the particle physics group of the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester is one of the largest physics groups in the UK. Many of its physicists work on projects here at Fermilab, including DZero and the MINOS experiment. Therefore, many were right jolly when the University of Manchester joined the Universities Research Association in January.

"The University of Manchester has done important work at Fermilab, and I'm very pleased that it's now a member of the URA," said Fermilab Deputy Director Young-Kee Kim. "Particle physics research is a global endeavor, and the addition to the URA of an institution outside the United States reflects the internationality of Fermilab's partnerships."

The URA consortium consists of 86 research-oriented universities and enables its members to participate in the construction and operation of large research facilities such as Fermilab. The vast majority of URA members are in the United States. The University of Manchester makes the association's fifth international member and first member from the UK.

As with any selective organization, the URA accepts applicants who meet established criteria. The university must show a commitment to fields the URA is interested in, including particle physics, high-energy physics and astrophysics. The university must have at least 15 physics faculty members and at least 15 graduate students at the thesis stage.

"The University of Manchester is highly qualified," said URA Executive Director Marta Cehelsky. "Their School of Physics and Astronomy has a tremendous reputation, and we're proud to have the university as one of our members." The University of Manchester's distinguished faculty has included several Nobel laureates, including 2010 physics Nobel prize winners Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov.

Representatives of URA's member universities sit on the Board of Directors of the Fermi Research Alliance LLC, through which URA, with the University of Chicago, operates the laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, the faculty and students of member universities are eligible to compete for awards from URA's Visiting Scholars at Fermilab program. Manchester students will also be eligible for the URA doctoral thesis award, and its postdoctoral students for URA's Tollestrup award.

The University of Manchester will profit from other advantages of membership as well.

"There are many good things that may come from being a member of such a prestigious group of universities, which is why we were eager to join," said Rod Coombs, deputy president of the University of Manchester.

One major benefit is collaboration. The University of Manchester plans to extend connections and research capabilities with Fermilab and other URA members across the United States. Stefan Söldner-Rembold, head of particle physics at Manchester, points out that the university has participated in many Fermilab experiments over the years, including DZero and MINOS. He hopes this new association will help fuel the university's involvement with ongoing and future Fermilab experiments.

Jessica Orwig

In the News

Large Hadron Collider shuts down to prepare for bigger bangs in 2015

From NBC News, Feb. 14, 2013

After coming through with evidence for the long-sought Higgs Boson, Europe's Large Hadron Collider has begun a two-year "Long Shutdown," during which its underground components will be upgraded to run at even higher energies.

The last interacting particle beams were extracted from the machine at 7:24 a.m. Thursday Geneva time, the CERN nuclear physics center said in a news release. Most of the final beam runs were conducted with lead ions as well as protons, to study the conditions that existed in the universe just after the big bang. CERN said single-beam studies will wind down this weekend, and then the LHC's super-cooled components will be brought up to room temperature so that work can begin.

The "Long Shutdown 1," or LS1, marks the longest hiatus for the $10 billion collider since physics runs began in 2009.

Read more
Tip of the Week: Safety

Slipping and falling is no laughing matter

Be aware of your surroundings to avoid slips, trips and falls.

If you have ever spent time watching homemade videos on television or online, you have probably seen many examples of people slipping, tripping and falling. While these videos may seem comical, slips, trips and falls are no laughing matter.

Falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries in the United States, accounting for nearly 8.6 million visits to emergency departments, according to Injury Facts, 2011. What can we do to help prevent slips, trips and falls? First, be aware of the locations where most falls occur:

  • Doorways
  • Ramps
  • Cluttered hallways
  • Areas with heavy traffic
  • Uneven surfaces
  • Areas prone to wetness or spills
  • Unguarded heights
  • Unstable work surfaces
  • Ladders
  • Stairs

Second, implement actions to prevent falls from occurring. When at the laboratory:

  • Hold on to handrails where they are available.
  • Wear slip resistant footwear.
  • Secure electrical and phone cords out of traffic areas.
  • Use non-skid mats to keep small rugs from slipping.
  • Remove tripping hazards (paper, boxes, clothes, shoes) from stairs and walkways.
  • Periodically check the condition of walkways and steps, and report problems immediately to Roads and Grounds at x3303.
  • Report torn or buckled carpeting and loose tiles to your building manager.
  • Never stand on a chair, table or surface with wheels.
  • Clean up all spills immediately.
  • Alert others of hazards by using cones or barriers and notifying your supervisor or safety officer.

Winter weather presents special challenges in preventing slips, trips and falls. If you must walk on snow or ice, follow these tips to prevent a fall:

  • Look where you are walking to identify slippery surfaces and spot hazards ahead.
  • Walk more slowly than usual.
  • Shorten your stride, keep knees slightly bent and put your foot down flat on the ground with feet pointed slightly outward.
  • Consider acquiring and wearing slip-on ice cleats. They are available in the Fermilab stockroom, stock number 2278-10xxxx.

To avoid ending up as one of the subjects of a pratfall video, Take Five for safety.

John Martzel

Video of the Day

Harlem Shake - Fermilab edition

On Friday afternoon, a few dozen Fermilab employees took a short dance break to participate in the "Harlem Shake" meme. Thousands of Harlem Shake videos have been uploaded to YouTube this month. View the video. Video: Fermilab
Announcements

Today's New Announcements

Down time for Fermilab instant messaging service - Feb. 20

Martial arts class - begins today

School's Day Out - today and March 1

Employee art show applications - due Feb. 20

Fermilab Lecture Series: Engineering Biology - Feb. 22

Fermilab Gallery Series: Dios no Choro (Brazilian flute and guitar)

URA Thesis Award competition applications accepted until March 1

Deadline for UChicago Tuition Remission Program - March 7

Nominations open for 2013 Tollestrup Award - through April 1

2013 FRA scholarship applications accepted until April 1

Interpersonal Communication Skills course offered in May

Increased online access to scientific journals

Employee discounts