Monday, Oct. 28, 2013
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Have a safe day!

Monday, Oct. 28

2:30 p.m.
Particle Astrophysics Seminar - WH6W
Speaker: Ramin Skibba, University of California, San Diego
Title: The Evolution of Galaxy Clustering as a Function of Luminosity and Color

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

4 p.m.
All Experimenters' Meeting - Curia II
Special Topics: LBNE Photon Detector R&D Tests at PAB; SuperCDMS Report

Tuesday, Oct. 29

2:30 p.m.
Theoretical Physics Seminar (NOTE DATE) - Curia II
Speaker: Vikram Rentala, Michigan State University
Title: Discriminating Higgs Production Mechanisms Using Jet Energy Profiles

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

THERE WILL BE NO ACCELERATOR PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR THIS WEEK

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Wilson Hall Cafe

Monday, Oct. 28

- Breakfast: pancake sandwich
- Breakfast: sausage, egg and cheese croissant
- Philly chicken sandwich
- Smart cuisine: herbed pot roast
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Garden beef wrap
- Baked potato bar
- Minestrone soup
- Texas-style chili
- Assorted pizza by the slice

Wilson Hall Cafe menu

Chez Leon

Wednesday, Oct. 30
Lunch
- Chicken satay
- Jasmine rice
- Sauteed pea pods
- Coconut cake

Friday, Nov. 1
Dinner
Closed

Chez Leon menu
Call x3524 to make your reservation.

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Special Announcement

Deputy director search begins

Fermilab Director Nigel Lockyer has appointed a search committee charged with identifying outstanding candidates for the position of deputy laboratory director. Detailed information about the requirements for and responsibilities of the deputy laboratory director position are available on the Fermilab Jobs site.

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the Search Committee via email or by directly contacting individual committee members. Nominations are also welcome from Fermilab employees, users and members of the particle physics community. All communications will be confidential.

The committee members, led by Al Goshaw from Duke University, are Maurice Ball, Marcela Carena, Roni Harnik, Marc Kaducak, Mike Kirby, Amy Pavnica, Carl Strawbridge, Charles Thangaraj, Sam Zeller and Bob Zwaska from Fermilab, along with Heidi Schellman from Northwestern University.

Feature

Incoming FSPA officers are here to help

The 2013-14 Fermilab Student and Postdoc Association officers began their year-long terms this month. Top row, from left: David Martinez, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas; Michelle Medeiros, Universidade Federal de Goias; Anne Norrick, College of William and Mary. Bottom row, from left: Jesus Orduna, Rice University; Louise Suter, Argonne National Laboratory.

Although it's a love of physics that brings scientists to Fermilab, their interests often extend beyond research.

The new Fermilab Student and Postdoc Association officers, who began their year-long terms this month, are eager to help improve the quality of life for early-career scientists at the lab, both at and outside of work. There's more to laboratory life, they said, than chasing data and publishing papers.

"We want students and postdocs not to always have to be talking about physics," said Michelle Medeiros, one of the newly elected officers. One of the FSPA's goals is to bring the young-scientist community closer together through social events, with support and funding from FRA. Another is to make itself fully available to listen to concerns that students and postdocs have about their research and non-work environments.

The new officers — David Martinez, Michelle Medeiros, Anne Norrick, Jesus Orduna and Louise Suter — are a diverse bunch. Four of the officers hail from outside the United States, and together the group represents five experiments. This year they will also represent Fermilab's younger generation of scientists by continuing FSPA's work at the monthly Users Executive Committee meetings and in the annual trip to Washington, D.C., advocating for particle physics research on behalf of the community.

"We all know how important an association like this is for the students and postdocs," said Orduna, who acknowledges the instrumental work performed by last year's FSPA. "We want to thank Carrie, Leonidas, Vladimir, Anthony and Jason for all the great work they did over the last year."

A favorite FSPA event — and a perfect time to greet and get to know the incoming guard — is this year's Halloween party. It takes place Friday, Nov. 1, at 6:30 p.m. in Kuhn Barn. Pizza, snacks and beverages will be provided. There will also be a costume and pumpkin-carving contest. All are welcome to join the party.

Those who want to be notified about FSPA events are invited to subscribe to the association's email list.

"The officers are very much engaged in laboratory life," Medeiros said. "I think we're going to accomplish a lot this year."

Leah Hesla

The FSPA Halloween party takes place Friday evening in Kuhn Barn.
In the News

Five unanswered questions that will keep physicists awake at night

From Scientific American, Oct. 25, 2013

Physics is all about probing the most fundamental mysteries in nature, so it's no surprise that physicists have some very basic questions about the universe on their minds. Recently, Symmetry magazine (published by two U.S.-government funded physics labs) asked a group of particle physicists to name the open questions in physics they most want answers to. Here's a sample of the quandaries they shared.

Read more

Tip of the Week: Health

The ABCs of viral hepatitis

Hepatocytes as seen in chronic hepatitis B. Everyone, and travelers especially, should be vaccinated for hepatitis. Image: Wikimedia Commons

I often get questions about vaccinations from individuals planning to travel, and most of these are about hepatitis, the general term for liver inflammation.

In this case the inquirers are asking about protection from viral hepatitis, as contrasted with drug-, toxin- or alcohol-induced hepatitis. When the liver becomes inflamed, it cannot effectively clear toxins, the body's waste products or some medications. Urine may become dark as the kidneys attempt to clear these items. Skin, eyes and nail beds may become yellow (dark-complexioned individuals may notice only the latter two). The end result is fatigue and many body system stresses.

Hepatitis A is a concern in developing countries and in geographical areas with a significant number of infected individuals, since they may be handling food or contaminating water. Even some of the best restaurants or hotels in these areas may employ infected individuals who fail to wash their hands after using the restroom, putting patrons at risk.

Hepatitis A can cause temporary liver inflammation and can land you in the hospital, but fortunately it does not have a chronic stage. WebMD has good advice from a Centers for Disease Control physician on how to avoid infection when traveling abroad. Hepatitis A is typically eradicated completely by the body's defenses.

Hepatitis B is primarily blood-borne. Transfusions, shared sharps (such as razors, needles, even toothbrushes) and unprotected sex involving an infected individual all put you at risk, so avoid such activities to reduce your risk of infection. Hepatitis B can cause chronic disease.

The medical community has vaccines for the A and B varieties of hepatitis. The hepatitis C virus, discovered in 1989, has eluded vaccine development so far. Hepatitis C, like hepatitis B, can cause chronic illness and raise your liver cancer risk. You can avoid it by taking some of the same measures for avoiding hepatitis B.

In scheduling hepatitis vaccinations before trips abroad, planning weeks to months ahead is best. Still, there will be times when travelers must take trips on short notice. The CDC says there is some protection within weeks of the vaccination, so last-minute vaccinations may be worthwhile. The hepatitis vaccines are offered as both separate and combination shots. There is some evidence that the combination vaccine may confer immunity faster and may be more effective in an accelerated schedule, in which shots are given closer together in time than typically advised.

I was required by the U.S. Navy and my profession to get vaccinated. You should seek out hepatitis vaccinations because it will protect you when planning a visit to an at-risk destination.

The Medical Office researches health issues in non-U.S. destinations for Fermilab business travelers. This site has further information on vaccinations and links to risk assessments for travelers.

Brian Svazas, M.D., M.P.H.

Photo of the Day

Grackles overhead

A flock of grackles flies over the bison farm. Photo: Steve Krave, TD
Announcements

Today's New Announcements

CSADay 2013 training opportunities - Nov. 12

Deadline for Wilson Fellowship application - Nov. 1

Office of Science's Patricia Dehmer speaks at UChicago - Nov. 5

Heartland Fermilab walk-in blood drive - Nov. 5 and 6

Stars of Dance Chicago - Fermilab Arts Series - Nov. 9

Physics Slam 2013 - Fermilab Arts & Lecture Series - Nov. 15

Message regarding Windows 8.1

Donate winter wear for Fermilab Coat Exchange

Lepton flavor violation course in lecture series

Money just got cheaper

Accelerate to a Healthy Lifestyle

Scottish country dancing returns to Kuhn Barn Tuesday evenings

International folk dancing returns to Kuhn Barn Thursday evenings

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey discounts