Layoff information

Layoffs at Fermilab will not go forward any earlier than the week of May 19. Currently, Fermilab is providing information to DOE for final approval of the Workforce Restructuring Plan. Given the retirements and resignations in recent weeks, the expected number of layoffs is about 140.

Tevatron experiments reach record luminosities

The Accelerator Division helped DZero and CDF set a trio of luminosity-related records this week.

On Monday, both the CDF and DZero experiments reported that they had surpassed 4 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity since the beginning of Run II.

"That number is enough to perform highest precision studies of the Standard Model and opens wide opportunities to discover physics effects beyond known today" said DZero co-spokesperson Dmitri Denisov. "It is about 100 times more than what was needed to discover the top quark."

Both experiments reported the results on Monday at the All Experimenter's Meeting.

"The Accelerator Division has achieved what many people never thought was achievable two years ago," said CDF co-spokesperson Rob Roser. "We're on our way."

If the Tevatron runs through 2010, scientists hope to reach 8 inverse femtobarns.

DZero scientists also reported a daily record of 10.4 inverse picobarns delivered Monday. The previous record, established on March 12, was 8.9 inverse picobarns. DZero scientists were able to record 95 percent, or 9.8 inverse picobarns, of Monday's data.

"That's really the best we can do," said DZero collaborator Bill Lee. "We had a great day Monday."

-- Rhianna Wisniewski

Spring tea a success

Women enjoy conversation and international cuisine at the NALWO Spring Tea Monday. The event was hosted by Barbara Oddone, wife of Fermilab Director Pier Oddone, at their home. Photo courtesy of Mara Cavicchioli.

Wine mythbusting comes to Fermilab

Fermilab scientists learn about scientific advancements at wine and cheese lectures. The world's largest high-energy physics laboratory, CERN, sits near French wine country. Several physicists consider grapes a hobby.

But what do you really know about wine?

Myths surround the ancient pastime, and professional wine judge and commercial winemaker Christian Butzke wants to debunk them for you.

He offers a science of wine lecture flavored with elements of Vino 101 and television mythbusting at 8 p.m. Friday in Ramsey Auditorium. His talk offers tips to help make you a more discerning sipper and sniffer.

"This seemed like something that would appeal to a broad audience. It will interest those who make wine, those who like history and those who just like wine," said Janet MacKay-Galbraith of the Fermilab Arts and Lecture Series that organized the talk.

During the last few years, Illinois has grown into the 12th largest producer of wine in the United States, according to the Illinois Bureau of Tourism. The state offers 193 vineyards and 70 wineries, including some as close to Fermilab as Roselle, Oswego, Sycamore and Galena.

Burke's talk focuses on how modern technologies meet ancient traditions for wine production, proper storage, genetics of tasting wine, the mystique behind the elixir and wine-impacting trends from corks to global warming.

At Purdue University, Butzke teaches wine appreciation classes and researches conditions that affect wine and brandy quality. He also works with the Wine Grape Action Team to promote a modern-day renaissance for Midwest vintners.

Only about 250 of the $5 tickets remain available. For further information or telephone reservations, call 630/840-ARTS weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Visit the Lecture series Web site for more information.

-- Tona Kunz

The Large Hadron Collider runs on woman power

From CERN Courier, April 16, 2008

Paola Catapano went in search of some of the women working on the LHC project, to find out about their work at CERN and talk about life in a mainly male environment.

In particle physics, as in much of the rest of physics and engineering, the practitioners are generally men. However, women do become involved and some even break through to important positions. In a series of interviews made for the Italian magazine, Newton, Paula Catapano found out more about some of the women working on different aspects of CERN's LHC, from environmental impact and radiation safety to the complex experiments. Their answers give some idea of what makes these talented women tick, as well as an insight into their views on working in a "man's world".

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