Tuesday, June 14, 2011
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Tuesday, June 14
Noon
Summer Lecture Series - One West
Speaker: Amitoj Singh, Fermilab
Title: High Performance Computing at Fermilab
3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over
4 p.m.
Accelerator Physics and Technology Seminar - One West
Speaker: Kazuhito Ohmi, KEK
Title: Electron cloud studies for J-PARC and SuperKEKB

Wednesday, June 15
3:30 p.m.
DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over
4 p.m.
Fermilab Colloquium - One West
Speaker: Jonathan Fortney, University of California, Santa Cruz
Title: The Structural and Thermal Evolution of Transiting Exoplanets: From Hot Jupiters to Kepler's Super-Earths

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Wilson Hall Cafe

Tuesday, June 14

- Breakfast: Bagel sandwich
- Golden broccoli cheese soup
- Fish & chips
- Coconut-crusted tilapia
- Burgundy beef tips
- La grande sandwich
- Assorted sliced pizza
- Chicken fajitas

Wilson Hall Cafe Menu

Chez Leon

Wednesday, June 15
Lunch

- Southern-style chicken salad
- Corn muffins
- Peach pie

Friday, June 17
Dinner

- Romaine, walnut & radish salad
- Veal w/ leek & Roquefort sauce
- Sauté of peas w/ tarragon
- Lemon-scented saffron rice
- White chocolate raspberry terrine

Chez Leon Menu
Call x3524 to make your reservation.

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Feature

MINOS far detector once again collecting data

The MINOS far detector, located in a cavern half a mile underground in the Soudan Underground Laboratory in Minnesota, began collecting cosmic ray data May 19 and is now taking NuMI beam data. Photo: Reidar Hahn.

On Saturday, June 11, the MINOS detector began taking beam data for the first time since a fire broke out in the Soudan Underground Laboratory in March.

The MINOS far detector came back online May 19, but shortly after, the NuMI beamline went offline for a target replacement. In the meantime, MINOS collected cosmic ray data, adding to its 10-year sample of atmospheric neutrinos.

The NuMI beamline is operating once again with a reconditioned target, and MINOS is now taking beam data with a full magnetic field, said Fermilab physicist Rob Plunkett, co-spokesperson for the MINOS neutrino experiment.

Since the fire, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, together with Fermilab, have worked steadily to get the laboratory up and running again. Electricians installed new power cables in April and scientists assessed the MINOS detector to ensure all the electronics and magnet components were dry and operational before turning the detector back on.

Christine Herman

Photo of the Day

Why did the geese cross the road?

WDRS employee Muriel Cease took this photo of a gaggle of geese crossing the road leading to Wilson Hall.
Performance Review Q&A

Pay freeze

Q. My colleagues at JLab (Jefferson Lab) inform me that JLab management has lifted the DOE-mandated two-year salary freeze and all JLab employees will be eligible for small, regular salary increases as part of their annual performance and salary review process. Please explain why Fermilab has not been able to provide the same consideration to its equally hard-working and deserving employees.

A. The two-year DOE pay freeze has not been lifted for any laboratory, including JLab. Employees at JLAb will not receive merit increases as part of their annual performance and salary review process. Some will receive an equity adjustment in FY11.

Historically, DOE granted the national laboratories permission to spend money on annual merit increases, promotions and adjustments in compensation to reflect market value (equity adjustments). During the two freeze years DOE has issued guidance that allows the laboratories to spend limited funds on promotions and equity adjustments. However, the allowance is qualified in two ways. The laboratory must provide market data that justifies that it is needed and DOE must approve how the adjustment pool is spent.

Some laboratories started their pay freeze in FY11. Fermilab did not. We received merit increases on October 1, 2010, (in FY11) before the freeze was announced. Laboratories that were frozen in FY11 were allowed to use adjustment funds retroactively. Fermilab’s freeze years are FY12 and FY13. During those years Fermilab will have the same opportunity to make limited promotion and equity adjustments.

In the News

DOE strategic plan highlights science and engineering

From FYI: The AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News, June 10, 2011

“Maintain a vibrant U.S. effort in science and engineering as a cornerstone of our economic prosperity with clear leadership in strategic areas” is the second of four goals in the “U.S. Department of Energy Strategic Plan” that was released last month. The plan is described as “a comprehensive blueprint to guide the agency's core mission of ensuring America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.”

The plan is 60 pages long. A seven-page section entitled “The Science and Engineering Enterprise” is one of what DOE describes as “four distinct categories, representing the broad cross-cutting and collaborative efforts taking place across the Department’s headquarters, site offices, and national laboratories.” Other categories are entitled “Transform Our Energy Systems,” “Secure Our Nation,” (nuclear security) and “Management and Operational Excellence.”

Read more

Director's Corner

Institutional review

Fermilab Director Pier Oddone

Last week Fermilab was the subject of an institutional review. Such reviews are infrequent and arduous, as they cover the entire laboratory including facility operations, scientific program, current and planned projects and strategy for the future. Six managers from DOE and 10 reviewers from other labs and universities worked very hard during the four-day review. We are very appreciative of their recommendations. I think they will prove helpful in the future as we sell our program.

The table below shows the different reviews we go through on our scientific program. It is easy to feel burdened with reviews. There are reviews in front of national advisory committees, numerous DOE review committees, FRA Board reviews and our own Director’s reviews. The common joke is that we follow the example of the good gardener who gets up in the morning, walks into his garden and picks up his plants and turns them over to check that the roots are growing healthily. Jokes aside, reviews are a good way for us to communicate and disseminate our program to the community. Over the course of a year these reviews provide captive audiences to us for days at a time. These are excellent opportunities to build enthusiasm for our program with many influential members of the community.

This institutional review was an excellent one for us and I want to thank everyone who worked to prepare great talks, answered the questions posed by the reviewers during the sessions and as homework, and made themselves available throughout the review.

View the presentations and the slides from the institutional review.

The above graphic shows different reviews that Fermilab goes through on its scientific program.
In the News

Aurora’s SciTech redesigns, plans for preschool

From Daily Herald, June 12, 2011

The 1930s former post office building that houses SciTech Hands-on Museum in Aurora may be the only old thing left about the museum.

Since Executive Director Carol Rehtmeyer took over last November, plenty of renovations have been going on, all with the goal of heightening the museum’s high-tech atmosphere, she said.

Staff revamped the gift shop. A coffee shop with wireless Internet access is on site. The downstairs cafeteria is getting a facelift. And a large outdoor deck overlooking the Fox River will host visitors and special events this summer.

Read more

Accelerator Update

June 10-13

- Six stores provided ~62 hours of luminosity
- Store 8805 aborted due to a power supply trip
- NuMI began receiving beam on June 11
- Store 8809 aborted due to a vacuum indication
- Booster beam instability fixed

Read the Current Accelerator Update
Read the Early Bird Report
View the Tevatron Luminosity Charts

Announcements

Latest Announcements

New anti-virus, anti-spam system

International folk dancing in Ramsey Auditorium

Lunch and Learn about migraines and cluster headaches - June 15

Two high school seniors awarded ACU college scholarships

Introduction to LabVIEW class offered - June 16

Deadline for UChicago tuition remission program - June 23

Heartland Blood Drive - June 20 & 21

DASTOW 2011 - June 22

Fermilab management practices courses presented this summer

SciTech summer camps June 20 - Aug. 12

Fermilab Arts Series presents Chicago Afrobeat Project - June 18

Change in cashier's office hours

Beginner swim lessons at the pool

Jazzercise discount for employees

10,000 Steps-A-Day personal fitness kit winner

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