Veterans Day this year is Monday, Nov. 11. The Argonne Veterans Group invites all interested employees to join them in planning a Veterans Day program in observance of this day. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. in the Building 213 Cafeteria. Veterans who work on site are encouraged to participate.
Contact Diana Morgan at ext. 2-3858, Ed Schmitt at ext. 2-0843, or veterans@anl.gov for information on the meeting or the Argonne Veterans Group.
The Chicago Blackhawks have teamed up with Fifth Third Arena to create a memorable pregame experience for you and your family and friends.
Argonne employees can purchase a ticket through this offer and receive the following pregame experience at Fifth Third Arena:
*Prints will be distributed at random and must be picked up in person at Fifth Third Arena the night of the event. The Chicago Blackhawks do not imply or guarantee the availability of any specific player.
To purchase the preseason package, enter the promo code: ARGONNE
For more information, contact Heather Larson at 312-455-7192.
The next IT maintenance weekend will start at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, through 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019.
The planned activities for the weekend include the following:
Friday, Aug. 23, 5:30 p.m. – midnight
Friday, Aug. 23, 5:30 p.m. – Saturday, Aug 24, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Aug 24, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, Aug 24, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
New Wireless Guest Registration System Implementation
Notes
If landline or VoIP phones are not working, emergencies can be reported at 630-252-1911 from a cell phone during the maintenance weekend.
Employees who experience any problems after this maintenance window are asked to restart the affected computer. If problems persist, contact the Service Desk at ext. 2-9999, option 2.
Background
Business and Information Systems (BIS) recognizes that the reliability and performance of laboratory informational technology (IT) resources are essential to our ability to carry out our scientific mission.
Like the rest of the laboratory infrastructure, these systems require periodic maintenance, replacement and upgrades. To meet the goal of providing secure and reliable IT systems, BIS schedules four maintenance weekends each year.
During these maintenance weekends, many of the services (e.g., email, wired and wireless networking, business applications, etc.) provided by BIS may be affected, and there should be no expectation that any IT services will be available.
Argonne’s Laboratory Operations Diversity and Inclusion Council (DIVE-IN) will host a seminar on informal and formal options for handling inappropriate behaviors, explain how they differ, and what to expect when bringing an issue forward.
“Say Something: Options for Addressing Inappropriate Behaviors Explained by the Ombuds, Legal, & Human Resource Services” is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. in the Building 213 Cafeteria.
When an issue arises that is in conflict with our core values, whether it’s one of harassment, professional conduct, or research ethics, what options do you have to address it? What processes are triggered when an issue is brought forward? Which options are anonymous? Which are confidential? And what constitutes official notice to the laboratory?
Argonne Ombuds Brad Ginn, Dan Raker from Argonne’s Legal Department and Human Resource Services – Employee Relations (HRS-ER) representatives Mark Rentz and Darryl Howe will present informal and formal options for handling inappropriate behaviors, explain how these options differ, and what to expect when bringing an issue forward.
Please join us to hear answers to these questions and discuss these topics during an audience Q&A following the panel presentation. The presentation is open to all employees, and registration is not required.
Physicist Ian Cloet (PHY) and Computational Climate Scientist Robert Jacob (EVS) will discuss their Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) sponsored work at the LDRD Seminar Series presentation Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, at 12:30 p.m. in Building 212, Room A157. All are welcome to attend.
Visit the LDRD website to view upcoming seminars.
Ian Cloet
Abstract
The strong interaction, which is described by a theory call quantum chromodynamics (QCD), is the least understood component of the Standard Model of Particle Physics. QCD describes how fundamental particles called quarks and gluons interact to form the vast bulk of all visible matter, e.g., protons, neutrons, and nuclei. A mysterious feature of QCD, called confinement, is that the quarks and gluons can never be observed in isolation and are always bound inside strongly interacting particles called hadrons, where the pion, proton, and neutron are the most important examples. Advances in theory have allowed us to define observables that provide 3-D images of the quarks and gluons bound inside hadrons and nuclei — in both coordinate and momentum space. These objects will soon be measured for the first time at, e.g., Jefferson Lab, and then with much greater detail at a future electron-ion collider. This talk will provide a snapshot of this physics, and illustrate how it will help answer some of the deepest questions in fundamental science: What is the origin of the mass of visible matter? How is the proton’s spin distributed between color-entangled quarks and gluons? How do nuclei emerge from the fundamental theory of the strong interaction (QCD)?
Biography
Ian Cloet is the Theory group leader in the Physics division. He received his Ph.D. from The University of Adelaide (Australia) in 2007; and held postdoctoral positions at Argonne National Laboratory, University of Washington, and The University of Adelaide. Cloet became staff at Argonne in 2013. His research is in the field of hadron physics, with a focus on the quark and gluon tomography of hadrons and nuclei.
Robert Jacob
Abstract
The urban boundary layer, that part of the atmosphere in cities and near the ground, is home to over half of the world’s population. And yet, it is one of the most poorly studied regions of the atmosphere. In weather and climate models, the effect of urban areas is heavily parameterized. We seek to make reference solutions of urban airflow that can be used to improve parameterizations in weather and climate models. Toward that end, a highly scalable open-source in-compressible and low-Mach-number CFD solver Nek5000 has been applied to realistic urban geometries. These simulations suggest we have the capability to resolve the flow in any city geometry assuming a proper mesh can be constructed. Extending these simulations to larger domains will be possible with upcoming exascale supercomputers while longer simulation times may still remain a challenge.
Biography
Robert Jacob is a computational climate scientist in the Environmental Science division and a scientist in the Argonne-University of Chicago Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering. He received his Ph.D. in atmospheric science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jacob leads the infrastructure group for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Exascale Earth System Model. Throughout his career, he has been strongly involved in the development and application of global climate models. His current interests include applications of high performance computing to scientific problems, climate variability, urban climate, and long-term climate change.
By Jamie Stalker, MD, Chief Medical Officer
Argonne National Laboratory cares about the wellbeing of its employees and the quality of their work. With the recent change in state law, some may have questions regarding recreational marijuana, which will become legal in Illinois in January 2020.
The U.S. Department of Energy considers any use of marijuana illegal under federal law, regardless of state law. Argonne’s policies are written to comply with federal law, and thus will still regard a verified positive drug test for cannabis as a violation that requires disciplinary action.
Please review the in-depth FAQ on marijuana, drug testing procedures, and substance abuse programs for employees.
Thank you for helping us maintain a safe, drug-free workplace. Should you have additional questions, contact me at jstalker@anl.gov or ext. 2-2811.
Three candidates have been selected to receive the Maria Goeppert Mayer Fellowship. The 2019 fellows are Ashley Bielinski (MSD), Zachary Hood (AMD), and Lei Sun (NST).
The Maria Goeppert Mayer (MGM) Fellowship brings new research ideas and capabilities to the lab through the recruitment of world-class science and engineering talent. Candidates are selected based on their record of achievement, academic accomplishments, and the strength of their research proposal.
Fellows will spearhead independent research that supports Argonne’s mission to accelerate science and technology that drive U.S. prosperity and security. Bringing potential future leaders in their fields to conduct research at Argonne is the first step to solving the world’s most complex problems. Funding for the fellows is provided through the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program.
“These awards are named in honor of Maria Goeppert Mayer, an Argonne pioneer who received the Nobel Prize in physics for work with mathematical models of nuclear shell structure,” said Argonne Laboratory Director Paul Kearns. “The recipients of these fellowships now have the opportunity to make their own contributions to Argonne’s mission of unlocking new science and technological frontiers. I congratulate them on their selection.”
Ashley Bielinski
Ashley Bielinski earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota and is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan in the department of mechanical engineering. Her research focuses on rational design of semiconductor nanostructures using atomic layer deposition to modify surfaces and interfaces.
Bielinski’s proposed research as a fellow will address defects at surfaces and interfaces, which have a large effect on the performance of many devices for energy conversion and computer processing. Understanding the defects in electronic, chemical, and structural properties of these interfaces at the atomic scale is key to developing improved interface properties.
Bielinski was sponsored by Alex Martinson (MSD) and will carry out her research in the Materials Science division.
Zachary Hood who received his Bachelor of Science degree from Wake Forest University and completed his Ph.D. degree in February 2018 at the Georgia Institute of Technology. After completing his Ph.D., Hood immediately began a postdoctoral associate position this at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also has pursued research as a National Science Foundation 
Graduate Student Fellow and Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Georgia Tech Fellow.
As an MGM Fellow, Hood will pursue a number of synthetic and experimental strategies for lithium and sodium solid electrolytes, and he will place these studies within the larger context of a general class of problems related to chemistry and materials science-based synthesis of next-generation materials for energy storage and conversion.
Hood was sponsored by Ed Barry (AMD) and will conduct his research in the Applied Materials division.
Lei Sun who received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Nanjing University in 2011, and earned a Ph.D. degree in inorganic chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2017. Currently, Sun is a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University. His projects include development of multi-qubit molecular quantum processors with synthetic chemistry and fabrication of single-molecule electron paramagnetic resonance devices.
As an MGM Fellow, Sun proposes to develop on-chip quantum processors based on molecular electron spin qubits.
Lei Sun
He plans to fabricate devices that address individual qubit and entangle multiple qubits. His interdisciplinary research will establish the candidacy of molecules for quantum computing, and will bring chemical opportunities to quantum information science.
Sun was sponsored by Tijana Rajh (NST) and will carry out his research in the Nanoscience and Technology division.
A celebration to honor mentors and mentees who participated in the Argonne ACT-SO High School Research Program (ARP) will be held on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, at 4 p.m. in the Building 402 Lower Gallery. The ARP unites early-career Argonne researchers with motivated and enterprising African-American high school students to pursue groundbreaking independent research projects at Argonne.
ACT-SO has been a program of the DuPage County chapter of the NAACP chapter for the past 39 years. Now in its sixth year, the Argonne ACT-SO High School Research Program (ARP) provides mentors and facilities to help African-American high school students complete high-level research projects for a region and national competition.
Agenda:
The ARP meets for monthly sessions during the academic year on Saturdays from October through March. In addition, each mentor meets with a student on a periodic basis from January to March. Mentors lead and engage their mentees in independent research projects that involve formulating hypotheses, selecting the proper equipment, measuring progress, and inspiring scientific and personal discoveries.
If you would like to join the cohort of mentors for the upcoming academic year, contact Arista Thurman.
Interim Associate Division Director Mark Beno (XSD) died Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, at the age of 68. Beno received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Marquette University, and his master’s and doctorate in physical chemistry from Ohio State University. His career at Argonne spanned 40 years.
Beno is survived by his wife and son.
Visitation will be held at Christ the Servant Church, 8700 Havens Drive, Woodridge, on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, from 9 a.m. until time of memorial service at 11 a.m.
William Metz
Retired Argonne Co-Director for Integrated Emergency Preparedness William Metz, 74, passed away due to complications from a lung transplant in December. Metz was drafted in the United States Army in October 1968 and during his service, received a Bronze Star and an Air Medal award for his meritorious achievements.
After his service, Metz earned three master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in geography. He accepted a research position at Brookhaven National Laboratory performing national energy policy studies for the U.S. Department of Energy. He was then recruited by Argonne in 1984, where he worked on a diverse set of research activities including assessing socioeconomic effects of the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage facility, land use around nuclear power plants, emergency operation plans for communities in the vicinity of U.S. Army chemical weapons storage installations, and effectiveness of urban disaster plans.
More than a manager of several large research programs, Metz was an active member of the Argonne community. For example, he succeeded in getting outdoor heaters installed at the laboratory gates so that members of the Protective Force can stay warmer while on security duty during frigid winter days. He was a mentor to many colleagues.
Metz authored or co-authored over three dozen published journal articles, conference papers, and book contributions on topics ranging from public perception of risk, economic risk assessment, energy technology potential, and emergency planning.
He retired in September 2017 after 33 years at Argonne.
Metz is survived by his wife, children, and five grandchildren.
Details about the upcoming memorial service are here.
More information on Metz.
Due to the Labor Day holiday, all effort for the week ending on Sept. 1, 2019, must be entered into Dayforce and authorized by noon on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019. This deadline applies to employees and Argonne Associates.
Please make the appropriate arrangements if you are on travel and away from the laboratory. Should you … Read More
Global Travel Office (GTO) staff will discuss recent changes to policies and procedures, arranging travel for subcontractors, the new International Travel Approval (ANL-1043) form, loaner phones, and answer any questions that attendees have about the international travel process at the August refresher course.
The course is available to all employees, and is especially helpful for new employees, travelers, and travel arrangers.
Hosted by GTO, this international travel refresher course takes place Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, at 2 p.m. in Building 362, Room F108.
To enroll:
Questions? Email the Global Travel Office.
The award-winning Argonne Choral Group is looking for new members. The group is open to men and women associated with Argonne and sings a variety of music such as classical, pop, movies, and stage, typically with piano accompaniment. Additional singers are needed for all voice parts: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Rehearsals are on Mondays and Wednesdays 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Building 362 Auditorium and resume on Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, in order to prepare for the 39th annual concert of seasonal holiday music in December.
For additional information, visit the Argonne Choral Group website or contact Patrick Garner (NSE) at ext. 2-4872.
The workshop is open to women of all positions and career paths. Space is limited, so please register here.
Agenda
Abstract
Corporate icons, star athletes, and Hollywood celebrities all have what it takes to be in control and in demand — a unique brand. Personal branding can be subtle or grating, up-to-date or out-of-date, but if you don’t participate, you will be left behind. After all, if you don’t brand yourself, other people will. And no doubt, they won’t brand you the way you want to be branded.
Personal branding is particularly important for women leaders to think about. Studies show that women are not as good at branding themselves as men are. And not being effective at marketing yourself can hurt you in business.
This interactive talk features vivid case-study examples featuring successful female leaders. Brand strategist Catherine Kaputa, author of the best-selling books, “You Are a Brand and Women Who Brand,” will show you how to use secrets from the commercial world of brands to develop a strong, positive personal and business identity, and an action plan for success.
You will learn the multistep branding process for personal career success, how to take a more strategic and empowered approach to your career destiny, and how to rebrand yourself if you’ve been branded negatively. You’ll learn how to find your differentiator and a game plan for career success.
Stinging insects, especially bees and wasps, can pose a health risk to anyone, even those without a known allergy to bee stings.
In keeping with our core value of Safety, any site occupant who experiences an insect sting or bite should call 9-1-1 (from a landline) or 630-252-1911 (from a cell phone) to report the incident.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), outdoor workers are at risk of being stung by flying insects (bees, wasps, and hornets). While most stings cause only mild discomfort, some may result in severe allergic reactions that require immediate medical care and, in rare cases, may cause death.
If a worker is stung by a stinging insect:
To learn more on how you can reduce your chance of being stung, check out this safety share on wasps and bees.
Sources:
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Protecting Yourself from Stinging Insects (NIOSH)
Oleo Sponge, a technology for cleaning oil spills that was invented by Argonne researchers, has been nominated by The Index Project for a 2019 Index Award.
The Index Project is a Danish nonprofit organization that promotes designs aimed at the improvement of life worldwide. The biennial Index Award is the world’s biggest design award program.
An awards ceremony will be held Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, in Copenhagen, Denmark, but in addition to the five awards that will be handed out at the ceremony, there is also a People’s Choice award. The winner of the People’s Choice award will be based on voting at The Index Project’s Facebook page.
To vote, simply “like” the Oleo Sponge photo in the Index Project People’s Choice Facebook album. Voting closes at 9 a.m. Central Time on Monday, Sept. 2, 2019.
If you have questions, please contact Alex Mitchell, Head of Communications for Argonne’s Science and Technology Partnerships and Outreach Directorate (S&TPO), at amitchell@anl.gov or ext. 2-5573.
Aug. 28, 2019
We can learn from past work evolutions by implementing what went well and preparing for what did not go well. When planning work, review work hazard-related Lessons Learned and Incident Reports to increase worker safety, improve work efficiency, and achieve greater success.
July 26, 2019
Experimental setup, maintenance, and breakdown should be included in your work control documents. Often, we focus solely on the experimental task that we forget to address the hazards associated with the setup, maintenance, and breakdown. Stop and ask yourself, “What work control document am I working under? Is what I am about to do within the scope?”
Consider adding a task to your work control document to cover the servicing, maintenance, and repairs to your experimental apparatus. This planning step can prevent a stoppage of work if an equipment failure were to occur, and to ensure the hazards associated with this activity are included in the hazard analysis.
If you need a tool to access the internal components of equipment, you are potentially encountering electrical work. Stop and reach out to a Qualified Electrical Worker or the Electrical Safety Program Manager for assistance and clarification.
Junhong Chen
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory has hired Junhong Chen to serve as Lead Water Strategist for the laboratory.
Water availability, and the nexus between energy and water, represents one of the biggest challenges faced by humankind this century and beyond. Argonne is working to develop innovative solutions to meet these challenges.
Chen will provide the vision and leadership for growing Argonne’s research in materials and manufacturing for water. He will work with leaders at Argonne and outside Argonne to create new partnerships with industry, DOE, other federal sponsors, foundations, academia, and other stakeholders, all with the goal of amplifying the laboratory’s growing water research program. This is a broad program spanning discovery and applied science and engineering related to water, the former highlighted by the DOE-sponsored Advanced Materials for Energy-Water Systems (AMEWS) Energy Frontier Research Center, launched in 2018.
“I think Argonne, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and others have what it takes to lead a coalition and make Chicago a major international hub for water research,” Chen said. “It’s important to point out that we are not creating something from scratch here. There is lots of great work in water already being done in Chicago. I think my role is to identify and create synergies between these efforts so we can have a greater collective impact on the world.”
Chen’s position will sit within the Physical Sciences and Engineering (PSE) directorate, but his work will touch many parts of the laboratory.
“We are thrilled to be adding Junhong to the Argonne team,” said Kawtar Hafidi, PSE associate laboratory director. “Water availability is already a pressing global issue, and its importance will only grow in the coming years. Junhong brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in all the key aspects of the equation, including utilizing new materials discoveries, cutting-edge technology development, and a track record of successful industry engagement. The laboratory is excited to bring him on board and help us deliver impact in science-based water innovations for the nation and the world.”
Chen previously served as director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s (UWM’s) Industry-University Cooperative Research Center on Water Equipment and Policy, as well as program director of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) Engineering Research Centers Program.
Chen joined the UWM faculty in 2003, and for the last several years, he has been a Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science/Engineering as well as an Excellence in Engineering Faculty Fellow in Nanotechnology at UWM.
In part stemming from Chen’s efforts, Milwaukee is an emerging hotbed for water research, so he brings the knowledge and connections he gained in his time there to Argonne.
“Proximity to the Great Lakes is a significant advantage for cities like Milwaukee and Chicago,” Chen said. “Lots of industries that work with water are in this region. There are a number of manufacturers that need access to high-quality fresh water, and the Great Lakes provide that. There are also several organizations — environmental or otherwise — that have interest in water and are located near the Great Lakes.”
Chen’s most recent research has focused on nanomaterial innovations for sustainable energy generation and a more sustainable environment, with a particular emphasis on novel sensors for detecting pollutants in water. He has published more than 250 journal articles, with over 12,000 citations.
Chen has extensive experience with technology commercialization and building fruitful partnerships with industry. His research has led to seven issued patents, eight pending patents, and 13 licensing agreements. His startup company, NanoAffix, received the 2016 Wisconsin Innovation Award.
“One of the big strengths for Milwaukee has been the industry partnerships we’ve been able to build over the years,” Chen said. “Industry is unique in the sense that they have the experience in bringing technologies to the marketplace. The good news is, we can leverage partnerships that were built in Milwaukee here in Chicago.”
He was named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 2013 and a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2016. He earned the 2016 International Association of Advanced Materials Medal as well as numerous awards from UWM and the UW system.
“Water research is a key thrust within Argonne’s manufacturing science initiative,” said Suresh Sunderrajan, director of Argonne’s Energy and Global Security directorate. “Dr. Chen’s inputs will help us focus our scientific efforts, expand our industry outreach, and deliver impactful commercial outcomes.”
For more information or to connect with Chen, contact partners@anl.gov.
Mark your calendar for the Argonne lunchtime social hosted by Laboratory Director Paul Kearns and Argonne leaders on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn adjacent to the Building 213 Cafeteria.
Bring your own lunch or buy a ticket for a picnic lunch made by Sodexo and served by Argonne leaders. The picnic lunch includes your choice of hamburger, hot dog or vegetarian burger; coleslaw, pasta salad with vinaigrette dressing, and cookie. Lemonade, iced tea, and water will be available.
Ticket sales
Tickets are $5 and will be sold from noon to 1 p.m. daily from Wednesday, Sept. 4, through Friday, Sept. 20, in the Building 213 Cafeteria.
Tickets also can be purchased from the following individuals:
Credit cards will be accepted only at the cafeteria. All other sales are cash.
Much more than lunch
A friendly bean bag tournament will be played throughout the social; sign up with a partner by the boards on the lawn starting at 11:15 a.m. Members of leadership will also participate in pick-up games.
There also will be raffles and prizes.
The Argonne Service Desk is moving from Building 240 to Building 233 (the old Abri Credit Union building). The last day for service in Building 240 will be Thursday, Sept. 5. Between Friday, Sept. 6 and Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Service Desk will continue to take calls, however walk-up services will be unavailable. Walk-up services will resume in Building 233 by Thursday, Sept. 12.
The new location is conveniently located just behind the Building 213 Cafeteria, with ample parking and a short walk to the service window.
