Educational Programs will be offering “Lunch with a Researcher” — an exciting event that gives scientists and engineers the chance to speak directly to our small group of fall undergraduate interns about potential career paths, scientific topics, and valuable tips learned along the way. On select Thursdays this fall from noon to 1 p.m., a table will be reserved in the Building 213 Cafeteria for researchers to sit and have lunch with interns.

At these informal and engaging gatherings, you’ll get to connect with undergrads on a wide range of science, educational, professional, and other topics. Don’t worry about having the right answer for everything — this is meant to be a fun, interactive event for students and professionals alike, and we encourage you to be a part of this low-stakes yet engaging lunch.

Lunch is not provided for the event, please plan on bringing your own or arriving a few minutes early to pick something up from the cafeteria.

To volunteer for a lunch session with a group of undergraduate students, please complete the volunteer form by noon on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019.  If you have any questions, please email Robert Schuch, university resource developer, Educational Programs and Outreach.

Volunteers are needed to help with Argonne STEM outreach activities at the Boy Scout Camporee on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, at Busse Woods in Elk Grove Village. Multiple shifts are available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Volunteer Training

Educational Programs will host a training meeting for volunteers. At the meeting, volunteers will learn how to facilitate the activity at Argonne’s booth and how to engage with the public. Training date and time to be determined based on volunteers’ schedule.

Sign-up to volunteer. For questions, email Jessica Burgess.

Visit the event website for additional information.

Argonne’s Education Programs and Outreach department maintains a database to help match Argonne staff with educational volunteer opportunities.

Throughout the year, the department receives multiple requests for educational volunteers. The mailing list gives registered employees direct access to educational volunteer requests and the opportunity to connect with the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Volunteers choose the grade levels and types of opportunities they wish to participate in and receive a biweekly list of all upcoming opportunities as well as tailored emails based on the preferences they select. On-site and off-site opportunities include local science fairs, guest speaking, career days, and outreach events

Educational volunteers will have the ability to accept invitations based on interest and availability. Volunteers are not obligated to accept every invitation or request.

To join the educational volunteer mailing list, please complete this form.

For additional information, contact Jessica Burgess.

Donna Strickland

Donna Strickland, professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Waterloo, and Nobel laureate, Physics 2018, will present “From Nonlinear Optics to High-Intensity Laser Physics” at a Director’s Special Colloquium on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. in the Building 402 Auditorium. All employees whose schedules permit are invited to attend.

Shuttle service will be provided starting at 9:45 a.m. One shuttle will start at Building 201 and another at Building 240, with continuous stops at Buildings 201, 212, 202, 203, 200, 205, 240, and 362 to the Building 402 Auditorium. Return trips will follow the talk.

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Abstract
The laser increased the intensity of light that can be generated by orders of magnitude and thus brought about nonlinear optical interactions with matter. Chirped pulse amplification, also known as CPA, changed the intensity level by a few more orders of magnitude and helped usher in a new type of laser-matter interaction that is referred to as high-intensity laser physics. In this talk, I will discuss the differences between nonlinear optics and high-intensity laser physics. The development of CPA and why short, intense laser pulses can cut transparent material will also be included. I will also discuss future applications.

Biography
Donna Strickland is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo and is one of the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 for developing chirped pulse amplification with Gérard Mourou, her Ph.D. supervisor at the time. They published this Nobel-winning research in 1985 when Strickland was a PhD student at the University of Rochester in New York state. Together they paved the way toward the most intense laser pulses ever created. The research has several applications today in industry and medicine — including the cutting of a patient’s cornea in laser eye surgery, and the machining of small glass parts for use in cell phones.

Strickland was a research associate at the National Research Council Canada, a physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and a member of technical staff at Princeton University. In 1997, she joined the University of Waterloo, where her ultrafast laser group develops high-intensity laser systems for nonlinear optics investigations. She is a recipient of a Sloan Research Fellowship, a Premier’s Research Excellence Award and a Cottrell Scholar Award. She served as the president of the Optical Society (OSA) in 2013 and is a fellow of OSA and SPIE (International Society for Optics and Photonics). Strickland is an honorary fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and holds numerous honorary doctorates. Strickland earned a Ph.D. in optics from the University of Rochester and a B.Eng. from McMaster University.

France and Chicago Collaborating in the Sciences (FACCTS)

A seed-funding opportunity for collaborative research with a laboratory in France is now available through the FACCTS Program, an initiative administered by the France Chicago Center, and supported by various UChicago units, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Pre-proposals are due by Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019.

Background

Argonne researchers who seek support for research conducted collaboratively with a laboratory in France and who wish to be considered for seed-funding support are invited to submit a pre-proposal on or before Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019.

Up to five pre-proposal applicants will be invited to prepare and submit a full FACCTS proposal by early December.

FACCTS projects at Argonne receive funding through the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program or program development funding.

Details

While projects in all areas will be considered, applications are particularly encouraged in areas that align with Argonne research priorities including:

• Advanced Computing
• Biology and Environmental Science Capability and Development
• Hard X-ray Sciences
• Manufacturing Science and Engineering
• Materials and Chemistry
• Universe as our Lab (ULab)
• AI + Science
• Quantum Information Sciences

Funding is limited to $20,000 per year for up to two years.

Questions can be directed to Dan Bertsche, associate director of the France Chicago Center, at 773-702-3662 or fcc@uchicago.edu..

Pre-proposal information and application

Full details are available on the FACCTS website »

About France Chicago Center

The France Chicago Center is a University of Chicago-based interdisciplinary organization that facilitates, promotes, and fosters stronger ties between University of Chicago students and researchers and their colleagues in France; while increasing awareness within the University of Chicago community of French culture, art, and thought.

Deadline for abstracts is Oct. 18

The 2019 Postdoctoral Research and Career Symposium will take place Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Building 240 TCS Conference Center.

The symposium:

• Showcases postdoctoral research
• Highlights diverse career paths for postdocs
• Promotes networking among postdocs and with industry representatives

This year’s keynote speaker is Argonne Distinguished Fellow Valerie Taylor, division director for the Mathematics and Computer Science division. Taylor received her Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1991. Prior to joining Argonne, sher held leadership positions in academia, including serving as the head of the computer science and engineering department at Texas A&M and as senior associate dean of academic affairs in the College of Engineering and a Regents Professor and the Royce E. Wisenbaker Professor in the Department of Computer Science.

A career panel featuring Argonne postdoctoral alumni from diverse careers is being organized by the PSA Symposium committee.

The event features:

• Juried research poster session with awards for top poster presenters
• Career panel discussions
• Networking lunch with representatives from industry

Registration and abstract submission are now open. Abstracts should be submitted by Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. Attendee-only registration will remain open until Friday, Oct. 25, 2019.

Register today

Resumes will be provided for company exhibitors. Please submit resumes by Oct. 18, 2019, using the instructions and template available on the symposium webpage.

To volunteer and for more information on how to participate, contact the Symposium Committee Chairperson Ahmed Farghaly (CSE).

Event organizers

Postdoctoral Society of Argonne
Postdoctoral Program Office

For more information, send inquiries to postdoc-symposium@anl.gov

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Leslie M. Schoop, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at Princeton University, will present “Chemical Bonds in Square Nets and Their Relation to Topology” on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, at 3 p.m. in the Building 402 Auditorium.

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Abstract

The very simple structural motif of a square net has gained interest from both, solid-state chemists and condensed-matter physicists, for a long time. The fascinating aspect from the chemistry perspective is the nature of chemical bonding in the motif. If composed if main group elements, in can feature a delocalized, “hypervalent” bond, which violates conventional electron counting schemes. In this talk, I am going to show how this type of bonding can be related to topology. After establishing this relation, it becomes possible to identify, synthesize, and study a variety of new topological semimetals. I will introduce several of these during this talk.

Biography

Leslie M. Schoop is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at Princeton University. She received her master of science in chemistry (with distinction) from Princeton, and her Ph.D. in chemistry, also from Princeton. Among several awards, in 2015 she received the Minerva FastTrack Fellowship of the Max Planck Society, and in 2019 she received the Beckman Young Investigator Award. Her research interests include development of new quantum materials such as topological insulators, 3-D Dirac and Weyl semi-metals, frustrated magnets/spin liquids, and new two-dimensional nano sheets.

Did you know that by participating in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) plan, you could reduce your taxable income?  There are two types of FSAs: Healthcare and Dependent Care. Healthcare FSAs are tax-deferred savings accounts established to help you pay for medical expenses that are not covered under Argonne medical plans, such as copays, coinsurance, and deductibles. Dependent Care FSA accounts are also tax-deferred and can help you pay for daycare expenses for your qualified dependents. Unlike tax deferrals, contributions made to these accounts are not taxed (federal, state, or FICA) at deposit and not taxed when withdrawn; they are tax free.

If you would like to reduce your taxable income, consider participating in a Flexible Spending Account. Learn more on Inside Argonne or contact a benefits specialist at benefits@anl.gov or ext. 2-2989.

One of many stimulating sessions held at AI in Science and Engineering Workshop.

The Physical Sciences and Engineering (PSE) directorate hosted an AI in science and engineering workshop at Argonne National Laboratory on Sept. 5 and 6, 2019. The workshop included speakers from both the PSE and Computing, Environment, and Life Sciences directorates.

In her opening remarks, PSE Associate Laboratory Director Kawtar Hafidi set forth the goal of the workshop, “AI is a powerful tool. We want to begin the process of developing an overall AI strategy for PSE to guide the directorate contribution in Argonne’s future efforts.”

“In the future, the lab must incorporate AI as much as possible in accelerating science and remaining competitive,” noted workshop organizer Olle Heinonen, senior materials scientist in the Materials Science division.

Panel discussions provided overviews of the current status of AI in science and engineering, AI methods development, and current and near-future AI work at Argonne. The workshop also included eight breakout brainstorming sessions. These developed recommendations for short-term goals and suggestions for longer-term strategic goals, focused on identifying areas in which Argonne can claim world leadership, and addressed possible bottlenecks and required resources, means to better leverage expertise and resources, and strategies for building or encouraging synergy and collaborations within Argonne. The workshop agenda is available online.

“Artificial intelligence is obviously making big inroads in science and engineering,” said Heinonen. “Argonne must make sure it is ahead of the curve in applying AI to accelerate discovery and enable discoveries not possible without it.”

Image gallery from the workshop is available online.

Don’t miss 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. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the Building 213 Cafeteria.

Tickets also can be purchased from the following individuals:

• Tracy Thomas (PSC), Building 401, Room A4112
• Silvia Mulligan (CLS), Building 240, Room 4126
• Katherine Taylor (FMP-FPA), Building 201, Room 214
• Sharon Nykolyshyn (EGS-PD), Building 362, Room E285
• Kristen Swift (JCR), Building 200, Room R114
• Lynn Hoff (CPA), Building 202, Room L116

Advance ticket purchase is highly encouraged. Only a limited number of tickets will be available at the event.

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.

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Sodexo is featuring several specials this week at the Guest House Restaurant and Building 213 Cafeteria.

Guest House Restaurant

• Tuesday Express Salad Bar
  Every Tuesday in September and October. $6.95.*
• Thursday Executive Salad Bar with Action Station (served in Conference Room A)
  Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, only. $11.95.*

Building 201 Cafeteria

• Thursday Guest Restaurant
  Local restaurants include Next Mex, Chuck’s BBQ, and Mr. Pak’s Mobile Sushi
  • Sept. 26 – Mr. Pak’s Mobile Sushi Bar
  • Oct. 3 – Chuck’s BBQ
  • Oct. 10 – Next Mex
  • Oct. 17 – Chuck’s BBQ
  • Oct. 24 – Mr. Pak’s Mobile Sushi Bar
  • Nov. 14 – Mr. Pak’s Mobile Sushi Bar

*Plus tax

The flu vaccine for the 2019-2020 influenza season is now available at Argonne. This year the quadrivalent flu vaccine being offered is Afluria.  Afluria is designed to protect against four different flu viruses; two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses. Receiving the quadrivalent vaccine provides broad protection against circulating flu viruses.

Getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

This quadrivalent vaccine cannot cause influenza illness, because the vaccine viruses used to make it are ‘inactivated’ (killed) or attenuated (weakened).

Additional information on Alfuria is available here.

The flu vaccine is available free of charge to all medically eligible Argonne employees.

• Please note: Argonne Associates are not eligible for the flu shot.

Employees will need to register for an appointment through the Xink system.

• Schedule an appointment today »

2019-2020 Influenza Vaccine

The timing of flu is very unpredictable and can vary in different parts of the country and from season to season. Most seasonal flu activity typically occurs between October and May. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the United States between December and February.

Three kinds of flu viruses commonly circulate today:

• Influenza A (H1N1) viruses
• Influenza A (H3N2) viruses
• Influenza B viruses

The 2019–20 U.S. influenza vaccine is made to protect against the following viruses:

• A/Brisbane/02/2018 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus (updated)
• A/Kansas/14/2017 (H3N2)-like virus (updated)
• B/Colorado/06/2017-like (Victoria lineage) virus
• B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (Yamagata lineage) virus.

Vaccination Schedule

The Health and Employee Wellness (HEW) Division will administer the vaccines by appointment only according to the following schedule and locations:

Tuesday, Oct. 1
8-11 a.m.
HEW Medical Clinic
Building 201

Thursday, Oct. 10
1-3 p.m.
HEW Medical Clinic
Building 201

Wednesday, Oct. 16
11 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Wellness and Safety Health Fair
Building 240 TCS Center

Wednesday, Oct. 23
1-3 p.m.
HEW Medical Clinic
Building 201

Flu vaccination policy

Employees must show up for their scheduled appointment. Failure to show up for the scheduled appointment will result in the employee not receiving the vaccination. HEW will not call and remind employees of their appointment times. If employees cannot make their appointment time they need to cancel their appointment through Xink and try to reschedule. Due to the limited supply of vaccines, there can be no exceptions to this policy.

Employees should wear clothing that allows easy access to the shoulder area. Anyone needing to disrobe will be requested to do this in a separate room and will have to wait until a clinical staff member has time to rotate into that room to provide the vaccination.

Because of the volume of visits, clinicians need to keep the appointments brief. Any questions specific to the flu vaccine should be asked before the appointment by contacting HEW at wellness@anl.gov.

For more information on the inactivated influenza vaccine, view the vaccine information statement (VIS) from the CDC.

Please note the following:

The following wellness information is provided for the use of Argonne employees.
 
The provision of this information is not intended to create a physician-patient relationship or to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, opinion, or treatment.

If you believe you have any health problem, or if you have any questions regarding your health or a medical condition, you should promptly consult your personal physician or other healthcare provider.

Radiation dosimeters are due Monday, Sept. 30, 2019.

Employees are asked to return dosimeters to the assigned rack or local distribution office as soon as possible. Prompt return will help minimize the added effort and costs associated with searching for and processing late dosimeters.

As a reminder, per LMS-PROC-146, “When you are not using dosimeter, store your dosimeter on the designated dosimeter rack specified on the dosimeter.”

Those with questions may contact External Dosimetry at ext. 2-3352.

Argonne hosts the fourth InnovationXLab Summit, part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) nationwide outreach initiative, on October 2 and 3. This invitation-only event takes place at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago, with a distinct focus on artificial intelligence (AI).

DOE created the InnovationXLab series to assemble key industry representatives from around the nation and showcase the technical resources and capabilities available at the national laboratories. Over two days, they will participate in workshops and networking events that will focus on the extraordinary possibilities of AI for the energy, transportation, healthcare, and material science fields.

The first XLab summit was hosted by SLAC and centered on next-generation energy storage. Pacific Northwest held the second summit in Seattle, highlighting grid modernization. Oak Ridge in Tennessee convened the third summit, which emphasized advanced manufacturing.

Argonne is fortunate to have a focus on artificial intelligence as DOE has just opened a new program office focused on AI.  Four of the ten fastest, most powerful supercomputers are housed at DOE labs, so the department is uniquely positioned to push the limits of AI.

With the supercomputers of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, including the first exascale machine set to go online in 2021, Argonne is an ideal lab to facilitate important discussions and collaborations on AI.

The Argonne community can participate via livestream, as attendance is managed to maximize participation by our industry collaborators.

Visit the AI XLab website for more information.

The Argonne African American Employee Resource Group (AAA-ERG) is holding a cheesecake sale through Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Cash, credit or debit payment is due by Friday, Oct. 25. Pickup will be Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, from noon to 2 p.m. in Building 440, Room A105-A106.

Each cake is handmade with care and expertise. Choose from 14 rich and creamy flavors or a luscious assortment of our most popular varieties. They make a delightful treat for any occasion or to enjoy yourself.

All individual cakes are nine inches in diameter and pre-sliced into 14 restaurant-size portions. Cheesecakes are delivered frozen and should be refrigerated (40° F) or frozen within six hours of delivery. Cheesecakes last up to six months in the freezer. Buy some to eat now, freeze some to eat later.

See any one of the following AAA-ERG members to place your order or visit the AAA-ERG blog to download a brochure and order form for cheesecake selections and pricing.

Proceeds from this sale will go toward the AAA-ERG Scholarship Fund for high school students.

AAA-ERG Mission

The Argonne African American (AAA) Employee Resource Group (ERG) is an employee-led organization that promotes the development of African-Americans as future laboratory leaders in science and technology. We advance our mission by fostering an inclusive work environment through networking, mentorship, and programming that promotes cultural awareness and communication.

Oct. 2, 2019

The most successful pre-job briefings are those led by the workers. Ask open-ended questions to spark conversation. Do not assume that silence indicates agreement.

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.

The Argonne Research Library is sponsoring two workshops presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in Building 240, Room 1404. Both sessions are free and light refreshments will be served. There will also be a lunchtime Q&A with IEEE representatives and Argonne Library staff.

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Argonne’s Library subscribes to the IEEE Xplore digital library. In 2019, over 25,000 IEEE articles were downloaded from Xplore by Argonne scientists and engineers. Argonne researchers have published over 200 papers in IEEE publications in the last two years.

For questions, contact Mary Straka (BIS).

Session 1: Searching the IEEE Xplore Database
9 – 10 a.m., Building 240, Room 1404

This overview covers how to:

• Construct successful search strategies for precise results
• Stay current by setting-up saved search alerts and ToC alerts
• Easily download equations and graphics from full-text HTML articles
• Locate information on companies using author affiliation
• See the latest value added features including multi PDF download, full journal issue download, and more

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Session 2: IEEE Authorship
10 – 11:30 a.m., Building 240, Room 1404

• Tips for selecting an appropriate IEEE periodical or conference
• Open Access options available when publishing with IEEE
• How successful IEEE authors structure quality work to improve their chances of being accepted
• Insights into what editors look for in a submission and why editors and reviewers reject papers
• How to avoid common mistakes and ethical lapses that will prevent your manuscript from being accepted
• Tools & resources to help authors through the publishing process including IEEE’s AuthorLab, Publication Recommender, Graphics Checker, and Reference Preparation Assistance
• Strategies for using IEEE Xplore effectively for a literature review

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IEEE Lunch Q&A
Noon – 1:30 p.m., Building 213, Cafeteria

IEEE representatives and Argonne Research Library staff members will be taking questions in the foyer of the cafeteria.

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Adriane Conley-Hankins

During October, breast cancer awareness month, lab employees and visitors will see members of Argonne’s Protective Force wearing pink traffic vests and cancer awareness pins while working their shifts at the gates.

The initiative was proposed by Joe Thompson (STE), after Protective Force and Site Access employees were challenged as to how they could improve customer service and employee engagement while supporting one of the core values. Helping to highlight awareness of breast cancer demonstrates respect for all who have been affected by the disease. Reaction from lab staff has been overwhelmingly positive — more than 50 compliments were received on Tuesday morning, including one from a scientist conducting research on a cure for cancer.

Six Flags^® Great America Theme Park is offering Argonne employees discounted tickets during “Fright Fest Days,” Oct. 4-6 and Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2019.

Tickets are $40.99 (plus tax) and must be purchased online. Valid Oct. 4-6 and Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2019. Parking is free.

To purchase:

• Visit SixFlags.com/greatamerica
• Enter promo code, ANLFF, in upper right corner (case sensitive)
• Purchase and print tickets

Offer is available only online. For more information, contact Todd Hayden at ext. 2-6143.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County will conduct prescribed fires in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve, south of the lab, starting Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, and continuing over the coming weekend, ending Sunday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.

Flames from this controlled burn will be visible from the laboratory site.

People who are sensitive to air pollutants should reduce exposure by avoiding prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

Those who may be sensitive to smoke can sign up for email air quality notifications when burns are conducted.