Vol. 56 - No. 17 May 17, 2002

Smog and acid rain could bereduced in large cities if ni-

tric oxide could be removedfrom car exhaust.

Nitric oxide, which alsocauses skin irritation and blooddamage, is usually destroyed in-side a car’s catalytic converter,but existing catalysts are unableto meet new standards for pol-lution control and fuel effi-ciency. Now, funded by DOE’sDivision of Chemical Sciences,Geosciences & Biosciences in theOffice of Basic Energy Sciences,Oak Ridge National Laboratory(ORNL) scientists working at theNational Synchrotron LightSource (NSLS) at BNL have un-veiled some of the inner work-ings of a compound that prom-ises to curb cars’ nitric oxideemissions more efficiently.

For the last four years, led byORNL chemist Dave Mullins, thescientists have been looking athow a catalyst – a material usedto accelerate chemical reactions– made of cerium oxide and

NSLS User Research

Curbing Nitric Oxide in Car Exhaust

Scientists from Los Alamos Na-tional Laboratory, led by physi-

cist Robert Von Dreele, are pio-neering a faster use of x-ray pow-der diffraction, a well-understoodtechnique to determine the struc-ture of large proteins. This tech-nique is based on x-ray diffraction,in which researchers look at theway x-rays scatter off a crystal todetermine its structure.

crystals of a protein, aprocess that takes onlya few seconds. Theythen bombard thepowder with x-raysgenerated by the Na-tional SynchrotronLight Source.

The scientists successfullyapplied this method to exam-ine the structures of large pro-

Brookhaven’s offering of RapiData 2002, the fourth in anannual series of crash courses in x-ray crystallography, was once

again a huge success. Forty-eight students from around the worldparticipated from April 21 to 26.

More formally titled “Rapid Data Collection and Structure Solv-ing at the NSLS: A Practical Course in Macromolecular X-Ray Dif-fraction Measurement,” the program was developed by BNL’s Biol-ogy and National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) departments tointroduce students to the best people, newest equipment, and lat-est techniques in macromolecular x-ray crystallography.

Half the students came to observe; the other half came withtheir own specimens with the goal of solving the structure of aparticular enzyme. About four structures were solved during thecourse, and each of these is likely a publishable result.

Designed and run by Bob Sweet and Denise Kranz of BNL’s Biol-ogy Department, the program is funded by a range of agencies. Keysupport comes from the National Institutes of Health National Cen-ter for Research Resources, with significant support from DOE’sOffice of Biological & Environmental Research.

NSLS Annual RapiData Course in X-Ray Crystallography Again Successful

Boris Podobedov of the Na-tional Synchrotron Light

Source (NSLS) Department haswon the American PhysicalSociety’s (APS) 2002 Award forOutstanding Doctoral Thesis Re-search in Beam Physics & Engi-neering.

The annual award was estab-lished in 1990 by the APS Divi-sion of Physics and Beams andis currently supported by Brook-haven Science Associates, South-eastern Universities Research As-sociation, and Universities Re-search Association.

“I am honored to receive thisaward, which is related to mystudies at the Stanford Linear Ac-celerator Center,” said Podobe-dov. “Since I came to BNL in

1999, I've been applying similartechniques to study beam dy-namics at the NSLS rings.”

The award, which consists of$2,500 and a certificate, was an-nounced at an APS meeting inAlbuquerque, New Mexico, onApril 21.

Podobedov was cited “For anexperimental study of the micro-wave instability in the StanfordLinear Collider (SLC) dampingrings using a streak camera tocorrelate each event to the RF.The development of this sophis-

NSLS’s Podobedov Wins APS AwardFor Outstanding Thesis Research

ticated technique provides apowerful tool for the study ofnonlinear instabilities abovethreshold.”

Most storage rings, whetherused as light sources or high-en-ergy physics accelerators such asSLC, require high beam current.When the current is increased,electrons or other types of storedsubatomic particles reach a criti-cal density and various kinds ofinstabilities tend to occur, whichdegrade beam quality.

For example, microwave in-stability affects internal bunchstructure — the way in whichparticles are grouped together ina beam — which is often hardto measure. Using some noveldiagnostics as well as an in-

s t r u m e n tknown as astreak cam-era, Podo-bedov mea-sured theb u n c hshape evo-lution ofu n s t a b l ee l e c t r o nand positronbeams at theSLC rings. Inhis award-w i n n i n gthesis, Pod-obedov was

able to show understanding ofthe detailed structure of the in-stability and to identify themechanism that caused it.

At the NSLS, Podobedov hasled a team of NSLS staff in de-signing and implementing thedigital orbit-feedback system.This system stabilizes electronbeam motion, which in turnresults in more stable synchro-tron light for experiments.

Installed in the vacuum ultra-v io le t (VUV) r ing s ince

NSLS User Research

Structure ofAnthrax Toxin’sFinal ComponentDetermined

A teamof sci-

e n t i s t sfrom theBoston Bio-medical Re-search In-stitute and

the University of Chicago’s Ben-May Institute for Cancer Re-search has determined the struc-ture of anthrax’s third and lastcomponent, a protein callededema factor (EF).

By using very intense x-raysfrom the National SynchrotronLight Source at BNL, biologistAndrew Bohm, one of the teammembers, revealed the first stepsof the process by which this pro-tein inhibits the immune re-sponse of a person who has in-haled anthrax. EF binds to a pro-tein called calmodulin — whichis present in the host cell —prompting EF to produce chemi-cals that inhibit the immune re-sponse.

Although the researchers donot yet have a complete under-standing of how EF allows an-thrax to infect host cells, thiswork, which is funded by theNational Institutes of Health,may ultimately lead to new an-tibiotics. — Patrice Pages

Andrew Bohm

NSLS User Research: Shortcut Found For Examining Protein StructuresTo study large pro-

teins using x-rays, sci-entists usually growone large crystal of aprotein made of hun-dreds of thousands ofatoms — a task that re-quires weeks of intensework. Instead, the Los Alamosscientists prepared a powdermade of numerous very small

teins, such as complexes in-volving lysozyme — an anti-bacterial protein — and a newform of insulin. X-ray powderdiffraction shows great prom-ise for wide application in thepharmaceutical industry. Thisresearch is funded by the Of-fice of Basic Energy Sciences inDOE’s Office of Science.

— Patrice Pages

(continued on page 2) (continued on page 2)

Roger S

toutenburgh D0850302

Rog

er S

tout

enbu

rgh

D36

7050

2R

oger

Sto

uten

burg

h D

6360

402

(continued on page 2)

Boris Podobedov

Dave Mullins

Robert Von Dreele

2002 RapiData Course participants2002 RapiData Course participants

OF SCIENCE

Inside story, page 2

NATIONAL

Ray DavisWins

MEDAL

Rog

er S

tout

enbu

rgh

CN

10-8

18-9

9

rhodium, couldbe improved todestroy nitricoxide in car cata-lytic converters.

“In a car’s cat-alytic converter,nitric oxide isbroken downinto nitrogen gasand oxygen,”Mullins says.“Until now, cata-lysts have beenselected hit ormiss, so verylittle is knownabout how theyactually work.”

The scientistsuse model cata-lysts – eitherpowders made ofcerium oxideand very finely

dispersed particles of rhodium orthin oxide films grown invacuum – and pass reactant gasesover them. Then they direct x-rays produced by the NSLS to-ward the samples while adjust-ing the sample temperature orreactant gas composition. Actingas a camera, the x-rays produced“snapshots” of how the catalystbroke the nitric oxide gas apart.

Two processes, called photo-emission and photoabsorption,allowed the scientists to get aglimpse at the nitric oxidebreakup mechanism.

In the photoemission process,light absorbed by the compoundsejects tiny particles called elec-trons. By measuring the energiesof these electrons, the scientistscan determine the identities ofgases adsorbed on the catalyst. Inthe photoabsorption process,light that is absorbed by the cata-lyst provides complementary in-formation about the compositionof the catalyst itself.

The Bulletin May 17, 2002

Calendarof Laboratory Events

• The BERA Sales Office is located inBerkner Hall and is open weekdays from 9a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information onBERA events, contact Andrea Dehler, Ext.3347; or M. Kay Dellimore, Ext. 2873.

• Additional information for HospitalityCommittee events can be found at the LollipopHouse and the laundry in the apartment area.

• The Recreation Building (Rec. Bldg.) islocated in the apartment area.

• Contact names are provided for mostevents for more information.

• Calendar events flagged with an asterisk(*) have an accompanying story in thisweek’s Bulletin.

The list of regularly scheduledweekly events will appearin next Friday�s Bulletin

May is Asian PacificAmerican Heritage

(APAH) Month

� THIS WEEKEND �

Friday, 5/17Verizon Wireless Demo11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Berkner Hall. A repre-sentative will present BNLers with spe-cial rates on wireless service. HarryCampbell, 516-458-9122.

Saturday, 5/18BNL Ballroom, Latin & Swing Dance Club:10th-Anniversary Celebration Social8 p.m.-midnight, special evening of contem-porary ballroom, hot Latin, and retro swing,10:30 p.m. awards ceremony. MarshaBelford, belford@bnl.gov or Ext. 5053.

� WEEK OF 5/20 �Monday, 5/20

IBEW Meeting6 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, Rail-road Ave., Patchogue. A meeting forshift workers will be held at 3 p.m. inthe union office. The agenda includesregular business, committee reports,and the president’s report.

Wednesday, 5/22373rd Brookhaven Lecture PostponedThis month’s Brookhaven Lecture hasbeen postponed. See Tuesday, 6/4.

Thursday, 5/23Skin Cancer Screening9 a.m.-noon, Occupational MedicineClinic. All screening appointments arefilled and 15 people are on a waitinglist. Mary Wood, Ext. 5923.

Friday, 5/24*APAH Piano RecitalNoon, Berkner Hall. Piano Recital pre-sented by Eric Sun. For more informationabout Asian Pacific American HeritageMonth events, see www.apaa.bnl.gov/.

� WEEK OF 5/27 �

Tuesday, 5/28�March Into May� Spring WalkNoon. The two-mile walk begins atBldg. 438. Registration is not required.Mary Wood, Ext. 5923, wood2@bnl.gov.

Wednesday, 5/29�March Into May� Mountain Bike RideNoon. The five- or eight-mile bike ridebegins at the gazebo. Bike and helmet arerequired. Registration is not required.Mary Wood, Ext. 5923, wood2@bnl.gov.Music RecitalNoon, Berkner Hall. Recital will begiven by pianist Ruth Bennett. Moreinformation to follow.

Thursday, 5/30VoiceStream Wireless Demo10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Berkner Hall. Spe-cial rates will be presented to BNLerson VoiceStream’s wireless network. Ri-chard Goll, (516) 343-5900.BWEN Brown-Bag Lunch Meetingnoon-1 p.m., Berkner Hall, Room C. Formore information on the BrookhavenWomen Engineers Network, contact ArleneZhang, Ext. 5369, arling@bnl.gov.�March Into May� Golf WorkshopNoon at the ball field by the gazebo. Regis-tration is required. Mary Wood, Ext. 5923,wood2@bnl.gov.

Friday, 5/31�March Into May� Tennis WorkshopNoon at the tennis courts. Registrationis required. Mary Wood, Ext. 5923,wood2@bnl.gov.

Arrivals & DeparturesArrivals

Barbara Hoffheins ................. NNSDepartures

Anthony Di Bono ..................... C-A

What Is the Most BeautifulExperiment in Physics?

As many BNLers know, Robert Crease, the Labhistorian and philosophy professor at StonyBrook University, writes a monthly column inPhysics World. In this May’s issue, he asks, “Whatis the most beautiful experiment in physics?”Among his suggestions, Crease cites BNL Dis-tinguished Scientist Maurice Goldhaber’s 1957experiment “in which he established that neu-trinos have a ‘negative helicity’ — in otherwords, that their intrinsic angular momentum,

or ‘spin,’ is in the opposite direction to their momentum.”Some of the criteria Crease quotes are that the experiment must

change what people think, must not be too complicated or expen-sive, and must be within reach of students.

Already, Crease’s article, which was featured in slashdot.com,has drawn much interest from readers. To see his full article andnominate an experiment, go to www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/physq/.

For lifetime achievements in scientific research in the physicalsciences, Raymond Davis Jr., who did pivotal work on neutri-

nos while a member of BNL’s Chemistry Department, has beennamed as one of the 15 recipients of the President’s 2001 NationalMedal of Science.

Davis was the first scientist to detect solar neutrinos, the signa-ture of nuclear fusion reactions occurring in the core of the sun. Inresearch from 1967 to 1985, using chlorine detectors located deepunderground in a South Dakota gold mine, Davis found only one-third of the solar neutrinos that standard theory predicted. His re-sults initiated decades of “solar neutrino puzzle” research, whicheventually confirmed the discrepancy and led to the discovery thatneutrinos change, or oscillate, from one to another of their threeforms.

For more information on Davis and background on solar neutrinos,go to http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/2002/bnlpr050902a.htm.

August 2000, the system mea-sures the displacement of elec-tron orbit due to various factorssuch as floor vibrations or elec-trical noise, and then uses smallmagnets to correct for it. Cur-rently, Podobedov is adaptingthis system for the NSLS x-rayring. His other projects includepossible upgrade options for theNSLS, and experimental studiesof collective beam dynamics inthe VUV ring.

Podobedov received his M.S.in physics from the Moscow In-stitute of Physics and Technol-ogy, Russia, in 1993, and hisPh.D. in applied physics fromStanford University in 2000. Hejoined the NSLS in October 1999and became associate physicistin 2001. — Diane Greenberg

The course starts with two daysof lectures and tutorials taughtby BNL scientists and scientistsfrom industry, academia, andother national labs — a total of38 instructors, tutors, or help-ers, many of them volunteers.

These mentors then serve ashands-on scientific supervisorswhen the students move to theNSLS beam lines to begin col-lecting data on their crystalsamples. There are also plentyof occasions for stimulatingconversation over drinks andmeals.

“Everyone, teachers and stu-dents alike, finds the experienceabsolutely riveting. The 60hours of data collection are nearchaos on the NSLS floor. Buteach of us ends up exhaustedbut happy, having learned alittle from each of the others,”Sweet said.

— Karen McNulty WalshFor more information about thisyear’s program go to: http://www.px.nsls.bnl.gov/.

NSLS Annual Users’ MeetingMonday-Wednesday, May 20-22

For registration, meeting, and workshop information, go to:http://nslsweb.nsls.bnl.gov/nsls/users/meeting

Monday, May 20, Workshops

Tuesday, May 21, Main Meeting

Wednesday, May 22, Workshops

2002 NSLS Annual Users’ Meeting SponsorsAlbert Einstein College of Medicine � Brookhaven Science Associates

� Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory � Dow Chemical Company �ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co. � General Electric Corporate

Research & Development � IBM Research Division � InternationalRadiation Detectors Inc. (IRD) � National Synchrotron Light Source �

Princeton Gamma-Tech, Inc. (PGT) � Stony Brook University � UOP LLC

2002 NSLS Annual Users’ Meeting ExhibitorsACCEL Instruments GmbH � Advanced Design Consulting, Inc. � AlcatelVacuum Products � Blake Industries � Bruker AXS � Brush Wellman, Inc.� Electrofusion Products � Faber Industrial Technologies � GammadataScienta AB � Goodfellow Corporation � Janis Research Company, Inc.

� Key High Vacuum Products, Inc. � K-tek International, Inc. � MDCVacuum Products Corporation � Micro Photonics, Inc. � Oxford Danfysik� Oxford Instruments � Pascal Technologies, Inc. � Pfeiffer Vacuum, Inc.� SR Associates, Inc. � Tektronix, Inc. � Thermo Vacuum Generators, Inc.

� UW-Madison Physical Sciences Laboratory� Vacuum Solutions Group, Inc. � Varian Vacuum Technologies � VAT, Inc.

Chemistry’s Raymond Davis Wins2001 National Medal of Science

In 1967, Ray Davis, at the bottom of the ladder, talks to team memberJohn Galvin who is on the catwalk atop the 100,000-gallon tank usedin the solar neutrino experiment Davis led in the Homestake Gold Minein Lead, South Dakota.

Curbing Nitric Oxide in Car Exhaust (cont’d.)

Podobedov (cont’d.) NSLS RapiData (cont’d.)

Rog

er S

tout

enbu

rgh

D03

0039

9

Mort R

osen 11-769-67

Robert Crease

These experiments confirmthat the rhodium particles arethe movers and shakers respon-sible for destroying nitric oxide.

“The rhodium particles firstweaken the bond between nitro-gen and oxygen,” Mullins ex-plains. “Then the nitrogen is re-leased as a gas, and the oxygengoes into the cerium oxide or re-acts with surrounding hydrogenand carbon, leading to water andcarbon dioxide, respectively.”

Much to their surprise, thescientists also found that therhodium particles were beinginfluenced by the cerium oxide.

“We thought that a rhodiumparticle and the cerium oxidewere as independent as an ob-ject sitting on a table,” Mullinssays, “but you can get indirectinteractions between the powderand the particles.”

The interaction between therhodium and the cerium oxidemakes the rhodium more ac-tive, increasing its ability tobreak the nitrogen-oxygenbond, Mullins adds.

Adding impurities in the ce-rium oxide can also make it workbetter, the scientists observed.After trying various types of im-purities, they noticed that zirco-nium, a steel-gray metal used in

alloys and ceramics, “dramati-cally improved the ability of thecerium oxide to exchange oxy-gen,” Mullins says.

The scientists also looked forways to reduce the temperature atwhich nitric oxide is brokendown. Much of the pollutionemitted by an automobile is pro-duced just after a car is started, be-fore the engine and catalyst reachtheir operating temperature. Re-ducing the temperature for nitricoxide decomposition will improvethe catalysts performance duringthe warm-up period.

As it turned out, the addedzirconium lowered the tempera-ture at which cerium oxide ex-changes oxygen by about 100degrees Celsius.

Mullins and his collaboratorsare now investigating the mecha-nisms by which zirconium im-proves the catalytic properties ofcerium oxide. They are also study-ing the action of other impuritiessuch as dysprosium.

“The research efforts neededto optimize the destruction ofnitric oxide in car exhaust are ex-tensive,” admits Mullins, “butthe knowledge that we havegained so far will lead to morenew discoveries.”

— Patrice Pages

The Bulletin MAy 17, 2002

Piano by Eric Sun, 5/24Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration

Eric Sun, a 14-year-old pianist, willplay works by Beethoven, Chopin, andRavel at noon on Friday, May 24, inBerkner Hall, as part of the Asian Pa-cific American Heritage Month cel-ebration.

Eric, son of Casper Sun, Waste Man-agement Division, began his pianostudies at the age of six, and, at ageeight, he won first place in the ten-and-younger age group of the 11th Annual Chiang Wen-YehInternational Young Artist Piano Competition. Sun has per-formed at Carnegie Hall several times and has appeared withthe Baylor Symphony in Waco, Texas, where he presentedGershwin’s Concerto in F.

In April 1999, Sun was chosen to give the inaugural per-formance in the BSA Noon Recitals. The next year, he won ascholarship to the Preparatory Division of the ManhattanSchool of Music. This April, he won first place with honors inthe 2002 Corpus Christi competition.

Noon recitals are free and open to the public. Bring yourlunch and come and go as you please.

Calendar(continued)

Note: This calendar is updatedcontinuously and will appear in the Bulletinwhenever space permits. Submissions must bereceived by the preceding Friday at noon toappear in the following week’s Bulletin. Pleaseenter the information for each event in theorder listed above (date, event name,description, and cost) and send it tobulletin@bnl.gov. Write “Bulletin Calendar”in the subject line.

Friday, 5/31 (continued)*APAH Dinner & Cultural Performances$20 per person. 5:30-9 p.m., BerknerHall. To purchase tickets, contact Tope,Ext. 5672; Hai-Dee, Ext. 2062; Beth,Ext. 3372; Susan, 7988; Casper, Ext.3469; Rudy, Ext. 4733; or Ila, Ext. 2206.For more information about Asian Pa-cific American Heritage Month events,see www.apaa.bnl.gov/.

Sunday, 6/2*Bus Trip to Manhattan$10 per adult, $5 for children ages 2-12. Bus departs the Lollipop house at 9a.m. Tickets are available at the Rec.Bldg. from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesdayand Wednesday, May 21 and 22, andon May 28 and 29. For more informa-tion, contact Nora Robles, 345-5259, orMimi Luccio, 821-1435.

� WEEK OF 6/3 �

Tuesday, 6/4373rd Brookhaven LectureArthur Suits, BNL Chemistry, willpresent the 373rd Brookhaven Lecture.More details will follow in a future edi-tion of the Bulletin.

Thursday, 6/6*An Evening of Acoustic Music$3 per person. 7 p.m., Berkner Hall.Guitarist Bruce MacDonald andsinger/songwriter Michelle Monté willappear in concert, the third in a seriespresented by the BNL Music Club. Pur-chase tickets at the BERA Sales Office,Berkner Hall, weekdays from 9 a.m. to3 p.m. For more information, call Ext.3846.

� WEEK OF 6/10 �Thurs. & Fri., 6/13-14

BNL Blood Drive9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Brookhaven Center.BNLers from 17 to 75 years of age, ingood health, and weighing over 110 lbs.are welcome. All donors should havephoto identification and know theirsocial security number. Susan Foster,Ext 2888, donateblood@bnl.gov.

� WEEK OF 6/24 �Monday, 6/24

IBEW Meeting6 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, Rail-road Ave., Patchogue. A meeting forshift workers will be held at 3 p.m. inthe union office. The agenda includesregular business, committee reports,and the president’s report.

� WEEK OF 7/1 �

Wednesday, 7/3*Spirit Dinner Cruise$89 per person. Celebrate IndependenceDay by sailing around Manhattan. Cruisepast Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, andother landmarks. Round-trip bus trans-portation, a hot and cold buffet dinner,live music, and other entertainment willbe provided. This event is open to those12 years of age and older. Tickets avail-able at the BERA Sales Office, BerknerHall, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. An-drea Dehler, Ext. 3347, or M. Kay Delli-more, Ext. 2873.

� WEEK OF 7/22 �Monday, 7/22

IBEW Meeting6 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, Rail-road Ave., Patchogue. A meeting forshift workers will be held at 3 p.m. inthe union office. The agenda includesregular business, committee reports,and the president’s report.

� WEEK OF 8/5 �

Friday, 8/9N.Y. Yankees Baseball Game$55 per person includes ticket and bus trans-portation to Yankee Stadium to watch theYankees take on the Oakland Athletics. Busdeparts the Brookhaven Ctr. at 4 p.m. andwill return at approximately 11:30 p.m. Tick-ets available at the BERA Sales Office, Berk-ner Hall, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. An-drea Dehler, Ext. 3347, or M. Kay Dellimore,Ext. 2873.

The Hospitality Committeewill sponsor a bus trip to Man-hattan on Sunday, June 2. Thebus departs from the LollipopHouse at 9 a.m. Tickets at $10per adult, $5 per child ages 2-12,can be purchased at the Rec.Bldg. on Tuesday and Wednes-day, May 21 & 22, and on May28 & 29, 11 a.m.-noon. For moreinformation, contact Nora Rob-les, 345-5259, or Mimi Luccio,821-1435.

Hospitality CommitteeManhattan Bus Trip

Retirement CounselingA TIAA-CREF representative

will visit BNL on Thursday, June13, and on Thursday, June 20,to answer employee’s questionsregarding the TIAA-CREF retire-ment plan. You might ask about:TIAA and CREF differences; al-locating funds between TIAAand CREF; options, flexibilitieswith TIAA/CREF; and retirementoptions.

To arrange a 45-minute ap-pointment, call Duane Walden,(800) 842-2733, Ext. 7289 (notthe on-site Ext. 7289).

Starting next week, on Monday, May 20th, BNL employees willbe able to see their pay stubs, update their personal informa-

tion, and change their W-4 withholding using any computer thatsupports a web browser.

The Human Resources and Fiscal Divisions, with the help of theBusiness Systems Division, have developed a web-based self-servicefunction that is built into PeopleSoft HRMS (Human Resource Man-agement System) to give employees this new option.

Since not all employees have access to computers, these featuresare being offered in addition to, not instead of, existing methods.So, although employees will now be able to see their pay stubs ontheir computers first thing in the morning each pay day, they willstill receive pay stubs in paper form later in the day.

As for updating personal information, Mike Dooling, BusinessSystems Manager, said, “Employees are the best source of their ownpersonal information. We hope that people will use this new op-tion as an easy way to review existing data and make correctionswhere needed.”

For example, it is important that people keep their emergencycontacts updated. “In the past, the Medical Clinic has sometimesfound that the contact information for an injured employee is ei-ther out of date or missing,” Dooling commented.

Since web self-service involves personal information, great careis being taken to ensure security. Each employee will be issued apersonal log-in and password to access PeopleSoft HRMS.

To Obtain Your PasswordTo request a password, go to the PeopleSoft HR log-on web page,

a link that is available from either HR’s home page or BSD’s Appli-cations page. Click on “Request/Forgot My Password” and a uniquepassword will be mailed to your BNL e-mail address. If you needhelp with this, call the Help Desk, Ext. 5522. All communicationbetween your computer and the PeopleSoft server is encrypted, usingan industry-standard technology called Secure Sockets, and thePeopleSoft server can only be accessed at BNL.

More to Follow“The self-service feature that will start this month is only the

first phase of a plan to make it easier for employees to do businesswith HR and Fiscal,” said HR Director Bill Hempfling. Later in theyear, HR plans to implement a feature called eBenefits. This will letemployees see their benefits elections and, during the annual en-rollment period, change them directly on the web, Hempfling ex-plained.

“We also intend to add the ability to change 401A and 401Kelections via the web,” said Mark Israel, who heads Fiscal. “Cur-rently, employees can change their funds selection with a providerlike TIAA-CREF on their web site, but, to change the amount thatgoes to each provider, paper is still needed. We’ll be adding theseextra features as soon as we can.” — Liz Seubert

HR Self-Service Comes to BNL

Central to the success of the three-division collaborative effort to makeHR Self-Service available at BNL are project leaders: (from left) CherylBurke, Fiscal Services Division; Bonnie Miller, Human Resources Divi-sion; and Robert Retundi, Business Systems Division.

Defensive DrivingA six-hour defensive driving

course will be offered on Satur-day, June 1, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., inBerkner Hall, Room B.

To register, send a check for$26 per person, made out to Em-pire Safety Council, in care ofScott Zambelli, P.O. Box 670,Mount Sinai, NY 11766. Includeyour telephone number in caseyou need to be contacted. Allchecks must be received no laterthan May 24.

Asian Pacific American Heritage MonthDinner and Cultural Performance, 5/31Tickets are still available

In celebration of the culture andachievements of Asian Pacific Ameri-cans and to support American valuesthrough cultural connections, BERA’sAsian Pacific American Association(APAA), BNL’s Diversity Office, theAsian American Faculty Staff Associa-tion, and Stony Brook University’sAsian American Center Bridge arehosting a dinner and cultural perfor-mances on Friday, May 31, from 5:30to 9 p.m. in Berkner Hall.

Tickets can be purchased from Achyut Topé, Ext. 5672; Hai-DeeLee, Ext. 2062; Beth Lin, Ext. 3372; Susan Wong, Ext. 7988; CasperSun, Ext. 3469; Rudy Alforgue, Ext. 4733; or Ila Campbell, Ext. 2206.For more information about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month andthe events listed above, go to the APAA’s website, www.apaa.bnl.gov.

Hispanic Heritage ClubSeeks Members

The newly formed BERA His-panic Heritage Club welcomesnew members to help planevents to celebrate HispanicHeritage Month this fall.

The club will hold a meetingon Monday, May 20, at 11:30a.m. in the Bldg. 134 ConferenceRoom. All BNLers are welcome.To join, contact Carmen Narvaez,Ext. 3254, or Alejandro Sonzogni,Ext. 5334.

Challenge to Lab Golfers!

BNL vs. SuffolkGolf Outing

Last year, Suffolk Countygolfers again walked away withthe trophy in the annual BNL vs.Suffolk County tournament.However, a great time was hadby all. With support from on-sitegolfers, relatives, friends andguests, BNL could win this tro-phy! So, come to Cherry CreekGolf Course on Monday, June10, starting at 7:30 a.m. (shot-gun start). The $75 per golfer en-try fee includes prizes, cart, andlunch after 18 holes of fun.

There are two formats for theouting: Two-player teams usingnet score (two flights); and Suf-folk County Golfers vs. BNLGolfers (trophy and braggingRights).

Competitions will also in-clude putting, closest to the pinon par-3s, and longest drive onNo. 4. The outing is open to allLab employees, contractors, andguests. Contact Joe Carbonaro,Ext. 5139 or joe1@bnl.gov beforeWednesday, May 29.

U.S. Open Tennis, 9/3Some seats remain for the BERA Tennis Committee’s bus trip to

the U.S. Open Tennis Championships at the National Tennis Cen-ter in Flushing on Tuesday, September 3. The cost of $61 per personincludes bus transportation and a ticket for the day session. Thebus will leave from the BNL tennis court parking lot at 8:30 a.m.and return home from the Tennis Center at 7:30 p.m. Make paidreservations at the BERA Sales Office in Berkner Hall.

Roger S

toutenburgh D0020502

On the World Wide Web, the Bulletin islocated at www.pubaf.bnl.gov/bulletin.html.A Weekly Calendar listing scientific and tech-nical seminars and lectures is found atwww.pubaf.bnl.gov/calendar.html.

Bldg. 134, P.O. Box 5000Upton NY 11973-5000phone (631)344-2345, fax (631) 344-3368e-mail: bulletin@bnl.gov

B ulletinPublished weekly by the Media & Communi-cations Office for the employees, facility-users, and retirees of Brookhaven NationalLaboratory.

LIZ SEUBERT, editorJOHN GALVIN, reporterROGER STOUTENBURGH, photographert

heClassified

Advertisements

Placement NoticesThe Lab�s placement policy is to select

the best-qualified candidate for an availableposition. Candidates are considered in thefollowing order: (1) present employees withinthe department/division and/or appropriatebargaining unit, with preference for thosewithin the immediate work group; (2) presentemployees within the Laboratory; and (3)outside applicants. In keeping with the Affir-mative Action Plan, selections are made with-out regard to age, race, color, religion, na-tional origin, sex, disability or veteran status.Each week, the Human Resources Divisionlists new placement notices, first, so employ-ees may request consideration for them-selves, and, second, for open recruitment.Because of the priority policy stated above,each listing does not necessarily representan opportunity for all people. Except whenoperational needs require otherwise, posi-tions will be open for one week after publica-tion. For more information, contact the Em-ployment Manager, Ext. 2882; call theJOBLINE, Ext. 7744 (344-7744), for a list ofall job openings; use a TDD system to ac-cess job information by calling (631) 344-6018; or access current job openings on theWorld Wide Web at www.bnl.gov/HR/jobs/default.htm.

OPEN RECRUITMENT � Opportunities forLaboratory employees and outside candi-dates.

MK3038. ASSISTANT PHYSICIST (S-1)� Requires a Ph.D. in physics, postdoc-toral experience and an internationallyrecognized research record. Must havea strong interest in interacting with theexperimental research groups in electronspectroscopy, neutron scattering, powderdiffraction and x-ray scattering. Will beexpected to develop an independent,world-class scientific research program.This is a tenure track position in the areaof computational electronic structuretheory, covering such fields as crystal-line solids, soft materials and nano-science. Under the direction of A. Tsvelik,Physics Department.

MK3039. POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHASSOCIATE � Requires a Ph.D. in nuclearor particle physics and previous experiencewith experimental work measuring beamor target spin asymmetrics. Knowledge ofC++ and ROOT-based data analysis andexperience with detector construction andelectronic read out highly desirable. Will beinvolved in developing the STAR detectorat RHIC for the study of polarized proton

An Evening of Acoustic Music, 6/6On Thursday, June 6, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in Berkner Hall,

guitarist Bruce MacDonald and singer/songwriterMichelle Monté will appearin a concert presented by theBNL Music Club. All are in-vited to attend. Refreshmentsare available at intermission.

Tickets can be purchasedat the door or in advance atthe BERA Sales Office, Berk-ner Hall, weekdays from 9a.m. to 3 p.m. The suggesteddonation for tickets is $3 eachfor adults. All proceeds will goto the Long Island VoicesFoundation, a communityyouth Gospel choir.

This concert is open to thepublic and all BNLers are wel-come. All concert-goers age15 and older must have aphoto ID to be allowed onsite. For more information,contact the BNL Music Club, Ext. 3846 ordiaz@bnl.gov.

Long Island Ducks Baseball

Tickets are $10 each, non-refundable, and are sold inpairs only, with a limit offour tickets per person. Theseats are in the second level,row J, seats 7-10.

Spirit Dinner Cruise, 7/3

Join BERA on Wednesday,July 3, to celebrate Indepen-dence Day by sailing on aluxury yacht past the Statueof Liberty, Ellis Island, andviews of Manhattan. The costof $89 per person includesround-trip bus transporta-tion from BNL, a hot and

cold buffet dinner, live music,and entertainment. This eventis open to all 12 years of ageand older.Children’s Swimming

Applications are now being accepted for BERA’s summer swim-ming lessons, which are open to children of all Lab employees,visitors, and facility-users. Lessons will run from Monday, July 1through Friday, August 23.Program: Each child will be scheduled for one lesson per weekfor a total of eight lessons. American Red Cross certificateswill be awarded to children who qualify on completion.Time: Monday through Friday, 2:15-3:15 p.m. Childrenshould arrive at 2 p.m. for preparation.Fee: $60 for each child upon registration, plus $2 daily ad-mission fee or present a season ticket.Height: For their safety, children must be a minimum 42inches tall.Registration: Pick up applications at Human Resources, Bldg.185, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; the BERA Sales Office, Berkner Hall,weekdays, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.; or the swimming pool during sched-uled hours. Mail or deliver applications with registration fees(checks payable to BERA) to the Recreation Office, Bldg. 15,no later than Friday, June 14.

Buy tickets for these and otherBERA events on weekdays, 9 a.m.-

3 p.m. at the BERA Sales Of-fice in Berkner Hall. For moreinformation, contact AndreaDehler, Ext. 3347, or M. KayDellimore, Ext. 2873.

BERA Eventscollisions. This development includes theconstruction of new detectors and elec-tronic read out; writing of software andperforming simulation studies; analysis ofdata with the STAR software framework.Under the direction of L. Bland, PhysicsDepartment.

MK2109. POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHASSOCIATE � Requires a Ph.D. in accel-erator physics with both theoretical andexperimental capabilities, experience inring electron-cloud calculation and mea-surement, skill in computer simulation soft-ware development, and instability thresh-old and growth rate calculations. Must beable to work as a member of a project teamto effectively implement design goals. Willwork as a member of the Accelerator Phys-ics Group in the Spallation Neutron SourceProject. Under the direction of J. Wie, Col-lider-Accelerator Department.

MK2451. POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHASSOCIATE � Requires a Ph.D. in physi-cal chemistry or electrical chemistry withexperience in theoretical/computationalstudies of molecular systems, soundknowledge of quantum chemistry and/ormolecular dynamics and experience in theuse of GAUSSIAN and MOLPRO elec-tronic structure programs. Work will involvetheoretical research in nanocatalysis in-volving the electronic structure and vibronicspectra of nanoclusters, and the dynam-ics of chemical reactions on nanoparticlesas part of an integrated nanoscience pro-gram focusing on the structure, character-ization and reactivity of metal and metal-containing nanoclusters. Under the direc-tion of J. Muckerman, Chemistry Depart-ment.

MK7977. POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHASSOCIATE (reposting) � Requires aPh.D. in nuclear chemistry, radiochemis-try, analytical chemistry, or nuclear phys-ics. Experience in experimental techniquessuch as nuclear detection methods, dataanalyses, handling and preparing of radio-active samples, and chemical separations/studies of inorganic species in aqueousand organic media highly desirable. Indi-vidual will work for the Solar NeutrinoGroup, part of the SNO collaboration,searching for neutrino oscillations at theSudbury Neutrino Observatory. Will be ex-pected to spend extended periods of timeat the site of the SNO project in Ontario,Canada. Under the direction of R. Hahn,Chemistry Department.

TB3083. PLUMBER � Under minimum su-pervision lays out, constructs or installs,repairs, and maintains water and gas dis-tribution systems, related facilities and aux-iliary equipment and equipment utilizingwater, gas and heat distribution services.Plant Engineering Division.