Los Alamos Employees' Scholarship fund drive begins Monday

The third Los Alamos Employees' Scholarship Fund campaign to raise money for college scholarships begins Monday.

The campaign runs through Sept. 22 and allows Laboratory employees and subcontract personnel to donate to the scholarship fund either through payroll deduction or through personal check, said Bob Romero of Actinide Chemistry Research and Development (NMT-11) and a co-chair of the scholarship program. Gene Farnum of Structure: Property Relations (MST-8) also is co-chair of the Los Alamos Employees' Scholarship Fund.

A fund drive kick-off rally for volunteer division and group representatives is scheduled for 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Otowi Building cafeteria at Technical Area 3. During the campaign, there also will be an information booth in the cafeteria lobby from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. where employees can obtain additional information about this year's campaign.

Employees should begin receiving campaign pledge forms at their Lab mail stops on Monday, said Farnum.

The Los Alamos Employees' Scholarship Fund Advisory Board has set a goal of $110,000 for this year's campaign.

In the first two years of the employee giving campaign, 78 high school and college students have received scholarships.

Last year, University of California Laboratory employees and subcontract personnel contributed more than $91,000 in donations or pledges to the Los Alamos Employees' Scholarship Fund giving campaign. In the program's two years of existence, Lab employees and subcontract personnel have donated or pledged $156,000 to the scholarship fund said.

Through payroll deduction, employees may donate between $1 and $10 or more each paycheck, and the contributions to the scholarship fund are tax deductible. The $1 to $10 per pay period range of suggested donations was developed to make it easier for all Lab employees to participate.

Personal checks can be written to the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation, which manages the fund.

Earlier this year, Adam Light of Los Alamos High School received a $10,000-a-year scholarship for four years. Light plans to attend Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and study biology and electrical engineering.

In addition, Juan Diego Chavez of Coronado High School in Gallina, and Annaliza Herrera of Española Valley High School received $2,500-a-year scholarships for four years. Chavez plans to attend the University of New Mexico to study nuclear engineering; Herrera will attend New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and study engineering.

Thirty-eight other students received $1,000 one-year renewable scholarships.

The Laboratory Foundation is a philanthropic grant-giving entity for the Lab created in 1997. It supports a range of national and community not-for-profit organizations.

For more information on the scholarship fund, or to assist with the campaign, write to Farnum or Romero at scholarships@lanl.gov by electronic mail. Or visit the Laboratory Foundation web page at www.lanlfoundation.org/scholarships/ online.

--Steve Sandoval

Scholarships awarded to undergraduate students

Nineteen undergraduate student employees at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) have received more than $11,000 in scholarships.

The third annual LANSCE Student Education Scholarships Program is part of the division's effort to help outstanding students pay for their educations and encourage them to consider permanent employment at the Laboratory after graduation.

Scholarship awards ranged from $200 to $1,000. Scholarship funds come from patent royalties derived annually from LANSCE-developed technologies.

Since the program first began in 1998, LANSCE has awarded more than $47,000 in scholarships to 67 undergraduate students.

Sixteen of the 19 student recipients attend New Mexico universities and junior colleges. All scholarship money goes directly to the students' accounts at their respective schools.

"No students should have to stop attending college because they can no longer afford it," said LANSCE Division Director Roger Pynn. "These talented, hard-working students earned this scholarship money, and they all should feel very proud of their accomplishments."

Managers from each LANSCE group nominated those students they felt most deserved financial help. Criteria used to select the winners included overall performances, contributions to their respective groups and academic promise.

--Ternel N. Martinez

And the scholarship winners are ... The following students received scholarships through the LANSCE Student Education Scholarships Program. Alonzo Archuleta, University of New Mexico Crystal Archuleta, Northern New Mexico Community College Tracy Gurule, Northern New Mexico Community College Kimberley Calabaza-Jenkins, University of New Mexico, Los Alamos Erin Maes, New Mexico State University Nyree Maes, New Mexico State University Audrey Martinez, Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colo. Greg Natoni, New Mexico State University Eric Olivas, University of New Mexico Daniel J. Riley, University of New Mexico James Romero, Northern New Mexico Community College Randy Leroy Romero Jr., New Mexico State University Christopher Cain Roybal, University of New Mexico Therisa Salazar, New Mexico State University James Schaefer, University of New Mexico, Los Alamos Michael Serrano, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Adiel Smith, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Dominic Strano, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pa. Lynnette M. Trujillo, University of New Mexico, Los Alamos

NNSA forum today on Labnet at 1:45 p.m.

The NNSA Laboratory leaders will present their thoughts on Future Roles and Mission for the National Laboratories and Workforce Challenges in a forum sponsored by Congress Representatives Heather Wilson (R-NM-1st) and Joe Barton (R-TX-6th) today. Director John Browne and Deputy Director Bill Press will speak for Los Alamos.

The forum will be held at Sandia National Laboratory from 1:45 to 4 pm and will be carried on Labnet.

Student feature
Brother/sister team have a lot in common

At first glance, brother and sister team Farzad and Golnaz Alemi have a lot in common. Apart from being related, they both attend Stanford University, with majors emphasizing a biological field. Both also hope to eventually attend medical school and both are USA Today Merit Scholars. In addition, both have chosen Los Alamos National Laboratory as their summer employer and both work in the Wright Langham Resource in the Bioscience Division (BN-2) under mentor Tracy Ruscetti. Their similarities however, appear to end there as Farzad describes himself and his sister, personality-wise "as different as night and day."

Farzad is a third-year student at Stanford University, and wants to do something either cell or microbiology related and hopes to incorporate what he has learned here at Los Alamos. Golnaz, however, is a sophomore and has yet to choose a specific field of biology.

"These kids could really do anything," said Ruscetti, "they're successes waiting to happen. Either one of them would make a fantastic doctor. Golnaz has the memory to be a doctor and Farzad has the sheer energy to do it."

At first, Los Alamos was a bit of a shock to these Orange County residents. "My mom kept telling me to watch out for scorpions which I usually associate with deserts. As a result, I was a little surprised when I got here the first summer and not only were there no scorpions but it was raining," said Farzad.

Farzad is currently working on his second summer here at the Laboratory. "The greatest compliment Farzad ever paid me was that he decided to come back," said Ruscetti.

This summer Farzad is working to develop an instrument called Spatial Genomics with mentors Tracy Ruscetti, Pat Ambrose and John Martin. "He's going to make it work," said Ruscetti. "He just gets it."

"We are building the machine from scratch. I get to do the physical part, putting the thing together, and Tracy, Pat and John guide and mentor me. I go to them with any questions that I have," Farzad said. "It's going to have big implications for our field. It's going to put the field way ahead."

Golnaz on the other hand is working on a project that studies aging in yeast. Her research is designed to find possible causes of aging. Trying to determine the underlying mechanism(s) that cause aging in yeast and how that translates to human aging. "I basically make gels, run gradients, take care of the yeast and analyze DNA," said Golnaz.

Although both Farzad and Golnaz are working on completely different projects, Ruscetti thoroughly enjoys watching them interact both as brother and sister and as a scientific team. "I like watching the dynamics between them. They fight just like brothers and sisters. I truly hope that being together enriches their experience here at the Lab."

Fortunately, both Farzad and Golnaz seem just as fond of Ruscetti as she is of them.

"I was never afraid to approach Tracy. She's been really awesome this summer. I consider myself really lucky that I had a chance to work with her," said Golnaz.

"These kids are incredible and I consider myself lucky to be able to give them a little taste of science," said Ruscetti. "I hope I've given them as much as they've given me."

--Leah Gardner

Travel paperwork deadlines loom; end of 2000 fiscal year approaches A master management memo (Adobe Acrobat required) from Accounting (BUS-1) issued Wednesday reminds Laboratory employees of upcoming fiscal year deadlines for completing and submitting travel paperwork. The memo touches on travel claims, reservations and ticketing, travel advances and approvals.

Fire rehabilitation work continues this Saturday

Another work crew is needed this Saturday, August 26th. As in the past, registration will take place between 8 and 9 a.m. at Mesa Public Library and work will run from about 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Previous volunteers who are interested in serving as crew leaders should arrive between 7 and 7:15 a.m. Volunteers should wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and hiking or other sturdy boots. Equipment, water and snacks will be provided but it is suggested that volunteers bring something to carry water in and sunscreen.

There are approximately 1,000 bales of straw at the American Springs area that needs to be distributed. With recent rains the condition of this straw is deteriorating. Spreading the straw will prevent the loss of topsoil, help seed germination and improve water absorption above Water Canyon. Raking and seeding will be done in some areas.

Trail work also is continuing on the Quemazon Trail. For more information, contact Gaylyn Meyers at 662-8403.

On today's bulletin board
Commuter's Corner | Parking areas around TA-3 | Parking shuttle routes (pdf) or jpeg
NEW JSTOR now available from the LANL Research Library NEW CJ Enterprises has monitors in stock for FY 2000 funding Los Alamos Film Society hosts "The Gold Rush" on Aug. 30 Mesa Library hosting "Zoo to You" on Aug. 29 YMCA offers dance lessons beginning Sept. 6 Summit Electric Supply Trade Fair on Aug. 29 Notice issued by FWO for confirming readiness YMCA offering country western dance lessons Mesa Public Library resumes regular Storytimes TNT cross country begins Sept. 6 Procurement guidance available for writing technical evaluations Walking health incentive postponed Found: eye glasses Verizon Wireless at Lab every Tuesday Found: sunglasses Records management emergency preparedness seminar is Sept. 7 and 8	New Mexico Journal of Science accepting papers for publication Structures of Life traveling exhibit at Bradbury Science Museum Mesa Public Library hosting four 'Music Together' programs August is property awareness month Mentoring program needs learning partners COMPAQ promotions for month of September Quality Management degree programs Contractor needed to restore room at TA-48 CIC-9 responsible for Lab printing & duplicating services Los Alamos Dog Obedience registration Aug. 24 YMCA is holding registration for Kinderkick soccer program Hunter Education class to be held August 26th and 27th at the UNM-LA UNM-LA academic advisors coming in August to Otowi cafeteria Rover reunion to be held on Sept. 23 Ski club needs volunteers to help clean up fire damage University Technical Representative training for subcontracts