Community Programs Office  
October 2008, Issue No. 43


SIGN UP! (enter e-mail)





Table of Contents







Quick Links





Two-way Street

Communication--both relating and receiving--is a vital part of our job in the Community Programs Office. By way of example, we recently held another of our Community Leaders Breakfasts, and it had record attendance--more than 180 people. The purpose of that meeting was twofold: to inform the attendees regarding our corporate giving programs (including the ongoing United Way campaign) as well as give attendees an opportunity to tell us how we can better serve Northern New Mexico. Once the presentations were complete and we had a chance to recognize some hard-working volunteers, facilitators collected comments in response to the question: "How can the community and the Laboratory better partner to ensure mutual success?" We are still reviewing and analyzing all of the wonderful comments. Much of the input is being grouped into the following areas: communication, education, economic development, community giving, and even regional transportation

We also just completed a survey regarding this publication (see below) to help us determine how it can better fit your needs. To those of you who completed the survey, thank you. We'll also call on some of you to participate in several focus groups we have planned to obtain even more specific information on how we can make this publication, Connections, better. One suggestion that we're implementing immediately is the inclusion of Internet addresses for those of you who have been having trouble with the hyperlinks.

We also will soon report the results of this year's Community Leaders Survey that is conducted for us by Research & Polling. It's an annual survey designed to let us know how local leaders perceive the Lab and our programs.

We'll continue to work hard to become both better senders and receivers of information and ideas, but we need your help so that it continues to be a dialogue. Know that we always welcome your input. Feel free to send it to: community@lanl.gov via email.

k sig
Kurt A. Steinhaus


Connections Survey Results  
Based on the recent Connections reader survey, readers like the length, detail, and balance of Lab-to-community articles, and 72 percent of respondents read the publication every month. The sections they read most often are the Community Calendar, with the Community Office Director's or Laboratory Director's introductions coming in close behind.

Most Connections readers are women, between 51 and 60 years old, and live in Los Alamos, or Santa Fe counties, or live outside Northern New Mexico and consider themselves business/economic leaders or are current or previous employees.

The survey respondents indicated that they prefer the stories on economic development and Lab mission activities. For future issues, people indicated that they'd like to see more stories on economic development, non-nuclear work at the Lab, and how the Lab is working with the community on various projects.

Additional input will be collected through several planned reader focus groups prior to determining the extent of the changes. Stay tuned for more information.

Briefings on LANL Legacy Waste Cleanup Programs  
Personnel from the Laboratory's Environmental Programs directorate are available to brief your organization on topics related to the Lab's legacy waste program. They also welcome public participation in their many activities. October events include a Citizens Advisory Board meeting and a Community Radiation Monitoring Group meeting. You can visit the environmental and involvement websites here [http://lanl.gov/environment/] and here [http://lanl.gov/environment/outreach/involvement.shtml ] respectively. You can get on their subscribtion list here [http://lanl.gov/environment/subscribe.shtml], and look at their calendar online here [http://lanl.gov/environment/calendar/index.htm].

To get involved, request an environmental professional to brief your organization, or for more information, please contact Lorrie Bonds Lopez, lorriel@lanl.gov, 505-667-0216, or visit the websites listed above.

LANL Highlighted in BusinessWeek  
LANL, along with Sandia National Laboratories, was highlighted in a September 11 BusinessWeek article that relayed how the national laboratories are helping industry not only solve complex computing and technology problems, but how these relationships also result in spin offs that lead to jobs and millions of dollars in capital investment. The article indicated that work with LANL saved Procter & Gamble upwards of $1 billion in computer simulation assistance.

Northern New Mexico Business Expo Coming This Month  
The first Northern New Mexico Business Expo will be held at Pojoaque Pueblo's Buffalo Thunder Resort on October 22 and 23. The purpose of the expo is to stimulate economic development in the northern part of the state by providing New Mexico firms with a way to learn more about the region's small businesses. The event will provide exhibition, networking, and training opportunities.

The Lab is a co-sponsor of the event. For more information, go here [http://www.northernnmexpo.com].

High Tech Halloween  
halloween
The theme for this year's High Tech Halloween is Science Magic: Tricks and Treats. The event is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 31, at the Bradbury Science Museum. Children and families will have an opportunity to have fun as they learn about things like polymers, Bernoulli's Principle, and acids and bases.

As in past years, the event will coincide with Los Alamos' Trick or Treat on MainStreet.

Costumes are optional, but parents are asked to accompany their children. The event is free and open to the public.

KUDOS!  
trophy
  • Kudos to the Regional Development Corporation that was recently selected as the 2008 winner of the International Economic Development Council's Award in Entrepreneurship.

  • Kudos to Robert Cowan and former Laboratory Director Sig Hecker who were selected as recipients of the 2008 Los Alamos Medal, the institution's most prestigious award.


Community Calendar  
  • Oct. 9: Media & Public Relations Planning, Los Alamos [http://www.nmsbdc.org/losalamos/showevent.ht ml? command=Event&command_arg=showAll�er_id= 8"]
  • Oct. 16: Payroll for Small Business, Espanola [http://www.nmsbdc.org/espanola/showevent.htm l? command=Event&command_arg=showAll�er_id= 6]
  • Oct. 20: Science Cafe - "Our Inner Ape," Santa Fe [http://www.santafe.edu/events/abstract/1232]
  • Oct. 18-22: NM Environmental Health Conference, Albuquerque [http://www.nmehc.net/]
  • Oct. 22-23: Northern NM Business Expo, Pojoaque [http://www.northernnmexpo.com/home.ht ml]
  • Oct. 23: TVC event for entrepreneurs and inventors, Los Alamos [http://www.techventures.org/NM-ECS/]
  • Oct. 28: Improving Leadership & Mgmt. Skills, Los Alamos [http://www.nmsbdc.org/losalamos/showevent.html? command=Event&command_arg=showAll�er_id= 8"]
  • Oct. 31: Bradbury Science Museum's High Tech Halloween, Los Alamos [http://bsm.lanl.gov]
  • Oct. 31: Trick or Treat on Mainstreet, Los Alamos [http://www.chamberorganizer.com/losalamosch amber/docs/HalloweekendAD.pdf]
    •

    Copyright � Los Alamos National Laboratory All rights reserved.     PO Box 1663, MS A117 Los Alamos,NM 87545