NNSA Administrator, Three Lab Directors Including Charlie McMillan Tour Key Weapons Facility
NNSA’s Gen. Frank G. Klotz
NNSA News:
The Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Gen. Frank G. Klotz, and the directors of Los Alamos, Sandia Lawrence Livermore national laboratories met today in Albuquerque, N.M., and toured a recently-completed facility at Sandia designed to ensure the continued stewardship of the U.S. nuclear deterrent without underground testing.
Test Capabilities Revitalization Phase 2 (TCR 2), a project that had previously been announced as delivered on-time and under-budget, conducts environmental testing on nuclear Read More
LANL Researcher Joel Rowland to Receive DOE Early Career Award
LANL Researcher Joel Rowland
LANL News:
- Joel Rowland’s Research focuses on land surface dynamics in Arctic environments
Los Alamos National Laboratory researcher Joel Rowland is one of 35 national recipients of 2014 Early Career Research Program awards from the Department of Energy. Rowland’s research was recognized by DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research for incorporating hydrological controls on carbon cycling in flood plain ecosystems into Earth System Models (ESM).
“The DOE Early Career Research Award represents both a significant honor and a tremendous Read More
Santa Fe Institute Hosts Seminar on Behavioral Biology
Karoline Weisner
SFI News:
The Santa Fe Institute will host a seminar featuring Karoline Weisner, Ph.D., speaking on the topic of “Studying Biology with Quantum Occam’s Razor.” The seminar is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 7 in the Noyce Conference Room at 1399 Hyde Park Road in Santa Fe.
Weisner will address the limitations of various approaches to biological systems, and outline current research in the area of behavioral biology. She is a Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor at the School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, England, and author of several articles on quantum Read More
Hopeful News on Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act
Rep. Doc HastingsAHF News:
The Atomic Heritage Foundation (AHF) reports that April 30, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act was included as an amendment to the House FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness added the amendment.
The full House will probably consider the NDAA during the week of May 19. The Senate is expected to consider the NDAA in the fall, probably after the Congressional elections.
Last year, the Senate dropped the amendment over lack of agreement on what additional public lands bills might Read More
WIPP Update: Underground Ventilation System Worked as Designed
The WIPP Underground Ventilation System ensures proper air flow is provided during mining and waste handling activities. It also is designed to automatically switch to Filtration Mode if radioactive contamination is detected in the underground. Courtesy/WIPP
WIPP News:
Since February, there has been considerable coverage about the WIPP Underground Ventilation System. On Feb. 14, the ventilation system worked as designed, protecting human health and the environment.
In normal exhaust mode, the ventilation system provides a continuous flow of fresh air to the underground tunnels Read More
WIPP Clarifies Reports on Magnesium Oxide Usage
WIPP personnel place ‘super sacks’ of magnesium oxide on the top of waste columns during underground waste disposal operations. Courtesy/WIPP
WIPP News:
Due to some confusion in recent news reports, here is a more detailed explanation of the use of magnesium oxide (MgO) at WIPP. The magnesium oxide, a dry chemical, is not used to weigh down waste containers in the WIPP underground as one news outlet reported. The material is used as an engineered barrier to prevent radioactive material from releasing into the environment over a 10,000-year period, as required by the U.S. Environmental Read More
Kim Budil Appointed to LLNS, LANS Boards of Governors
Kimberly Budil
LLNS/LANS News:
Norman J. Pattiz, chairman of the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) and Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS) Boards of Governors, has announced that Kimberly Budil has been appointed by the University of California (UC) as vice president for Laboratory Management in the UC Office of the President and as an executive committee governor on the LANS and LLNS Boards of Governors.
Her appointment takes effect today, May 1. Budil will chair the LLCs’ Nominations and Compensation Committee. She replaces Glenn Mara, who retires from the university Read More
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