Award Archive

2009 Awards

Carbon capture shows major potential in China

Unprecedented study identifies 100 years of carbon storage reservoirs

An international carbon sequestration organization recognized a team of PNNL scientists for their unprecedented research to identify and quantify China's potential capacity for capturing and storing carbon dioxide and to determine its potential viability and cost effectiveness for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

On Oct. 13, Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terie Riis-Johnansen presented a Recognition Award to Bob Dahowski, Energy & Environment Directorate, at the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum's 3rd Ministerial Meeting held in London. Bob accepted the award on behalf of his colleagues, Casie Davison, EED, and Jim Dooley, Fundamental & Computational Sciences Directorate, and their partners at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics and Leonardo Technologies, Inc.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu also spoke at the conference and highlighted the team's research in his presentation.

The award came as the team was finishing its report on the five-year study. Their results showed that China has enormous and widely distributed deep geologic CO2 storage formations that could allow for cost-effective, large-scale deployment of capture and storage technologies for at least 100 years.

"For the first time ever, we have quantified the potential for future large-scale carbon capture and storage deployment within China," Bob said. "Our work suggests that CO2 capture and storage can provide a key element of China's portfolio of options for cost effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

These findings are important as the international community looks for ways to balance economic growth and the resulting demands for energy with the need to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions globally.

Support for this research has been provided by the DOE Office of Fossil Energy, Leonardo Technologies, Inc. and the Global Energy Technology Strategy Program. (Posted 10/1/2009)

PNNL Researchers Honored by Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum

Robert Dahowski

Jim Dooley

Casie Davidson

Congratulations to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Robert Dahowski, Jim Dooley, and Casie Davidson, with their Chinese and U.S. collaborators, for receiving a recognition award from the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum. The team recently completed an intensive five-year research project that revealed that China has enough geologic storage capacity to capture and store carbon dioxide from industrial sources for at least a century.

The Forum is a Ministerial–level international climate change initiative focused on the development of carbon capture and sequestration technologies. The Forum presented the award during its 3rd Ministerial Meeting in London in October 2009. The award went to the research team comprising Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, and Leonardo Technologies, Inc. (Posted 10/1/2009)

Jim Thomas Receives Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation 2009 Homeland Security Award

Jim Thomas was recently awarded the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation 2009 Homeland Security Award at the US Capital. This significant honor recognizes his international leadership and outstanding scientific achievements in founding and establishing the growing science of visual analytics and the numerous associated technologies that aid in detecting, predicting, preventing, and responding to acts of terrorism.

Jim's scientific leadership in visual analytics has resulted in the emergence and deployment of new information technologies critical to our nation's security. Visual analytics innovations developed under Jim's leadership have been deployed to national and regional analysts and first responders at a number of homeland security agencies and organizations. For example, the Scalable Reasoning System has provided law enforcement investigators with visual tools to discover patterns, trends, and relationships when and where it matters most—where lives are at stake. This technology has been deployed to front-line law enforcement and counter-terrorism personnel at the San Diego area Automated Regional Justice Information System (ARJIS), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Seattle Police Department. The ARJIS Executive Director described this capability as "critical" to officers on the ground.

Other deployed science enables understanding and management of our critical infrastructures e.g. power grid, cyber analytics to detect intrusion and other attacks on our communication networks, financial analytics to detect fraud and money flows, pandemic analytics to detect and plan for likely flu expansions, immigration analytics on applications to speed processing while enabling better detection of potential terrorists, to a host of intelligence applications through visual analytics of blogs and open source information in multiple languages with text, images and video.

This technology also provides far more effective analytics for applications such as energy, environment, economy, health, finance, and other critical parts of our society to every day access and dealing with masses of information on the Web. A unique capability has been developed under Jim's leadership to build test data sets with embedded threats (ground truth) now being used through international contests by IEEE that allows researchers and industry around the world to test and measure their technology, turning Jim's vision into a calibrated science enabling our knowledge workers to detect the expected and discovery of the unexpected^TM.

Equally important to the contributions Jim has made to this scientific field, he has played a critical visionary role in educating our next generation of scientists and engineers. He has led the development of a series of visual analytics workshops and tutorials at the university level. He has inspired degree and certificate programs, academic research programs and classes, workshops, summer camps, and faculty fellowships. His impact on future generations of visual analytics researchers helps ensure a steady pipeline of discoveries and technology solutions that can address homeland security challenges.

These advances would not be possible without the critical funding support from the Science and Technology Directorate of Department of Homeland Security, other members of the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense, U.S. National Science Foundation, our international partners protecting freedoms around the world and the professional society IEEE for providing the international science forums to build, publish and calibrate these new technologies.

Congress established the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation in 1992 to "encourage and support research, study and labor designed to produce new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind." Each year, the foundation honors American citizens who improve the world through scientific endeavors. Recipients are selected from hundreds of nominations and are chosen by a panel of science, policy and other experts. (Posted 9/1/2009)

Ted Poston earns 2009 Battelle Community Spirit Award

Battelle presented its 2009 Community Spirit Award to Ted Poston. This award provides staff an opportunity to recognize their peers for outstanding volunteer spirit. Nominees were evaluated on the level of their volunteer involvement and impact to the community.

Since 1985, Ted has volunteered as a coach, referee, and board official in TCJSA soccer, Columbia Little League in Richland, youth basketball in both Richland and Kennewick, and assisted as a general volunteer in both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Between 1985-2001, Ted dedicated over 2,400 hours to these youth sports activities. (Posted 8/1/2009)

Bonnie Williams Recognized with 2009 National Mentor Award

Bonnie Williams has recognized with the Adecco 2009 National Mentor Award. Adecco S.A. is a Global Fortune 500 company and the world leader in workforce solutions. The Mentor Award recognizes the top administrative professional who shares their time and talents with their colleagues.

Bonnie was nominated by PNNL's Executive Assistants National Awards Committee. Through her mentoring, Bonnie helps colleagues learn the importance of professionalism and how to apply their skills to future interactions with the Laboratory's national and international clients. Bonnie was honored for mentoring she provided to staff in EED as well as across the Laboratory and even to those outside of PNNL. (Posted 8/1/2009)

Alexandre Tartakovsky Wins Presidential Early Career Award

Congratulations to Dr. Alexandre Tartakovsky, a computational mathematician at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for winning a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The award honors Tartakovsky's research on subsurface flow that addresses past and future energy needs: cleaning up buried nuclear or toxic contaminants and storing carbon dioxide from fossil fuels underground.�Tartakovsky is an acknowledge leader in the field of computational mathematics for subsurface flow and transport in heterogeneous media.

The PECASE is the highest honor given by the U.S. government to scientists and engineers who are at the start of their careers.

Alexandre Tartakovsky's research uses dozens of monitoring wells to characterize the subsurface.

Tartakovsky was recognized for his work trying to understand how contaminants move through the subsurface, that subterranean environment made of rocks, air, liquids like water or oil, and bacteria. Ultimately, such work will help reduce the impacts that nuclear and fossil fuel energy use have on the environment. Tartakovsky develops mathematical models to help researchers clean up nuclear or toxic contaminants from past practices or help future waste managers store carbon in the subsurface.

Tartakovsky joined PNNL in 2004. He received his doctorate from the University of Arizona in 2002 and completed a two-year, post-doctoral research program at Idaho National Laboratory before joining PNNL.

For more information, see the PNNL news release. (Posted 7/1/2009)

Bill Weber Named Distinguished Alumnus by University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Dr. Bill Weber of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on being selected for the Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest University of Wisconsin Oshkosh alumni honor given. Weber and eight others will be honored for their professional and civic achievements during homecoming weekend, October 16-17, 2009.

Weber is an internationally recognized expert in defects and radiation effects in materials. His research, often done at the Department of Energy's EMSL, is essential for advanced electronic devices that operate in extreme conditions, developing radiation-tolerant materials for nuclear power, as well as for space exploration and research.

He received his bachelor's degree in physics from University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. While there, he was part of educational programs that allowed him to work and study at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. With this experience, he went on to get a master's degree and doctorate in nuclear engineering from University of Wisconsin Madison. An active member of the scientific community, he is a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Ceramic Society, and the Materials Research Society. He is a prolific author, having written or co-written more than 420 peer-reviewed publications and 51 technical reports. He is also an outstanding editor, currently serving as a principal editor for the Journal of Materials Research. (Posted 6/1/2009)

Kim Fowler Receives LASER Science Education Advocate Award

Kim Fowler is one of five a recipients of a LASER Science Education Advocate Award for exhibiting outstanding advocacy for science education in the state of Washington by promoting the importance of science education among the general public or the education system. LASER is the Washington state Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform. Specifically, Kim was recognized for her development of a set of energy, environment and sustainable related activities she brings to classrooms. Each award recipient receives $5,000 to be awarded to the not-for-profit organization or public education entity of their choice for use in its efforts on behalf of science education. Kim has selected the Yakima Valley/Tri-Cities Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program. (Posted 5/18/2009)

Janos Szanyi Wins Fulbright Fellowship to Conduct Catalytic Research in Hungary

Janos Szanyi received a Fulbright Fellowship to spend 5 months in Hungary studying catalysts that may reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from cars and trucks. The Fulbright Fellowship is sponsored by the U.S. State Department. The fellowship provides opportunities for U.S. scientists to conduct research and exchange ideas with their new international colleagues.

During his stay in Budapest, Hungary, Janos will conduct in situ and operando studies aimed at understanding the kinetics and mechanisms of chemical reactions catalyzed by supported platinum/barium oxide systems. He will work at the Chemical Research Center, operated by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In addition, he will continue to lead his research at PNNL's Institute for Interfacial Catalysis. (Posted 4/1/2009)

Sotiris Xantheas Receives Humboldt Award to Collaborate in Germany

Sotiris Xantheas has received an international award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to study the ubiquitous solvent: water. The award, presented by German President Horst Keller at the presidential residence in Berlin in early June, will cover Sotiris' travel to the Technical University of Munich at Garching and local expenses during his stay.

While at the university, Sotiris will work with Professor Alfred Laubereau and his students in the Physics Department on interpreting the infrared spectra of aqueous salts. This research into the molecular-level understanding of the interactions of water with various ions and how their presence alters the local structure of water has resulted in numerous scientific articles and stronger collaborations between U.S. and European institutions. This award to Sotiris closes out a series of studies he began 5 years ago as the recipient of the 2004 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award. (Posted 4/1/2009)

Xin Sun Receives Alumna Award

Congratulations to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Dr. Xin Sun, who received the prestigious Alumni Society Merit Award from the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of Michigan. The award recognizes Dr. Sun for her outstanding professional achievements and her contributions to the society.

Dr. Sun has a broad range of experience in the areas of applied mechanics and computational materials. Her expertise lies in applying the mechanics and materials' basic principles in solving practical engineering problems associated with solid oxide fuel cell design and analyses, advanced laminated armor materials development, joining and forming of advanced lightweight materials for automotive and heavy vehicle applications, advanced high strength steel modeling development, and lightweight automotive glazing design and development.

Dr. Sun, a Staff Scientist in PNNL's Computational Sciences & Mathematics Division, received her undergraduate degree in naval architecture and ocean engineering from China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 1990. She then went on to earn two master's degrees and her doctorate, all from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. (Posted 3/1/2009)

PNNL Team Selected for 2009 Incite Award - Earns 4 Million Hours on Supercomputers to Study Water's Chemistry

DOE has awarded a team of researchers at PNNL a 2009 INCITE award. The award provides access to powerful supercomputers to model complex processes and analyze large data sets.

The team, which includes Shawn Kathmann, Chris Mundy, Roger Rousseau and Greg Schenter, all of the Fundamental and Computational Sciences Directorate, and a researcher at IBM Research-Zurich, received a total of 4 million hours on two of DOE's Advanced Scientific Computing Research's supercomputers. The team will have 2 million hours on the IBM Blue Gene/P at Argonne National Laboratory. In addition, it will get 2 million hours on the Cray XTs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The 4 million hours is a significant increase from the 1.5 million hours the team received from the 2008 INCITE award and will immensely enhance the team's research, according to Chris, the team leader and principal investigator of the INCITE research.

With the new award, the team will be able to continue running statistical and quantum mechanical calculations to explore the chemical physics of reactions that occur within and at the interface of hydrogen-bonded liquids, like water. The calculations and resulting models will accurately portray reactions under experimentally relevant conditions.

This research requires the processing speed and power of supercomputers. Standard desktop systems are simply incapable of running the proposed calculations.

This research could provide insights on reactions that occur in water and other hydrogen-bonding fluids. "Understanding the reactions that occur in water have far-reaching implications in many areas of science," Chris said. Elucidating the solvation of ions in the vicinity of interfaces and in bulk will help us control many processes in chemistry, atmospheric science, and biology.

This work supports PNNL's mission to strengthen U.S. scientific foundations for innovation by

developing transformational tools, techniques and facilities, including those for advanced modeling and computation, for the biological, chemical, environmental and physical sciences via EMSL and other user facilities.
developing tools and understanding required to control chemical and physical processes in complex multiphase environments.

(Posted 1/1/2009)

Jerry Posakony elected Eminent Member of Eta Kappa Nu

Jerry Posakony was recently elected an Eminent Member of Eta Kappa Nu. Eta Kappa Nu is a unique membership organization dedicated to encouraging and recognizing excellence in the electrical and computer engineering field. Members consist of students, alumni, and other professionals who have demonstrated exceptional academic and professional accomplishments. The designation of Eminent Member is the organization's highest membership grade and is conferred upon those select few whose outstanding technical attainments and contributions through leadership in the fields of electrical and computer engineering have significantly benefited society. (Posted 1/1/2009)

2008 Awards

Kevin Rosso named Virginia Tech Collefge of Science's Outstanding Alumnus

Kevin Rosso was honored by Virginia Tech for his outstanding research and contributions to the scientific community. Each year the university's alumni association selects, from each academic college, a gifted person who has graduated in the past decade. Rosso received the award from the College of Science, where he earned a doctoral degree in geochemistry in 1998. As a user of EMSL, Rosso leads internationally recognized research in environmental spectroscopy and biogeochemistry. He is an expert in mineral-water interface geochemistry, combining scanning probe microscopy and ab initio molecular modeling. He is known for his insightful models of electron transfer kinetics in environmental systems. His recent studies illuminate the relationship between bacteria and environmental metals, such as iron and uranium. (Posted 12/1/2008)

Wei-Jun Qian Named "Rising Star" by Genome Technology

Dr. Wei-Jun Qian is one of 30 "rising young stars" named by Genome Technology magazine in its third annual "Tomorrow's PIs" special edition. The magazine offers readers a chance to see large-scale biological research through the eyes of some of the best and the brightest young scientists who are poised to make significant contributions to their areas of interest.

Qian, a senior scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, is an expert in the rapidly growing field of proteomics—the study of proteins. He was chosen because of his contributions toward the development and application of innovative techniques that have enabled large-scale, quantitative investigations of proteins in challenging clinical samples.

His current research involves developing and applying novel mass spectrometry-based proteomics approaches for quantifying changes in proteins from mammalian cells, tissues, and biofluids. This work is helping the scientific community gain a better understanding of cell signaling and discovering novel mechanistic or diagnostic protein biomarkers for human diseases. Qian has authored or co-authored 57 peer-reviewed publications and three book chapters.

The young investigators were nominated by scientists who are established leaders in the field today. Dr. Richard D. Smith, PNNL's chief scientist for proteomics and Battelle Fellow, nominated Qian. An interview with Qian entitled "Step by Step, a Better Mass Spec" appears in the December 2008/January 2009 issue of Genome Technology. (Posted 12/1/2008)

PNNL Researchers Earned Top Honors at SuperComputing Conference

Christopher Oehmen, Lee Ann McCue, Bobbie-Jo Webb-Robertson, Scott Dowson, Justin Almquist, Jason McDermott, and Chandrika Sivaramakrishnan won this year's SuperComputing (SC08) HPC Analytics Challenge. The Analytics Challenge encourages innovative and sophisticated analysis and visualization techniques in a meaningful application that supports the discovery of knowledge. This high-visibility venue provides a great opportunity to showcase PNNL's leadership in data-intensive computing, scientific visualization, and HPC scientific applications "Our entire team is thrilled that we won, "Oehmen said, who led the winning team. "It's an honor to be a part of this international competition. We could not have completed the challenge without the support of our sponsors at the Department of Energy, National Science foundation, and internal investments from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory." (Posted 11/1/2008)

Gary Spanner Named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by CBC Foundation

Gary Spanner, Tech Deployment and Outreach Directorate, has been named the CBC 2008-2009 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by the Columbia Basin College Foundation. Gary manages the PNNL Economic Development Office. Gary, who attended CBC in 1972 and 1973, received this award from the CBC Foundation board chairman, Don Paddock, Sept. 17 in front of more than 300 CBC faculty and staff. He was honored for his professional achievements, civic leadership, community service and support of the college. (Posted 9/1/2008)

Alan Waltar Receives World Nuclear Association (WNA) Award for "Distinguished Contribution to Peaceful Worldwide use of Nuclear Technology"

Alan was one of three individuals to receive the WNA Award on September 4th in London for his influence on and commitment to the value of nuclear technology.

He was honored for his "committed belief in nuclear technology, a strong and creative intelligence, a remarkable lack of ego, and a great generosity to his fellow man" according to the WNA Director General. Alan's long history in nuclear education was highlighted by his leadership at the WNU Summer Institute. At PNNL, Alan provides consult for various initiatives as a senior advisor.

The WNA Director General, John Ritch, described Alan as a "superlative educator of our future nuclear leaders" and an "educator to his bones...a charismatic inspiration." (Posted 9/1/2008)

Subhash Singhal receives the 2008 Grove Medal

Subhash Singhal received the 2008 Grove Medal for sustained advances in fuel cell technology. He accepted the honor at the Fuel Cells Science & Technology 2008 conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he gave the opening address. The medal commemorates Welsh judge, inventor and physicist Sir William Robert Grove, who created the first fuel cell in 1839. It is the fifth international award to recognize Subhash's contributions to fuel cell research. As a Battelle Fellow at PNNL, Subhash provides senior technical, managerial and commercialization leadership to the Lab's fuel cell program. (Posted 8/1/2008)

Aircraft Operations Receive Gold Standard Recognition

A prestigious national award recognized the stellar safety program of PNNL research aircraft used around the world for atmospheric research. The federal Interagency Committee for Aviation Policy awarded its highest Gold Standard Certificate to the Department of Energy for PNNL's excellent safety and operations management of the Research Aircraft Facility. The award recognizes the three-decade record of Bob Hannigan and his team of John Hubbe, Bill Svancara, Dick Hone, Rich Barchet, Ruth Keefe, and Bev Johnson for safe operations of the G-1 aircraft at PNNL and other research aircraft worldwide under contract to PNNL.
More details (Posted 7/1/2008)

EMSL researcher to receive International Immunology's Outstanding Merit Award

EMSL researcher Ljiljana Paša Toli? was among the authors of a paper that was selected to receive International Immunology's Outstanding Merit Award for the article of exceptional value for 2007. The paper is "Preferential Recognition of a Microbial Metabolite by Human V2V2 T Cells INTIMM-06-0286.R1" [19(5):657-673, published May 2007], authored by Kia-Joo Puan, Chenggang Jin, Hong Wang, Ghanashyam Sarikonda, Amy M. Raker, Hoi K. Lee, Megan I. Samuelson, Elisabeth M�rker-Hermann, Ljiljana Paša Toli?, Edward Nieves, José-Luis Giner, Tomohisa Kuzuyama, and Craig T. Morita, the latter an EMSL user from the University of Iowa. The editors of the journal present this award in special recognition of the article deemed to exhibit the highest distinction in immunological research. (Posted 7/1/2008)

Yong Wang awarded 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award

In recognition of his outstanding career and tireless support to the School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Yong Wang, Energy and Environment Directorate, has been awarded the Washington State University 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award. Yong is an adjunct professor in chemical engineering and bioengineering at WSU and a guest professor at Tianjin University (China); Sichuan University; Dalian University of Technology; and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics. He currently serves on the editorial board of Catalysis Today and the Journal of Nanomaterials and is the program committee chair for the American Chemical Society's Petroleum Division (2006-2008).

He has organized numerous international and national conferences and has more than 100 peer reviewed publications, more than 50 invited presentations, 52 issued U.S. patents, and two books focused on microreactor and process intensification. (Posted 6/1/2008)

Zhenrong Zhang Receives M.T. Thomas Award for Postdoctoral Research

A scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Dr. Zhenrong Zhang was selected as the 2007 recipient of the M.T. Thomas Award for Outstanding Postdoctoral Achievement. This award recognizes her breakthrough science regarding the reactions on the surface of titanium dioxide, TiO₂(110), a promising material with applications in catalysis and other areas. These breakthroughs are the result of her refinements to experimental instrumentation, allowing atomic-level measurements.

The award, first presented in 1996, acknowledges outstanding accomplishments by postdoctoral fellows who conduct their research in the Department of Energy's Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a national scientific user facility at PNNL. (Posted 5/1/2008)

Dick Weller Earns Honorary Professorship for International Scientific Collaboration

Dick Weller of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded a diploma by the Scientific Council of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine in Veterinary Science in Kyiv, Ukraine, conferring upon him the title of "Honorary Professor of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine." Weller is only the second person ever to be so honored in the history of the Institute. Weller received the diploma while at the Institute to deliver an invited presentation, "Veterinary Oncology: A Short History."

Weller promotes scientific collaboration between PNNL and other U.S. institutes and supports veterinary education. Over the last five years, he also has worked closely with the Ukraine Academy of Agrarian Science, in particular with its major veterinary institutes—the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (in Kharkov) and the Institute of Veterinary Medicine (in Kyiv)—both educational centers as well as research and development (R&D) institutes.

Working with professional colleagues at each institute, Weller has helped determine how to upgrade their biosecurity and biosafety practices related to R&D conducted to improve ways to diagnose, treat, and control animal diseases that could affect food safety and pose a public health concern. He helped develop plans for how to manage and safely handle disease-causing organisms used when conducting research activities at the institutes. Together, they have developed proposals for different but related ways of improving biosecurity and biosafety practices such as the proper use of protective clothing, the proper use of biological safety cabinets, and changing work flow patterns to minimize the number of people coming in contact with potentially dangerous microorganisms.

Engaging with peers in the biological world to build bridges that will sustain common understanding and mutual respect over time has been particularly rewarding for Weller. "I listen as a scientific peer, because my personal and professional interest is in trying to help solve professional problems," he said. "We have laid the groundwork for trust and a dogged stewardship of what we think they [the Institutes] deserve to have done" in the interests of biosecurity and biosafety. (Posted 4/1/2008)

Yanwen Zhang Invited to Attend Prestigious Kavli Symposium in Germany

A world-leading reputation for advancing the frontiers of materials science has landed a PNNL researcher a prestigious invitation to attend a renowned international science symposium. Yanwen Zhang, PNNL senior research scientist at EMSL, a DOE scientific user facility, has been selected to attend the 14th Annual German-American Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium June 11-14, in Potsdam, Germany.

Zhang's research includes theoretical and experimental materials science and engineering. She works closely with computational scientists, biochemists and nuclear engineers worldwide to develop models that predict the performance of materials. For example, she led a project that is critical to research on materials science and radiation physics involving ion-solid interactions. The project developed a new capability to accurately measure ion-slowing processes in solids, leading to better predictions of ion-stopping. This capability is important for rapidly expanding applications in nuclear reactors, fusion technology, and radiation detection.

Author or co-author of more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and other publications, Zhang also has received several prestigious awards and fellowships, including a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

The symposium is co-sponsored by the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation and the U.S. National Academy of Science. It is designed to provide an overview of opportunities in a wide range of scientific disciplines and to enable future science leaders to build networking relationships with their colleagues. Since 1989, more than 100 past attendees have been elected to the National Academy of Science and eight have received Nobel Prizes. Additional information can be found at www.nasonline.org. (Posted 3/1/2008)

Ron Walters receives National Intelligence Medal of Achievement

Ron Walters received the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement from the Director of National Intelligence. Ron was recognized for his extraordinary technical leadership as the architect of several groundbreaking efforts that have substantially increased the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to acts of bioterrorism and natural disease outbreaks. (Posted 1/1/2008)

2007 Awards

Jack Slicks receives Director's Award for Individual Excellence from DOE Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence

Jack Slicks received the "Director's Award for Individual Excellence" at the first DOE Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence Award Program. He was honored for his visionary leadership of the PNNL CI Program. (Posted 12/1/2007)

Wayne Martin Named Black Engineer of the Year for Community Service

An environmental scientist at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been nationally recognized for community service through the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference.

Wayne Martin, a technical group manager at PNNL, is being honored with the prestigious engineering, science and technology management award for his efforts to increase involvement of under-represented minorities in the engineering and scientific fields and for his leadership and significant contributions to the Tri-Cities community.

This national award is sponsored by the Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Lockheed Martin Corporation, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology Magazine. Martin will receive his award at the 22nd Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference in February in Baltimore.

"Wayne exemplifies the principle of community service and distinguishes himself as a leader locally, regionally and nationally through his service to community," said Battelle President and CEO Carl Kohrt. " His dedication as a role model and mentor and his promotion and encouragement of under-represented minorities in science, engineering and math professions make him truly deserving of this award."

Martin serves as vice-chair of the Board of Trustees at Columbia Basin College and was chair for the past six years. He has been an officer in the Trustees Association for Community and Technical Colleges at the state level. He is also a member of the Washington State University Tri-Cities and the Tri-Cities Education advisory councils, past president of the Pacific Northwest chapter of the National Organization for the Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, and is on the board of directors for Kadlec Medical Center. He also was a participant in the branch campus study team that resulted in a four-year university being established at WSU Tri-Cities and is a past member of the higher education task force that contributed to the Three Rivers Community Roundtable.

Martin earned a bachelor's degree in wildlife management from Washington State University, a master's degree in radiological sciences from the University of Washington and a doctorate in environmental and natural resource sciences from Washington State University. He worked for PNNL from 1978 to 1993, and rejoined the Laboratory in 1997 following an education leave of absence to obtain his doctorate. (Posted 11/5/2007)

Doug McMakin wins Christopher Columbus Homeland Security Award

Doug McMakin, National Security Directorate, has been selected to receive the prestigious Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation Homeland Security award for his leadership in developing the millimeter wave holographic body scanning system. The security system detects concealed metallic and nonmetallic items and is being used globally for security in airports and other facilities.

Doug is being recognized in the Border/Transportation Security category. The scanning system currently is being used worldwide in homeland security and counterterrorism efforts. The technology provides security officers with a non-contact, non-ionizing radiation tool that can screen individuals for potentially lethal concealed threats. It has been licensed to L-3 SafeView, which is using the technology as the basis for a line of screening systems, including the SafeScout 100^TM. More than 75 systems are deployed worldwide in locations including Iraq, Israel, Mexico, Europe, South America and Asia in high-risk areas such as airports, subways, border crossings, and government and military facilities.

"This award recognizes the role PNNL researchers play in helping solve the country's greatest homeland security challenges," said Interim Lab Director Mike Kluse. "Doug and his team persevered for many years developing a technology they personally believed in, and I'm pleased the foundation is recognizing these efforts."

The screening systems have been successfully demonstrated in the U.S. and are undergoing further testing by the Department of Homeland Security. In fact, the system will be tested at Phoenix in the near future, with additional machines to be tested at John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.

The foundation recognizes citizens or companies that are making a measurable and constructive contribution related to basic and/or advanced research in the area of homeland security which will result in a significant and positive benefit to society.

Jim Thomas, a PNNL chief scientist, was also one of the top three finalists for the award. He was recognized for his leadership of the Department of Homeland Security's National Visualization and Analytics Center. NVAC is a leading resource for visual analytics technology and tools that detect, prevent and reduce the threat of terrorist attacks. (Posted 10/15/2007)

Dale Anderson wins Frank Wilcoxon Prize for best practical application paper in Technometrics

Dale Anderson won the Frank Wilcoxon Prize for the paper "Detection and Location of Gamma-Ray Sources with a Modulating Coded Mask." Dale, the lead author, was assisted in writing the article by Randy Hansen, Tony Peurrung and Sharon Wunschel and by non-PNNL contributor, David Stromswold. The article presents two methods of detecting and locating a concealed nuclear gamma-ray source for applications in national security and threat detection. The article appeared in the May 2006 issue of Technometrics, a journal dedicated to the development and use of statistical methods in the physical, chemical and engineering sciences. The Frank Wilcoxon award is presented to the best practical application paper appearing in the previous year's Technometrics. (Posted 10/1/2007)

Lee Burger wins Glen T. Seaborg Award for Contributions to Actinide Separations

Lee Burger's 2007 Glenn T. Seaborg Award makes four "wins" for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, second only to Argonne National Laboratory in the number of Seaborg award recipients. Lee joins PNNL scientists Earl Wheelwright, Jack Ryan and John Swanson in receiving this prestigious award to honor their extraordinary accomplishments, gained in more than 200 years of combined expertise in this field.

The Glenn T. Seaborg Actinide Separations Award is a national award recognizing significant and lasting contributions to separating actinide elements, such as plutonium and uranium. This award reflects the judgment of the Actinide Separation Conference Board representatives currently from Argonne, Idaho, Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and Savannah River National Laboratories, the Hanford Site, the University of New Mexico, and Washington State University. Read more about the Seaborg honorees. (Posted 9/12/2007)

Elizabeth Stephens named most promising Hispanic engineer

Elizabeth Stephens has received the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference's Most Promising Engineer or Scientist–Undergraduate Degree Award. The award recognizes a professional engineer or scientist with less than eight years experience since earning his/her undergraduate degree. The candidate's early technical contributions should already indicate a promising career.

Elizabeth was chosen due to her contributions to science, leadership abilities and initiative, her potential for advancement and her involvement with the Hispanic community.

Elizabeth currently is involved with improving the energy efficiency of vehicles and energy conversion systems. She supports the DOE Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance program and works with local youth through several education programs. For more information on Elizabeth' award, vist HENAAC.org (Posted 8/1/2007)

Moe Khaleel Receives Lifetime Achievement Award for Contributions to Computational Engineering and Fuel Cell Technologies

Moe Khaleel was presented with a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to computational engineering and fuel cell technologies. Moe received the award after delivering the plenary talk on computational electro chemistry for fuel cells at the 2007 International Joint Conference on Knowledge Management for Composite Materials (KMCM), Nanosciences and Fuel Cells.

The KMCM's audience comprises researchers from R&D organizations, academia, government, policy makers and industry. The conference's theme focused on driving research activities towards Nanoscale phenomena and fuel cell development.

Moe, a Laboratory Fellow, is Director of PNNL's Computational Sciences and Mathematics Division. The division provides scientific and technological solutions through the integration of high performance computing, data intensive computing, computational sciences, mathematics, scalable data management, and bioinformatics to advance the laboratory's mission areas. Moe's current research interests are tuned to world energy systems and the future role for fuel cell systems. (Posted 8/1/2007)

Subhash Singhal Wins Esteemed Fuel Cell Technology Award

Subhash Singhal received the 2007 Fuel Cell Seminar and Exposition Award. Subhash was recognized for this award because of his outstanding leadership and innovation in the promotion and advancement of fuel cell technology.

Dr. Subhash C. Singhal is a Battelle Fellow and Director, Fuel Cells at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington, where he provides senior technical, managerial and commercialization leadership to the Lab's extensive fuel cell program. He is a highly regarded, acknowledged world leader in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). He joined PNNL in April 2000 after having worked at Siemens Power Generation (formerly Westinghouse Electric Corporation) for over 29 years.

Dr. Singhal is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah; and serves on the Visiting Advisory Board of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida. (Posted 8/1/2007)

Robbie Tidwell receives Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers' Champion of Excellence Award

For the second year in a row, Robbie Tidwell received the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers' Champion of Excellence Award. This national award recognizes outstanding work in the profession of hazardous materials management, promotion of the credential, and active participation in local and national ACHMM activities. Robbie has helped the Lab reduce, reuse or redistribute chemicals.

Further, she has helped develop processes to ensure safe handling, and cost- and time-effective procurement, inventorying and handling. In addition, Robbie has served vice president and president of the Eastern Washington Chapter of ACHMM. Under her leadership as president, the chapter attained the National Award of Honor Roll of Champions for the eighth consecutive year. (Posted 7/1/2007)

Stephen Tratz wins first-place in 2007 SemEval international competition (Computational Linguistics)

Stephen Tratz's commitment to excellence resulted in PNNL winning first-place in the 2007 SemEval international competition for word sense disambiguation systems. In computational linguistics, word sense disambiguation helps determine which sense a word has in any given context. For example, the word bass could mean a type of fish or tones of low frequency. Although the difference may be obvious to humans, WSD can improve the performance of information and knowledge management applications, such as internet searching and navigating.

PNNL developed this particular WSD system for a Department of Homeland Security project. When lab-funding could not cover the required preparation time for the system's entry to the SemEval competition, Stephen prepared and submitted the system output on his own time, which resulted in the win. PNNL has since been invited to submit a paper that describes the system to the 2007 SemEval WSD workshop in Prague this June. Other staff members involved include Alan Chappell, National Security Directorate; and Michelle Gregory, Christian Posse, project lead Antonio Sanfilippo and Paul Whitney, CISD. (Posted 5/1/2007)

PNNL Staff Honored for Energy Smart Technologies

Staff in PNNL's Energy Science and Technology Directorate were honored for the role they played in helping PNNL advance energy smart research and development. Mike Davis accepted the award for Best Research and Development in smart grid technology from the organizers of the GridWeek 2007 conference at the Reagan Building in Washington D.C. The award citation recognized PNNL for much of the fundamental thinking behind the smart grid over past two decades.

In the mid-1980s, dozens of researchers at PNNL were already designing first generation data collection systems that were installed in more than 1000 buildings to monitor near real-time electricity consumption for every appliance. Huge data sets were created and analyzed that fundamentally changed the way buildings and equipment were analyzed. Much of this work is still relevant and being used today.

Based on this early work, PNNL developed a broad suite of analytic tools and technologies that resulted in better sensors, improved diagnostics, and enhanced equipment design and operation. From phasor measurement and control at the transmission level to Grid Friendly™ appliances, their imprint on the creation of the next generation electrical system is unparalleled. (Posted 4/1/2007)

Awards presented for outstanding education contributions

James Campbell

George Last

Shuttha Shutthanandan

Three staff members received the Fitzner-Eberhardt Laboratory Director's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Science and Engineering Education at a ceremony on April 26 in the EMSL Auditorium. At the same time, eight staff members were recognized as DOE outstanding mentors.

Interim Laboratory Director Mike Kluse presented the Fitzner-Eberhardt award to James A. Campbell, National Security Directorate; George Last, Environmental Technology Directorate; and Shuttha Shutthanandan, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory. Mike praised the recipients for their many contributions to science education, and also recognized four other individuals nominated for the award. They were George Chin, Computational and Information Sciences Directorate; Doug Lemon, NSD; Eric Pierce, ETD; and Irvin Schultz, ETD.

Debbie Trader of the DOE Pacific Northwest Site Office announced the DOE Outstanding Mentor Awards. Recipients were Heather Dillon, Energy Science and Technology Directorate; Janelle Downs, ETD; Gregory Exarhos, Fundamental Science Directorate; Steven Goheen, NSD; Pavel Hrma, ETD; Mitchell Pelton, ETD; Irvin Schultz, ETD; and Susan Southard, ETD. (Posted 4/1/2007)

Stephen Tratz wins first-place in 2007 SemEval international competition (Computational Linguistics)

Ram Devanathan Receives Prestigious Invite to International Engineering Symposium

Ram Devanathan has been invited to attend the 2007 German-American Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, organized by the National Academy of Engineering and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. About 60 engineers, generally not older than 45, from German and U.S. industry, universities and national laboratories were invited because of their innovation, articulation, and leadership.

A Senior Research Scientist in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Fundamental Science Directorate, Ram performs leading-edge research on fuel cell electrolytes for the hydrogen economy, radiation-resistant semiconductors, nanoscale phenomena and novel radiation detector materials.

By gathering up-and-coming engineers and challenging them to think about problems and developments at the frontiers of brain research technologies, robotics, smart materials, and space technologies, the symposium hopes to transfer new techniques and approaches across fields, and build connections among the next generation of leaders in engineering. The symposium will be held April 26-28, 2007, in Hamburg, Germany. (Posted 3/1/2007)

Lai-Sheng Wang Receives 2006-2007 Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award

Lai-Sheng Wang was awarded the Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Research, Scholarship and Arts. Washington State University annually presents three Sahlin awards, recognizing excellence in teaching, public service, and research.

An Affiliate Senior Chief Scientist in the Fundamental Science Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Program in Materials Science at Washington State University-Tri-Cities, Lai-Sheng Wang is a world leader in nanoclusters research. For example, Lai-Sheng and his colleagues created hollow nanoscale cages of gold atoms, the first known metallic equivalent of the buckyball.

Lai-Sheng showed that the most stable form of gold clusters undergoes shape transformations, a finding that addressed a key issue in fundamental cluster science: understanding the structural evolution of clusters from a single atom/molecule towards the bulk solid. The work has potential applications in energy sciences.

In addition, Lai-Sheng has pioneered the study of solution molecules in the gas phase and developed novel experimental techniques to address fundamental questions of ion solvation and solution chemistry.

During his 20 years in research, Lai-Sheng has written or co-written more than 250 publications. His work has been featured in important journals, including Nature and Science. He is active in the scientific community, working with the American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, Materials Research Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

His contributions as a researcher and a professor have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Humboldt Research Award, Guggenheim fellowship, the National Science Foundation creativity award, and the Alfred P. Sloan fellowship. (Posted 2/18/2007)

Nano-Tech Team Wins Environmental Business Journal Award for Sensor

Yuehe Lin, Guodong Liu, and Chuck Timchalk received a 2006 Environmental Business Journal Technology Merit Award for designing and testing a nanotechnology-based sensor that detects organophosphate insecticides and nerve agents. The award is given by the Environmental Business Journal to recognize notable achievements in the environmental industry.

The sensor is composed of enzymes that self-assemble layer by layer onto tiny, hollow carbon tubes. When the sensor encounters organophosphates, the enzymes slow down. This reduced activity is transmitted as an electrochemical signal through the carbon nanotubes to an attached electrode. By reading the electrode's measurements, users can determine the concentration of organophosphates in environmental samples and biological fluids. (Posted 1/17/2007)

2006 Awards

Peggy Vasquez selected in national competition for America's Next Top Administrative Professionals

Peggy Vasquez, Executive Assistant for the Director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was one of three national finalists for the America's Next Top Administrative Professional Award, in conjunction with the 14th annual Administrative Professionals Conference. The award acknowledges three exceptional administrative candidates from a national pool of nominees, who were judged on their contribution to the team, dedication to colleagues and clients, and multi-tasking abilities to advance the goals of the company and its values. Peggy has been asked to serve as a member of the selection committee for next year's Top Administrative Professional Award. (Posted 12/1/2006)

Battelle Fellow Subhash Singhal Recognized for Outstanding Contributions to Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology

In addition to receiving the Christian Friedrich Schoenbein Gold Medal from the European Fuel Cell Forum, Singhal has been appointed to the editorial board of Elsevier's Journal of Power Sources; honored by the American Chemical Society with a symposium on chemistry of fuel cells in his name at its meeting in San Francisco, awarded Joint ASM International/Indian Institute of Metals Visiting Lecture Award by ASM International for 2006, appointed a member of the peer committee on materials engineering for a three-year term (2006-2009) by the National Academy of Engineering, appointed chair of the publications committee by the Electrochemical Society for a four-year term (2006-2010), and listed in Marquis Who's Who in Science and Engineering 2006-2007. (Posted 10/1/2006)

Lai-Sheng Wang Receives 2006 Humboldt Research Award

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation presents up to 100 of these awards annually and invites the recipients to conduct research projects of their choice in Germany for six months to a year.

An Affiliate Chief Scientist in the Fundamental Science Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a professor of physics at Washington State University-Tri-Cities, Lai-Sheng is a world leader in nanoclusters research. For example, Lai-Sheng and his colleagues created hollow nanoscale cages of gold atoms, the first known metallic equivalent of the buckyball. In addition, he pioneered the study of multiply charged negative ions and began the study of solution molecules in the gas phase.

During his 20 years in research, he has written or co-written more than 240 publications. His work is often featured in top journals, including Science and Nature. He is active in professional societies, including the American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, Materials Research Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2003, he was named a fellow in the American Physical Society.

His work as a researcher and a professor has been recognized with several important awards, including the Guggenheim fellowship, Washington State University distinguished faculty award, the National Science Foundation creativity award, and the Alfred P. Sloan research fellowship. (Posted 10/1/2006)

PNNL Researcher Receives Highest Fuel Cell Honor

Schoenbein Medal honors achievements of Subhash Singhal

Fuel cell pioneer Subhash Singhal, a Battelle Fellow and Director, Fuel Cells at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has received the Christian Friedrich Schoenbein Gold Medal for his outstanding contributions to solid oxide fuel cell technology. The biennial award is the highest honor presented by the European Fuel Cell Forum.

The medal is named for the Swiss scientist who is credited with identifying the fundamental chemistry of fuel cells and, together with Sir William Robert Grove, for the creation of the fuel cell in 1839.

Singhal joined PNNL in April 2000 after nearly 30 years at Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation, where he led development of solid oxide fuel cell technology from a laboratory curiosity to fully integrated 200 kW power generation systems. At PNNL, Singhal provides senior technical, managerial and commercialization leadership to the laboratory's fuel cell program.

A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Singhal is a Fellow of four professional societies — American Ceramic Society, Electrochemical Society, ASM International, and American Association for the Advancement of Science — and a senior member of TMS, the Mineral, Metals & Materials Society. He also has served on numerous national and international advisory panels.

Singhal has authored more than 75 scientific publications, edited 13 books, received 13 patents and delivered over 225 plenary, keynote and other invited presentations worldwide. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah and serves on the Visiting Advisory Board of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida.

The award was presented to Singhal by Professor John Kilner, chairman of the Seventh European Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Forum and Ulf Bossel, chairman of the European Fuel Cell Forum during the closing ceremony of the forum's July meeting in Lucerne, Switzerland. (Posted 8/1/2006)

Olga Anna Kuchar Selected to Participate in National Academy of Engineering 2006 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium

Olga Anna Kuchar, Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, has been selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering's 2006 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. The three-day symposium, to be held in Dearborn, Michigan in September, brings together a select group of the nation's outstanding young engineers from industries, universities and government laboratories. Olga currently is conducting research on methods for teaching computers to solve problems like humans do; that is, strategizing, identifying hidden relationships or patterns in data, and associating and applying different areas of knowledge to the problem. This methodology is achieved through mathematical and logical techniques that can be converted to computer code. She also conducts research on improving human understanding of information through visualizations, applying game-based techniques to real-world issues, and encoding graph storyboards for quick data pattern identification. (Posted 6/1/2006)

PNNL Scientist Lead Organizer for Workshop to Identify Future Steps for Next Generation of Regional Climate Modeling

PNNL scientist Ruby Leung was the lead organizer of the international, invitation-only Regional Climate Modeling workshop "Research Needs and Directions of Regional Climate Modeling Using WRF and CCSM" held March 22-23, in Boulder, Colorado. Bill Kuo, Phil Merilees, and Joe Tribbia, National Center for Atmospheric Research, were co-organizers of the workshop, which was sponsored by NCAR's Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology and Climate and Global Dynamics Divisions.

More than 60 scientists from the United States and across the world attended the workshop to discuss the future steps needed to advance the state of the science in regional climate modeling. (Posted 6/1/2006)

Abrefah Receives Emerald Honors Award for Outstanding Scientific Accomplishments

John Abrefah received the Emerald Honors Award for Professional Achievement during the 2006 Minorities in Research Science Conference. This award is given to a highly experienced, mid-career scientist who has made significant discoveries, made important advances in his career, and is acknowledged as a leader of large research and development initiatives. John was selected for this honor because of his outstanding research activities in nuclear material science and engineering. He was also chosen because of his involvement in national professional organizations including the American Nuclear Society, National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, American Society for Testing Materials and National Technical Advisory Group for International Standard Organization. (Posted 5/1/2006)

Wayne Martin Named One of Top Minorities in Science of 2006

Wayne Martin received Science Spectrum's Trailblazer 2006 Top Minorities in Research Science award. This award honors Hispanic, Asian American, Native American, and Black professionals in the science arena whose leadership and innovative thinking on the job and in the community extend throughout their industry. For more than 25 years, Wayne has conducted, directed, and led research in subsurface contaminant migration and waste storage. He is also a supporter of educational activities including Chair of the Board of Trustees for Columbia Basin College, the National Urban League's Black Executive Exchange, the WSU Tri-Cities Advisory Council, and the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference. (Posted 5/1/2006)

Ann Miracle Joins Editorial Board of International Publication

Congratulations to ETD's Ann Miracle for being selected to serve a three-year term on the editorial board of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. As a board member, Ann will review aquatic toxicology related manuscripts that are submitted for publication. In this role, she will review 15 to 20 manuscripts a year.

Ann was chosen for this position because of her expertise in environmental sentinels. At PNNL, Ann leads the Lab's efforts in predicting ecosystem change and damage. In addition, she is involved in national and international workshops dealing with the use of genomics technologies to solve environmental issues. (Posted 1/1/2006)

2005 Awards

Yuehe Lin and C0-Authors Receive Award for Highly Cited Electrochemistry Article

Congratulations to ETD's Yuehe Lin and his co-authors for receiving the 2005 award for the best cited paper published in Electrochemistry Communications. Yuehe's article "Low-potential stable NADH detection at carbon-nanotube-modified glassy carbon electrodes," published in 2002, has been cited extensively.

The paper elucidates the researchers' discovery that electrodes based on carbon-nanotubes have significantly enhanced sensitivity and stability for detecting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a molecule that participates in many important biological reactions. This discovery forms the basis for the development of biosensors based on carbon nanotubes. Electrochemistry Communications is ranked second in citation impact in the field of electrochemistry. (Posted 12/1/2005)

Wayne Martin Named One of Top Minorities in Research Science

Wayne Martin received Science Spectrum's Trailblazer 2005 Top Minorities in Research Science award. This award honors recipients who are distinguished thinkers and doers making a difference in their respective fields. They desire to lead, develop ideas, and change the ways we live and see the world today and in the future.

For more than 25 years, Wayne has conducted, directed, and led research in subsurface contaminant migration and waste storage. He is also a supporter of educational activities including the National Urban League's Black Executive Exchange, the WSU Tri-Cities Advisory Council, and the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference. (Posted 11/28/2005)

Yong Wang Joins Editorial Board of Catalysis Today

Yong Wang has been invited to join the editorial board of Catalysis Today, a serial publication dealing with topical themes in catalysis. As a board member, Yong will help improve the quality of the journal by attending editorial board meetings, promoting the journal, and actively encouraging colleagues and peers to submit high-quality papers.

Yong was selected for this honor because of his contributions in the field of heterogeneous catalysis and microchannel reaction technology to the development of energy efficient technologies. He has also received two R&D 100 awards, a Presidential Green Chemistry Award, and holds 57 issued patents. (Posted 11/1/2005)

Jonathan Young Appointed Member of National Research Council Committee

Jonathan Young has been appointed to the Committee on Determining Basic Research Needs to Interrupt the Improvised Explosive Device Delivery Chain. The committee is a multidisciplinary group who advises the Office of Naval Research on ascertaining basic research questions in physical science, social science, and engineering that, if answered, could lead to new methods of countering use of improvised explosive devices.

Jonathan will contribute to the deliberations and reporting of the committee. He will also serve on a subcommittee that plans the detailed committee activities. Jonathan was selected because of his expertise in probabilistic risk assessment, systems engineering, and uncertainty analysis. (Posted 11/1/2005)

Ron Thom Meets with National Research Council to Protect Eroding Shorelines

Ron Thom, working at PNNL's Sequim Marine Research Operations, met with the National Research Council panel, organized by the National Academy of Science, to discuss shore erosion along sheltered coasts. The panel examined the efficiency and environmental effects of erosion mitigation techniques in a two-day workshop. Ron discussed protecting beach shorelines and ways to use vegetation to protect shorelines.

NRC Program Assistant Sarah Capote stated, "We selected Ron as a panel member because of his expertise in mitigating shoreline erosion." For nearly three decades, Ron has studied and resolved complex marine and coastal issues, specializing in nearshore habitat ecology and restoration. (Posted 10/1/2005)

PNNL's Ram Devanathan Selected to Participate in National Academy of Engineering 11th Annual Frontiers of Engineering Symposium

The three-day event will bring together engineers ages 30 to 45 who are performing cutting-edge engineering research and technical work. The participants — from industry, academia, and government — were nominated by fellow engineers or organizations. The symposium will be held Sept. 22 – 24, 2005, at GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna, N.Y., and will explore aspects of ID and verification technologies, the engineering of complex systems, engineering for developing communities, and energy. Devanathan was one of only 88 engineers nationwide selected to attend the symposium. (Posted 8/17/2005)

Dr. Leonard K. Peters, Director of PNNL, Selected to Receive Oak Ridge Associated Universities Outstanding Leadership Award

The award was established to recognize individuals who have demonstrated sustained leadership and support of ORAU activities involving member universities and/or national laboratories. The award also includes a grant to support a conference or symposium, which will be used to hold a conference on atmospheric chemistry.

Peters came to PNNL in 2003 with a distinguished career in research, most recently serving as the Vice Provost for Research at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where he managed Virginia Tech's diverse $230 million research program.

Peters was recognized for this honor at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Council of Sponsoring Institutions, which was held on March 9th in Washington, D.C. (Posted 3/9/2005)

2004 Awards

Scott Chambers Selected as 2004 Recipient of E.W. Mueller Award for Outstanding Research in Surface Science

He is being recognized for advancing the science of molecular beam epitaxy, and applying it to fundamental investigations of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of metal oxide films, surfaces, and interfaces.

Chambers, a Laboratory Fellow at PNNL, has 25 years of experience in the fields of surface science and electronic materials. He hold three patents, has more than 150 publications, and is a Fellow of the American Vacuum Society.

Chambers will be recognized for this honor at a reception at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, in August where he will be presented a certificate of achievement and a prize of $5,000. Additionally, he will be given a series of lectures on his work to a select audience of students, faculty, university administrators, and industry representatives. (Posted 8/1/2004)

2003 Awards

Sotiris S. Xantheas Awarded Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award

Sotiris S. Xantheas, a chief scientist in PNNL's Fundamental Science Directorate (FSD), has been awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Bonn, Germany. Between 2001 and 2003, the foundation will grant approximately 10 of these awards to outstanding young scientists already internationally recognized in their fields for significant contributions. Through this award, Xantheas was invited to spend time in a German research institution for at least six months to conduct research of his choice. He will spend his tenure in the Institute of Physical & Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Kaiserslautern and the Technical University of Munich.

Xantheas has been with PNNL since 1992. He is a physical chemist and received a diploma in chemical engineering from the Technical University of Athens, in Greece, and a doctorate from Iowa State University. His research interests lie in the application of high-level electronic structure calculations to elucidate the properties of hydrogen-bonded systems and the use of quantum mechanical results in the development of empirical models to simulate their macroscopic properties.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes international research cooperation. More information is available online at http://www.avh.de/en/programme/preise/bessel.htm. (Posted 5/22/2003)

Richard Johanson Earns Two Safety Certifications

The exam was administered by the American College of Microbiology and endorsed by the American Biologist Safety Association (ABSA). This accomplishment gives Johanson two certifications, first, a certified specialist microbiologist (SM) in biological safety that merits a membership in the National Registry of Microbiologists and, second, a certified biological safety professional that is issued by the ABSA. Johanson is the fourth person in the state of Washington to be certified and one of 105 certified in the United States. The exam is administered once a year by the American College of Microbiology. Certified recipients are internationally recognized as having sufficient knowledge and experience to qualify as a specialist microbiologist in biological safety.

Johanson has 25 years of experience in the fields of public health and safety and risk management. His specific areas of expertise include chemical and biological safety. His motivation for taking the exam was his continued interest in the field of microbiology and PNNL’s move toward biological sciences and proteomics. (Posted 3/17/2003)

2002 Awards

Subhash Singhal Receives Invited Professorship Award

Subhash Singhal, a Battelle fellow in the Energy Science & Technology Directorate, received the Invited Professorship Award from the Japan Ministry of Science, Education and Culture. As part of this award, he spent two weeks in Japan in November 2001, lecturing on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell related topics at Oita University, SOFC Society of Japan, and Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. (Posted 1/1/2002)

2001 Awards

Single-molecule Spectroscopy Among 101 Most Important Scientific Discoveries

DOE’s Office of Science in June 2001 named single-molecule spectroscopy among the 101 most important scientific discoveries supported by the Office during the past 25 years. Real-time observation of individual enzyme molecules by Peter Lu of PNNL and Sunney Xie, Harvard University, established single-molecule spectroscopy as one of the most important new methods for unraveling chemical dynamics in heterogeneous and complex chemical systems. In addition to their pioneering work on biological systems, Dr. Xie and Dr. Lu have developed and applied single-molecule spectroscopic methods for studying chemical dynamics in interfacial chemical systems, semiconductor nanoparticles, and nanostructures. (Posted 6/1/2001)

2009 Elected Positions and Offices

Ted Bowyer Appointed Member on National Academy of Sciences Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Panel

With the Obama Administration already pushing for Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the National Academy of Sciences has again convened a panel to study technical issues related to the treaty. The 10-member NAS panel, chaired by University of Maryland physics professor Ellen Williams, has been tasked by the National Nuclear Security Administration and the State Department to update the 2002 NAS study on the CTBT. The CTBT bans all nuclear explosions in all environments for military or civilian purposes.

The NAS panel will include two members of the 2002 study and eight other members, including Ted Bowyer, NSD. Ted is a nuclear explosion monitoring expert at PNNL and a former Department of Energy/NNSA scientific adviser on the CTBT.

Ted has worked at PNNL in a variety of nonproliferation programs related to nuclear weapons material production detection, nuclear testing detection, and nonproliferation policy. He spent several years in the Office of Nonproliferation Policy at DOE/NNSA where he served as a scientific advisor on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and related Nuclear Testing Limitations treaties and agreements, as well as the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty. He has spent significant time serving the U.S. Delegations to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and CTBT Working Group B (WGB) in Vienna as a technical advisor. Currently, Ted serves as the chair of the CTBT working group B (WGB) Radionuclide Expert Group and chair of the U.S. Radionuclide Subgroup of the Verification Monitoring Task Force.

For more information about the study, visit http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49131. (Posted 8/1/2009)

Irv Schultz Nominated to NRC Committee on Tetrachloroethylene

Irv Schultz was nominated to the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council Committee on Tetrachloroethylene, which is conducting a review of EPA's toxicological assessment of tetrachloroethylene. His research interests cover both ecological and human health issues and uses toxicokinetic methods in conjunction with molecular/biochemical tools to understand the cellular mechanisms and physiological processes determining the retention and adverse effects of contaminants. Highlights of his research efforts include studies of the disposition of drinking water disinfection byproducts in human volunteers, non-human primates and rodent models; development of computational models for the salmon brain-pituitary-gonadal axis and the metabolism and disposition of environmental pollutants in fish, with an emphasis on interspecies scaling. (Posted 6/1/2009)

Dick Smith Named Editor-in Chief of Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics

Richard D. Smith has accepted an invitation to become Editor-in Chief of the Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics. Smith sets the direction for the open-access journal and gives final approval for each issue.

Founded in 2008, the Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics strives to provide rapid review and publishing of research in the proteomics and bioinformatics fields. The journal disseminates its articles freely for research, teaching and reference purposes.

Smith, a Battelle Fellow and Chief Scientist of Proteomics at PNNL, is a world leader in developing mass spectrometry for proteomics. He was recently named PNNL's Inventor of the Year for Fiscal Year 2008. Smith has received 36 U.S. patents and 32 foreign patents, seven R&D 100 Awards, the 2003 American Chemical Society Award for Analytical Chemistry and induction as a Battelle "Distinguished Inventor." (Posted 6/1/2009)

Joshua Adkins Named to NIH Study Section

Joshua Adkins was invited by the National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review to serve as a member of the Enabling Bioanalytical and Biophysical Study Section. His term is from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2013.

This study section reviews grant applications focused on developing new bioanalytical and biophysical tools, emerging techniques and instrumentation. Emphasis is on research that probes the molecular aspects of biological systems using novel technologies or enhancements on existing techniques.

Dr. Adkins' research centers on comprehensive characterization of proteins through space and time to better understand biological systems. His particular interests are challenging biological studies that require bridging the gaps between technology development and biological application. Currently, he is Director for the Center for Systems Biology of EnteroPathogens, the aim of which is to develop therapeutics for the causative agents of Typhoid Fever and the Black Plague. (Posted 5/1/2009)

Liem Dang Serves as a Guest Editor of Special Issue of Physical Chemistry Journal

Liem Dang was invited to serve as guest editor on a special issue of The Journal of Physical Chemistry A . This issue was dedicated to the Max Wolfsberg, a leader in theoretical chemistry. Wolfsberg's early work led to the Wolfsberg-Helmholtz approximation, widely used in calculations of molecular electronic energy levels. His descriptions of isotope effects on chemical reactions are widely used by experimental chemists.

As a guest editor, Dang solicited, reviewed, and edited many of the 40 scientific articles that grace this March 2009 issue. Dang is a respected researcher and author on molecular dynamics simulation techniques to study ionic solvation, ion-ligand complexation, and properties of liquid interfaces. This special issue was made possible because of his close work with Wolfsberg during Dang's doctoral research at University of California, Irvine. (Posted 5/1/2009)

Todd Halter Appointed to SciDB Advisory Board

Todd Halter has been appointed to the SciDB advisory board. SciDB is an open source data management system designed to support the needs of scientists across a variety of disciplines. As a member of the advisory board, Halter will be helping to establish the requirements for a new database technology specifically targeting scientific applications.

SciDB grew out of the 1st Extremely Large Databases (XLDB) Workshop and the subsequent Science-Database Workshop. SciDB is designed to meet the growing demands of data-intensive scientific analytics in the public and private sectors. User communities expected to benefit include sciences such as astronomy, biology, geoscience (geology, oceanography, atmospheric science, environmental science), medicine, and physics; science-based industries such as remote sensing, resource extraction (oil, gas, minerals), medical imaging, and pharmaceuticals; and other organizations with vast amounts of data and complex analytical needs such as Internet, telecommunications, and financial services.

Halter, whose appointment began in November 2008, joins Gordon Anderson (PNNL); Tim Axelrod, LSST Corporation; Dirk Duellmann, (CERN); Tim Frazier, Los Alamos National Laboratory; James Frew, University of California, Santa Barbara; Michael Godin, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute; and Bill Howe, Oregon Health & Science University, on the SciDB advisory board. (Posted 2/1/2009)

Steven Wiley Invited to Join National Research Council Review Panel

Steven Wiley, Lead Scientist for Biology at the Department of Energy's EMSL, was selected to serve as a reviewer on the 2009 National Research Council Research Associateship Programs. The programs fund postdoctoral fellows, senior scientists and engineers, and faculty to work on research problems of their choice in federal laboratories. The Council receives around 800 applications every year for these programs. The NRC selects about 300 of these applications for funding based on a competitive process that includes a review by one of five NRC panels.

One of the five panels is the Life Sciences panel, where Wiley will serve. On this panel, he will evaluate the impact and the approach of the research proposed in the applications four times a year. Also, he will discuss his recommendations with his colleagues on the panel, working to promote only the best possible research. Wiley will serve on the panel for three years.

Wiley was chosen because of his scientific expertise in molecular and systems biology, such as the research into large-scale protein-protein interactions and cell signaling networks. In addition, he is an experienced leader, currently working as the steward for EMSL's Biological Interactions and Dynamics science theme and as Director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Biomolecular Systems Initiative. Further, he has experience with advisory committees, including the National Institutes of Health and Burroughs Wellcome Fund. (Posted 2/1/2009)

Yanwen Zhang joins Editorial Board of Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research

Yanwen Zhang, a scientist at the Department of Energy's EMSL, has been invited to serve a 3-year term on the advisory editorial board of Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research, Section B. This journal, published by Elsevier, is one of the top-10 journals by impact factor in the field of nuclear science and technology and covers all aspects of the interaction of energetic beams, such as ion, electron, and photon beams, with solids. Related topics, such as applying ion beam analysis to biological, archaeological and geological samples, are covered. Notable conferences publish their proceedings in this peer-reviewed journal.

At EMSL, Zhang leads materials analysis and modification research projects in the ion accelerator laboratory. Her work covers topics such as single ion impact, nanoscale defect engineering, ion/electron-solid interaction, radiation detector physics, ion-beam modification and synthesis of materials, electrochemical oxidation of nuclear reactor fuel cladding, and application of ion-beam analysis techniques. Because of her research and experience, Zhang has participated in prestigious symposiums, including the 2008 German-American Frontiers of Engineering Symposium and the 14th Annual German-American Kavli Frontiers of Science Symposium. Also, she has won several awards, including the 2005 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers and the docent title from the Lund University in Sweden.

With her collaborators around the world, she has written or co-written more than 120 journal articles. She is a co-editor for a book Ion Beams in Nanoscience and Technology (Springer Verlag, Berlin). She regularly mentors her postdoctoral fellows and collaborators in writing articles and is known as an outstanding reviewer. (Posted 1/1/2009)

Eric Richman Joins Canadian Task Group on Lighting and Electrical Power

Eric Richman was invited to become an official member of the Canadian Task Group on Lighting and Electrical Power as they gear up to update Canada's Model National Energy Code for Buildings.

He is lending his expertise to help Canada make its buildings more energy efficient—thus saving energy, saving money and lowering their carbon footprint. Eric, a lighting expert for the DOE's Building Energy Codes Program (BECP), has informally supported the Canadian Task Group on Lighting and Electrical Power since July 2008.

In his work with BECP, Eric supports DOE's Commercial Codes Initiative by helping the primary commercial code-making body in the U.S., American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, increase the stringency and applicability of energy standards for new buildings. In its invitation to Eric, the Canadian group wrote "Your input to date has been invaluable to the Task Group and is greatly appreciated." More Info... (.doc) (Posted 1/1/2009)

Kelly Sullivan Elected to Governing Board of Council for Chemical Research

Kelly Sullivan, Office of the Deputy Director for Science and Technology, was elected to the Governing Board of the Council for Chemical Research (CCR) in December 2008. Kelly Sullivan was nominated for the position and her appointment was confirmed by vote from the CCR membership. She will serve a full term of three years and represent the Laboratory and other government and national laboratories on the board.

The Council for Chemical Research, headquartered in Washington, D.C., aims to benefit society by influencing the success of chemistry-related science and engineering research. It promotes cooperation in basic research and encourages high-quality education in the chemical sciences and engineering. The Council's membership comprises more than 200 companies, universities and government laboratories with a combined research and development budget of more than $7 billion.

Kelly Sullivan, who leads the Laboratory's Office of Institutional Partnerships, was already active in the Council for Chemical Research before receiving the current board appointment. She serves as co-chair of The Council's Annual Meeting Planning committee and she co-leads the Graduate Education Action Network. (Posted 1/1/2009)

Bruce D. Kay Invited to Join Journal of Chemical Physics Editorial Board

Bruce D. Kay has accepted an invitation to join the editorial board of the Journal of Chemical Physics. As a board member, Kay will referee submissions and help monitor the journal's editorial policy in terms of scope covered and paper quality. His three-year appointment begins in January 2009.

The Journal of Chemical Physics, published by the American Institute of Physics, contains articles on research in methods and applications of traditional and newer areas of chemical physics. The institute publishes content online daily and in 48 printed issues a year.

Kay is an international expert in condensed phase chemical kinetics and molecular dynamics. His work provides a detailed understanding of the molecular-level interactions responsible for phase transitions and catalytic reactions. Kay conducts much of his work at the Department of Energy's EMSL, a national scientific user facility at PNNL.

Kay is also known for his experience as a noted author and conscientious reviewer. Kay has written or co-written more than 120 journal articles and technical reports. He mentors many postdoctoral fellows at PNNL both in research and in preparing manuscripts for publication. (Posted 1/1/2009)

Wenning Liu Appointed to the Editorial Board of Advances in OptoElectronics

Wenning Liu has been appointed to the Editorial Board of Advances in OptoElectronics as an associate editor. Liu's appointment began November 2008. Advances in OptoElectronics is a peer-reviewed open access journal aimed at accelerating worldwide recognition, dissemination, and utilization of the most recent findings and achievements in optoelectronics.

Liu Joined PNNL in 2005 and has more than 18 years of research experience in the fields of computational material, computational mechanics, and mathematics with related expertise in: finite element analysis, fatigue/failure/fracture tests and analyses; thermal-mechanical design; dynamic simulation of high speed impact; and CAD/CAM/CFD design and modeling. In the area of optoelectronics, Liu's research is focused on the reliability analysis, and design of optoelectronic packaging, including failure analysis of optoelectronic packaging, development of automatic alignment algorithm of optoelectronic packaging, and stress analysis of various IC packaging.

Liu has a doctorate from the Harbin Institute of Technology's School of Aerospace Engineering in Harbin, China. (Posted 1/1/2009)

2008 Elected Positions and Offices

Jason Tomlinson to Lead Interagency Coordinating Committee for Airborne Geosciences Research and Application

Jason Tomlinson was appointed to lead the prestigious national group, Interagency Coordinating Committee for Airborne Geosciences Research and Application. The committee works to increase the effective use of the federal airborne fleet for geoscience research, including national and international field campaigns. The organization consists of federal agencies that sponsor aircraft and related instruments for geoscience research. Members include DOE, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Naval Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and United States Geological Survey. (Posted 12/1/2008)

Michael Dupuis Appointed to Journal of Physical Chemistry Advisory Board

Dr. Michel Dupuis has accepted an invitation to join the advisory board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry. As a member of this international board, Dupuis will consult with the board on questions about the journal's policy and future while continuing to referee manuscripts submitted to the journal.

Dupuis was selected for his more than 30 years of expertise in theoretical and computational chemistry, a field of research where he develops and applies theories, methods and computer algorithms to the study of chemical problems. His research deals with the electronic structure and reactivity of molecules, clusters, and materials involved in gas phase and condensed phase chemistry, catalysis, electrochemistry, and biochemistry.

In addition, Dupuis strongly supports the scientific community. He publishes extensively, having authored or co-authored 170+ journal articles. He lectures at many national and international conferences. Also, he routinely mentors college students and post-doctoral fellows and serves as adjunct faculty at Washington State University-Tri Cities.

Founded by the American Chemical Society in 1896, the Journal of Physical Chemistry was recently divided into three journals because of the growth in the field. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A covers experimental and theoretical research on the structure, dynamics, and spectroscopy of molecules and clusters. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B focuses on material chemistry, thermodynamics, and related fields. It is in the top 20 journals of the physical chemistry field. The newest journal, Journal of Physical Chemistry C, focuses on nanoscience. Each journal is published weekly. (Posted 11/1/2008)

Dave Koppenaal to Serve on International Advisory Board for New Journal

David Koppenaal has been invited to serve a 3-year term on the International Advisory Board for the new journal Metallomics: Integrated biometal science. The journal is a Royal Society of Chemistry publication that will be launched in January 2009. Metallomics is the integrated study of metals and metal species and their interactions, transformations and functions in biological systems. The subject is receiving great attention as a new frontier in the investigation of trace elements in biology and is expected to develop as an interdisciplinary science complementary to metabolomics and proteomics.

Koppenaal is a Laboratory Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory who leads the Biological Separations and Mass Spectrometry Group within the Biological Sciences Division. His research has been principally focused on the development of atomic mass spectrometry for inorganic and isotopic characterization, and the demonstration of new analytical techniques and instruments for environmental, nuclear, non-proliferation and biological/health problems.

Koppenaal and co-workers at PNNL have pioneered the application of inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry as a powerful and relevant radioanalytical tool and demonstrated its use for radioactive waste characterization, ultra-trace nuclear forensics use and, most recently, metallomics applications.

His more than 75 publications include several invited review articles, and he is a frequent keynote and plenary lecturer at major conferences. Koppenaal recently completed a 7-year term as Editorial Board member for the RSC publication Journal of Analytical and Atomic Spectrometry. Koppenaal is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the American Chemistry Society and the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. (Posted 11/1/2008)

John McCoy elected vice president of regional network consortium

John McCoy was elected by the participants of the Northern Tier Network Consortium (NTNC) to serve as vice president. The NTNC is a regional initiative aimed at creating robust network connections for participating research institutions in the northwestern states. The goals of the NTNC and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are aligned in their focus to improve network connectivity through investments in regional optical networks. John's work with the consortium will ensure the alignment of PNNL's network implementation with NTNC's plans to create an integrated research and education network capability.

PNNL is proud of John's commitment to educational, research, and economic vitality of the Northern region through his appointment with NTNC. (Posted 11/1/2008)

Jim Dooley Appointed Associate Editor of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Journal

Jim Dooley, a senior staff scientist with the Joint Global Change Research Institute, was named associate editor in October for the world's first peer-reviewed journal to cover carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies. The publication, the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, focuses on greenhouse gas abatement options with an emphasis on the power, manufacturing, and production industries. The journal covers issues associated with greenhouse gas mitigation, carbon dioxide capture and storage, alternative mitigation options, implementation case studies, and policy and economic assessments of these advanced energy systems. Elsevier publishes the journal.

Dooley was formerly a member of the editorial board for the journal since its inception in 2007. In his new role as associate editor, Dooley is responsible for ensuring that submitted papers meet scientific standards, coordinating reviews, and communicating with authors. He will cover papers related to integrated systems, economics, and economic modeling of systems related to carbon dioxide capture and storage and low-carbon energy systems.

At the Joint Global Change Research Institute, Dooley leads research related to the role of carbon dioxide capture and storage in addressing climate change. Dooley co-developed a state-of-the-art geographic information-based model for examining the large-scale deployment of carbon management technologies in the United States. Dooley and his research team have authored more than 100 technical reports and peer-reviewed articles on the role of technology and climate change. He was a significant contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage, a 2005 landmark international scientific assessment on the role of carbon dioxide capture and storage in addressing climate change. The Joint Global Change Research Institute, in College Park, Maryland, is a partnership of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland. (Posted 10/1/2008)

Steven C. Baker Appointed Chair of ANSI N 13.6 Working Group

Steven Baker was appointed chair of an American National Standards Institute Working Group. The group will evaluate the current occupational radiation exposure records systems. (Posted 10/1/2008)

Baer Named Reviews Editor for Journal

Don Baer was selected to serve as the Reviews Editor for Surface and Interface Analysis. This international, refereed journal is devoted to publishing papers on developing and applying techniques for characterizing surfaces, interfaces, and thin films. As the Reviews Editor, Baer will work with world-leading scientists to obtain articles on topics of interest to the journal's audience of materials scientists, physicists, physical chemists, and others. In addition to traditional review articles, he will encourage leading scientists to prepare perspectives on current research directions and technology advances and tutorial articles. At the Department of Energy's EMSL, Baer is the Lead Scientist for Interfacial Chemistry. He is internationally known for applying surface analysis methods to examine the reactive properties of oxides and mineral surfaces, determining behaviors of nanostructured materials, and understanding corrosion processes. He specializes in using surface sensitive techniques to study surface interphase reactions and materials surface chemistry. In the scientific community, Baer is in demand. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, edited books and special journal issues, and lectured at major conferences. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the AVS and a member of the American Physical Society and the Electrochemical Society, among others. He has served as an associate editor on Surface Science Spectra since 1991. In addition, he serves on the Surface and Interface Analysis publication's advisory board. (Posted 10/1/2008)

Steven Baker Appointed Chair of ANSI N 13.6 Working Group

Steven Baker, Energy & Environment Directorate, was appointed chair of an American National Standards Institute Working Group. Baker is an accomplished Health and Safety Manager specializing in radiation protection support services with proven ability to direct technical operations and lead employees in support of company goals and vision. The working group will evaluate the current occupational radiation exposure records systems. (Posted 10/1/2008)

Mike Schwenk appointed to board of directors for Washington Technology Center

Washington State Governor, Chris Gregoire, appointed Mike Schwenk, Director of Technology Deployment and Outreach, to the board of directors for the Washington Technology Center. The WTC is a statewide economic development organization focused on technology and innovation. The organization's board is comprised of business and academic leaders who serve as the governing arm of the state-charted agency, which promotes technology and innovation-based economic development throughout Washington. Mike will serve a three-year term. Mike has 30 years of technical and business management experience in government, non-profit and corporate settings. For the past ten years, he has championed numerous efforts that moved research out of the science laboratory and into the business community. His service on numerous regional and national boards and policy committees for government, industry and academia gives the Lab a leadership position in the national debate on how to collaborate across large research organizations. (Posted 9/1/2008)

Katrina Waters Appointed to Editorial Board of Toxicology Journal

Dr. Katrina Waters, a senior research scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been appointed to the Editorial Board of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2008. The toxicology journal publishes original scientific research pertaining to action of chemicals, drugs, or natural products to animals or humans.

Dr. Waters is currently involved in the Systems Toxicology of Nanomaterials focus area of the Environmental Biomarkers Initiative and the PNNL Center for Novel Biomarkers of Response. Her research includes biosignature discovery from integrated microarray and proteomic data describing lung inflammation from nanoparticle exposure and environmental exposures, including disease susceptibility factors. Dr. Waters joined PNNL in 2004. Prior to that, she was a senior research biochemist in Molecular & Investigative Toxicology at Merck Research Labs in West Point, PA. (July 2008)

(Posted 7/1/2008)

Yuehe Lin Named to Second Term on Advisory Board for Chemistry Journal Talanta

Dr. Yuehe Lin has been named to a second term on the advisory board of Talanta. This long-standing international scientific journal publishes original pure and applied analytical chemistry research. As a member of the board, Lin reviews submissions and advises the editors to accept, reject, or suggest changes to the submittals, driving high-quality results into the scientific literature.

Lin was asked to continue on the board because of his diligence, thoroughness, and expertise in nanotechnology, particularly in developing nanobioelectronic devices and nanomaterials for biomedical diagnosis and drug delivery. He is also known for developing microanalytical systems to perform environmental and biomedical analyses, and synthesizing nanoengineered catalysts for fuel cells as part of PNNL's Institute for Interfacial Catalysis and as a user at the Department of Energy's EMSL .

Lin has been actively serving on international scientific community for many years. After finishing his first term as the North American Editor of the Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Lin continues to serve for the journal as an Associate Editor. Lin also serves on the editorial advisory boards of 15 other international journals.

(Posted 7/1/2008)

Steven Wiley appointed to Burroughs Wellcome Fund Advisory Committee

Steven Wiley, Lead Scientist for Biology at DOE's EMSL, was appointed to an advisory committee for the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, a private, philanthropic organization. The committee will evaluate applications for their Institutional Program Unifying Population and Laboratory-Based Sciences. This program was created to bridge the gap between population approaches to human health and basic biomedical research. The program provides grants of $500,000 per year for 5 years to stimulate graduate student training programs and to bring together scientists working in fundamental sciences as well as those in schools of medicine and public health.

As a member of the advisory committee, Wiley will evaluate and provide guidance on the directions and progress of the institutional program. This includes reviewing numerous grant proposals and attending conferences, such as an upcoming workshop on microbial systems in Denver, Colorado.

Wiley was appointed to the committee, a long-term commitment, because of his scientific and educational expertise in integrating molecular and systems biology, such as the research he is leading as Director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory�s Biomolecular Systems Initiative. In addition, he has experience in serving on advisory committees to the National Institutes of Health as well as university advisory committees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Vanderbilt University.

(Posted 7/1/2008)

Paul Stansbury Elected President of the American Academy of Health Physics

Paul Stansbury has been elected president of the American Academy of Health Physics. AAHP advances the profession of Health Physics, encourages the highest standards of ethics and integrity in the practice of Health Physics, enhances communications among Certified Health Physicists and provides a means for active CHPs to participate in the certification program. As a scientist, Paul specializes in the assessment and mitigation of human health risks in the workplace and the environment.

His experience includes university, private enterprise, and national laboratory positions as a senior technical contributor, line manager, project manager, and professor. He currently is working on a project for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to install radiation portal monitors at all locations where people or materials may enter the country to detect the illicit import of radioactive or nuclear material. (Posted 5/1/2008)

Blaine Metting Appointed to Fourth Term on Oregon Bioscience Association Board

Blaine Metting was appointed to a fourth term on the Oregon Bioscience Association's board of directors for 2008. In this role, Metting represents Battelle and shares responsibility for assessing regional research capabilities for the association. The Oregon Bioscience Association is a non-profit membership association supporting Oregon's bioscience industry.

Metting currently manages the Biological & Environmental Sciences Product Line and the Fundamental & Computational Sciences Directorate's 1831-contract business at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He joined the Laboratory in 1990 as a Senior Research Scientist, and has been a program manager since 1993. (Posted 5/1/2008)

Tom Metz Named to Proteomic Insights Editorial Board

Dr. Tom Metz has been appointed to the Editorial Board of Proteomic Insights, a new peer-reviewed journal published by Libertas Academica. According to a release from Dr. Hassan Dihazi, editor in chief, the journal covers all areas of proteomics including basic proteomic research; structural, functional, property, and interaction analysis of cellular systems, organelles, and protein complexes; and protein expression profiling for the discovery and validation of diagnostic and prognostic disease biomarkers.

Metz is a Senior Research Scientist for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; his areas of expertise include metabolomic methods' development and application to disease profiling in biological fluids and tissues, and non-enzymatic modification of tissue proteins by products of glucose and lipid oxidation. Metz began a post-doctorate tenure at PNNL in 2003; he joined PNNL in 2005. (Posted 5/1/2008)

Moe Khaleel Appointed to Editorial Board of Computers, Materials, & Continua

Congratulations to Moe Khaleel was recently appointed to the editorial board of Computers, Materials, & Continua. CMC publishes original research papers of reasonable permanent value in the areas of computational materials science and engineering, at various length scales (quantum, nano, micro, meso, macro) and various time scales (picoseconds to hours). Both structural as well as functional materials, composite materials, and inorganic as well as organic materials, are of interest. Papers which deal with computational modeling of the mechanics, physics, chemistry, and biology (and their interactions) of all modern materials are welcome. Papers that advance the paradigm of materials by design from the bottom up, and top-down, are strongly solicited. (Posted 4/1/2008)

Subhash Singhal appointed to Executive Advisory Board

Subhash Singhal, Battelle Fellow and Director of Fuel Cells for PNNL's Energy and Environment Directorate, has been appointed an Executive Advisory Board Member of the Florida Institute for Sustainable Energy (FISE) at the University of Florida. FISE brings together the broad research capabilities at the University of Florida to address societal needs for a sustainable energy future. The institute's structure covers numerous units within the Colleges of Engineering, Business, Law, Building Construction, Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Natural Resources, and the University Office of Sustainability. FISE provides the necessary umbrella organization to promote interdisciplinary research and education, and its facilities include the FISE Energy Technology Incubator to accelerate commercialization of energy technologies. (Posted 2/1/2008)

2007 Elected Positions and Offices

Jeff Stevenson Appointed Associate Editor by the American Ceramic Society

Jeff Stevenson, a Laboratory Fellow, has been appointed an Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Ceramic Society for a two-year term. This Journal is among the top sources for ceramic materials science research, providing scientists, engineers, and students with critically assessed, original research for nearly 100 years. Ranked first in total citations and third in impact factor among all journals in the materials science-ceramics category, the journal publishes twelve issues per year filled with top quality research that spans the diverse segments of ceramic science. Topics cover a broad range including: glass science, crystal chemistry, microscopy and microstructure, bioceramic science, powder processing and colloidal science. Jeff will primarily be responsible for reviewing and editing manuscripts in the field of solid oxide fuel cells. (Posted 12/7/2007)

Charles Long Appointed to The Open Ocean Engineering Journal Editorial Advisory Board

Dr. Charles Long was recently appointed editor of the The Open Ocean Engineering Journal, published by Bentham Science Publishers. As editor, Long will review contributed manuscripts, accept or reject papers, and be responsible for gathering new and interesting research for the journal. He will play an important role in influencing the current policies and future direction of the journal.

Long is active in the scientific community and was selected for this appointment based upon his reputation in the field. He currently serves as a member of the Oceans Observations Working Group, which is part of the International World Meteorological Organization Baseline Surface Radiation Network. In addition, he participated in the National Science Foundation's Facilities Assessment subcommittee on In Situ Surface and Surface-Atmosphere Exchange, which includes ocean measurements. For the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, Long serves as the Tropical Western Pacific Site Scientist and the Science Translator for the ARM Instantaneous Radiative Flux Working Group.

The Open Ocean Engineering Journal is one of the many new Open Access online peer-reviewed journals. Using an all-electronic format, the journal publishes original research articles, short articles, and review articles in all areas of ocean engineering. (Posted 12/1/2007)

Mariah Zabriskie named standing chair to the National GEM Consortium Executive Committee

Mariah Zabriskie, Organizational Development Systems Directorate, has been named standing chair to the National GEM Consortium executive committee. PNNL is a major GEM sponsor. Its national mission is to increase the number of underrepresented minorities going into science and engineering graduate programs. (Posted 11/30/2007)

Mark Engelhard Appointed Associate Editor for Surface Science Spectra

Mark Engelhard has been invited to be an Associate Editor for Surface Science Spectra, an international journal devoted to archiving surface science spectra of technological and scientific interest. It is a peer-reviewed official journal of the AVS Science and Technology Society and is published by the society through the American Institute of Physics. (Posted 11/5/2007)

Kelly Sullivan Elected to Council for Chemical Research

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Dr. Kelly O. Sullivan was elected to the Governing Board of the Council for Chemical Research. She will represent the Laboratory on the board.

The Council for Chemical Research, headquartered in Washington, D.C., promotes cooperation in basic research and encourages high-quality education in the chemical sciences and engineering. The Council's membership comprises more than 200 companies, universities and government laboratories with a combined research and development budget of more than $7 billion.

Sullivan, who leads the Laboratory's Office of Institutional Partnerships, already was active in the Council for Chemical Research before receiving the current board appointment. She serves on the Council's Annual Meeting Planning committee and co-leads the Graduate Education Action Network.

At PNNL, Sullivan is responsible for developing and maintaining collaborations and partnerships with colleges, universities and other research institutions that help the Laboratory achieve its missions for the nation and the world. Sullivan also serves on the Board of Directors for Sigma Xi—the Scientific Research Society, and was a member of the National Innovation Initiative team assembled by the Council on Competitiveness, among other national leadership roles. (Posted 11/5/2007)

Lai-Sheng Wang Appointed to Editorial Board for The Journal of Physical Chemistry

An Affiliate Senior Chief Scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a professor at Washington State University Tri-Cities, Dr. Lai-Sheng Wang was appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of The Journal of Physical Chemistry. During his term, Wang will influence the current policies and future direction of this highly respected and highly cited publication.

Wang was selected for this three-year appointment based on his distinguished and innovative contributions to the field of atomic clusters and for pioneering work on gaseous multiply-charged anions. During his 20 years in research, Wang has written or co-written more than 260 publications. He is active in the scientific community, working with the American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, Materials Research Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, where he was recently named a Fellow. (Posted 11/5/2007)

Dick Smith Elected to HUPO Council

Dick Smith was elected to a 2-year term to the Council of the Human Proteome Organization at the HUPO World Congress in Seoul, Korea, October 10. HUPO is an international scientific organization representing and promoting proteomics through international cooperation and collaborations by fostering the development of new technologies, techniques and training. The HUPO Council is the organization's decision-making body.

Smith, a Battelle Fellow and Chief Scientist and Director of Proteomics for PNNL's Biological Sciences Division, is an internationally known proteomics expert. His current research emphasis involves the development and application of new methods for quantitatively probing the proteome, which is the entire array of proteins expressed by a cell, tissue or organism. Smith is Director of the Proteomics Research Resource for Integrative Biology at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He has authored or coauthored more than 600 publications, and has been awarded 30 patents and seven R&D 100 Awards. (Posted 10/15/2007)

Nik Qafoku to Serve Three-Year Term as Associate Editor on Editorial Board of the Soil Science Society of America Journal

Nik Qafoku is serving a three-year term as an associate editor on the editorial board of the Soil Science Society of America Journal. As a member of the board, Nik works to ensure the quality of the articles that are published. In agricultural and soil science, this journal rates at the top in number of citations and third in terms of impact. In serving on the board, Nik has a broad and deep knowledge of the scientific literature. Further, he has and is continuing to build connections with his scientific peers around the world. Through this work, Nik is helping to make top-quality information on soil chemistry available to researchers around the world. (Posted 6/1/2007)

James R. Campbell appointed Associate Professor of Global Health at George Washington University School of Global Health and Health Services

James R. Campbell was appointed Associate Professor of Global Health, in the George Washington University School of Global Health and Health Services, Washington, D.C. The school is internationally recognized for programs in risk science and environmental health, ecosystems and human health, homeland security, and informatics. Jim joined PNNL in 2005 as a manager in the physical and chemical sciences division. He currently is guiding biological security and biological defense programs and initiatives for national security applications. (Posted 4/1/2007)

Wayne Hess to Serve on Editorial Board for Laser Chemistry

Manager of PNNL's Chemical Structure and Dynamics Group, Wayne Hess has been selected to serve on the editorial board for Laser Chemistry. With his peers on the board, which include experts from universities, research foundations, and government councils, Wayne will review technical articles that have been screened by a team of associate editors. When he receives the articles, he will study the manuscript and vote for publishing or rejecting it based on the strength of the science and the clarity of the communication.

An international journal, Laser Chemistry focuses on fundamental studies and applications within the field of laser chemical physics and spectroscopy.

Wayne was selected to serve on the editorial board because of his experience in laser-induced reactions in solids and at surfaces, including his ongoing studies in laser desorption from wide-band gap materials, metal oxides, and semiconductors. In addition, he is actively engaged in collaboration with theory groups to understand the dynamical details of condensed phase reaction dynamics, working towards a broad, material-based mechanistic understanding of excited state reactivity in solids and at surfaces. (Posted 4/1/2007)

Darrell Fisher to Advise Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the Use of Medical Isotopes

Darrell Fisher has been appointed a member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI). The ACMUI advises the NRC on policy and technical issues related to the regulation of the medical use of radioactive material.

Darrell was selected for this appointment because of his strong knowledge of radiation sciences. He specializes in the health effects and dosimetry-related exposure of radioactive materials. In addition, Darrell knows the medical uses of isotopes, has experience with patient advocacy organizations and has worked with cancer patients who have questions about different treatment methods. (Posted 3/21/2007)

Jim Dooley Appointed to Program Committee on Greenhouse Gas Technologies

Jim Dooley was appointed to the Program Committee for the Ninth International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Technologies (GHGT-9). The GHGT conference series is the premier international symposium for the technical community focused on carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies, and is coordinated through the International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme. This programme has three main activities:

Evaluation of technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
Promotion and dissemination of results and data from its evaluation studies,
Facilitating practical research, development and demonstration activities

The GHGT-9 conference will be held on November 16-20, 2008, in Washington DC, with major sponsorship provided by the U.S. Department of Energy. These conferences are held every two years in the programme' s member countries, AND rotate BETWEEN North America, Europe AND Asia. < / p > < p > Jim IS a senior staff scientist located at the Joint Global Change Research Institute(JGCRI), a collaborative partnership BETWEEN the Pacific Northwest NATIONAL Laboratory AND the University OF Maryland. (Posted 3/12/2007)

Vanessa Bailey Joins Editorial Board of Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Vanessa Bailey was appointed to the Editorial Board of Soil Biology and Biochemistry, a leading journal that is a forum for research on soil organisms, their biochemical activities and their influence on the soil environment and plant growth. Publication themes include the biochemistry of pesticide and pollution decomposition in soil, microbial aspects of soil pollution, the composition of soil populations, modeling of biological processes in soil systems and the biochemical activities of soil organisms.

As a member, Vanessa will referee submissions and help monitor the journal's editorial policy in terms of scope covered and paper quality. She was chosen for this position because of her scientific reputation as a soil microbiologist and her thorough approach to manuscript review. (Posted 3/8/2007)

Vanessa Bailey Joins Editorial Board of Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Metting Named Chair of International Scientific Network

Blaine Metting was installed as Chair of the Microalgae Biofixation Network under the auspices of the International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Research & Development Programme. Metting, who is Biological and Environmental Sciences Product Line Manager at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, replaced outgoing chair Dr. Paola Pedroni of EniTecnologie, the research arm of the Italian oil company Eni.

The Microalgae Biofixation Network was organized based on an initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy and EniTecnologie. Its purpose is to build multi-institutional research collaborations and share scientific findings related to fundamental understanding of photosynthesis and microalgal productivity and applications to greenhouse gas abatement.

Metting was installed at a meeting of the Network at the University of California, Berkeley, February 16, 2007. Fifty international attendees from industry, academia and government attended the meeting. PNNL has been a Network member for 3 years.

PNNL is currently engaged in research with microalgae in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory Biology Grand Challenge. The Marine Sciences Laboratory at Sequim, Washington, has DOE Office of Fossil Energy support to investigate the relationship between algal productivity and growth rate. (Posted 2/23/2007)

Michel Dupuis Named Specialist Editor for Computer Physics Journal

Michel Dupuis to serve another term as a specialist editor for Computer Physics Communications. Published by Elsevier, this journal contains articles on computational models in physics and physical chemistry, computer programs in physics and physical chemistry, numerical methods, algorithms and software.

As a specialist editor, a role he has held with the journal since 1998, Michel reviews articles submitted to the journal, providing comments and assistance to his colleagues around the world. He also suggests special topics and directions for upcoming issues.

The journal''s editorial board asked Michel to take this role because of his thorough and insightful reviews, his impressive publication record, and his extensive knowledge of theoretical and computational chemistry. He is known for his research in developing and applying theoretical and computational chemistry methods relevant to environmental chemistry, electrochemistry, biochemistry, catalysis, and nanoscience. (Posted 2/23/2007)

Governor appoints Gary Spanner to 3-year term on Sirti board of directors

Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire recently appointed Gary Spanner, Economic Development Office, to serve a three-year term on the Sirti board of directors. Sirti is a state agency in Spokane engaged in technology-based economic development for the Inland Northwest. Having a staff member from PNNL on the board is part of Sirti's strategy to better serve entrepreneurs in Benton and Franklin counties. Gary's term of office runs through June 2009. Sirti board members develop and produce policies and operating procedures, approve the annual operating budget and review annual progress. (Posted 1/22/2007)

Jonathan Young appointed to the National Research Council Standing Committee on Operational Science and Technology Options for Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices.

Jonathan Young has accepted an appointment to the National Research Council Standing Committee on Operational Science and Technology Options for Defeating Improvised Explosive Devices. The committee organizes studies to research, develop and implement advanced science and technologies to defeat the growing threats and strategies used to assemble and deploy IEDs. Jonathan will provide risk assessment and system engineering expertise. Jonathan''s years of experience in systems and safety engineering, safety analysis and his international recognition as a probabilistic safety assessor make him an excellent choice to serve on this committee. (Posted 1/8/2007)

Yanwen Zhang Receives Guest Professor Appointment at Peking University

Based on her international recognition and scientific advances in the area of ion-solid interactions, Yanwen Zhang has been awarded a unique offsite Guest Professor appointment at Peking University, one of the top universities in China. There, Yanwen will supervise graduate student research, enhance PNNL-Peking University collaborations, and contribute to strengthening fundamental ion-beam research at the university. (Posted 1/1/2007)

2006 Elected Positions and Offices

Don Baer Named to Editorial Advisory Board of Surface and Interface Analysis

Don Baer has been named to the editorial advisory board of Surface and Interface Analysis. The journal is devoted to the publication of papers dealing with the development and application of techniques for the characterization of surfaces, interfaces and thin films. Don has frequently published with his collaborators in this journal and will serve in this capacity with more than 20 of his colleagues from national and international academic, industrial, and government institutions. (Posted 12/1/2006)

Bruce Napier to Advise Environmental Protection Agency

This committee provides advice on the science and technology of protecting people and the environment from radiation exposure. In addition, the committee comments on the science of radiation studies, which are critical to the nation's environmental regulations and policies.

The committee selected Bruce because of his experience and reputation for tackling complex issues. For nearly 30 years, Bruce has developed and operated models on the environmental transport of radiological and chemical contaminants. (Posted 11/1/2006)

Young Appointed to National Research Committee on Improvised Explosive Devices

Jonathan's years of experience in systems and safety engineering, safety analysis and his international recognition as a probabilistic safety assessor make him an excellent choice to serve on this committee. (Posted 11/1/2006)

Steve Ghan Appointed to Journal of Geophysical Research Editorial Board

Steve Ghan was appointed to a 4-year term as editor for the Atmospheres section of the Journal of Geophysical Research, published by the American Geophysical Union (AGU). In his role as editor, Ghan has authority to accept or reject papers, as well as the responsibility for attracting new and interesting research to the journal. Along with fellow editors, Ghan will play a critical role in assuring the journal continues to be the most important in its field, and serve the needs of both authors and readers.

In his congratulatory letter, AGU President Tim Killeen stated that the search committee spoke highly of Ghan's commitment to improve the journal, notably by promoting additional special sections devoted to specific research areas. They also noted that Ghan's broad research interests and ties to the international research community made him especially qualified to enhance the interdisciplinary aspects of the journal. Ghan joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 1990 and focuses his research on climate modeling.

The AGU is a worldwide scientific community that, through cooperative research, advances the understanding of earth and space for the benefit of humanity. It publishes more than a dozen peer-reviewed journals ranging from earth and oceans to atmosphere, space, and planets. (Posted 11/1/2006)

Steven Wiley Joins National Institutes of Health Scientific Review Panel

Effective September 28, 2006, he will serve a 4-year term on the Genomics, Computational Biology and Technology (GCAT) Study Section. Study sections review grant applications submitted to the NIH, make recommendations on the applications to the appropriate NIH council or board, and survey the status of research in their fields of science. Members are selected on the basis of demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline, as evidenced by quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals, and other significant scientific activities, achievements, and honors. The GCAT will consider research grant applications involving global and integrative analyses of biological systems, and the development of new computational and experimental methods. Wiley leads PNNL's systems biology program, developing and leveraging PNNL's unique capabilities in cell imaging, computational biology, and high throughput proteomics to understand cell communication. He was recently named biology lead for the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory at PNNL. Wiley is the author or co-author of more than 130 scientific journal articles, review articles, and book chapters. (Posted 10/1/2006)

Benoit Mandelbrot Decorated as Officer in National Order of the Legion of Honor

Benoit Mandelbrot, one of the world's most influential mathematicians and a Battelle Fellow, recently participated in two events. In Paris, Benoit attended a ceremony held by his alma mater, École Polytechnique, where he was decorated as an Officer in the National Order of the Legion of Honor. Benoit was awarded this honor for his legendary work in fractals and contributions to mathematics. The Order, founded by Napoleon Bonaparte, recognizes eminent service to the Republic of France. This is the French equivalent to the National Academy of Science. In Madrid, Benoit gave a plenary talk on "The Nature of Roughness in Mathematics, Science and Art" at the International Congress of Mathematicians. The event attracted a large number of participants, students and mathematicians. ICM is a scientific event that brings together mathematicians from all over the world, and demonstrates the vital role that mathematicians play in our society. (Posted 9/1/2006)

Carbaugh Shaping National Policy to Monitor and Decontaminate People after a Nuclear Event

Gene Carbaugh has been appointed to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements study providing recommendations for monitoring people exposed during a nuclear or radiological incident, such as nuclear reactor accident or a dirty bomb detonation. Gene will also help develop methodologies to decontaminate those exposed. The work will help the U.S. government if it is ever forced to respond to a nuclear or radiological incident.

A certified health physicist, Gene was selected for this study because he has 30 years experience in applied internal dosimetry, radiological and environmental safety, radiation measurements and their interpretation, and nuclear reactor maintenance and construction. (Posted 8/1/2006)

PNNL Researcher Seeks to Enhance Human and Technology Interactions

Tom Sanquist, NSD Staff Research Scientist located in Seattle, has been appointed a member of the National Research Council's Committee on Human-System Design Support for Changing Technology. The appointment runs from 2005 to 2007. The committee is chartered to develop a vision for incorporating human factors engineering considerations into the design process for complex systems, especially in view of technologies that are changing rapidly and increasing in complexity.

The committee members will consider techniques for an integrated, interdisciplinary, adaptable human-system design methodology and tools that can be applied in both civilian and military arenas. A report will be issued by the committee in 2007 with recommendations on a program of research and development required to achieve its findings.

Tom's research at PNNL focuses on the use of analytic and experimental methods for designing and evaluating user interactions with complex systems. He has applied his expertise to intelligence analysis, security systems, transportation, imaging devices, satellite control systems, nuclear power plants, and military command and control. Tom has designed and implemented significant large-scale systems such as the Air Force Satellite Control Network user interface and has performed a variety of human factors work for the Radiation Portal Monitoring Program. (Posted 8/1/2006)

Jim Fredrickson Appointed to NRC Committee

PNNL Fellow Jim Fredrickson has accepted a provisional appointment as a member of the National Research Council's Committee on the Astrobiology Strategy for the Exploration of Mars. The appointment runs January 2006-September 2007. The committee will undertake a study that defines a scientific strategy for the search for life on Mars. The members will consider techniques appropriate to the detection of extinct or extant life in situ and in the laboratory. Jim's research includes the microbial ecology and biogeochemistry subsurface environments using geochemical and molecular approaches. (Posted 7/1/2006)

János Szanyi Appointed to Editorial Advisory Board of Catalysis Letters

János Szanyi was appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of Catalysis Letters, a widely circulated journal that publishes rapid communications in the broad field of catalysis for the international community. As a member, János will advise the editors on matters concerning the journal, help in gathering quality publications, and review contributed manuscripts. He was chosen for this position because of his contributions and basic research on real and model catalyst systems. (Posted 7/1/2006)

Jim Dooley Appointed to Editorial Board for International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

Jim Dooley was appointed to the editorial board for the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, the first peer reviewed journal to focus on carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technologies. As a member of the editorial board, Jim's principal responsibility is to assist the journal editors with the refereeing of newly submitted articles. He also will encourage CCS researchers to submit their work to the journal. Jim was chosen for this position because of his cutting edge research on CCS and the role of this class of technologies in addressing climate change for PNNL's Joint Global Change Research Institute and Global Energy Technology Strategy projects. He also was chosen because of his role as the lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage. (Posted 6/1/2006)

Ellis Appointed to Canadian NMR Advisory Board

Laboratory Fellow Paul Ellis has been invited to a 3-year appointment as a member of the International Advisory Board for the National Ultrahigh-Field NMR Facility for Solids, a joint facility of the National Research Council Canada and the University of Ottawa. The board meets yearly to review the facility operations and provide comments, suggestions, and recommendations on operations. Dr. Ellis chairs the board; other members are Jean-Paul Amoureux (National Superior School of Chemistry in Lille, France) and Mark Smith (University of Warwick, UK).

Dr. Ellis attended a board meeting June 2 in Ottawa that was held in conjunction with dedication of the NMR Facility's 900-MHz spectrometer, which is the only one in Canada dedicated to the study of solids. (Posted 6/1/2006)

Chartrand Elected Vice President of InfraGard's Evergreen Chapter in Washington State

Greg Chartrand, a counterintelligence officer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been elected Vice President of InfraGard's Evergreen Chapter in Washington State. InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI and the private sector that was established to share information and intelligence regarding critical infrastructures. Chartrand specializes in information sciences and special technologies. He is the first PNNL employee to serve in the role of vice president of InfraGard's Evergreen chapter. (Posted 4/1/2006)

Bruce Napier to Chair Committee for National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements

Bruce Napier has been appointed Chair of a National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements committee preparing a report on fundamental principles of dose reconstruction. The report will discuss the scientific process of figuring out past radiation exposures of specific individuals.

Bruce was chosen for this position because of his experience in environmental radiation dose reconstruction. For the past 18 years, he has worked on projects collaborating with epidemiological studies, investigating the effects of radiation exposure on the public around both Hanford and the equivalent Russian nuclear facility at Mayak. Bruce is also the chair of both the US-Ukraine and US-Belarus Bi-National Advisory Groups for Chernobyl Studies. (Posted 3/1/2006)

Richard Benedick Appointed to National Research Council Committee on Analysis of Global Change Assessments

Richard Benedick has been appointed to a National Research Council committee on Analysis of Global Change Assessments. The committee will identify lessons learned from past assessments to guide future global change assessment activities of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program.

Richard was chosen for this position because of his experience in the State Department where he was responsible for U.S. international environmental policies and negotiations, as well as his work on climate policy at PNNL's Joint Global Change Research Institute. He was the chief U.S. negotiator and a principal architect of the historic Montreal Protocol on protection of the ozone layer, and the Special Advisor to Secretaries-General of both the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the International Conference on Population and Development. (Posted 3/1/2006)

2005 Elected Positions and Offices

Doug Ray Joins National Academy Chemical Sciences Roundtable

Doug Ray has been appointed to the National Academies' Chemical Sciences Roundtable. The CSR is a unique science-oriented, apolitical forum for leaders of the chemical enterprise. Its objectives are to facilitate enhanced understanding of issues in the chemical sciences and technologies that affect government, industry, academic, national laboratories, and nonprofit sectors, and the interactions among them.

As a member, Doug will attend several annual meetings and organize workshops on highly relevant and important topics. The proceedings of the workshops are made available to the chemical sciences community and are designed to enable follow-up discussion or action by others in the chemical sciences community. (Posted 12/1/2005)

Michel Dupuis Elected to International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science

Dr. Michel Dupuis, a Laboratory Fellow in the Molecular Interactions and Transformations Group, was elected to the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science at its 42nd annual meeting held July 2-3, 2005, at Menton, France.

The Academy was created in Menton, in 1967. Originally, the Academy was limited to 25 regular members under the age of 65, with no limit on senior members. The Academy has expanded to 35 regular members under the age of 65 and currently includes 88 members worldwide. The members are selected from scientists from all countries who have distinguished themselves in the broad field of the application of quantum mechanics to the study of molecules and macromolecules. The main goal of the Academy is to provide a forum for international contact and collaboration and a periodical evaluation of the main developments, advances, and promising directions of research in the broad field of its interest. (Adapted from the Academy’s web site.) (Posted 7/7/2005)

Fuel Cell Pioneer, Subhash Singha, Elected to National Academy of Engineering

Subhash C. Singhal, Battelle Fellow and director of fuel cells research at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was one of 74 members elected today to the National Academy of Engineering, the NAE announced in Washington, D.C.

Singhal is PNNL’s only current staff member in the National Academy, which includes NAE, the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council.

Singhal was cited by NAE "for the development and promotion of solid oxide fuel cells for clean and efficient power generation." He is noted for developing high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells, having brought this technology from experimental units that generated only a few watts to fully integrated, 200 kilowatt power-generation systems.

"Subhash is recognized internationally as a leader in solid oxide fuel cell technology," said PNNL Director Len Peters. "This is a wonderful recognition by his peers and members of our nation’s most prestigious scientific and engineering body. Not only are we thrilled for Subhash, but we also take this as a reflection of the world class, high-impact science we do at PNNL."

Singhal leads the technical, managerial and commercialization efforts for PNNL’s extensive fuel cell program. He joined the lab’s Energy Science and Technology Directorate in 2000 after 29 years with Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp. He has conducted and managed major research, development and demonstration programs in advanced materials and energy conversion systems, particularly high temperature fuel cells.

He is author of more than 70 scientific publications and has edited 12 books, received 13 patents and given more than 205 invited presentations worldwide. He is a fellow of the American Ceramic Society, of the Electrochemical Society and of ASM International (formerly known as the American Society for Metals); and a member of the Mineral, Metals & Materials Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He serves on numerous national and international advisory committees. He holds a doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

NAE (www.nae.edu) membership is among the highest professional distinctions accorded an engineer, the NAE said in its announcement. Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature" and to the "pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."

Today’s elections bring the total U.S. membership to 2,195. Singhal and the other new members will be inducted at a ceremony at the NAE annual meeting on Oct. 9 at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.

PNNL (www.pnl.gov) is a DOE Office of Science laboratory that solves complex problems in energy, national security, the environment and life sciences by advancing the understanding of physics, chemistry, biology and computation. PNNL employs 3,900, has a $650 million annual budget, and has been managed by Ohio-based Battelle since the lab’s inception in 1965.

For more on PNNL’s fuel cells work, see http://www.pnl.gov/energy/fuelcells/index.stm. (Posted 2/16/2005)

2003 Elected Positions and Offices

Steve Wiley Chosen to Participate in National Academies' Inaugural Keck Futures Initiative Conference

Steve Wiley, chief scientist of the Biomolecular Systems Initiative from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, participated in the National Academies’ inaugural Keck Futures Initiative conference Nov. 14-16 in Irvine, Calif. Only 100 participants were selected to attend this conference, with Wiley representing one of only four scientists selected from a national laboratory.

“Futures Conferences…bring together some of the nation’s best and brightest researchers,” according to Ken Fulton, executive director, National Academy of Sciences. The Futures Initiative is a 15-year effort by the National Academies and the W.M. Keck Foundation to catalyze interdisciplinary inquiry and to enhance communications among researchers, funding agencies, universities and the general public.

“This was a great opportunity to discuss issues surrounding cell signaling as it applies to a variety of scientific disciplines and the challenges of doing interdisciplinary biology,” said Wiley. “Forums like these are invaluable in highlighting both the importance of the work, as well as the unique capabilities we have at PNNL.”

Wiley has authored more than 150 scientific publications, including more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and 15 review articles and book chapters. His work is notable for combining the techniques of molecular and cellular biology with quantitative biochemical and optical assays. The results are then used to build computer models of the underlying cell processes.

Wiley holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of Tennessee, and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

More information on the Futures Initiatives is available at www.nationalacademies.org/keck (Posted 12/2/2003)

Cynthia Bruckner-Lea Selected to Participate in National Academy of Engineering Ninth Annual Frontiers of Engineering Symposium

Cynthia Bruckner-Lea, a senior scientist at PNNL, has been selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering’s ninth annual Frontiers of Engineering symposium. The three-day symposium, held September 18-20, 2003, highlights 83 of the nation's top young engineers who are “performing leading-edge engineering research and technical work”. The participants were selected from nominations by leading engineers and engineering organizations in industry, academia, and government. More information on the symposium is available at www.nae.edu/frontiers.

Bruckner-Lea joined PNNL in 1992 and heads research programs in bioanalytical sensor systems, including a biodetection project funded by the Department of Homeland Security, and efforts to develop a Biodetection Enabling Analyte Delivery System, or BEADS, technology for environmental monitoring. She has authored more than 20 scientific publications in peer reviewed journals, and holds three patents in the area of bioanalytical chemistry and microfluidics. Her scientific contributions have been recognized by invitations to present papers at symposia and seminars on sensor and biosensor techniques both nationally and internationally, and she is also active in professional societies in her field. Bruckner-Lea also was recently awarded the 2003 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Woman of Achievement Award.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 and is an independent, nonprofit institution that serves as an adviser to government and the public on issues in engineering and technology. Academy members include the nation's most acclaimed engineers, and are elected by their peers for distinguished achievements in their fields. (Posted 9/17/2003)

Jonathan Young Selected as Member of Newly Formed National Research Council Committee

Jonathan Young, of the ETD Risk and Decisions Sciences Group, has been selected as a member of a newly formed National Research Council committee. Along with the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, the National Research Council (www.nationalacademies.org/nrc) provides science, technology and health policy advice under a Congressional Charter. Jonathan was selected because of his expertise in probabilistic risk assessment technology and applications. (Posted 4/3/2003)

Yasuo Onishi Appointed to Committee on Understanding Oil Spill Dispersants: Efficacy and Effects

Yasuo Onishi, a scientist for the Fluid and Computational Engineering Group PNNL has been appointed to the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Understanding Oil Spill Dispersants: Efficacy and Effects. Dr. Onishi will assist the committee in evaluating the effects and efficacy of chemical dispersants, and evaluating risk assessments related to an oil spill in freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. Dr. Onishi’s principal experience lies in fluid mechanics/hydrology, environmental risk assessment and reactive fluid dynamics of radioactive and chemical wastes. His career also highlights such achievements as being a principal developer of four sediment-contaminant transport models; expertise in the risk assessment and transportation of chemicals and contaminants; and his work on the sediment-contaminant migration and fate is internationally recognized. Dr. Onishi also serves as a graduate adjunct faculty member in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Washington State University. (Posted 3/9/2003)

Gary McNair and Landis Kannberg Inducted into Oregon State University Academy of Distinguished Engineers

Gary McNair (left), Energy Science and Technology Directorate, and Landis Kannberg (right), Environmental Technology Directorate, will be inducted into Oregon State University’s Academy of Distinguished Engineers on February 21. The Academy was established in 1998 and has inducted 62 engineers. This year an additional 13 engineers will be honored. Membership in the Academy is awarded to mid-career Oregon State graduates who have sustained distinguished contributions to the profession, field, OSU, or society at large. Members have at least 20 years of experience beyond their bachelor’s degrees and are still practicing their profession.

Dr. Novella Bridges Named One of Eight "Young Observers"

The U.S. National Committee for IUPAC named Dr. Novella Bridges one of eight "Young Observers," who traveled to the 2003 IUPAC General Assembly and Congress in Ottawa, Canada, August 9-17, 2003 to attend and observe specific meetings of the General Assembly, the Divisions, and Standing Committees, to acquaint themselves with IUPAC activities and projects. Information about the IUPAC is available online at http://www.iupac.org/general/about.html. Dr. Bridges joined PNNL in January 2001, earning her Ph.D. in chemistry from Louisiana State University in 2000. She also was recognized as a Rising Star in Technology at the 2001 Women of Color Government and Defense Technology Awards Conference. Dr. Bridges is a research scientist in the Materials Science division of PNNL's Energy Science and Technology Directorate. She works in the Materials Synthesis and Modifications group with research experience in multi-step synthesis, high pressure autoclave experiments, tabulating theoretical calculations of Organometallic compounds, material sciences, nanotechnology, radioanalytical chemistry and separations, and bio-based products.

2002 Elected Positions and Offices

Joel Pounds Appointed to Canada Research Chairs' College of Reviewers

Joel Pounds, a scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been appointed to the Canada Research Chairs' College of Reviewers. The College of Reviewers seeks out the expertise of specialists in areas that have been targeted for research in Canadian universities. Pounds' expertise in cellular and molecular toxicity of metals and osteotoxicology is of particular interest to the College. (Posted 5/1/2002)

SK Sundaram Appointed "Visiting Scholar" at Harvard University

SK Sundaram, chief scientist in Advanced Processing and Applications at PNNL, has been appointed "Visiting Scholar" by the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. He will work with Prof. Eric Mazur on ultra fast lattice dynamics and nonlinear optical properties of materials. (Posted 5/1/2002)

Richard Benedick Elected to American Academy of Diplomacy

Richard Benedick, Associate Director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute, was elected to the American Academy of Diplomacy. The academy is an association of 100 former cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and statesmen who have made significant contributions to American foreign policy. Ambassador Benedick is the only academy member to have been elected for his work in the environment and science fields, rather than in traditional foreign policy. (Posted 1/1/2002)

2001 Discover Magazine Awards

Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation Award Winner-Timed Neutron Detector-Richard Craig

Discover Magazine Awards for Technological Innovation were presented by the Christopher Columbus Foundation "to recognize the all-too-often neglected men and women behind the technologies that impact our lives."

See PNNL's news release for more information on PNNL's winners.

The Timed Neutron Detector (TND) was honored by Discover Magazine with the 2001 Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation Award. This award is given to a living American currently working on a discovery that will significantly affect society and that needs additional funds to be realized. The TND, developed by Dick Craig and Tony Peurrung, looks similar to a metal detector, yet it applies neutron physics to find indications of a land mine's presence. The system detects hydrogen, which is present in casings and explosives found in plastic or metal land mines, and hydrogen's interactions with neutrons. Thus land mines can be accurately and safely located for disarming.

Health Category - Combined Optical/Magnetic Resonance Microscope-Robert Wind

This innovation combines the principles of magnetic resonance imaging and confocal microscopy to create a new microscope to study cells. With this new instrument, live cells can, for the first time, be examined simultaneously with two entirely different microscopic techniques. In this way, the information provided by both microscopes can be combined and integrated. This makes it possible to follow cellular events in real time, and in more detail than is possible with each of the microscopes individually.

Findings based on this new technology are likely to have a significant impact on basic cellular research and increase our knowledge of how cells work and respond to stresses, such as exposure to contamination. The technology and its resulting research also may become of great value in medical laboratories and hospitals in improving the detection and diagnosis of diseased cells and in evaluating a patient's response to therapy.

"We're excited about where this technology is taking us because it may allow us to study a variety of cell processes in more detail than ever before, including those of critical importance to such things as cancer diagnosis and therapy," said Robert Wind, who led the multidisciplinary development team.

1999 Discover Magazine Awards

Winner - Transportation Category - Micro-Plasmatron Fuel Converter

Daniel Cohn of MIT and colleagues, including Jud Virden at PNNL, shared the winning award for developing the world's smallest oil refinery. The plasmatron looks a little like a fat spark plug, and it can use anything that burns as fuel to produce electricity that turns the fuel and surrounding air into plasma, a hot collection of charged atoms and electrons. The end product is a hydrogen-rich gas that burns far more cleanly than gasoline.

Finalist - Environment Category - Mesoporous Silica for Mercury Removal-Xiangdong Feng

While a researcher at PNNL, Feng developed a process where molecules that can grab mercury out of the water are placed inside mesoporous silica. This spongelike rock has a surface area thousands of times larger than its size allowing it to grab the mercury quickly and efficiently. Eventually, Feng says, it should be possible to reduce the presence of mercury to a few parts per trillion, compared with a few parts per billion for current techniques, and do it more quickly as well. In addition, Feng says his invention can remove just about any pollutant or heavy metal from contaminated water. "People say I should quit my day job and start mining for gold."

Mesoporous Silica also won an R&D 100 award in 1998.

1997 Discover Magazine Awards

Winner - Computer Hardware and Electronics Category - MUSTPAC-1 (Medical Ultrasound, Three-dimensional and Portable with Advanced Communications - Rik Littlefield

MUSTPAC-1 allows a field medic or physician to perform three-dimensional scans of an ill or injured soldier. Experts anywhere in the world can then interpret the scans.

Developed for the military, the portable unit weighs about 85 pounds, fits in a backpack, and can be configured to run on batteries. MUSTPAC-1 will bring the benefits of sophisticated ultrasound imaging used in major hospitals to the front lines. Army officials hope this device may someday reduce the number of battlefield deaths. For the less severely injured, the technology promises to provide previously unavailable medical diagnosis and treatment with improved quality of care.

In addition to military applications, MUSTPAC-1 could be used by rural physicians in treating medical emergencies and providing assistance in hard-to-access places such as mountains, boats, and even outer space.

1996 Discover Magazine Awards

Finalist - Environmental Category - RubberCycle: Tire-Recycling Microbes-Robert Romine

PNNL chemist Bob Romine was working on a way of using recycled tire rubber in asphalt pavement when his wife, Margaret, a PNNL microbiologist, introduced him to Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. As the name implies, the bug likes to dine on sulfur found among the minerals in the hot springs. When added to a vat of powdered tire rubber, the microbe attacks the sulfur in the rubber. That turns out to be the best way of decomposing this chemically tough material that is hard to recycle. Although virgin rubber is like "a plate of wet noodles," as Romine says, when heated the sulfur atoms combine with carbon to form a stiff lattice. Sulfolobus breaks the lattice down. Automobile tires generally cannot contain any more than 3 percent of recycled rubber because of high performance requirements: inert impurities would cause too much heat to build up when the rubber meets the road, making the tires wear out quickly. For this reason, Romine makes sure to curb his bacteria, either by lowering the temperature or raising the pH, before they break down all the sulfur-carbon bonds. That way the rubber can be made to bond more thoroughly with virgin rubber during recycling. Because these bonds dissipate heat, tires can contain up to 15 percent of the recycled rubber without sacrificing quality.

RubberCycle also won and R&D award in 1997.

2009 Impact on Scientific Community

Frank Greitzer Invited to Present at National Academies Workshop on Usability, Security, and Privacy of Computer Systems

Frank Greitzer, NSD, was invited to be one of six "provocateurs," selected internationally by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to participate in planning of, and present to a National Academies workshop on Usability, Security, and Privacy of Computer Systems Workshop held July 20-22, 2009 in Washington D.C. The workshop was organized by the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) of the National Research Council of the National Academies.

The aim of the presentations was to offer provocative or even controversial topics and out-of-the box thinking to stimulate ideas and discussion at the workshop and to help identify future research agendas for participating organizations and government stakeholders. Frank's contribution was discussion and presentation material on insider threat modeling, human factors/usability research methodology and metrics, and thoughts on privacy/security considerations relating to human interaction in virtual worlds.

At PNNL, Frank leads a R&D focus area of Cognitive Informatics that addresses human factors and social/behavioral science challenges through modeling and advanced engineering/computing approaches. With over 30 years of applied research and development experience in cognitive psychology, human information processing, and user-centered design, his research interests include modeling human behavior with application to identifying and predicting malicious insider cyber activities, modeling socio-cultural factors as predictors of terrorist activities, and human information interaction concepts for enhancing decision making in domains such as intelligence analysis or electric power grid operations. In the area of cyber security, Frank serves as a science advisor for PNNL's Information and Infrastructure Integrity Initiative.

In addition to his work at PNNL, Frank serves as an adjunct faculty member at Washington State University, Tri-Cities campus, where he teaches courses for the computer science department (interaction design) and for the psychology department (human factors). He also is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Cognitive Informatics & Natural Intelligence.

The National Academies CSTB was established in 1986 to provide independent advice to the federal government on technical and public policy issues relating to computing and communications. It is composed of leaders in the information technology and complementary fields from industry and academia. CSTB conducts studies of critical national issues that recommend actions or changes in actions by government, industry, academic researchers and the larger nonprofit sector. CSTB also provides a neutral meeting ground for consideration of complex issues where resolution and action may be premature. (Posted 7/1/2009)

Jason Zhang Invited to write a chapter for the Handbook of Battery Materials

Congratulations to Jason Zhang on being invited to write a chapter for the Handbook of Battery Materials. This second edition is being published by Wiley-VCH. Zhang's 20-page chapter will focus on recent findings in metal air batteries and will illustrate the technology, barriers, and potential of such devices.

Zhang was selected because of his expertise in lithium batteries. Through PNNL's Transformational Materials Science Initiative, he studies nanostructured materials for energy storage, especially for transportation and portable electronics applications. His work and willingness to share it with the scientific community will advance the frontiers of nanostructured electrochemically active materials in energy storage devices. (Posted 7/1/2009)

Marvin Warner Selected to Attend the 2009 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium

Marvin Warner was one of the 88 engineers selected to take part in the National Academy of Engineering's (NAE) 15th annual U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium. The participants–from industry, academia, and government–were nominated by fellow engineers or organizations and chosen from approximately 240 applicants.

"In today's challenging economic times, we look more than ever toward our engineering innovators," said NAE President Charles M. Vest. "The U.S. Frontiers of Engineering program brings together a diverse group of this country's most promising young engineers and gives them a forum to discuss multidisciplinary ways of addressing the issues that will carry us into tomorrow's economy."

Marvin's expertise lies in the chemistry and engineering of nanomaterials for applications ranging from detection and environmental remediation to national security challenges. His research is interdisciplinary in nature, and he has demonstrated success in developing business, leading interdisciplinary teams, and establishing collaborations with scientists outside PNNL. He has 18 peer-reviewed publications, 3 book chapters and 2 patents, all related to the development and application of nanomaterials to solve challenging problems in energy, the environment, and national security.

The symposium will be held September 10-12 at the National Academy's Beckman Center at the University of California, Irvine, and will examine engineering tools for scientific discovery; engineering the health care delivery system; nano/micro photonics and new applications; and resilient and sustainable infrastructures. (Posted 6/1/2009)

Jim Amonette Writes Chapter in New Biochar Book

Jim Amonette wrote a chapter in a new book that is likely to become the definitive reference work on biochar. Published in March, Biochar for Environmental Management is the first book to bring together the expanding research literature on the potential environmental applications of biochar. The material biochar is a form of charcoal that is produced when biomass is burned under low-oxygen conditions to release energy. The book's interdisciplinary approach covers engineering, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, economics, and policy aspects.

The book's editors selected Amonette to write the chapter entitled "Characteristics of Biochar: Microchemical Properties" because of his reputation as a soil mineralogist and chemist, his interest in soil-carbon sequestration, and his current research in the characterization and usage of biochar. Amonette's chapter focuses on the chemical makeup of biochar at the microscopic and molecular scale.

Generation and storage of biochar in soil may offer a long-term soil-based solution to the global climate change problem. The process transforms the biological matter into a more stable form of carbon, slowing the release cycle and thereby keeping more carbon out of the atmosphere. Amonette's work focuses on what happens when the biochar is added to soil. "The potential for biochar to permanently sequester atmospheric carbon is on the order of a billion tons per year, if sustainable practices are used," said Amonette.

Amonette has 29 plus years of research experience and has been with PNNL since 1986. He has authored or co-authored 57 plus peer-reviewed scientific journal publications, 20 book chapters, 40 technical reports, and 6 patents. (Posted 6/1/2009)

PNNL's Tony Janetos Co-authors White House Climate Report

Tony Janetos at the White House Press Conference

Dr. Tony Janetos speaks at the White House news conference about climate change impacts in the United States. At left is Dr. Katharine Hayhoe from Texas Tech University and ATMOS Research & Consulting; at right is Dr. Jerry Melillo from the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

PNNL scientist Anthony Janetos was a key spokesperson at a White House news conference announcing the release of a major new climate change assessment on June 16, 2009. "Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States" summarizes current climate change science and projects regional and national consequences of the changing environment. It also discusses some of the actions society can take to respond to the climate challenge.

The White House Office of Science and Technology, which released the 200-page report, called it the "most comprehensive, authoritative report on global climate change impacts in the United States." The purpose of the report is to increase understanding of climate change and to provide a framework for decision making. The report received widespread media coverage, including from the Associated Press, The New York Times, the Washington Post, Time magazine, National Public Radio, numerous climate change blogs, and Twitter.

Janetos directs the Joint Global Change Research Institute, a partnership between PNNL and the University of Maryland. He wrote the ecosystems section and served on the author team for the full report. The ecosystems chapter concludes that, "Human-induced climate change, in conjunction with other stresses, is exerting major influences on natural environments and biodiversity, and these influences are generally expected to grow with increased warming." Ecosystem impacts include changes in basic processes such as photosynthesis; large-scale shifts in the distribution of plants and animals; and increased threats from fire, pests and disease. These effects are occurring now and are likely to grow, especially in desert, coastal, and arctic environments.

Why it matters: "The most important thing in this report is that the impacts of climate change are not something your children might theoretically see 50 years from now," Janetos told reporters during the news conference. "The thing that concerns me the most is that we have a whole host of impacts that we now observe in the natural world that are occurring sooner and more rapidly and that appear to be larger than we might have expected 10 years ago. If anything, we might have underestimated the rate and the impact of changes in the climate system."

Method: The report summarizes an extensive body of scientific information in layperson-friendly language. The authors drew primarily from 21 synthesis and assessment reports of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP).

The USGCRP is a 13-agency group that includes the Department of Energy. PNNL's atmospheric scientists and other researchers contributed to several USGCRP climate studies cited in the report. Also included were other peer-reviewed assessments and research, as well as government statistics, publicly available observations, and advice from expert reviewers.

What's next: This work is part of PNNL's quest to transform the Nation's ability to predict climate change and its impacts. Janetos is now working on expanding the JGCRI's research agenda on integrated assessment to include more sophistication on climate impacts and adaptation. The Global Change Research Act of 1990 requires the USGCRP to conduct an assessment of the impacts of global change in the United States at least every four years.

Acknowledgments: Janetos' work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research, as part of the U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Research team: In addition to Janetos, the report was authored by 30 people from Federal agencies, universities, national laboratories, and other research institutions.

Reference: Thomas R. Karl, Jerry M. Melillo, and Thomas C. Peterson (eds.) 2009. "Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States." Cambridge University Press, New York. (Posted 6/1/2009)

Xiao-Dong Zhou Leads Organization of Important Symposium at Electrochemical Meeting

Dr. Xiao-Dong Zhou of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Transformational Materials Science Initiative is organizing a symposium on Advanced Materials and Concepts for Energy Harvesting. This high-visibility symposium will increase awareness of the grand challenges and emerging opportunities facing researchers seeking ways to more effectively generate and store electricity for applications such as hybrid automobiles.

Dr. Zhou was asked to organize the symposium because of his personal and leadership skills. At PNNL, he performs leading-edge research on cathodes for solid-oxide fuel cells, thermoelectric oxides, and nanocomponents for more effective solar cells.

For the symposium, Dr. Zhou has invited speakers, including twelve members of the National Academies, who will present discoveries at the frontier of high-temperature materials and of conversion and storage of energy, including fuel cells, solar cells, and batteries. Technical discussions will focus on which technologies are most promising for further study.

This event is part of the 215th meeting of the Electrochemical Society, which will take place in San Francisco, California, May 24-29, 2009. (Posted 5/1/2009)

Yuehe Lin Co-Edits Nanotechnology Book

Yuehe Lin, a Laboratory Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, is a primary editor of the Handbook of Electrochemical Nanotechnology. Recently released by American Scientific Publishing, the two-volume set was written as a reference for researchers, students, and professors.

Cover of Handbook of Electrochemical Nanotechnology

Comprehensive and up-to-date, the books contain a total of 20 chapters written by leading researchers from academia and research institutes. The first volume contains an overview of this emerging field. The second volume explores potential applications, including nanoelectronics, sensors, and energy storage and conversion. In addition, the texts demonstrate that electrochemical nanotechnologies can solve significant technical barriers and potentially revolutionize research in emerging areas.

Lin was selected as primary editor based on his contributions to the fields of electrocatalysis, chemical sensors, biosensors, and biomedical nanotechnology. He has distinguished himself through his outstanding program development skills, his mentoring activities, and his publication excellence. Lin has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and has more than 10 patents, half of which have been licensed to industrial partners for commercialization. Lin is a section editor of the Encyclopedia of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics. He also serves as editor and editorial advisory member of 18 international journals. (Posted 5/1/2009)

Tim Scheibe Chosen Darcy Distinguished Lecturer

Timothy D. (Tim) Scheibe has been selected as the 2010 Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecturer in Ground Water Science. Scheibe, a staff scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was invited by the National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation to spend next year lecturing at colleges and universities to educate and create interest in groundwater science and technology.

He will give lectures and meet with students and faculty at 30 to 50 host institutions across the United States and internationally. The lecture series has reached more than 70,000 students, faculty members, and professionals since 1987. Scheibe will offer each host institution the choice of two lectures:

Beyond the Black Box: Integrating Advanced Characterization of Microbial Processes with Subsurface Reactive Transport Models
Quantifying Flow and Reactive Transport in the Heterogeneous Subsurface Environment: From Pores to Porous Media and Facies to Aquifers.

Since joining PNNL in 1992, Scheibe's research has focused on characterizing and modeling natural subsurface heterogeneity and its impacts on contaminant transport in groundwater systems. Recently, he worked on subsurface biogeochemistry problems, including microbial transport in groundwater and bioremediation of metals and radionuclides. Scheibe is currently working on simulations of coupled flow, transport, and biogeochemical processes. Most of his research has been for the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Remediation Sciences Program and its Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) program.

The Darcy Lecture Series was established in 1986 in honor of Henry Darcy, a French engineer whose investigations established the physical basis on which groundwater hydrogeology has been studied since 1856. The National Ground Water Association is a nonprofit organization of more than 13,000 U.S. and international groundwater professionals. (Posted 5/1/2009)

Jason McDermott Plays Major Role in Book Publication

Jason McDermott played a leading role as primary editor of Computational Systems Biology . Recently published by Humana Press, the book was written for molecular and cellular biologists, bioinformaticians, and geneticists.

Comprehensive and up-to-date, Computational Systems Biology serves to motivate and inspire all those who wish to develop a complete description of a biological system. In the book, expert investigators contribute chapters which bring together biological data and computational and/or mathematical models of the data to aid researchers striving to create a system that provides both predictive and mechanistic information for a model organism.

Enlarged View

The volume is organized into five major sections involving network components, network inference, network dynamics, function and evolutionary system biology, and computational infrastructure for systems biology. More info...

McDermott, along with Computational Sciences & Mathematics Division's Haluk Resat, Ron Taylor, and Mudita Singhal, all contributed to several chapters in the book, as well. (Posted 4/1/2009)

Julia Laskin Honored in Prestigious Russian Journal

Julia Laskin was honored in Mass-Spectrometria, a prestigious Russian mass spectrometry journal. The tribute honored Laskin's 2008 Biemann Medal given for outstanding achievement in mass spectrometry by a young scientist.

Dr. Jean Futrell, a renowned expert in mass spectrometry, wrote the tribute, which can be found in volume 5, issue 4 of the journal. Futrell honored Laskin for her internationally recognized contributions to mass spectrometry, ion chemistry, and ion surface reactions. Her research in these areas provides an important background for the development of new analytical approaches in tandem mass spectrometry.

Laskin also is actively involved in building the next generation of scientists. She hosts and advises visiting scientists and graduate students from U.S. and foreign universities at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE national user facility at PNNL. Also, Laskin mentors post-doctoral fellows and undergraduate summer interns. She has authored or co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed articles. (Posted 3/1/2009)

Yanwen Zhang to Serve as Guest Professor at Peking University

EMSL researcher Yanwen Zhang has accepted an invitation to serve a two-year term as Guest Professor of Peking University. In this capacity, she will monitor Ph.D. students at EMSL who are mainly supported by the Chinese government and help strengthen materials research at the university, until March 2011. Zhang will visit Peking University approximately twice yearly, and the university professors, researchers and students will also visit EMSL as part of the collaboration.

The invitation was extended by Professor J. F. Zhou, the President of Peking University.

Bill Morgan Named Scientific Director of NASA Summer School

Bill Morgan has been named Scientific Director of the 2009 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Radiation Summer School (NSRSS). The school, which is held at Brookhaven National Laboratory, June 1-20, offers graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty the opportunity to learn about the unique characteristics of space radiation and how to perform experiments exposing targets to high-energy, high-charge particles. The NSRSS was designed to provide a pipeline of researchers to tackle the challenges of harmful radiation exposure to humans traveling on space exploration missions.

Morgan, who is Director of Radiation Biology and Biophysics at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will select and invite lecturers, coordinate the courses, and ensure attendees learn all the chemistry, physics and biology of radiations commonly encountered in space. He is also featured in the NASA Space Radiation Program Winter 2008/2009 Newsletter Space Radiation Spotlight on William F. Morgan.

Morgan is a leading researcher in the fields of radiation biology and the long-term biological effects of radiation exposure. He leads PNNL's Low Dose Program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Biological and Environmental Research. Morgan is a scientific representative for regulatory agencies such as the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the National Council for Radiation Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency's Science Advisory Board Radiation Advisory Committee. (Posted 2/1/2009)

Changing Paradigm of Data-Intensive Computing Makes Journal Cover

A PNNL-authored article by Richard Kouzes, Gordon Anderson, Stephen Elbert, Ian Gorton, and Deb Gracio on the Changing Paradigm of Data-Intensive Computing was selected as the cover feature for the January IEEE Computer Society journal.

The article describes PNNL's leading-edge research to develop new classes of software, algorithms and hardware to provide timely and meaningful analytical results from an exponentially growing tidal wave of complex scientific, energy, environmental and national security related data in the new information-dominated age. (Posted 1/1/2009)

Wayne Martin Recognized as One of America's 2008 Most Accomplished African American Engineers

Wayne Martin has been recognized as one of America's 2008 most accomplished African American engineers by the Black Equal Opportunity Employment Journal.

Over the past 30 years, Wayne has served as a environmental scientist and program manager for technology development for complex environmental problems and conducted an extensive array of experiments related to the study of contaminant migration in the subsurface using numerous analytical instruments. He has worked predominantly on national problems associated with hazardous waste management, although he has had international involvement with the International Atomic Energy Association working with an international committee for developing procedures for radioactive tracer techniques and studies in understanding contaminant migration mechanisms and problems. These approaches are instrumental in the investigation and identification of the environmental fate of radioactive and inorganic species in the subsurface.

His recognition also includes his efforts to increase involvement of under-represented minorities in the engineering and scientific fields and for his leadership and significant contributions to the Tri-Cities community. (Posted 1/1/2009)

2008 Impact on Scientific Community

Justin Teeguarden on NRC Nanomaterial Report Committee

Justin Teeguarden is a member of a National Research Council committee that recently issued a widely publicized report describing serious weaknesses in the U.S. government's plan for research on the potential health and environmental risks posed by nanomaterials. The committee emphasized that an effective national plan for identifying and managing potential risks is essential to the successful development and public acceptance of nanotechnology-enabled products. Nanomaterials are increasingly being used in consumer goods and industry because their size (a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter) gives them unique physical, chemical and biological properties.

The report "Review of the Federal Strategy to Address Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials" was released December 10, 2008. Teeguarden, who leads research related to computational dosimetry of nanomaterials and health effects at PNNL, joined the committee in May 2008. He leads research related to computational dosimetry of nanomaterials and health effects and has a background in pharmacokinetics, including modeling and risk assessment. (Posted 12/1/2008)

Singhal Named Founding Member of Washington Science Academy

Subhash Singhal, a Battelle Fellow and fuel cell director at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been named one of 104 founding members of the Washington State Academy of Sciences.

WSAS, a non-profit organization created in 2005 by the state legislature, conducts commissioned studies and prepares scientific reports on issues of public importance. The studies assist with informing public policy-makers, facilitating new research initiatives, or providing program review and assessment. WSAS represents many academic disciplines and diverse industries, including aerospace, agriculture, computer science, energy, engineering, ecology and transportation.

"It is extremely important to provide scientific and technological analysis to help our state leaders make informed decisions on so many challenging issues," said Singhal, who as a founding member may submit nominees for election to the Academy.

Singhal is a world leader in solid oxide fuel cells. He provides senior technical, managerial and commercialization leadership to PNNL's fuel cell program. He joined the Laboratory in 2000 after nearly 30 years leading fuel cell development at Siemens Power Generation (formerly Westinghouse Electric Corporation).

Singhal received the 2008 Grove Medal for sustained advances in fuel cell technology. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of four professional societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Ceramic Society, ASM International and Electrochemical Society. He also is a senior member of the Mineral, Metals, & Materials Society and has served on many national and international advisory panels. Singhal earned a doctorate in materials science engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He received a master's in business from the University of Pittsburgh, a bachelor's in metallurgy from the Indian Institute of Science, and a bachelor's in physics, chemistry and mathematics from Agra University.

Singhal has authored more than 85 scientific publications, edited 14 books, received 13 patents, and given more than 250 plenary, keynote or other presentations worldwide. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah and serves on advisory boards of the University of Florida's Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Institute for Sustainable Energy. (Posted 11/1/2008)

Scott Baker appointed by NAS as delegate of U.S. National Committee to the International Union of Microbiological Societies

Scott Baker has been appointed by the National Academy of Sciences to be one of six delegates of the U.S. National Committee to the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) with rights to vote during the IUMS General Assembly. In addition, Scott was elected to serve as the IUMS Mycology Division vice-chair. The vice-chair is responsible for the next International Congress of Mycology in 2011 and serves on the IUMS executive board. (Posted 9/1/2008)

Bruce Garrett Advises National Science Foundation Program

Dr. Bruce Garrett was selected as advisor to a National Science Foundation Partnership in International Research and Education Program entitled Theoretical and Computational Chemistry: Potential Energy Surfaces, Collisions with Surfaces, and Electronic Non-Adiabatic Reactions. The program builds relationships between U.S. and international institutions. The goal is to promote globally engaged, U.S. researchers. The program teams U.S. college students and mentors abroad on specific research projects.

As an advisor, Garrett evaluates the work of the team developing algorithms and software to simulate electrons and atomic nuclei in large carbon-based molecules. Garrett was asked to join because of his expertise in theory, simulation, and mentoring.

As director of PNNL's Chemical and Materials Sciences Division, Garrett leads the work to develop tools and understanding required to control chemical and physical processes in complex multiphase environments.

(Posted 8/1/2008)

Institute of Physics recognizes article by Scott Chambers for potential to advance frontiers of materials research

Top editors at the Institute of Physics selected a review article written by EMSL user Scott Chambers (PNNL) for its potential to significantly advance the frontiers of materials research. The institute assembles a select set of articles that demonstrate thought leadership in physics and promotes the articles through IoP Select. Chambers' 8-page article reviews the scientific opportunities and challenges of molecular beam epitaxy, or MBE. He was asked to write the article because of his research at PNNL, including his work with the Institute for Interfacial Catalysis and his work developing oxide MBE at EMSL. The article is published in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 20:264004 (July 2008) (Posted 7/1/2008)

Tony Janetos on climate change impacts

Dr. Tony Janetos gave testimony on climate change impacts to the U.S. House of Representative Committee on Energy and Commerce in Washington, D.C. on June 26, 2008. He spoke to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality on the subject, "Climate Change: Costs of Inaction," drawing from a recent national assessment that he and others led. Janetos directs the Joint Global Change Research Institute, a partnership of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland. View a webcast or a PDF of the printed testimony from Janetos and the other panelists. (Posted 7/1/2008)

Eric Smith Selected for Prestigious NAE Symposium

Eric Smith, a radiation detection instrumentation specialist at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been invited to participate in the 2008 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium in September.

This is the sixth year in a row a PNNL staff member has been invited to attend the annual symposium, which brings together a select group (fewer than 100) of the nation's outstanding young engineers (between 30-45 years old) from industry, academia and government to discuss pioneering technical work and leading-edge research in various engineering fields and industry sectors. Attendees are selected based on having "demonstrated accomplishment in engineering research and technical work with recognizable contributions to advancing the frontiers of engineering."

Smith is a senior research scientist/engineer at PNNL advancing science and developing technologies in the area of applied radiation detection. His achievements include:

National recognition for technical contributions and leadership in the development and evaluation of radiation detection systems for national security and in the development and use of simulation tools for detection scenario analysis.
Active in developing next-generation sensor technologies for nuclear fuel cycle safeguards.
Leads a high-visibility, multi-organization effort to develop modeling and simulation tools necessary to evaluate the Advanced Spectroscopic Portal systems for the Department of Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.
Technical lead of the DOE Global Nuclear Energy Partnership Safeguards Enhancement Study.
Current research projects also include the development of advanced radiation transport methods using coupled deterministic-Monte Carlo methods, and the exploration of lead slowing-down spectroscopy for irradiated nuclear fuel assay.
Taught the "Nuclear Science in Homeland Security" course at the IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium for the last three years and has been an invited speaker at venues ranging from highly technical to community-oriented.

Smith was awarded the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society Radiation Instrumentation Early Career Award in 2006, and was nominated and selected to Senior Member status during that same year. He also received the DOE Outstanding Mentor Award in 2002.

The Frontiers of Engineering Symposium will be hosted Sept. 18-20 by Sandia National Laboratories at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. It gives early-career engineers an opportunity to learn about cutting-edge developments in fields other than their own. The goal is to facilitate collaborative work and the transfer of new approaches and techniques across fields.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a DOE Office of Science national laboratory where interdisciplinary teams advance science and technology and deliver solutions to America's most intractable problems in energy, national security and the environment. PNNL employs 4,000 staff, has an $855 million annual budget, and has been managed by Ohio-based Battelle since the lab's inception in 1965. (Posted 7/1/2008)

Yanwen Zhang invited to 2008 German-American Frontiers of Engineering Symposium

Yanwen Zhang has been invited by the National Academy of Engineering to attend the 2008 German-American Frontiers of Engineering Symposium on April 25 - 27, 2008. The symposium will be held at the National Academies' Beckman Center in Irvine, California, and is organized by the NAE and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. About 60 outstanding engineers, generally not older than 45, from U.S. and German industry, universities, and government labs are invited to discuss leading-edge research and technical work across a range of engineering fields. The NAE believes that convening engineers from disparate fields and challenging them to think about developments and problems at the frontiers of areas different from their own will lead to a variety of desirable results, including collaborative work, the transfer of new techniques and approaches across fields, and establishment of contacts among the next generation of leaders in engineering. Yanwen, a senior research scientist at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, has been highly recognized for her contributions in ion-solid interactions, irradiation effects and ion beam techniques. She was selected previously for a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in recognition of her research in the fields of ion beam physics and ion-solid interactions, especially in the field of electronic stopping in solids. (Posted 6/26/2008)

Bruce Napier Contributes to NAS Committee Report

Bruce Napier served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Toxicology investigating the health consequences of the use of depleted uranium in munitions. The first of two planned reports has been issued. This volume, Review of Toxicologic and Radiologic Risks to Military Personnel from Exposure to Depleted Uranium During and After Combat, has been released in prepublication form on the NAS website at . The book reviews the toxicologic, radiologic, epidemiologic, and toxicokinetic data on depleted uranium, and assesses the Army's Capstone Project estimates of health risks to personnel exposed during and after combat. The report recommends that the Army perform a minor reevaluation of the basis for some of its predictions about health outcomes at low levels of exposure, but, overall, the Capstone Report was judged to provide a reasonable characterization of the exposure and risks from depleted uranium. A second report is planned that will deal with public exposures to the residual contamination left in the environment after combat. (Posted 5/1/2008)

Justin Teeguarden Named to NAS Nanoscience Review Committee

Justin Teeguarden was invited to serve as a member of the National Academy of Science's committee to review the National Nanotechnology Initiative's (NNI) Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research. The NNI strategy roadmap is to guide federal investments in research for nanotechnology-related environmental, health, and safety research.

Teeguarden is currently active with the Systems Toxicology of Nanomaterials Focus Area, part of PNNL's Environmental Biomarkers Initiative. He leads research related to computational dosimetry of nanomaterials and health effects. In addition, Teeguarden brings to the NAS review a background in pharmacokinetics including modeling and risk assessment.

Teeguarden joined PNNL in 2004. Before that time, he was a senior associate/toxicologist at the K.S. Crump Group and Environ International. He has also served in a range of elected and appointed offices in the Society of Risk Analysis and the Society of Toxicology. (Posted 5/1/2008)

James Dooley give Capitol Hill Briefing on Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technologies

Technologies for capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions hold tremendous promise for addressing climate change, but much work remains to ensure timely, cost-effective deployment in key markets such as the electric power industry. These were some of the key points James Dooley made at a Senate briefing in March, where legislators and other stakeholders explored the business and policy aspects of commercially deploying carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies. CCS is an emerging suite of science and technologies designed to capture carbon dioxide from power plants and store it underground, preventing greenhouse gases from reaching the atmosphere.

Dooley spoke on a panel about issues surrounding large-scale CCS deployment. Dooley, a scientist with PNNL's Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division and the Joint Global Change Research Institute, is an international expert on the role of carbon capture and storage in addressing climate change. He spoke about the marketplace for CCS, geologic storage capacity worldwide, and the potential for large-scale CCS deployment in the United States.

The March 31 briefing, "The Business Case for Carbon Capture and Sequestration," was sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in partnership with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the British Foreign Office, and the Mission of the United States of America to the European Union. The event was convened to shed light on business, economic, and policy considerations important to the future role of CCS. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, opened the briefing, followed by speakers from the business and science communities. Dooley's presentation and those of the other panelists are online.

Dooley served as Lead Author and Cross-Cutting Chairman for a recent assessment of CCS for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which won the Nobel Peace Prize last year. For the Global Energy Technology Strategy Program, he co-authored a number of landmark reports addressing CCS and other climate change mitigation technologies. (Posted 4/1/2008)

Ian Gorton Provides Leadership for Special Edition of Computer Magazine

Ian Gorton led the development of a special edition of Computer magazine on Data Intensive Computing. Computer is the flagship magazine of the IEEE Computer Society. Ian, who is the chief architect for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Data Intensive Computing Initiative, proposed and worked with colleagues Paul Greenfield, CSIRO; Alex Szalay, Johns Hopkins University; and Roy Williams, Caltech, to solicit papers and referee the submissions. Ian's editorial introduces the topic of data intensive computing, and maps out research challenges for the community to address so that ever larger data collections can be handled in a scalable fashion. "The deluge of data that future applications must process—in domains ranging from science to business informatics—creates a compelling argument for substantially increased R&D targeted at discovering scalable hardware and software solutions for data-intensive problems," Ian says. View the special edition. (Posted 4/1/2008)

Kevin Rosso Writes Crystal Chemistry Article for International Journa

Kevin Rosso co-authored an article for Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, one of the world's oldest scientific journals. Rosso was part of the eight-author team that prepared "Bonded interactions and the crystal chemistry of minerals." The authors reviewed the last century of research on the bond length, radii, bond strength, and bond valence of minerals and other crystals.

The article reviews research conducted into the bonding structure and reactivity of crystals. Understanding the behavior the electrons in the minerals could lead to advances in fields as diverse as soil remediation and material design.

Further, the article surveys the physical properties of the distribution of electrons for selected minerals and molecules. These surveys were generated with first-principles local energy density quantum mechanical methods; that is, studies that examined the physical interactions of electrons. Some of these surveys were performed using computational tools at U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a national scientific user facility, located at PNNL.

The National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Bundesminister fuer Bildung und Forschung supported this research.

Citation: Gibbs, GV, RT Downs, DF Cox, NL Ross, CT Prewitt, KM Rosso, and T Lippmann, and A Kirfel. 2008. "Bonded interactions and the crystal chemistry of minerals: A review," Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 223(01-02):001-040. (Posted 3/1/2008)

Tom Sanquist appointed as human factors expert to National Academy of Engineering Panel

Tom Sanquist has been appointed to the National Research Council Standing Committee on Human Factors for a three-year term. The purposes of the committee, composed of 16 experts from academia and industry, are to provide new perspectives on theoretical and methodological issues concerning the relationship of individuals and organizations to technology and the environment; to identify critical issues in the design, test, evaluation and use of new human-centered technologies; and to advise sponsors on the research needed to expand the scientific and technical bases for designing technology to support the needs of its users.

Tom provides an applied research perspective to the committee, and specialized knowledge in the human factors aspects of homeland security and transportation. His work at PNNL is concerned with developing effective homeland security screening systems, public acceptance of security technology, and general human factors and industrial engineering of complex systems. (Posted 2/20/2008)

Liz Stephens Liz Stephens Honored for Engineering Achievements and Contributions to MESA Program

Liz Stephens was recognized at both the state and national level at Washington's Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) 25th anniversary celebration and awards banquet. Liz received this award for her engineering achievements and commitment to helping the next generation of MESA students achieve their dreams.

Additionally, Liz was named the Most Promising Engineer or Scientist at the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference. Liz was selected for this due to her many contributions in science, her leadership abilities and initiative, her potential for advancement and her involvement in the hispanic community. The award recognizes a professional engineer or scientist with less than eight years experience since earning his or her undergraduate degree.

At PNNL, Liz is involved with improving the energy efficiency of vehicles and energy conversion systems. She supports the DOE Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance program and works with local youth through several education programs. (Posted 2/1/2008)

Steven Wiley Pens Monthly Column for The Scientist

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory's Steven Wiley, Lead Scientist for Biology, has accepted an invitation from The Scientist to write a monthly column on his thoughts and opinions about life sciences. His first column, which appeared in the January 2008 issue, provides a perceptive discussion of the oral traditions in life sciences and provides insights into the growing challenges scientists face in gathering and disseminating information. The article can be accessed at http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/54043/.

Wiley was asked to write the column because of the fresh perspectives he brings as well as his scientific credibility. In particular, the journal's editorial board was impressed with his collaborative research into large-scale protein-protein interactions and cell signaling networks at EMSL as well as his work as the Director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Biomolecular Systems Initiative.

While his credentials helped make him a logical choice for this task, it was his lively writing style that had the journal's editors repeatedly ask him to take over the column. "They thought I was entertaining," he noted. (Posted 2/1/2008)

2007 Impact on Scientific Community

Don Stevens identified as one of top innovators and entrepreneurs for 2007

In its October 2007 issue, Seattle Business Monthly magazine named Maury White from Infinia Corporation and Don Stevens from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory among its Top 25 Innovators & Entrepreneurs for 2007. The magazine selected the 25 "emerging talents" based on recommendations from venture capitalists, academics, trade groups, and business leaders from various industries. White, Infinia''s Chief Technology Officer and one of its founders, helped develop the Kennewick, Wash. company''s Stirling engine technology for solar-electric generators, combined heat and power systems, and emerging-nation rural electrification. Stevens, a senior project manager and chemist at PNNL in Richland, Wash., is devising ways to convert cellulose-based byproducts, like poplar trees and corn stalks, into biomass-based fuel and products. (Posted 12/17/2007)

Dick Smith named to Scientific American 50 list of outstanding leaders

Dick Smith, a Battelle Fellow in the Fundamental and Computational Science Directorate, has been named one of 50 outstanding leaders in the 2007 Scientific American 50—an annual list of 50 key contributors in science and technology. Dick shared the honor for creating a new approach to neurological diagnostics with Desmond Smith of UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.

Dick's research may help identify the earliest detectable stages of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurological diseases. Dick's findings indicate that many neurodegenerative diseases leave a biochemical calling card, or biomarker, that may be used to predict early stages of brain impairment. The understandings from this research may result in the discovery of drug targets for new therapeutic approaches. Many biomedical researchers also believe that detecting disease states before symptoms occur is key to reversing many as-yet-incurable diseases.

Dick's work led to the mapping of proteins in brain tissues. This mapping has allowed scientists to examine the location and abundance of large numbers of proteins within healthy brain tissue, which can be compared to protein portraits found within diseased brain tissues. These differences may help identify neurological diseases at a very early stage and proteins that might be targeted for drug intervention. It's hoped that such diseases might be curbed if caught and treated early enough.

"Dick Smith and his team have pushed the frontiers of proteomics instrumentation far beyond what was imagined just a few years ago," according to Doug Ray, PNNL's deputy director for science and technology. "By integrating new ideas into the tools available to conduct research, they have made comprehensive proteomic mapping possible."

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and PNNL's Biomolecular Systems Initiative.

Past Scientific American 50 winners include stem cell researcher Douglas Melton, Nobel prize-winning neurobiologist Roderick MacKinnon, former World Health Organization Secretary General Gro Harlem Brundtland, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs. (Posted 12/10/2007)

Chuck Long Co-author on "Hot" Paper about Solar Brightening

Chuck Long and co-authors were recognized for their "hot" paper, reported recently by Essential Science Indicators (ESI). According to ESI, a hot paper represents a key paper in a specific field and reflects rapid and significant numbers of citations since its publication. Dr. Long's article, "From dimming to brightening: Decadal changes in solar radiation at the Earth's surface," appeared in the May 6, 2005, issue of Science. According to the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) and as reported in ESI, the article has been cited 72 times as of October 3, 2007.

The article discusses evidence showing a reversal in the "dimming" trend (a decreasing trend in downwelling solar energy reaching the Earth's surface) over three decades. Although the causes of these trends are not known, the authors do show that the dimming trend may have acted to somewhat mask the projected global greenhouse warming trend. With the current brightening trend, the projected greenhouse-warming signal might become more apparent.

The ISI uses a special filter to detect hot papers. This involves looking at recently published papers and unusual citation activity in a current period. A list of more than 14,000 journals is maintained by the ISI from which the ESI compiles science performance statistics and science trends data. Both the ISI and ESI are owned and funded through the Thomson Corporation, a leading provider of integrated information-based solutions to the scientific, academic, and government community.

Journal Reference: Wild, M., H. Gilgen, A. Roesch, A. Ohmura, C. N. Long, E. G. Dutton, B. Forgan, A. Kallis, V. Russak, and A. Tsvetkov. 2005. "From dimming to brightening: Decadal changes in solar radiation at the Earth's surface." Science, 308, Issue 5723, 847-850. [DOI:10.1126/science.1103215] (Posted 11/5/2007)

PNNL Researchers Contribute to Nobel Peace Prize for Climate Change Awareness

Researchers contributed to the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize won by Al Gore and the IPCC. (The Peace Prize medal is a registered trademark of the Nobel Foundation.)

Fifteen researchers in the Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division contributed to the recent Nobel Peace prize awarded to Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Through their involvement in the IPCC, the following researchers are helping to shape how the world views climate change: Antoinette Brenkert, Leon Clarke, James Dooley, Sylvia Edgerton, James Edmonds, Meredydd Evans, Steve Ghan, Anthony Janetos, Nels Laulainen, Ruby Leung, Elizabeth Malone, Richard Moss, Hugh Pitcher, Paul Runci, and Steven Smith.

These climate experts have served as convening authors, lead authors, review editors and expert reviewers on IPCC reports, and seminal research from PNNL is cited throughout the reports. These scientists have also contributed intellectual frameworks that influenced IPCC assessments and the broader climate change community in areas as diverse as integrated assessment, technology's role in mitigation, carbon dioxide capture and storage, and social science contributions in addressing climate change challenges.

In a press release following the award announcement, IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri stated, "This is an honour that goes to all the scientists and authors who have contributed to the work of the IPCC," emphasizing the world - wide coverage and interdisciplinary work of the IPCC.

Through the years, the depth and breadth of ASGC contributions to a number of IPCC Assessment Reports demonstrate their standing as world class experts and their influence on the scientific, technical AND socio - economic understanding OF climate change.Congratulations to all on such a great honor.

For more information about their specific contributions to the IPCC, see the PNNL press release (Posted 10/25/2007)

Leung, Janetos, and Edmonds Invited to National Academies Workshop on Climate

Ruby Leung

Tony Janetos

Jae Edmonds

Drs. Ruby Leung, Anthony Janetos and James (Jae) Edmonds were invited to participate in the workshop, "Strategic Advice on the U.S. Climate Change Science Program." Hosted by the National Academies, the three-day workshop took place October 15-17 in Washington, D.C. Speakers invited to this workshop are internationally recognized leaders in their field and were encouraged to share their views on the U.S. Climate Change Science Program's future and to help establish scientific objectives.

The workshop was held in response to a recent report by a National Research Council committee evaluating the progress of the U.S.Climate Change Science Program. They concluded that although good progress has been made in understanding and predicting temperature trends and environmental changes, U.S.climate research lacks focus and appropriate funding. The goal of the workshop is to shape the priorities and identify gaps in the U.S. Climate Change Science Program to ensure the long-term success of our nation's climate science. The workshop brings together a broad spectrum of scientists, resource managers, industry, and policymakers.

Dr. Leung is a research scientist and Laboratory Fellow. She gave a plenary presentation on predictive global and regional models, and shared her vision for the U.S.Climate Change Science Program.

Dr. Janetos is a research scientist and the director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute, a collaborative partnership between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland. His plenary presentation focused on the need for the U.S.Climate Change Science Program to perform a new National assessment of climate change impacts.

Dr. Edmonds is a senior staff scientist, Laboratory Fellow, and Chief Scientist at the Joint Global Change Research Institute. He co-chaired a working Group on impacts, adaptation, and mitigation of climate change.

The National Academies is a private, non-profit institution, which advises the nation on scientific and technical matters.They bring together committees of experts in all areas of science and technology. These experts address critical National issues and give advice to the federal government and the public. Four organizations comprise the Academies: the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council. (Posted 10/19/2007)

Sotiris Xantheas Selected for Prominent Theoretical Chemistry Lecture

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Sotiris Xantheas was selected to participate in the Greater Boston Area Theoretical Chemistry Lecture Series. Sotiris was selected based on his research accomplishments in the field of hydrogen-bonded networks and the development of a new interaction potential for water from first principles electronic structure calculations.

For the lecture series, a committee of graduate students from Harvard, MIT, and Boston University select engaging speakers that appeal to a broad cross-section of the student population. As part of the series, each speaker spends a day at each of the three institutions visiting with faculty and delivers a 3-hour lecture at MIT on the evening of the third day. "The invitation to participate in the lecture series highlights the national recognition our work -- funded by DOE's Office of Basic Energy Sciences -- is receiving," said Sotiris. "Being a part of the series gave me the chance to interact with faculty and students, establish future collaborations and get fresh ideas about using our capabilities to open new research directions."

During his visit, which took place during September 24-26, 2007, Sotiris provided the next generation of scientists with opportunities to learn more about theoretical chemistry at PNNL. Also, he discussed opportunities to bring students to the Laboratory for collaborative projects next year. (Posted 10/1/2007)

Dale Anderson was awarded the Frank Wilcoxon Priz

Dale Anderson was awarded the Frank Wilcoxon Prize for the paper "Detection and Location of Gamma-Ray Sources with a Modulating Coded Mask." Dale, the lead author, was assisted in writing the article by Randy Hansen, Tony Peurrung and Sharon Wunschel, all NSD, and by non-PNNL contributor David Stromswold. The article presents two methods of detecting and locating a concealed nuclear gamma-ray source for applications in national security and threat detection. The article appeared in the May 2006 issue of Technometrics, a journal dedicated to the development and use of statistical methods in the physical, chemical and engineering sciences. The Frank Wilcoxon award is presented to the best practical application paper appearing in the previous year's Technometrics. (Posted 10/1/2007)

Steve Ghan invited to speak at Gordon Research Conference on Atmospheric Chemistry

Steve Ghan was invited to speak at this year's Gordon Research Conference on Atmospheric Chemistry in August. Speakers at the Gordon Research Conferences are recognized internationally as leaders in the fields of the biological, chemical and physical sciences and are invited to discuss recent advances in their research. Steve focused on the incorporation of aerosol processes and properties in global modeling frameworks, discussing recent work in the field and introducing a path toward meeting future needs in a presentation titled "Aerosols and Gases in Global Atmosphere Models: Current and Future State of the Science."

Held annually since 1931, the conference brings together scientists with common professional interests for a week of intense discussion and examination of the most advanced aspects of their field. (Posted 9/10/2007)

Pak Chung Wong participates in international seminar on information visualization

Pak Chung Wong participated in an invitation-only seminar in Dagstuhl, Germany that brought together theoreticians and practitioners from around the world to discuss the studies of information visualization and their applications. The findings of the seminar will be released as a book published by Schloss Dagstuhl. (Posted 9/1/2007)

Jerome Fast invited to speak at the Gordon Research Conference

Jerome Fast was invited to speak at the Gordon Research Conference in July at Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire. Speakers at the Gordon Research Conferences are internationally-recognized leaders in their field and are invited to discuss the most recent advances in their research. The theme of this year's conference on radiation and climate was "Integrating multiscale measurements and models for key climate questions." In his presentation, Jerome discussed his recent research during a session on Regional Aerosol Models: Simulation of Chemical Weather. (Posted 8/1/2007)

Sotiris Xantheas Receives Marie Curie Fellowship - International Award to Share Expertise Abroad

Sotiris Xantheas was selected for a Marie Curie Fellowship for More Experienced Researchers within the Transfer of Knowledge Program. This award helps European institutions develop research capabilities by hosting expert researchers with specialized knowledge.

Through this fellowship, Sotiris will spend up to 2 months over the next 3 years at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL) in the Foundation for Research and Technology—Hellas in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. His travel and local expenses for those visits will be covered by the fellowship.

In his first visit, Sotiris is working with IESL's researchers on establishing a capability for calculating excited states of molecular and ionic clusters. Initial case studies include the accurate calculation of the excited states of pyrrole and its complexes with rare gas atoms (such as argon, krypton and xenon) to explain the qualitatively different results obtained during photofragment slice imaging experiments performed at IESL. These experiments suggest that the clustering with selected rare gas carrier atoms (such as krypton and xenon but not argon) can selectively quench N-H bond fission.

Pyrrole is an ideal model for the study of more complex systems. It is an important source of nitrogen fuel in coal and heavy oils and plays an important role in the synthesis of biologically active compounds and other complexes.

This research is quickly leading to published results. A joint experimental-theoretical paper based on the results of the calculations entitled "Photofragment slice imaging studies of pyrrole and the Xe...pyrrole cluster" has been accepted in the Journal of Chemical Physics. (Posted 7/1/2007)

Subhash Singhal Appointed to National Academies' Committee

Subhash Singhal was named to a two-year term on the National Research Council's Technical Assessment Committee for the Army Research Laboratory (NRC is a branch of the prestigious National Academies). The committee assists the Army in assessing and improving the quality of its scientific and technical work. In his new role, Subhash will provide technical guidance to the Sensors and Electron Devices Panel.

Subhash, a Battelle Fellow and Director for PNNL's Fuel Cells Program, has conducted and managed major research, development and demonstration programs in advanced materials and energy conversion systems. He is author of more than 70 scientific publications and has edited 12 books, received 13 patents and given more than 205 invited presentations worldwide. (Posted 7/1/2007)

PNNL Staff Members Help Shape Global Understanding of Climate Change

Ruby Leung

Mike Scott

Tony Janetos

Several PNNL staff members are helping shape how the World views climate change through their contributions to the Fourth IPCC Climate Change 2007 Assessment Report. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), which was established by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization to provide information relevant to climate change, periodically issues reports to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the current state of knowledge on climate change. Since January 2007, IPCC's three Working Groups have issued summaries for policy makers, with complete reports due later this year. PNNL participants include:

Working Group I, "The Physical Science Basis": Ruby Leung, contributing author.

Working Group II, "Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability": Mike Scott and Tony Janetos, lead authors; Liz Malone and Antionette Brenkert, contributing authors.

Working Group III, "Mitigation of Climate Change": Jae Edmonds, lead author; Hugh Pitcher and Leon Clarke, contributing authors; Liz Malone, review editor.

The depth and breadth of contribution demonstrates PNNL staff members' standing as world class experts and their influence on the scientific, technical and socio-economic understanding of climate change. Congratulations and thank you.

For more information, visit the IPCC website (Posted 6/1/2007)

Bob Scherpelz Receives Award for Article in Russian Publication

Bob Scherpelz won an award for his article in the Russian journal Radiation Safety Problems. Russian counterparts submitted documents the team had prepared to the scientific journal published by the Mayak Production Association; subsequently the paper received the journal's Best Paper of the Year award.

The article is based on the team"s research to reconstruct radiation doses received by Mayak workers in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The Mayak site is similar to the Hanford Site. To reconstruct the doses, the team needed to determine the response characteristics of the film dosimeters used by the site more than 50 years ago. The article describes the calculations and experimental studies on the performance of the dosimeters.

Citation: Smetanin, MY, EK Vasilenko, IV Lyubarskaya, VA Knyazev, MV Gorelov, RI Scherpelz, and JJ Fix. 2006. "Calculation Experimental Studies of Energy and Angular Response of the Film Dosimeters used at the Mayak PA," Radiation Safety Problems No. 4, 2006, pp 46-59 (in Russian). (Posted 6/1/2007)

PNNL Scientist Selected for National Engineering Symposium

Michelle L. Gregory has been selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering's 2007 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium Sept. 24-26 at Microsoft Research in Redmond, Wash. The annual event brings together 100 of the nation's outstanding young engineers from industry, academia and government to collaborate in examining research challenges in various engineering fields and industry sectors.

Gregory is a leader in the field of computational linguistics. She uses computer science, mathematics and psychology to help bridge the gap between human and computer language processing, resulting in more natural-sounding speech synthesis and better speech recognition performance, as well as computational methods to model aspects of discourse. Gregory is widely published, has 2 patents and 4 pending, and also holds an adjunct teaching position at WSU-Tri-Cities. (Posted 6/1/2007)

Thallapally and McGrail Article Places in April's Top Ten accessed on Chemical Communications' website

Praveen Thallapally and Pete McGrail's article "Sorption of nitrogen oxides in a nonporous crystal" was among the top ten accessed articles on Chemical Communications' website. Accessed 784 times in April, the article focuses on sensor applications and separation of nitrogen oxides (NOx). There is a growing need to stabilize global NOx atmospheric concentrations to help reduce their effect on earth's climate, similar to what is now widely acknowledged is needed for carbon dioxide.

Chemical Communications is the leading weekly journal for publications on important developments in the chemical sciences. Its feature articles and reviews are written by leading scientists within their field and summarize current topical interests or those of cross-disciplinary appeal.

These accomplishments are also announced on the ETD website (Posted 5/25/2007)

Paul Bredt and Terri Stewart Pave the Way for DOE Roadmap

Paul Bredt and Terri Stewart made significant contributions to DOE's Environmental Management (EM) Roadmap for the Office of Engineering and Technology. This document identifies technology gaps in the EM program, associated risks and proposed strategies to close the gaps and enable the DOE cleanup mission. Paul and Terri provided technical expertise for drafting the strategic initiatives surrounding nuclear waste processing and groundwater and soil remediation.

Paul leads the Advanced Processing and Applications Group, and his current research is focused on the behavior of multi-scaled interfacial systems. Terri leads the Environmental Biomarkers Initiative researching ways to use biomarkers to transform environmental science. (Posted 5/1/2007)

Shawn Kathmann invited to contribute to the new perspectives issue of Theoretical Chemistry Accounts

Shawn Kathmann has been invited to contribute to the new perspectives issue of Theoretical Chemistry Accounts. Shawn was one of just 33 chemists, mainly those whose publications began to appear in earnest in the 1996-1999 time frame, selected to write about emerging areas of theoretical chemistry being pursued by a new generation of scientists.

In his 13-page article, Shawn wrote about the chemical physics of reactions involved in nucleation - the general process of describing phase transformations e.g., from the vapor phase to the liquid phase.

"Nucleation occurs in the manufacture of everything from snow flakes to jet engines turbine blades," said the Staff Scientist. "Yet, there are a lot of questions concerning the underlying processes and mechanisms."

In his article, Shawn shares insights concerning rate constants, molecular interactions, statistical mechanics and their consequences on nucleation phenomena. His article, titled "Understanding the Chemical Physics of Nucleation," is one of the most viewed articles in the issue.

Being asked to share thoughts and ideas about the future directions of research is a chance to influence the direction of scientific understanding.

Citation: Kathmann, SM. 2006. "Understanding the Chemical Physics of Nucleation," Theoretical Chemistry Accounts 116:169-182. Abstract online. (Posted 4/1/2007)

PNNL receives award from International Symposium on Spectral Sensing Research

PNNL received an award from the International Symposium on Spectral Sensing Research for best technical presentation of session (Surface Sensing and Monitoring). Steven Sharpe spoke on "Infrared Spectral Signatures for Stand-off Monitoring: Creation of a Quantitative Library, Its Utility and Limitations." This work was conducted by Tim Johnson and Robert Sams, both of the Fundamental Science Directorate, and Steven Sharpe, National Security Directorate. It was funded under the Office of Nonproliferation Research and Development (NA-22). (Posted 4/1/2007)

Biosensor Article Made Analytical Chemistry's Most Cited List

Guodong Liu and Yuehe Lin's article on an innovative biosensor for pesticides and nerve agents made the 2006 Top 20 Most Cited Articles in Analytical Chemistry. Their article "Biosensor Based on Self-Assembling Acetylcholinesterase on Carbon Nanotubes for Flow Injection/Amperometric Detection of Organophosphate Pesticides and Nerve Agents" appeared in the February 1, 2006, issue of the journal. The article is already being cited by other researchers.

The article discusses the construction of a sensor, composed of enzymes that self-assemble layer by layer onto tiny, hollow carbon tubes. When the sensor encounters organophosphates, the enzymes slow down. This reduced activity is transmitted as an electrochemical signal through the carbon nanotubes to an attached electrode. By reading the sensor's measurements, users can determine the concentration of organophosphates in environmental samples and biological fluids. (Posted 4/1/2007)

Roy Gephart invited by the National Academies to participate in workshop on radiation contamination and remediation issues

At the invitation of the National Academies, Roy Gephart, EMSL, is traveling to Russia with an eight-member U.S. team in early June to participate in a workshop, hosted by the National Academies and the Russian Academy of Sciences, on radiation contamination and remediation issues in the former Soviet Union. Cleanup problems will be assessed by the participants for six Russian sites: Kurchatov Institute, Lakes 10 and 11 at Mayak, Andreev Bay, Krasnokamensk Mining Enterprise (Siberia), Almaz Mining Enterprise (North Caucasus), and a site for testing peaceful nuclear explosions (Perm or Ivanovo region). Roy will lead one of the workshop's review sessions. The Russian Academy of Sciences will present the workshop recommendations to the Ecology Committee of the Russian National Security Council. The invitation to the workshop is a reflection of Roy's experience on addressing radioactive waste issues and providing his consultation and expertise to the National Academies and others. (Posted 4/1/2007)

Xiao-Dong Zhou Presented Nanomaterials Knowledge at International Forum

Xiao-Dong Zhou presented as one of only four invited USA Early Career Participants at the 4th U.S.- Korea Forum on Nanotechnology. Zhou, a research scientist in PNNL's Energy Materials group, delivered an insightful presentation on "Nanomaterials for Energy Applications – Defect and Transport Properties in Nanoscale Oxides," at the April conference held in Hawaii.

The series of meetings focuses on sustainable nanotechnology and energy dealing with the design, synthesis, fabrication, and characterization of nano-materials. Other topics include devices and systems for energy applications such as fuel cells, batteries, hydrogen production and storage, and solar cells. (Posted 4/1/2007)

Two Journal Articles Make ACS Most-Cited List

Richard Barry

Stephen Callister

Dick Smith

Mary Lipton

Haixing Wang

Two articles by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory staff that appeared in the February 2006 issue of the Journal of Proteome Research are being featured as an American Chemical Society 2006 Most-Cited Article. These are articles published in ACS journals during 2006 that received the most citations in the same year, based on citation data obtained from Thomson Scientific. The two articles are:

"Normalization approaches for removing systematic biases associated with mass spectrometry and label-free proteomics," by Stephen Callister, Richard Barry, Josh Adkins, Ethan Johnson, Wei-Jun Qian, Bobbie-Jo Webb-Robertson, Dick Smith, and Mary Lipton.

Researchers investigated four techniques for normalizing peptide abundance measurements obtained from high-throughput liquid chromatography-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The peptides came from a protein sample, two Deinococcus radiodurans samples, and two mouse striatum samples. Before normalization, replicate runs from each sample set were statistically different, and after normalization, they were not. For most LC-FTICR MS analyses, linear regression normalization ranked either first or second among the four techniques, suggesting that it was more generally suitable for reducing systematic biases.

"Characterization of the mouse brain proteome using global proteomic analysis complemented with cysteinyl-peptide enrichment," by Haixing Wang, Wei-Jun Qian, Mark Chin, Vladislav Petyuk, Richard Barry, Tao Liu, Marina Gritsenko, Heather Mottaz, Ron Moore, Dave Camp, Arshad Khan, Desmond Smith, and Dick Smith.

Scientists from PNNL and the University of California-Los Angeles completed the first comprehensive characterization of the whole mouse brain proteome and the most comprehensive proteome coverage for the mammalian brain to date. They took a global proteomic approach for comprehensive profiling of the brain tissue using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and an extensive protein database for the whole mouse brain. The database generated from this study will be the basis for future quantitative brain proteomic studies using mouse models.

A most-cited article represents critical, new research results influencing the direction of scientific discovery. (Posted 3/1/2007)

Tony Janetos Helps National Research Council Outline Future of Space-Based Earth Observations

As a member of the National Research Council's Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space, Dr. Anthony Janetos and his colleagues examined the government's long-term planning for space-based observations of Earth over the next 10 years. Their findings were released during the 2007 American Meteorological Society meeting. Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond recommended a number of fundamental improvements to existing observation and information systems to provide the United States with crucial scientific information for predicting severe storms and climate change effects. The study was commissioned by groups within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Dr. Janetos served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Panel on Earth Science Applications and Societal Needs. He is the director of the Joint Global Climate Change Research Institute, a collaborative partnership between the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland. (Posted 1/1/2007)

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