Newsmakers Archive 2010-2007
Scott Chambers interviewed in Nature Materials
Dr. Scott Chambers, a AAAS Fellow and a epitaxial oxide films expert at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was extensively interviewed for an article titled "Is it really intrinsic ferromagnetism?" The article appeared in the December 2010 focus issue of Nature Materials.
Jim Amonette quoted in Biomass on biochar
Jim Amonette was quoted in two articles in Biomass. In "Beyond the Hype," Amonette discussed sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change. In "A New Climate Change Mitigation Tool," he was about the International Biochar Initiative's examination of the fine-grained, highly porous charcoal.
Bill Morgan quoted in the LA Times on medical screening radiation exposure risks
Dr. Bill Morgan, Director of Radiation Biology and Biophysics at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was interviewed by the LA Times in an article that appeared October 11. See "Benefits of diagnostic radiation outweigh the dangers."
Paul Runci on renewable energy in The Wall Street Journal
Dr. Paul Runci, Senior Scientist at Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI), was quoted in a special section on Germany in The Wall Street Journal online news. The article focused on renewable energy as an economic growth driver for Germany, which is a familiar topic in Runci's research. JGCRI is a unique partnership between PNNL and the University of Maryland.
Justin Teeguarden on nanoparticles in Nature News
Justin Teeguarden, Biological Monitoring & Modeling, was quoted in Nature News, the online news section of Nature magazine. He was interviewed for an article on nanoparticle use in drug delivery.
Jim Amonette on biochar in the New York Times
Jim Amonette's research on biochar was published in the New York Times on September 7, 2010. The article is titled "Once-Lowly Charcoal Emerges as 'Major Tool' for Curbing Carbon."
Jim Amonette on biochar in the Tri-City Herald
Jim Amonette's research on biochar was published in an article on August 16, 2010, in his hometown newspaper, the Tri-City Herald.
Critics question carbon storage study
USA Today referenced a PNNL study from the Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI) that highlighted "deeply flawed assumptions" in an article published in the 27 June 2010 issue of Nature Geosciences. The JGCRI study explained how the article overstated the impacts associated with society using carbon dioxide capture and storage.
Liem Dang's water research discussed in C&E News
Theoretical research by Dr. Liem Dang was mentioned in an article on water chemistry in the July 12, 2010, issue of Chemical & Engineering News. Dang's computational simulations show that hydroxide ions move toward the surface of water.
Dick Kouzes discusses helium-3 shortage in Physics Today
Dr. Richard T. Kouzes, a Laboratory Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory working in the areas of neutrino science, homeland security, non-proliferation, and computational applications, was cited in "DOE begins rationing helium-3" in Physics Today, June 2010.
Rick Zangar discusses novel biomarker detection technology in Nature Biotechnology
Dr. Rick Zangar, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was interviewed about the potential impact of a novel technology described in a Nature Biotechnology article. The technology platform dealt with a single-molecule ELISA for detection of low-abundance biomarkers. The article was published by The Science-Business eXchange, a translational science weekly that is produced in part by the Nature Publishing Group.
Dick Smith quoted about spinal fluid protein studies
Multiple news outlets mentioned Battelle Fellow Dr. Richard Smith in a story about unique proteins found in spinal fluid in collaboration with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The story appeared on Medical News Today, News-Medical Net, Med-India, and Newswise.
Chenghong Lei, Jun Liu interviewed about anti-cancer drugs in silica
Drs. Chenghong Lei and Jun Liu, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, were quoted in a feature on UPI.com’s Science News May 25. The article describes their study to package anti-cancer drugs in chemically modified silica particles.
Research Highlight: Silica Cages Help Anti-Cancer Antibodies Kill Tumors in Mice
Chuck Peden quoted in USA Today on catalysts
Dr. Chuck Peden was quoted as an outside expert in a story on a new catalytic converter material that was published in Science.
Brian Thrall talks about assessing the hazards of nanoparticles with C&E News
In the March 29 issue of Chemical and Engineering News, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Brian Thrall discussed the toxicity of particles that are measured on the nanometer scale. He discusses the value of a systems-level approach to identify and, better, predict the hazards of different nanomaterials.
Jiwen Fan's cloud research reaches Australia
Jiwen Fan's research on storm clouds continues to get international attention. Read about her work in Cosmos, Australia's #1 science media brand.
Karin Rodland and Steve Wiley on NIH grant application changes
Laboratory Fellows Karin Rodland and Steven Wiley were quoted in the article "NIH reviewers praise new rules," published in February's The Scientist. Rodland, who manages the National Institutes of Health business sector at PNNL, and Wiley, chief biologist at EMSL, commented on the NIH's recent change to shortened grant applications.
Richard Moss talks to Nature
In a Feb.11 interview with Nature, PNNL's Richard Moss discussed his recent Nature article "Climate research: the next generation" and his thoughts on the IPCC.
Steve Ghan and Chuck Long discuss weather vs. climate
In a Feb. 15 interview with KNDU, Steve Ghan and Chuck Long discuss weather vs. climate, addressing questions regarding how record snowfall back East does not relate to global warming.
Dick Smith on Immune Responses to Flu Viruses
Dick Smith was interviewed for the article "The Pandemic Puzzle," to be published in the NCRR Reporter, the quarterly magazine of the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Research Resources. He and University of Washington collaborator Michael Katze are investigating immune responses to the H1N1 ("swine flu") and H5N1 ("bird flu) viruses.
Phil Rasch testifies on climate change geoengineering
Dr. Phil Rasch (second from left)
Dr. Phil Rasch gave testimony on climate change geoengineering to the U.S. House of Representative Committee on Science and Technology in Washington, D.C. on February 4, 2010. He spoke to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment during a hearing entitled, "Geoengineering II: The Scientific Basis and Engineering Challenges." View the printed testimony or hear a webcast of the testimony by from Rasch and the other panelists.
Dan DuBois on catalysts
MIT's Technology Review quoted Dan DuBois regarding a recent study done in the Netherlands showing that a cooper-based catalyst could be used in a process to convert carbon dioxide into household chemicals. The article appears in the January 15, 2010 issue.
Jiwen Fan shares climate research in Chinese
Jiwen Fan shared her current research concerning aerosol effects on cloud processes in Mandarin (English translation shown below the clip) at EurekAlert!, an online, global news service operated by AAAS.
Phil Rasch on the need for climate action
As the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen gets under way, The Oregonian featured PNNL's Dr. Phil Rasch on the continuing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address rising temperatures. The December 7, 2009 article: "In Climategate's wake, key Northwest scientist Rasch keeps looking skyward."
Jae Edmonds on the economics of carbon caps
The November 24, 2009 issue of USA Today quoted PNNL's Dr. Jae Edmonds in a story leading up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December. The story was about how carbon emission cuts to combat global warming will have an economic impact.
Tony Janetos on the new biology
On YouTube, a National Research Council video features PNNL's Dr. Tony Janetos as one of four experts explaining the significance of a "new biology."
Research Highlight: Not Your Father's Biology
Jim Dooley on energy investments
MIT's Technology Review featured data from Jim Dooley on long-term trends in U.S. venture capital support for energy technologies. The article, "Venture Capitalists Struggle with Renewables," appeared in the September/October 2009 edition.
Chuck Peden, Janos Szanyi, and Ja Hun Kwak on catalysis
Scientists Ja Hun Kwak, Chuck Peden, and Janos Szanyi were mentioned in a Chemical & Engineering News story about Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's research published in Science showing that a common catalyst forms platinum rafts.
Hugh Pitcher on carbon emissions
Dr. Hugh Pitcher
USA Today, in its September 22, 2009 issue, quoted PNNL scientist Dr. Hugh Pitcher in the story about the UN Climate Summit, "Deal on climate change is elusive". Pitcher discussed the need to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to keep the earth's temperature from rising more than 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The story also included a graphic from the Joint Global Change Research Institute on potential carbon dioxide emission levels through 2060.
James Cowin on the iSniff and Childhood Disease in
Scientific American
James Cowin
Dr. James Cowin is quoted in the Scientific American on a personal air monitor used to gather data for a long-term study on black carbon soot and childhood asthma.
Jim Amonette on biochar in The Economist
The Economist interviewed PNNL scientist Dr. Jim Amonette on using biochar to remove the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it.
Yun Qian on how air pollution is altering rainfall patterns in China
Numerous news outlets worldwide covered research led by PNNL's Dr. Yun Qian on how pollution is suppressing light rain in China. Decreased rainfall is contributing to economically devastating drought and agricultural production in parts of China. Stories appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Nature (including quotes from PNNL's Connor Flynn), New Tang Dynasty Television, China Daily and Peoples' Daily Online, and many other outlets.
Jim Dooley on capturing carbon emissions
The Washington Post worked with PNNL scientist Jim Dooley on a detailed graphic about carbon dioxide capture and storage for a story on August 11, 2009. Dooley was among those credited for the graphic in the hard copy of the article, "Coal's Future Wagered on Carbon Capture."
Jim Dooley on the economics of energy R&D
The July 27, 2009 cover story of Chemical & Engineering News quotes PNNL scientist Jim Dooley in the article, "Building a Sustainable Economy." Dooley spoke about trends in energy-related R&D funding over the years. The article also refers to a research report of Dooley's: "U.S. Federal Investments in Energy R&D: 1961-2008."
Tony Janetos testifies on climate impacts in vulnerable regions
Tony Janetos
On July 23, 2009, Dr. Tony Janetos gave Congressional testimony about how vulnerable regions can use adaptation strategies to cope with current and future climate changes - such as those that affect crops, energy, transportation, and health. He testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment. For more information, see the PNNL news release and Hearing agenda.
Jim Amonette on Biochar
Dr. Jim Amonette will speak at the first major US biochar conference, which will be held in Boulder, Colo. in August.
Jae Edmonds on Technology to Avert Climate Change
Dr. Jae Edmonds was quoted in a June 17, 2009 New Republic story about whether we need a technological breakthrough to avert the climate crisis. Edmonds said both technology investment and policies to curb emissions are required.
More Information . . .
Lynne Roeder blogs about an aircraft field campaign
Lynne Roeder
The Discovery Channel asked PNNL's Lynne Roeder, Public Information Officer for the U.S. Department of Energy's ARM Climate Research Facility, to blog about a climate science field campaign in Oklahoma in June 2009.
Tony Janetos on climate effects
Tony Janetos
Numerous media sources, including The New York Times, AP, and the Washington Post covered a comprehensive new climate assessment that included PNNL's Dr. Tony Janetos as an author. "Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States," a Congressionally mandated report of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, was released June 16, 2009. Janetos wrote the section on climate effects on U.S. ecosystems.
PNNL climate scientists on the soot-snow-climate connection
The New York Times ran a story on May 14, 2009 about how water shortages might create a 21st century Dust Bowl. The story referenced "groundbreaking" research from PNNL on how soot causes snowpack to melt early. More on the research.
Blaine Metting on carbon capture
Blaine Metting, Fundamental & Computational Sciences Directorate, was mentioned in the April issue of Earth magazine, p. 39, in the article, "Capturing Carbon from Coal Plants." "Using proven land management methods, scientists could engineer soils to store more carbon that they would under normal circumstances," according to Blaine Metting of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., and colleagues. Changing agricultural practices could also make a difference to how much carbon the soils could hold."
Dick Smith on managing a large lab
Dr. Richard Smith, Battelle Fellow and Director of Proteomics Research at PNNL, was interviewed for a feature "A Big Team for a Little Lab" in the March Genome Technology. The article describes how Smith runs his large, successful, renowned proteomics technology lab within DOE's Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory located at PNNL.Jim Fredrickson, Alex Beliaev, Dick Smith in The Scientist
Laboratory Fellow Jim Fredrickson, microbiologist Alex Beliaev, and Battelle Fellow Dick Smith were quoted extensively in the March issue of The Scientist in the cover story "All Systems Go." The article covers the systems biology of microorganisms.
Tony Janetos on science and public policy
A 9-minute podcast hosted by the Ecological Society of America features Dr. Tony Janetos on how climate change science informs public policy, in "The Ecologist Goes to Washington: Communicating Climate Change."
Sotiris Xantheas on computational chemistry
Dr. Sotiris Xantheas wrote a "News and Views" article for Nature, February 2009, on computer simulations that provided insight into the dynamics of the Zundel cation, H5O2+, and its deuterated analogs.
Jim Dooley on the economics of slowing global warming
In a story on February 11, 2009, The Christian Science Monitor quoted researcher Jim Dooley on the concept of dumping leftover corn stalks in the ocean to slow global warming. Dooley said economic research shows that crop residue may have a higher societal value in other uses. Dooley is with the Joint Global Change Research Institute, a collaboration of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland.
William Gustafson on soot pollution
Bill Gustafson
An article in the January 22, 2009 issue of Land Letter quoted Dr. William Gustafson on how soot pollution from vehicles and coal plants is making mountain snowpacks melt earlier, affecting water supplies.
Steve Ghan on climate change
Steve Ghan
Dr. Steve Ghan spoke about a broad range of climate change issues in the Internet radio program "Eco-man and the Skeptic," in January 2009.
Jae Edmonds on reducing carbon emissions
Jae Edmonds
Science Magazine quoted Dr. James Edmonds about the costs of implementing strategies to reduce carbon emissions. Edmonds spoke as part of the Congressional Research and Development Caucus on November 20, 2008 in Washington DC.
Jim Dooley on carbon dioxide capture and storage
Jim Dooley
Jim Dooley's research on carbon dioxide capture and storage was cited in a Technology Review blog on January 7, 2009. Energy innovation writer Peter Fairley opined on "dispelling carbon captures' scaling myth."
More Information ...
Steve Ghan on geoengineering
Steve Ghan
Dr. Steve Ghan was interviewed for a United Kingdom news publication, "The Independent," in January 2009 in a story on geoengineering. Ghan argues that any geoengineering solution should focus strictly on removing carbon dioxide. "Any other solution is bound to introduce changes in the distribution of radiative heating that would change the climate in undesirable and perhaps unexpected ways," he says.
Phil Rasch on geoengineering
Phil Rasch
Dr. Philip Rasch was quoted in the October 2008 issue of Scientific American in a story about geoengineering. Geoengineering means taking actions to slow or reverse global warming, such as shading the earth from the sun. Weather Underground, a scientist's blog, described Rasch's recent talk on cloud "seeding" with sea salt, using wind-powered ships known as Fletter vessels.
Ruby Leung on abrupt climate change
Ruby Leung
Dr. Ruby Leung was quoted in the January 1, 2009 issue of Popular Science in an article about the U.S. Department of Energy's IMPACTS project. The article, "The Other Big Meltdown," describes the quest to assess how abrupt climate change could be triggered as global warming shifts into high gear.
Justin Teeguarden on nanotechnology risk research strategy
Justin Teeguarden
PNNL senior scientist Dr. Justin Teeguarden is one of the authors of a National Research Council report "Review of the Federal Strategy to Address Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials." The report, released December 10, received widespread attention because it finds serious weaknesses in the government's plan for research to determine health and environmental risks posed by nanomaterials, which are increasingly being used in consumer goods and industry. The committee outlines what is necessary to frame a successful national strategy. View the National Academies press release and the full report.
Stephen Elbert on energy-efficient data centers
Steven Elbert
The Channel Register, a major online computer trade news publication, quoted PNNL's Dr. Stephen Elbert about the ability of data centers to provide power and cooling for more efficient operation of supercomputers. Power and cooling are significant limitations on scalability for supercomputers. Data centers are currently inefficient.
Elbert, in a presentation he gave at the Supercomputing Conference (SC08), explained that there are plenty of data centers burning 60 to 70 megawatts and a few have already broken through the 100 megawatts barrier. "Beyond that, you have to be your own power company," he said. Elbert, a senior research scientist on the Energy Smart Data Center Project at PNNL, is working with colleagues and collaborators to design computing centers that are more energy efficient.
PNNL scientists front and center in U.S./China energy efficiency agreement
The work of PNNL's Shui Bin and Meredydd Evans in building energy code enforcement in China was the cornerstone of a memorandum of understanding between PNNL and the U.S. State Department announced on December 3, 2008. The two scientists from the Joint Global Change Research Institute will develop an action plan for building energy code enforcement that can be deployed in small and medium-sized cities across China, where half of the world's new construction will occur in the next 10 years. Media coverage of the announcement and associated funding appeared internationally.
For more information, see the PNNL news release.
Zachara and Konopka on Hanford groundwater monitoring wells
The November 1 issue of the American Nuclear Society's Nuclear News quoted Drs. John Zachara and Allan Konopka in an article about the 35 monitoring wells installed this summer in the Hanford Site's 300 Area. These wells are part of an Integrated Field Research Challenge project for the U.S. Department of Energy to help characterize uranium contamination in groundwater.
PNNL Researchers Earned Top Honors at SuperComputing Conference
Congratulations to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Scott Dowson, Justin Almquist, Chris Oehmen, Lee Ann McCue, Bobbie-Jo Webb-Robertson, and Jason McDermott for winning 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. ...More
Moe Khaleel on computing architectures
Moe Khaleel spoke about computing for accelerating the energy technology development cycle at the Science & Technology Discovery Series on November 11 in Seattle. The series was hosted by the Technology Alliance. The alliance is a statewide organization composed of leaders from Washington state's diverse high-tech businesses and research institutions dedicated to the region's economic success. The talk is titled, "Beyond the Desktop: The role of computational architectures in accelerating discovery."
Fred Brockman on bacterium discovery
The South African and German press quoted Dr. Fred Brockman in several articles on the discovery of the first ecosystem ever found having only a single biological species. Brockman was part of a team led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that discovered Desulforudis audaxviator in a South African gold mine. Their results were published in the October 10 issue of Science.
Tony Janetos on global change policy
In the American Chemical Society publication Environmental Science & Technology, Dr. Anthony Janetos was quoted about the significance of climate change action plans that various science groups have proposed to the presidential transition team. Janetos directs the Joint Global Change Research Institute, a partnership of PNNL and the University of Maryland.
Liz Malone on the energy and environmental security ecosystem
The Canadian Press quoted Dr. Elizabeth Malone of the Joint Global Change Research Institute in a story about the new Energy and Environmental Security Ecosystem, designed to share intelligence about threats to energy and environmental security. The story played in multiple Canadian media outlets, including The Record and the Metro News.
Ruby Leung on abrupt climate change
The work of Dr. Ruby Leung, a world expert in regional climate modeling, is mentioned in Terra Daily in a feature story on DOE's new program on abrupt climate change. The program brings together six national laboratories to reveal new insights about the causes and effects of rapid and devastating climate change.
Jim Dooley on carbon dioxide capture and storage
Jim Dooley was among the panelists speaking about carbon dioxide capture and storage in a roundtable hosted by Energy Policy TV in July 2008. The televised panel discussion, "Carbon Sequestration: Promise and Reality," focused on the technical and commercial state of carbon dioxide capture and storage, or CCS, and its deployment. Dooley is a widely recognized expert on CCS issues, including serving on the editorial board for the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, the first peer-reviewed journal to focus on CCS technologies.
Chuck Peden on catalysis
The Interim Director of PNNL's Institute for Integrated Catalysis was quoted in Chemical and Engineering News on the work done to enhance catalysts. The research was done by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China.
Tom Autrey and hydrogen storage
In July 2008, Chemical Science ran an article on hydrogen storage materials, quoting PNNL's Tom Autrey on ammonia borane as one of three sources.
Blaine Metting on producing algae for fuel
Dr. Blaine Metting was quoted in the June 30, 2008 Wall Street Journal article "Scum Power," which discussed the status of turning algae into fuel. Metting is Chair of the International Energy Agency International Network on Biofixation of CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Abatement with Microalgae. Network members collaborate on laboratory and demonstration projects with microalgae aimed at overcoming the biological and engineering challenges associated with truly large-scale production of algal biomass. Past and current projects at PNNL have been supported by DOE-Fossil Energy and the Office of Biological and Environmental Research's Genomics: GTL program.
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.
Lai-Sheng Wang on golden superatoms
Research by Dr. Lai-Sheng Wang, a physical chemist at Washington State University and PNNL, and his collaborators on gold buckyballs, a form of superatoms, were featured in Science News on June 6, 2008.
Tony Janetos and Cesar Izaurralde on climate change—
U.S. ecosystems
In May 2008, Dr. Tony Janetos spoke at Congressional briefings and was widely quoted in national and regional media about a new national report on the impacts of climate change on US ecosystems. Janetos was a convening lead author for the report, to which Dr. Cesar Izaurralde, and Allison Thomson also contributed. The report found climate change is already affecting agriculture, water resources, biodiversity, and forests in the US. Among the media sources that interviewed or quoted Janetos were the PBS TV show Lehrer Newshour, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, National Public Radio, Science News, and New Scientist. Izaurralde did interviews in Spanish-language media such as Univision Radio in San Francisco.
James Cowin on chemical transformations in ice
Research by Dr. James Cowin and his team from PNNL and Pennsylvania State University on the pyroelectricity of ice was featured as a brief in the May 1, 2008, issue of Nature. Unlocking the molecular mechanisms responsible for ice generating a voltage in response to changing temperatures provides further insights into the universal solvent: water.
Jae Edmonds on climate stabilization
Jae Edmonds spoke about the science behind carbon mitigation options on April 22, 2008 as part of an invited speaker series hosted by the Princeton Environmental Institute. The talk, "Emissions Mitigation and Climate Stabilization: Inside the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Science, Policy, and Politics," is available on YouTube and as a podcast on iTunes.
Dan Cziczo on cloud bacteria and weather
Dr. Dan Cziczo, an expert in cloud microphysics, was quoted in a story on atmospheric science and climate in the April 18, 2008, issue of Chemical & Engineering News. The story, "Bacteria in the Clouds," describes how airborne microbes might influence weather.
Jim Dooley on carbon capture and storage
Jim Dooley testified for the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Advisory committee in a March 31, 2008, briefing on Making Carbon Capture & Sequestration Work: Economics and Critical Issues. See his presentation on issues associated with large-scale deployment of carbon capture and sequestration. Dooley, an expert on carbon-capture issues, was one of 17 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory staff who contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.
Doug Ray on catalysis
Doug Ray and two University of California colleagues wrote an opinion piece for The Seattle Times (September 17, 2007) about the importance of catalysis breakthroughs in delivering the next generation of energy and climate solutions.
