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I don't know about you, but
most of the skiing I do these days is inside my car as I navigate icy roads and
streets.
Water is a precious
commodity in this part of the country--something I've had to remind myself of as
I shovel a path to my snowbound car. It's been a cold, old-fashioned winter in
northern New Mexico, and the abundance of snow is delighting skiers and
frustrating some of us, but it will soon be replenishing our wells and
irrigation ditches.
I hope you enjoy this issue
of Connections . . . as always, feel free to call or write us to share your
comments and suggestions.
Johnnie
Martinez
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| Community Leaders Survey
shows some improvements . . . and more work to be done
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According to the results of
the 2007 Community Leaders Survey, some leaders like you believe that LANL is
doing a better job of communicating with local communities. More than 57 percent
of participants expressed satisfaction with the methods available to communicate
with LANL, which is an improvement from 44 percent in 2006.
The results also showed
that 53 percent of leaders are satisfied with our efforts to respond to concerns
of the community. This is an increase of 19 percent from 2006.
Although the survey showed
progress, LANL still has work to do, according to 39 percent of leaders who
expressed dissatisfaction with Lab's the response to community
concerns.
Perceptions about economic
and business issues, education, and community involvement are also included in
the report.
The survey can be accessed
through the Community
Programs Office website.
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| REDI to move forward
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REDI is one of Los Alamos
County's "Progress through Partnering" initiatives and requires the RDC to
develop a regional economic development strategic plan. REDI will help identify
concrete economic development projects that will improve the economy and quality
of life in the four-county region during the next 25 years.
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| LANL Laces up
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February will be an
exciting month for approximately 120 students from three Santa Fe and three
Espanola elementary schools who will get a new pair of shoes, thanks to a new
community giving program, LANL Laces.
Students at Salazar, Cesar
Chavez, and Agua Fria Elementary Schools in Santa Fe; and Fairview, Hernandez,
and Alcalde Elementary Schools in Espanola will be the first to participate in
this pilot program. Teachers and staff helped identify students for the program.
Qualifying students will be fitted for new shoes at Mervyns and JCPenney stores
in Santa Fe during the last three weeks in February.
Funding for this program
comes from employees at LANL and Washington Group International, one of the
partner companies that comprise Los Alamos National Security, the corporation
that manages LANL. If you would like to donate to the program, you may contact
the project coordinator, Tim Martinez of LANL's Community Programs Office, at
(505) 665-4400 or timothy@lanl.gov.
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| Science Bowl just around
the corner |
Los Alamos National
Laboratory is currently recruiting teams to participate in this year's New
Mexico Science Bowl on April 5 in Albuquerque. The Science Bowl is an academic
competition for students in grades six through eight that test students'
knowledge in all areas of science by means of a fast-paced question and answer
forum. Teams are comprised of up to four students, one alternate, and a
teacher/coach. Teachers will receive a stipend for their participation and
transportation will be provided.
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| School to World
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Eighth and ninth graders
from throughout New Mexico will have an opportunity to hear different career
professionals talk about their work in a variety of fields at a "School to
World" event February 23 at the Albuquerque Convention
Center.
School
to World is a business, government, and education partnership event where
students meet one-on-one with professionals to learn what they need to study in
high school to achieve their own career dreams.
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| Local students learn about
DNA |
High school students from
Pojoaque Valley High School, Victory Faith Academy (Espanola), and Los Alamos
High School will have an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in DNA
extraction from strawberries. They will also participate in DNA modeling and DNA
sequencing. The program is a joint effort between the Bradbury Science Museum
and the Joint Genome Institute.
The program will take place
in February and March. For more information, contact Karen Davenport at (505)
667-8676.
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| Memo of Understanding
signed for Machinist Apprenticeship Program |
 
A recently signed
memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) and
LANL for the Machinist Apprenticeship Program (MAP) reinforces the ongoing
collaboration between the two entities. The program was started in 1999 to
address LANL's need for qualified machinists. Since the original MOU and lease
were signed, the college changed its name to Northern
New Mexico College, and Los Alamos National Security, LLC, replaced UC as
the manager of LANL. The new MOU reflects those changes.
Through the program, the
Laboratory provides staff for hands-on, practical training and related classroom
instruction. Basic training, which typically takes two years, is provided in a
LANL off-site shop on the NNMC campus. Advanced training in the third and fourth
years is provided in several LANL machine shops. Upon completion of the fourth
year, the apprentices are qualified to provide a full spectrum of fabrications
in a variety of sizes and materials, including radioactive, toxic, pyrophoric,
and other hazardous materials, in support of multiple programs. The entire
four-year program involves 8,000 hours of training and classroom
instruction.
LANL employs the
apprentices as student employees during the training. Upon completion of the
program, the apprentices may be offered full-time employment.
Since its inception, the
Machinist Apprenticeship Program has graduated 32 apprentices, 31 of which have
been hired by the Laboratory as full-time employees. The program now employs 27
apprentices in various stages of their apprenticeship. Seven individuals are set
to graduate this year.
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| A public colloquium:
Archimedes Revealed |
During the 13th century,
Byzantine monks erased a Greek manuscript and copied religious texts over the
erasures. The writings they nearly obliterated were treatises on math,
engineering, and hydrodynamics by Archimedes, a leading scientist of the ancient
world. Since 1998, a team at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore has been
working with experts in the latest digital technologies to recover the erased
texts.
The Institute for Medieval
Studies at the University of New Mexico is sponsoring "Archimedes Revealed: A
Public Colloquium on Ancient Science Medieval Manuscripts, and Modern
Technology." This two-day talk (February 15-16) is free and open to the
public.
For more information visit
the University's website.
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| LANL wins in publications,
art, and online competitions |
LANL communicators won over
29 awards at the "Sixth Annual Southwest Regional Publications, Art, and Online
Competitions" sponsored by the New Mexico Kachina, Phoenix, Southern Arizona,
and Oklahoma chapters of the Society for Technical Communication.
LANL award winners this
year included:
Technical Publications Competition
- Award of Merit - Sharon Mikkelson, Denise Sessions, Suzanne King,
Margaret Burgess, Jean Butterworth, Todd Heinrichs, Lisa Inkret, and Robert
Kramer
- Distinguished Technical Communication Award - Jay Shecker, Necia
Grant Cooper, Clay Dillingham, Barbara Maes, and the IRM-CAS Production
Team
- Award of Excellence - Meredith Coonley, Kelly Parker, and Anthony
Mancino
Technical Art Competition
- Best of Show Award - Omar Juveland, Jim Liljenwall, and Judith
Machen
- Distinguished Technical Communication Award - Omar Juveland, Jim
Liljenwall, Judith Machen, Anthony Mancino, Allen Hopkins, and Janet
Mercer-Smith
- Award of Excellence - Allen Hopkins, Octavio Ramos, Jr., Jim Cruz,
Jean Butterworth, Margaret Burgess, Todd Heinrichs, Meredith Coonley, Kelly
Parker, and Robert Kramer
- Award of Merit - Omar Juveland, Jim Liljenwall, Allen Hopkins, Donald
Montoya, Octavio Ramos, Jr., Jim Cruz, Robert Kramer, Trisha Johansen, and
Shirley Veenis
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| Volunteer
opportunity |
Santa Fe Community Services
provides hot meals to the homeless and needy in Santa Fe with support from local
churches and volunteers. It also provides case management for those individuals
who need it.
The organization seeks
support from more volunteers to help prepare and serve food. Financial donations
are also welcome to help provide clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, and food.
The goal is to reach those in need, and work with them with the hope of getting
them off the streets and living safe and productive lives.
For more information about
volunteering with Santa Fe Community Services, contact Nancy McDonald at
(505) 310-3624, or for other volunteer opportunities visit the LANL-sponsored VolunteerMatch
website.
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| KUDOS!
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LANL Kudos
- Kudos to Carl Beard, who has been appointed as the LANL Associate
Director for Stockpile Manufacturing and Support
Economic Development
Kudos
Government Kudos
- Kudos to all of the newly elected Pueblo Governors and Tribal
Officials
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| Community Calendar
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Feb. 9:
Teacher Workshop for Fuel Cell Car Challenge, Albuq.
Feb.
12: The Customer Service Workshop, Los Alamos
Feb. 23: School to World, Albuq.
Mar.
4: Understanding Financial Statements, Santa Fe
Mar.
6: Developing a Successful Business Plan, Los Alamos
Mar. 17: NM Rural Water Association
Water Conf., Albuq.
Apr. 5: New
Mexico Science Bowl, Albuq.
Apr. 10-11: Quality NM Awards
Conference, Albuq.
Apr.
19: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Competition, Albuq.
Apr. 22-24: NM Rural
Economic Development Forum, T or C
May 3-5: NM First
Statewide Forum, Albuq.
May 7: Dreaming New Mexico
Kickoff Event, Santa Fe
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