Oak Ridge Today

Five ORNL scientists rated among world’s most influential

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Ramamoorthy Ramesh

Ramamoorthy Ramesh

Five Oak Ridge National Laboratory physicists, including Deputy for Science and Technology Ramamoorthy Ramesh, have been named by Thomson Reuters as some of the best and brightest of our time.

The list consists of scientists whose work has been most frequently cited by peers as identified by Thomson Reuters platforms. Citation data was divided into two categories—2002-2012 and 2012-2013—with the latter labeled “hot papers,” ranking in the top 0.1 percent by citations in their field. Seventeen researchers earned this distinction while some 3,200 were included in the second section of the ranking with citations ranking in the top 1 percent for their field and year of publication.

Ramesh, who was actually listed in two categories—physics and materials science—was named to his position at ORNL in June 2013 after serving as the Plato Malozemoff Chair Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Physics at the University of California, Berkeley, with a joint appointment as a faculty senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He holds a doctorate in materials science from the University of California, Berkeley, and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2011 in recognition of his contributions to the science and technology of functional complex oxide materials. [Read more…]

ORNL cancels accent class after negative reaction

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

After an overwhelmingly negative reaction from employees, Oak Ridge National Laboratory has decided to drop a class that teaches how to minimize a southern accent. Officials said that some employees had requested the class, and the laboratory’s human resources department decided to open it up to all 4,000 employees.

To advertise the class, HR sent an email that implied there was something wrong with southern accents. Officials have since admitted that the email came across completely wrong and apologized for the miscommunication.

ORNL offers these accent classes frequently because English is a second language for many of its employees.

Council starts discussions on taking over Clark Center Park

Posted at
By 12 Comments

Clark Center Park Water View

A view of Melton Hill Lake near a boat ramp and between two picnic areas at Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge.

 

It’s an 80-acre “crown jewel” park, the site of cherished memories dating back decades. But now the future of Clark Center Park is in doubt.

The U.S. Department of Energy is considering turning the park over to the federal General Services Administration, which could sell it, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson told City Council members Monday. He said it’s part of a cost-cutting effort in DOE’s Oak Ridge Office.

Watson suggested DOE was moving quickly and could shut down the park as early as this fall. But before that happens, Watson said, he wanted to give residents and officials a chance to weigh in.

“This is an important community decision,” Watson said during a Monday night work session. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.” [Read more…]

DOE Oak Ridge names director of financial evaluation, accountability

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Vicki Keith

Vicki Keith (Photo courtesy DOE/Lynn Freeny)

Vicki L. Keith was recently named director of the Financial Evaluation and Accountability Division in the Office of Assistant Manager for Financial Management at the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office.

Keith will be responsible for managing the FEAD with a broad range of responsibilities in financial management oversight and review, a press release said. This includes independent reviews of contractor financial management systems, internal controls, and other reviews as requested by ORO management.

Keith will also manage activities related to pre-award contract cost/price analysis, post-award contract financial administration and close out, internal control assessments in support of the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act, and coordination of audit activities for the Office of the Inspector General, Government Accountability Office, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. [Read more…]

Spotlight: Nobel laureate visits ORNL for distinguished lecture series

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan Delivers ORNL Lecture

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan delivers his lecture in the Iran Thomas Auditorium at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source on Monday. (Photos by Jason Richards/ORNL)

 

Nobel Laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan is visiting Oak Ridge National Laboratory this week (Monday and Tuesday) as part of the lab’s Eugene P. Wigner Distinguished Lecture Series in Science, Technology, and Policy.

Ramakrishnan’s talk on Monday morning was titled “How Antibiotics Block the Ribosome, the Cell’s Protein Factory.” He discussed his research on ribosome structure that earned him the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. More information on his background is available here.

His visit will include small group discussions with senior researchers, early career scientists, and postdoctoral fellows, as well as tours of the lab’s research facilities, ORNL said. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber elects new board member

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Arlene Garrison

Arlene Garrison

Arlene A. Garrison, vice president of university partnerships at Oak Ridge Associated Universities, has been elected to serve on the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Garrison, with more than 35 years of experience in science and education, works with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to enhance and expand research participation programs that provide opportunities for faculty and students from ORAU member institutions to work alongside renowned ORNL scientists, a press release said.

Prior to ORAU, she served as a program director for the National Science Foundation and in a number of senior leadership positions with the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge could consider taking over DOE’s Clark Center Park

Posted at
By 7 Comments

Clark Center Park Swimming Beach

The swimming beach at Clark Center Park. (Photos courtesy Cindy McCullough)

City officials could consider taking over Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge, City Manager Mark Watson said Sunday.

It could be an alternative to letting the U.S. Department of Energy turn over the popular swimming, boating, picnicking, and fishing destination to the federal General Services Administration, which could, in turn, dispose of it, Watson said.

The 80-acre park—which includes a softball field, boat ramp, swimming beach, restrooms, and picnic areas—is a major cost to DOE, Watson said. And running a park is not really part of the department’s mission.

“They’re facing continuing budgetary shortfalls, and they’re going to have to do something with the park,” Watson said.

It’s part of a discussion that dates back to at least 1993, Watson said.

“This time, it looks like it’s moving in a different direction,” he said. “It’s moving toward GSA.” [Read more…]

Vinyard named chief of Payment Services Branch at DOE Oak Ridge

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lynda M. Vinyard

Lynda M. Vinyard

Lynda M. Vinyard was recently named chief of the Payment Services Branch in the Oak Ridge Financial Service Center within the Oak Ridge Office of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Vinyard’s responsibilities include directing a staff of accountants, technicians, and support contractors in developing, administering, and planning DOE’s consolidated payment activities through the DOE payment center, which processes more than 150,000 invoices and payments totaling approximately $12B per year. She also ensures the ORO payment center maintains a prompt payment percentage rate greater than the 98 percent target set by the United States Office of Management and Budget. Her responsibilities also include overseeing the ORO payments system, travel and payroll office, and the Internal Revenue Service tax reporting requirements.

Vinyard’s DOE federal career began in 1984 when she was a student aid in the badging office in the Safeguards and Security Division for ORO. Since then, she has served in various positions within the ORO including accounts maintenance clerk, systems accountant for travel, financial systems, data and payroll branch, and most recently senior systems accountant in the Payment Services Branch. [Read more…]

Creedon confirmed as NNSA principal deputy administrator

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Madelyn R. Creedon

Madelyn R. Creedon

WASHINGTON—Madelyn Creedon was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday as the U.S. Department of Energy’s principal deputy administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

“Madelyn Creedon’s confirmation comes at a critical point for the National Nuclear Security Administration,” said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. “She is well-prepared for her new role at the department as it follows a long career of public service in national security, including at the Department of Defense, with the Senate Armed Services Committee, and, previously, at the Department of Energy. NNSA Administrator Klotz and I thank the Senate for their attention to Madelyn’s nomination, and look forward to working with her.”

As NNSA’s principal deputy administrator, Creedon will support NNSA Administrator Frank Klotz in the management and operation of the NNSA, as well as policy matters across the DOE and NNSA enterprise in support of President Obama’s nuclear security agenda, a press release said. [Read more…]

Community considers future of AMSE as Congress debates Manhattan Project park

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

David Moore and Mark Watson

During Thursday’s community meeting at AMSE, David Moore, left, said a few words about his background after being introduced by Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, right. (Photos by Sara Wise)

 

The American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation teamed up with the City of Oak Ridge on Thursday to host the first of four community meetings meant to allow the community to have some input into the future of the museum, and how it might fit into the proposed Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

The first meeting was at the museum on Thursday night. It began with presentations that focused on providing information to help audience members make informed suggestions about the museum.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Communication Director David Keim was among those who made presentations. He said that the museum attracted 71,500 visitors in 2013 and received $1.6 million in federal funding.

Keim explained why AMSE’s contract with Enterprise Advisory Services Inc. was allowed to run out June 30. [Read more…]

Spotlight: Knoxville mayor tours ORNL’s manufacturing demonstration facility

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Madeline Rogero at Manufacturing Demonstration Facility

Foreground, from left, ORNL’s Ryan Dehoff shows 3-D printed parts to Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, accompanied by ORNL Director Thom Mason and Craig Blue, director of ORNL’s advanced manufacturing program and the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. (Photo by Jason Richards/ORNL)

 

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero recently visited the U.S. Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Rogero had been invited to participate as a “Maker Mayor” at the June 18 White House Maker Faire. Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan also attended.

When Roger returned, she asked ORNL for more information on additive manufacturing, the lab said.

The tour of the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility gave Rogero an overview of the facility and the research underway there.

Students explore engineering, design during robotics camp

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

ORAU Robotics Camp

Marise Wilson, a student at Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy in Louisiana and Anna Keim, a student at Knoxville’s West High School, use a robot they created to place tennis balls into a container during a week-long Oak Ridge Robotics Camp presented by ORAU and held at its Center for Science Education. (Photo courtesy ORAU)

A recent week-long robotics camp at Oak Ridge Associated Universities was designed to help excite students about careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM.

The robotics camp was presented by ORAU and held at its Center for Science Education.

The free day camp allowed teams of middle school students to design, build, program, and test their own robots, a press release said. Students also spent the week competing in various engineering challenges and had the opportunity to speak with robotics engineering research scientists while touring Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s research facilities.

The camp was one of various ORAU-sponsored or administered programs designed to excited students about STEM subjects with the goal of inspiring them to pursue STEM careers, the release said.