REAL ID Act requirements begin May 7
Starting May 7, 2025, the REAL ID Act will be enforced nationwide. Since Ames National Laboratory is a federal facility, this means that the Badging Office will no longer be able to accept state-issued IDs that are not REAL ID-compliant. Visitors and subcontractors who do not have a REAL ID may also show their passport or other acceptable form of identification.
This requirement also applies to employees receiving their PIV Badges. During the process, you will need to bring acceptable forms of identification to your appointments at the Badging Office.
REAL ID-compliant cards have a star marking on the upper top portion of the card. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about REAL ID.
Join us for a Retirement Celebration for Phyllis Mann!
We are excited to honor Phyllis Mann as she retires from the Plant Protection Section. Phyllis has been a dedicated member of the ISU community since August 1990 and joined Ames National Laboratory in November 1994. We will miss the knowledge and expertise that Phyllis provides to the guard office.
Date: Tuesday, May 13
Time: 1:30-3 p.m.
Location: 205 TASF
Please join us for refreshments to wish Phyllis well in her retirement and celebrate her many years of service!
Badging Update
Thank you to those who attended the PIV Badge virtual event. If you missed it, the recording is on the PIV Badge Process webpage, along with other resources to help prepare you for your PIV Badge.
We are very excited to announce that the PIV Badge pilot group has started the process. Thank you to everyone who is participating; we appreciate your feedback! Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we plan to start the PIV Badge process by birth month for eligible current employees in June.
A note for supervisors: You may receive a letter in your work mail from the Department of Defense asking you to complete a form for your employees. This form is legitimate and needs to be filled out to help verify employment. HR can assist you with verifying employment dates. Learn more about this on the Supervisors webpage.
Questions? Contact us: Email badgingoffice@ameslab.gov, call 515-294-6076, or stop by 105 TASF.
Location access request process change begins May 1
Beginning on May 1, new location access requests in ServiceNow will route to the room custodian (group leader in charge of the space) for approval before access is granted. The current process simply provides the room custodian with a notification after access has been granted. Since the room custodian is responsible for safety, housekeeping, and equipment in the room, notifying them before access is granted will aid them with those responsibilities.
Online Targeting of Current and Former U.S. Government Employees
The National Counterintelligence and Security Center, the FBI, and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Center (DCSA) are issuing guidance to current and former U.S. government (USG) employees reminding them about deceptive online targeting and recruitment activities by foreign intelligence entities, particularly those in China.
Foreign intelligence entities are posing as legitimate consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks, and other organizations (often in non-alerting countries) on social and professional networking sites. They use deceptive online job offers and other virtual approaches to target unwitting individuals with USG backgrounds who may be seeking new employment. Current and former federal employees should beware of these virtual approaches and understand the potential consequences of engaging. U.S. clearance holders are further reminded of their legal obligations to protect classified data, even after departing USG service.
The Online Targeting of Current and Former US Government Employees factsheet provides indicators of potential online targeting by malicious actors, mitigation strategies for employees and employers, additional resources, and reporting information.
How to get targeted updates on FES Projects
Nine infrastructure projects are happening at Ames National Laboratory in 2025, many kicking off in spring and summer. These projects will affect every Ames Lab building, and some will temporarily impact parking and access.
We plan to provide you with communication that is timely, focused, and as targeted as possible. Here is how you can get updates on FES projects that will impact you:
- Sign up or update your subscriptions to facilities notifications to receive targeted emails by building before scheduled work and for any unplanned outages or interruptions. You must opt in to receive these notifications, and you can choose only the buildings relevant to you: bit.ly/amesnotify
- Visit the new FES Projects page in ServiceNow for updates, resources, and links to pages for each project: bit.ly/fesprojects
- Watch for invitations to virtual events this May where project managers will discuss and answer questions about:
- Projects that will impact multiple buildings and parking lots
- Projects impacting Metals Development
- Projects in Spedding
- Projects affecting Wilhelm
DOE Mile 2025 event May 7
Each year participants across the National Laboratory system participate in the DOE Mile. This run/walk event will take place on Wednesday May 7 at 10 a.m. for in-person participants. There is also an opportunity to participate virtually for anyone who is unable to attend the in-person event.
In-person participants will need to complete a waiver, and those participating virtually will need to keep track of their mile time and record it on the DOE Mile homepage. Please note the website will be updated May 1 to log virtual attendance. Time reporting is available May 1-23.
If you have any questions, please contact Allison in Occupational Medicine, aretz@ameslab.gov or 294-2056.
Active for Life begins May 4
Join us for the Active for Life program, an annual event that builds teamwork and community, and encourages Ames Laboratory employees to begin and/or maintain an active lifestyle.
Active for Life is an eight-week voluntary program in which employees participate as part of a team to complete individual and team wellness goals. The teams engage in friendly competition with other Ames Lab teams to earn points and accomplish goals. Each week brings new challenges that include physical and personal growth opportunities, and a scavenger hunt to keep everyone moving. Participants earn points for accomplishing daily activity goals and completing weekly challenges and scavenger hunts. At the end of the program, participants are invited to a celebration that includes an award ceremony.
There are two options for anyone interested in participating. You can join other employees to form a team of 5-8 members and sign up together. Each team selects a captain and comes up with a unique team name; team captains email their roster and name to activeforlife@ameslab.gov. Or, if you want to participate and you do not have a team, simply contact activeforlife@ameslab.gov or call 294-2056 and we will connect you with a team!
The deadline to sign up is April 30, and the event will begin May 4.
More information will be sent out to all who are participating once all teams have been compiled, before the May 4 start date.
If you have any questions, please contact Allison in Occupational Medicine, aretz@ameslab.gov or 294-2056.
Human Resources
Goals are the roadmap to our success!
Goals are an important component of the performance review process. Now is a good time to revisit your goals from the previous performance review to track progress. We encourage employees to discuss performance and progress on goals with their supervisor throughout the year. For P&S and Postdoc appointments, goals will be referenced in the annual performance review cycle launching in August.
Review the Performance Review Process article for additional information regarding the review process. Contact humanresources@ameslab.com for any questions.
Need help understanding recent TIAA changes?
Do you need assistance reviewing your TIAA retirement plan contributions or understanding the recent changes implemented by Iowa State University? If so, there are several options. An on-demand overview is available, and you can schedule one-on-one counseling sessions at no cost.
Additionally, you can access an electronic copy of the information and details of the enhancements already sent to TIAA participants by visiting TIAA-ISU website or by calling TIAA at 800-842-2252 weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT. For more information regarding the changes, visit ISU's University Human Resources TIAA Enhancement website.
Upcoming Professional Skills Development Opportunities
Core Strengths Workshop
Learning & Development will offer Core Strengths Relationship Intelligence training over two half-day sessions, Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9 from 9 a.m. – noon. Core Strengths begins with a personalized, scientifically-validated Strength Deployment Inventory assessment. Your results combined with the training can help you better understand your motives, strengths, and working style. The training also focuses on conflict tendencies and how to more effectively manage conflict in the workplace.
If you are interested in attending the May sessions, a future session, or scheduling a team session, please complete our Core Strengths Interest Form. For questions or more information, contact Nancy Turner, nturner@ameslab.gov.
Violent Incident Response Training (VIRT)
Iowa State University Police Department will provide a 2-hour, in-person Violent Incident Response Training (VIRT) on Wednesday, May 14 from 9-11 a.m. VIRT equips participants with a flexible, options-based approach to handle violent encounters using three principles: Avoid, Deny, Defend. Similar to how we prepare for other emergencies like fires or natural disasters, VIRT teaches effective techniques based on real-world incidents. The goal is not to instill fear, but to provide practical strategies for responding to violent situations should they arise. Please complete this RSVP form to attend.