Insider - March 2021

As part of the Laboratory’s priority to foster a culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, civility, and shared ownership in support of the Laboratory’s collective success, it established a Diversity and Inclusion Council in late 2019.

The Ames Laboratory D&I Council is comprised of ten people, and includes representatives from science and operations. Council members are tasked with informing and advising leadership on the full range of diversity, equity and inclusion matters within the Laboratory and the University community.

Since its beginning, the The D&I Council has been laying the groundwork to strengthen and develop the Laboratory’s diversity, equity, and inclusion through professional development opportunities, through recruitment and retention, and through community building.

Over the last year, D&I Council members have been heavily involved with preparing and executing the March 2020 laboratory-wide culture and climate survey. Council members reviewed the anonymous feedback gathered from the survey, and established major focus areas and goals. Those focus areas and goals were described in the February 3, 2021 Director’s Message.

Currently, the council is working to provide a meaningful forum to exchange diversity, equity, and inclusion related resources, articles, and professional development activities. Future Insider editions will include a branded section for this forum which will aim at increasing laboratory-wide communication regarding career, promotion and professional development opportunities. The council encourages any employee with thoughts, ideas, or input in this area to contact any one of its members*, whose names, photos, and contact information are included below. We look forward to hearing from you!  

*Former Council members who also contributed to the work performed in the last year, but are not pictured are Naufer Nusran, Denis Prodius, and Timothy Prost.  The Laboratory is grateful for their contribution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As part of Women's History Month, videographer Marlee Baldridge sat down to talk with Ames Laboratory women scientists, and find out what inspired them to pursue a career in STEM. Check out interviews with Olena Palasyuk, Emma White, Julie Slaughter, and Emily Rinko. 

Remember travel? We do too! And while the Department of Energy still has travel restrictions in place due to the pandemic, Ames Lab has used the hiatus from business travel wisely, by updating and improving its Travel Policy. The new Travel Policy is much shorter, streamlined, and easier to use, and in an automated, user-friendly digital format found on ServiceNow. To access the new policy and travel information, please use these links: 

• Travel Policy
• Request for Domestic Travel Authorization
• Request to Pay Visitor Travel 
• Request for Foreign Travel Authorization

If you have any questions, please contact the Travel Program Coordinator, Mollie Ullestad. 

Assistance available for virtual conference registration

As DOE travel remains largely suspended, many annual conferences are provided in a virtual format and conference approval is not required by the Travel Office. Your Ames Laboratory division or department purchase card holder can now assist with paying registration fees for virtual conferences using their Ames Laboratory p-card. A list of Ames Lab p-card holders can be found here.

The Travel Office is also available to process virtual conference registration fees for Ames Lab employees by contacting Mollie Ullestad.

Implementation of Electronic Records Management System (ERMS)

A recent audit of DOE HQ identified numerous deficiencies related to records management across the DOE complex. Some of the deficiencies are applicable to Ames Laboratory, most notably an incomplete system for the identification and corresponding location of all Ames Laboratory records.
In FY 2020 Ames Laboratory added the Electronic Records Management System (ERMS) module to our existing Zasio Versatile Enterprise database. Implementation of the ERMS will:

• Enable Ames Laboratory to correct identified deficiencies and assure compliance with DOE requirements and Federal law.
• Allow Records Management, Legal, and other Laboratory officials to comply with information and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in a timely manner.
• Move Ames Laboratory toward achieving control of electronic records as required by M 19-21 by December 31, 222.

The ERMS will be implemented in phases over the next couple of years: 

• In 2021, Phase 1 will include: Performance Management, Procurement, Finance, and will begin ESH
• In 2022, Phase 2 will include: ESH, Human Resources, Internal Audit, Occupational Medicine, and the Director’s Office.
• In 2023, Phase 3 will include: remaining operations management system and scientific programs

Management systems (i.e., department/program) owners will be contacted by Records Management according to this phased approach. Training and guidance materials will be made available as each phase is begun. The time frame for implementing the ERMS in each management system will be dependent on the number and type of records produced by that group.

To prepare for implementation, each management system must:

1. Be able to identify their official records,
2. Know how and where their records are maintained (i.e., physical or electronic file), and
3. Know how long their records are required to be kept: per the Prime Contract, we are required to follow the National Archives and Records Administration General Records Schedule (NARA GRS) for all official records of Ames Laboratory.

Come join fellow Ames Lab employees and not talk about work.  
Next session is Thursday, April 15 at 11:00am
Zoom Link: https://science-doe.zoomgov.com/j/1612149747?pwd=NDNEczN3STJ3YXRKcGN0bG1OcXFqdz09

Each session will have a different activity.

• Trivia 

• Name that toon

• Virtual board games

• More to come!

“Researchers led by Jessica Methot found that connecting with coworkers for reasons beyond work—in other words building a friendship with them—significantly increased employees’ performance. Having friends that you interact with at work significantly boosts your own mood, but it also makes it easier to ask for help or get feedback on your work.” – David Burkus 

Ames Laboratory Learning & Development (L&D) is expanding offerings beyond safety and compliance training. In addition to development programs for scientists and supervisors, L&D will be providing a monthly ServiceNow Knowledge Article for learning new skills. The new article for the month of March is Writing Skills. 

The effort certification process for the period of July 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 will be performed in Workday in late March or early April, 2021. The effort certification process, owned by Sponsored Programs Accounting (SPA) at the
university-level, helps maintain compliance with federal regulations that stipulate institutions must have a system of internal control which provides reasonable assurance that salary charges are accurate, allowable and properly allocated to federal awards. 

The salaried effort certification for the period of July 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 will be performed in Workday. Individuals paid on a monthly basis on federal, federal flow-thru or cost share commitment towards a federal or federal flow thru award will receive an effort certification action in Workday.   Please review this Workday action and reach out to Jake Irving (irving@ameslab.gov) if you have any questions.

A job aid for salaried effort certification is available. For more information about effort reporting, please consult the Handbook for Effort Reporting.