Ames National Laboratory scientists engage middle and high school students in STEM
On Oct. 27 and Nov. 1, Ames Lab scientists engaged with over 100 students through hands-on STEM activities during the WISE (Program for Women in Science and Engineering) Go Further STEM Conference, for female-identifying students in grades 8-10. Gabriela Keeney, Jessica Rodriguez, and Aaron Sadow showed how nylon is made in a hands-on chemistry and plastic upcycling activity. Molly Wagner, Sofiya Palasyuk and Kelly Bergman shared activities around magnets and materials science with activities provided by Matt Besser and the Materials Preparation Center. In addition to learning about exciting STEM fields, students had an opportunity to be inspired by female-identifying STEM role models.
40 people complete Thrive 75 Wellness Challenge
In October, 40 Ames Lab employees completed the Thrive 75 October Wellness Challenge, in which participants earned 75 points each week for completing personal wellness activities, with opportunities for bonus activities. Each week highlighted a theme in ways to get active: Savor Nature, Way to Play, Better Together, and New Adventures.
The top three point earners for Thrive 75 were Danielle Tiarks with 1570, Richard Ryan, with 1555, and Susan Elsner with 1070. In addition, other participants won prizes in a drawing that included massages, executive parking spots, and event tickets.
October was a perfect month for the Nature themed week, with many participants, like Molly Seaboch, choosing to take a stroll in the autumn colors. The fourth week, New Adventures, was a non-traditional take on the concept of activity, with participants encouraged to try any number of new physical, creative, or participatory activities. ESH Director Sean Whalen tried his hand at writing a Petrarchan sonnet.
Strive
When the hour was dark and bright energy was in need
Came a call to Spedding and Wilhelm in Ames
“We’re up against the wall, gents, we fail in our aims.”
The call to arms the scientists heard, and did heed
The world would long remember the incredible deed
To help extinguish the man-made wall of flames
And quell those whose superiority was self-proclaimed
By the massive power of the atom they freed
The dust of years clouds the past
But what is clear is the future is clear
The awesome legacy of the blast
Is to never again have the need appear
No matter how the fates are cast
And flood the world tear by tear
~~ Sean Whalen
Ames Lab Blood Drive: Give something that means something
Recently, Ames National Laboratory employee Stacy Joiner generously shared her experience as a blood donor recipient. Her story is a reminder of the vital importance of blood donations in the well-being and survival of so many.
"I was 34 years old and working at Ames Lab when I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Before we were able to get it under
control, I ended up in intensive care where I had my first blood transfusion.
Fast forward to when I was 42, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I went through a series of chemo treatments only to have the cancer return. I had two stem-cell transplants--one in 2010 and the other in 2016. I had several blood transfusions during this time. Luckily, thanks to blood from donors, I was able to receive blood and platelets that were necessary to get me through the treatments and resulted in a positive outcome.
Blood donation is an act of saving many lives. You can donate your blood for several causes such as people having any surgery or transplant, cancer patients, accident victims, burn victims, and so on. You can donate blood to anyone who matches your group despite age, gender, race, and religion. You truly make a difference in people's lives when you donate."
Ames National Laboratory Blood Drive
DATE: Dec. 8, 2022
TIME: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
LOCATION: 301 Spedding Auditorium
This year, Ames Laboratory’s goal is to collect 75 units of blood during its 75th Anniversary year. In June, Ames Laboratory employees donated 33 pints of blood. Occupational Medicine would like to collect at least 42 pints of blood in December to reach our goal.
Appointments are preferred. Please stop by G11 TASF to make an appointment, or sign up on the Red Cross website HERE. Please bring a photo ID, University ID, or blood donor card to your appointment.
If you are unable to donate, volunteer to help and/or spread the word by sharing our goal with your fellow Ames National Laboratory colleagues! Volunteers may sign up HERE.
DOE Mile Wrap-Up
For the first time in two years, the 2022 DOE Mile returned as an in-person event along with a virtual option. The event was held in October at DOE labs across the country, with 12 labs participating and a total of 1,273 participants.
This was the seventh year of the DOE Mile and the fifth year that Ames Lab has participated.
The Occupational Medicine team extends a huge thank you to all event participants and volunteers who made the in-person event possible. Ames Lab had a total of 56 participants, which was the eighth highest participation level among the participating labs. Overall Ames Lab finished fourth in the Women’s walk category, and seventh in both the Men’s walk and Women’s run categories.
Our fastest male runner was Shaden Tweeten, who placed 46th overall with a time of 6 minutes and 19 seconds. Elizabeth Rohde was our fastest female runner, placing 41st overall with a time of 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Bruce Spire was our fastest male walker, placing 33rd overall with a time of 14 minutes and 55 seconds, and Lisa Negus was our fastest female walker placing 15th overall with a time of 13 minutes and 20 seconds. See the Final Race Report to see how others did across the lab.
For 2023, the plan is for the DOE Mile to take place in May, so future participants have about six months to prepare.
November IDEAs: Coming Soon: the next culture and climate survey at Ames National Laboratory
Each employee of Ames National Laboratory has important roles in contributing to the Laboratory’s mission and making it a unique and vibrant organization. The Laboratory is committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment that values diverse perspectives and offers equitable tools and opportunities for success.
One of the tools the Lab uses to assess employee’s opinions and feelings about the workplace environment is through a periodic culture and climate survey. The initial inclusion and climate survey provided a baseline of data for the Laboratory in March 2020, and the next survey will be administered in April 2023.
The survey will be completed again in partnership with Iowa State University's Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (CSSM). They will receive all completed surveys and analyzed aggregate findings to ensure anonymity. The survey participants will include Ames Laboratory Faculty, Professional and Scientific (P&S), Merit, Postdoctoral Research Associates, and Joint ISU employees. The Laboratory’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and Executive Council work together by reviewing summarized results and using the results to establish measurable goals based on survey results.
The Laboratory wishes to reiterate the importance of the survey participation. The last survey the Laboratory completed took place in March 2020 and concluded with an overall response rate of 54.3%. Feedback from this survey resulted in the D&I Council taking a number of actions, including but not limited to: Wellness Resource Panel, employee connection and professional development opportunities, university collaborations, science leveling guides and title review, supervisory training review, and a quarterly debriefing to executive leadership. The D&I Council highly values feedback from the Ames Lab community, and has set a goal for a 65% response rate.
Questions leading up to the survey can be directed to humanresources@ameslab.gov.
Shifted timelines for appraisals and salary increases coming
Ames National Laboratory plans to align with the timelines that Iowa State University recently communicated for annual performance appraisals and meritorious (performance-related) salary increases for faculty, professional and scientific,and postdoctoral research staff. Ames National Laboratory will also remain in alignment with the Department of Energy’s recommendations for increase percentages based on relevant market analysis provided by DOE which may differ slightly from the university. Additional details that apply directly to Ames Lab employees have been outlined below.
Note that this timeline does not apply to Merit employees, as their meritorious increases coincide with their merit review dates, per Board of Regents Merit System Rules.
Please consult with humanresources@ameslab.gov should any questions arise regarding these recent updates.
Non-Faculty (P&S and Post-doctoral) Transition of Performance Review Periods and Annual Performance Reviews:
- Employees who currently receive calendar year performance reviews (January – February timeframe) will still receive a performance review in Halogen for the performance review period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.
- The formal performance review period will then shift to fall (occurring between September – November). With that, the employee’s next formal review should occur in fall 2023 (September – November). This review covers the review period from January 1, 2023 through fall 2023.
Satisfactory performance appraisals are required to be on file by March 2023 in order to be eligible for a July 1, 2023 meritorious (performance based) increase and a fall 2023 appraisal is required to be eligible for a January 1, 2024 pay increase.
Feeling overwhelmed?
There are resources available to help. If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, get help now. 
For immediate concerns about a person’s safety or the safety of others, contact 911.
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress. Call 988 or 1-800-273-8255.
YOUR LIFE IOWA provides crisis service coordination, linkages to crisis screening and mental health services 24 hours a day with a Mobile Crisis Response Team. Call (855) 581-8111, text (855) 895-8398 or use the online chat function on yourlifeiowa.org.
IOWA CONCERN HOTLINE Offers information and referrals on legal education, financial concerns, stress counseling and crisis/disaster. Available 24/7 at no charge. Iowa Concern Hotline is provided by ISU Extension and Outreach. Call 1-800-447-1985.
Iowa State University provides other non-urgent resources for mental health and well-being. Go to this LINK.
Events & Announcements
Learning Hour Series: Time Management
Are you interested in learning more about time management, prioritization, and efficient work practices? Then join us for Time Management Learning Hour on Friday, Dec. 2 in 205 TASF from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. In our first session of a quarterly Learning Hour series, we will highlight ideas, tools, and discussion on finding efficiencies and managing priorities at work. Attendees can bring a laptop or device to follow along with suggestions on using Lab-approved software like Gmail to create reminders and block focus time. Interested participants can contact training@ameslab.gov for a calendar reminder. We hope to see you there!
Unable to attend but still interested in this topic? Read this Time Management article in ServiceNow.
Ames Laboratory Fall Internship Poster Session open to all, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m.
Join us for the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) Poster Session in 205 TASF, Dec. 6, 1-3 p.m. SULI students will share their research with the Ames Laboratory community. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit posters and ask questions of the students. A short ceremony will take place at the opening of the session. Thank you to the following mentors for hosting a SULI student for fall term: Baozhi Cui, Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, Durga Paudyal and Alex Travesset.
Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) informational webinar for Ames Lab mentors to be held Dec. 9
There have been many changes to the DOE Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) this past year including the addition of a Teaching Initiative Track and Fall and Spring Terms. The VFP is designed to provide an opportunity for faculty members from institutions historically marginalized in STEM to enhance research capabilities and develop talent to contribute to the Department of Energy (DOE) research areas. The program provides housing, a weekly stipend and travel reimbursement for both faculty and students. To learn more about the program opportunities, join Kelly Bergman for an informational webinar on Dec. 9 from 12 to 1 p.m. This event is open to Ames National Laboratory personnel only.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://iastate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwsdemgqz8vE9fVJv_lfatOfk7_pa6leDhs
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
New travel agency training sessions available
Ames National Laboratory is partnering with a new travel agency, Collegiate Travel Planners (CTP), to enhance the travel experience of Lab employees. Key Travel will still be available for use, but we encourage all travelers to give CTP a try the next time they are looking to travel on Ames Lab business. CTP utilizes Concur for booking airfare, a program previously utilized by the Lab and one that travelers who travel on ISU business might recognize. Within Concur, travelers will also be able to book their own rental vehicles and view their travel bookings in a user-friendly portal. CTP is based in the U.S., and provides more accessible customer service.
The Travel Office is currently testing out the CTP online booking tool with a small group of Ames Lab travelers before making the tool live to all on Dec. 15. If you currently have a login account with Key Travel, please keep an eye out for an email from CTP with instructions on how to log in and edit your CTP profile.
The Travel Office is offering two sessions to demo the CTP online booking tool and Concur. These sessions will be Friday, Dec. 16, 1-2 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 11, 1-2 p.m. Please see below for meeting information.
The Travel Office is excited to offer two travel agency options for Lab travelers. If you have any questions please email travel@ameslab.gov.
Link to Dec. 16 Training
Link to Jan. 11 Training
Reminder: P&S & Postdoc performance reviews are coming in January
Ames National Laboratory P&S and Postdoc performance reviews will occur in January and February.
Now is a good time to review your previous evaluation and review your progress on any goals listed within your review.
Halogen/Saba can be accessed via Okta. If you have any issues accessing Halogen/Saba, contact IT using the “Get IT Help” request in the ServiceNow portal.
You are encouraged to discuss your performance, goals and needs with your supervisor at any time.
Additional details regarding the performance review process and access can be viewed in the following
ServiceNow article: https://now.ameslab.gov/sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0011226
UPDATE: Hooked: a sophisticated spear phishing campaign case study
As noted in October’s Insider, for several months during 2022 Argonne National Laboratory and other government entities were the target of an elaborate spear phishing attack perpetrated by foreign actors. In early November, the DOE Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Argonne Regional Field Office, hosted a virtual panel discussion to share the story of this attack. A recording of the meeting is now available for anyone who missed it or would like it for future reference. The link can also be found on Service Now under Videos: CI Session: “HOOKED: A Sophisticated Spear Phishing Campaign Involving Argonne National Laboratory."