Nobel Laureate Danny Shechtman to visit Iowa State, Ames Lab
We are delighted to announce that Nobel Laureate and Distinguished Professor Danny Shechtman will be returning to campus from April 29 through May 16. This is a unique opportunity for our community to engage with one of the leading minds in the field of materials science.
To take advantage of this occasion, we are coordinating meetings between Danny and interested parties. If you would like to schedule a time to meet with him, please contact either Sarah Meyer or Laura Graves, who are facilitating the arrangements.
Danny Shechtman is the Philip Tobias Professor of Materials Science at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Iowa State University, and an Associate at Ames National Laboratory. He is known for his discovery of quasi-crystalline matter, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2011.
Aaron Sadow awarded the David C. Henderson Chair in Chemistry at Iowa State University
Aaron Sadow, professor of chemistry, was recently awarded the David C. Henderson Chair in Chemistry at Iowa State University. The award was created to promote faculty excellence and research within the Department of Chemistry in the fields of applied science and physical or inorganic chemistry. Sadow’s research focuses on the development of new catalytic reactions and new catalysts for application in green chemistry, stereoselective synthesis, and the conversion of abundant raw materials into commodity and specialty chemicals. He serves as the Director of the Institute for the Cooperative Upcycling of Plastics (iCOUP), an Energy Frontier Research Center at Ames National Laboratory.
Costas M. Soukoulis, Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Ames National Laboratory Scientist, dies at 73
Costas M. Soukoulis, the Iowa State University Frances M. Craig Endowed Chair and a Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy, died March 14 at the age of 73. He was also a Senior Scientist at Ames National Laboratory and served at both institutions from 1984 until his retirement in 2020.
At Ames National Laboratory, Soukoulis led the research efforts in metamaterials for close to two decades. At Iowa
State University, Soukoulis was a dedicated teacher in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and held courtesy appointments in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Costas Soukoulis was internationally recognized and highly respected in the field of condensed matter physics for his work in periodic and disordered systems, which included photonic bandgap materials, photonic crystals, lasers, magnetic systems, nonlinear systems, and amorphous semiconductors.
He was an early pioneer in establishing the revolutionary fields of photonic crystals and metamaterials, including left-handed materials—electromagnetic materials that have exotic, but technologically useful properties not found in nature—extending the realm of electromagnetism and enabling exciting new applications. In particular, Soukoulis and his colleagues were the first to demonstrate magnetic response and negative index of refraction at optical frequencies, which do not exist in natural materials.
The full obituary is avilable here.
As per his wishes, there will be no services. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Adam’s Funeral Home in Ames, Iowa, and memorials may be left at this link.
Director’s Feedback Survey launches April 1
Beginning April 1 faculty, staff, and postdocs will have an opportunity to provide feedback requested by Adam
Schwartz, Director of Ames National Laboratory, through an anonymous survey.
Please look for an email from Lisa Negus, Director of Human Resources and Diversity, Monday April 1, which will contain a link to the survey. Once you receive this email, please take a few minutes to provide meaningful feedback to Adam. The survey will be open through Friday, April 12.
Conner Osborn joins Ames Lab IT Team
Conner Osborn joined Ames National Laboratory on the Information Technology Team
as a software developer in early March. He began his career at Iowa State University, developing systems for the Logistics and Support Services Department. His journey into enterprise resource planning (ERP) started as a student, where he completed a digital platform transformation from ADIN to MBS. Conner spent a significant amount of time scoping systems to ensure they would meet stakeholders' needs and align with the direction of his department. Later, he was hired full-time at Iowa State University and successfully transitioned the department to NetSuite to meet changing needs.
Most recently, Conner worked as a senior developer in the promotional product industry, leading and executing projects to assist in managing the company's workflows.
Conner is excited to be part of a technical team and looks forward to meeting new people while learning more about the interesting work done at Ames Lab. He enjoys weightlifting, anime, cycling, and learning about different countries and cultures. When he isn't at work, he spends time with his friends, family, and the four cats he has at home.
Join us for the DOE mile!
Come enjoy the beautiful Iowa spring weather while getting some exercise! This year marks the ninth annual one-mile fun walk/run for national lab employees and their families. Individuals from across the DOE complex participate in the friendly competition with other labs. In fact, last year we set the all-time attendance record for the DOE mile with 1,501 participants from 13 national labs. Let’s try to beat last year’s record!
This year the event will take place Wednesday, May 1, 10 a.m. The route map is shown below. Participants will meet at the ground floor of TASF and follow the same route as last year. After completing the event, participants can also make their own May basket to take home. Volunteers are needed! You may sign up at the link HERE.
If you are not available to participate in-person, you can participate virtually. Use a fitness app (like Strava) during your mile to verify the time and distance. The mile needs to be completed between May 1 and May 17. You will be able to submit your time and course information beginning May 1 (details to be announced). The DOE mile will also kick-off Ames Lab’s Active for Life challenge. Start recruiting at team and brainstorming a fun team name (details to be announced).
April IDEAs: Earth Day, Plastics, and Equity
April is Earth Month, with Earth Day celebrated globally April 22. This year, Earth Day’s theme is Planet vs. Plastics. Ames National Laboratory is actively involved in finding solutions to the global plastic waste problem, and you can learn more about it in this video. 
What is the environment doing under the heading of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access? Because environmental and sustainability issues are also an equity issue, historically marginalized communities are frequently at higher risk for the negative effects of climate change and pollution, and have less access to reliable infrastructure like clean water, sanitary sewer systems, and energy sources. In the case of plastics, developed countries routinely discard plastic and ship it to developing countries, where facilities do not exist to safely handle the waste. You can read more about both the environmental and equity issues of plastics pollution here.
Looking back: Women’s History Month presentation recording available
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Women’s Department of Energy InterLaboratory Collaboration hosted a virtual speaker event in March. Speaker and Microsoft General Manager Kate Maxwell presented “The Woman in the Arena.” For those unable to attend, the InterLaboratory Collaboration has shared a recording of the event, which may be accessed here.
Professional Development
Gain bystander intervention skills with Green Dot Training
Consider joining our next interactive, virtual Green Dot Training session scheduled for April 10 from 11 a.m. – noon. Green Dot’s mission is to decrease power-based personal violence on campus by utilizing education, outreach, and development as mechanisms for increasing awareness and competency around bystander intervention skills. This presentation seeks to prepare participants with the connection, knowledge, and skills to increase proactive and reactive bystander behavior. If interested, you may register here.
Ethical Leadership
Additionally, employees are invited to consider the upcoming Ombuds-led courses below, open to up to 30 participants at the university. Click the course title link to register and see more information in Workday Learning:
Ethical Leadership: This workshop will focus on insights gleaned about what behaviors motivate others to do their very best and what behaviors become barriers to employees reaching their full potential and/or feeling appreciated and respected. Taught by Laura Smythe, this course will be offered April 26 from 9 – 10:30 a.m.
Dispute resolution training available from the DOE
The DOE’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Office offers workshops and seminars in managing workplace conflict and strengthening team cohesion. All DOE units including national laboratories are welcome to participate. The current workshop is as follows:
As Far As You Can Throw: Building Trust for Stronger Teams
Trust is choosing to risk making yourself or something you value vulnerable to another person. It’s easier said than done, and we all rest easier when we know things we care about will be taken care of properly. Learn how to foster innovation, make room for failure, set reasonable boundaries, and empower your team by building (or re-building) trust in this 90-minute workshop. There are two sessions in April:
Friday, April 5, 1 – 2:30 p.m. EDT
Tuesday, April 23, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT
To sign up for the workshops, simply fill out the form here.
Announcements and Events
Reminder: Subscribe to facilities notifications
Do you know what’s happening in the facilities where you work? Get targeted emails about proposed and
scheduled maintenance and closures in the buildings you care about by subscribing to facilities notifications. You can update your subscriptions any time.
We used to send emails to all employees about activities in every facility. This new facilities notifications service cuts down on emails not relevant to you, but you do have to subscribe yourself. One exception: We will continue to send all-employee emails about maintenance or closures to roads, sidewalks, and parking lots near buildings where Ames National Laboratory employees work.
Salaried Effort Certification in Workday
The effort certification process for the period of July 1, 2023 – Dec. 31, 2023 will be sent out in Workday for your review and approval beginning April 1, 2024.
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, 2023 – Dec. 31, 2023 will be performed in Workday. Individuals paid by Ames Laboratory will receive an effort certification action in Workday asking you to verify that your effort and pay was charged appropriately to Ames Laboratory or other Federally funded sources. Please review this Workday action and reach out to Jake Irving (irving@ameslab.gov) if you have any questions.