Lab continues work-from-home operations through April in response to pandemic
About 95 percent of Ames Lab employees remained on telework in April as part of the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Reynolds continued the public health emergency declaration to May 27. A return to normal operations at the Laboratory will depend on guidance from public health authorities, Iowa State University, DOE, and the laboratory’s pandemic response and recovery teams, said Director Adam Schwartz. The teams have begun to assess and implement the steps needed to ensure that a return to our site meets with public health guidance, and successfully and safely prepares all our operational and research groups.
Applications open for 2020 Cardinal Women* cohort
Applications are being accepted through Friday, May 29, 2020 for a growth opportunity specifically for women* who are Iowa State University Faculty and Staff. Participants will engage in discussions designed to foster leadership development, goal orientation and purpose in their personal and professional spheres. The curriculum involves a monthly gathering that will include large and small group discussion and a short written and/or video resources to be previewed prior to the gathering. This group is open to faculty and staff that identify as women*.
The cost for this program is free, however participation at all dates is the preference for participants. Sessions will be held from 2:10 – 4:00 p.m. in the Memorial Union, on the following dates: September 1, September 22, October 6, November 3 and December 1.
If you’re interested in submitting your application, you will be asked to provide demographic information, a brief paragraph explaining your interest in participating in this program and a commitment to pursing the entire program. Applications are due May 29th and selection announcements will be July 1, 2020.
If you have any questions or would like to chat about this program, please reach out to Molly Granseth (mgrans@ameslab.gov) or Molly Seaboch (mseaboch@ameslab.gov), as they would be more than happy to share about their experience in the program last year.
APPLY FOR THE CARDINAL WOMEN* PROGRAM
Canfield elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Paul Canfield, who designs and discovers new materials and properties, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Canfield is a Distinguished Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Robert Allen Wright Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Iowa State University. He’s also a senior scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory.
Canfield is part of a new class of more than 250 members elected to the academy this year. Canfield joins the physics section within the academy’s mathematical and physical sciences class. He’ll be formally recognized during ceremonies scheduled for October. READ MORE
Flu Shot Team wins CYtation Award
The Flu Shot Clinic team has gone above and beyond their duties to provide campus the opportunity for free flu vaccination, done so with extraordinary results by vaccinating 3,410 individuals in two weeks during the 2019 session, and positively impacting Iowa State University’s ability to continue operations during flu season. The team members arrange the Clinic, order supplies, hire additional temporary staff, advertise and promote the Clinic, and develop methods to streamline the process to improve the customer experience and increase participation. Flu Shot Clinic Team actions contribute greatly to the health, wellness, and efficiency of Iowa State University.
Ames Laboratory members of the team were Kori Grooms, Karla Concannon, Whitney Groomes, Kurt Hulsebus, and Ashley Whitehead. Also on the team were Chris Broshar, Savita Devrajani, Stephanie Downs, Karla Godfrey-Dixon, Nathan Hannover, Richard McColley, Aaron Rogers, Becky Teed, Emily Terlow, and Kelly Walker. Due to Covid-19, the CYtation Awards Breakfast has been postponed until Fall 2020. Recipients and nominators will be notified when a new event date has been scheduled.
Use of Ames Laboratory Equipment Off-Site
Employees and associates of Ames Laboratory can be authorized to use Government equipment off-site while at home or on travel. Approval must be received by the Program Director and by the Property Services department prior to taking any equipment from the site.
The process for requesting off-site equipment approval has moved to ServiceNow. This process is replacing the current hard copy form, automating the requests and approvals through the system.
Link to Knowledge Article: https://now.ameslab.gov/sp?id=
Link to ServiceNow Request for Off-Site Equipment: Service Request – Off Site Equipment Authorization Request.
What you need to know about face coverings
The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings when social distancing is difficult to maintain. This is a result of recent studies revealing a significant portion of individuals lack symptoms (asymptomatic) and can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms (pre-symptomatic).
Consistent with these guidelines Ames Laboratory is providing cloth face coverings to employees. Personal or laboratory-provided face coverings are not required.
Employees are encouraged to wear face coverings in situations when they are unable to keep at least 6 foot social distance with others.
Cloth face coverings along with other prevention measures like social distancing, staying home when you are sick, and routine handwashing, are crucial to slow the spread of the virus. Consider wearing your face covering at work and at the grocery store, pharmacy, or other public places.
Surgical masks and N-95 respirators should be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.
Tips on how to wear, remove, and care for cloth masks can be found here.
Contact Occupational Medicine at 515-294-2056 or om@ameslab.gov to arrange a time to pick up your face covering. We are all in this together, and we appreciate all you are doing to care for yourself, your loved ones, and our community. Stay healthy and safe!
New Employees join the Lab
Ames Lab has several new employees even though they've not physically been working at the Lab yet. Please welcome Kyle Dagestad, QingPing Ding, Clay Miller and Xiaotian Fang.
Kyle Dagestad will be serving as Safeguards and Security Director for Ames Laboratory, which also includes Foreign Visits and Assignments and Export Control program responsibilities. He comes to Ames Lab from Iowa State Environmental Health and Safety where he managed the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) program.
He holds an Associate Of Arts Degree From Riverland Community College, Austin, Minn., a Bachelor Of Science in Professional Geography From Minnesota State University, Mankato, and is working on an MBA at the University Of Maryland Global Campus, Adelphi, Md.
Dagestad is originally from Emmons, Minnesota, a small town of approximately 475 people. “Most people have never head of Emmons, so I’ll usually just say Glenville, or Albert Lea area,” he said.
His wife Amy is the Director of Maternal/Child Services at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. They have an eight-year-old daughter named Brinley and a five-year-old son named Brayden.
“I’m extremely active and like to hunt, fish, and adventure outdoors with my wife and two children,” he said. “When I’m not adventuring with the family, or working at my civilian job, I’m actively engaged in United States Air Force Reserve responsibilities as the Programs Superintendent for the 27th Aerial Port Squadron.”
QingPing Ding is an assistant scientist III and will be working on NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) investigation of strongly-correlated electron systems. He was previously a post doc researcher in Yuji Furukawa’s group. He was also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Superconducting & Electronic Materials, Australian Institute of Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Australia; an Assistant Professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; and a Project Researcher, Department of Applied Physics, the University of Tokyo.
He holds a bachelor of science in Applied Physics, Department of Applied Physics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) and a Ph.D. in Physics, Department of Physics, from Nanjing University.
Ding grew up in Suzhou, Anhui province, China. In his spare time he likes working out, reading, and music.
Clay Miller will be working with the Ames Lab community as part of the Environment, Safety, and Health team to promote, enhance, and showcase the laboratory's strategic goals. He comes to the Lab from Iowa State where he was Environmental Programs manager. Prior to that, he held numerous positions in the US Army Academy of Health Sciences.
He holds a BA in Biology from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill.; an MS in Environmental Biology from Governor's State University, University Park, Ill.; and a PhD. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Miller hails from the Chicago area, “but I don't really have a hometown,” he said. “Our family moved regularly, and I attended high school and college in the western suburbs. The midwest seems to be a good place to call home.”
Miller and his wife live on a small acreage east of town where he’s learning first-hand about orchards, livestock, and prairie plants. “Our daughter lives in the Bay Area, but my wife's extensive clan is headquartered near Mason City,” he said. “I have so many interests and insufficient time to pursue them all. I'm raising honey bees, managing poultry, restoring a pasture to native prairie, establishing an orchard, repairing old farm buildings, and photographing the progress.”
Xiaotian Fang is a postdoc research associate and will focus on in-situ TEM and other advanced technologies. He has six years’ experience in technology development and research projects in materials engineering and trained in metallurgy, with wide exposure to materials fabrication, processing, testing, characterization and failure analysis.
Fang grew up in Sichuan, China and holds a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Outside of work, he likes hiking, reading, gaming and billiards in his spare time.
Work from Home Ergonomics
How has working from home affected you and what does your at-home workspace look like? Are you noticing any new discomforts or pain in your back, neck or hands? You may need to make some adjustments to your home workspace to make it more ergonomically friendly. The following tips and tricks are designed to enhance your at home work space, while using a laptop.
Create a designated workspace: One of the keys to successfully working at home — aside from self-discipline and a strong Wi-Fi connection — is having a comfortable, convenient workspace. And no, the couch doesn’t count! When creating your workspace at home take these factors into consideration: consider your work needs, designate a work zone, work with what you have, choose a filing method, prioritize comfort and stay organized.
Make your own stand up desk: One of the top issues that people experience is neck and back pain. Having a less than optimal set up at home could lead to “tech neck.” This leads to headaches and spasms which are caused by hunching over too much. You can create your stand-up desk by using boxes or books to elevate your laptop. The middle of your screen should be at eye level, and you should not be looking down. Avoid having your laptop sitting on the coffee table, or sitting on the couch.
Get out the wireless keyboard and mouse: If you are working on a laptop, having your screen elevated to where it needs to be makes it important to have a wireless keyboard and mouse on hand to complete tasks more comfortably. It is ideal to keep your body in a neutral position; a comfortable working posture in which your joints are naturally aligned. You can find some additional information about proper working positions here. Bring your work to you, avoid reaching to complete your work. If you do have access to a wireless keyboard and mouse that can help you immensely.
Take breaks from your screen: While working at home all of your work is likely happening in front of a screen, but too much screen time can create eye strain. It is so important that you take at least 5 minutes every hour to allow your eyes a break and stretch your body.
Try these tips to help reduce eye strain:
- Don’t forget to blink
- Position your screen at least 18-30 inches away
- Use the 20-20-20 rule! Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds
- Check the lighting and reduce glare
Support your back: The couch may be comfy, but it does not provide the right type of support for your back. You may have to resort to a dining chair and the kitchen table as your desk. In these instances it is recommended that you pay attention to your posture and use a cushion or rolled up towel for extra support for your back. Standing or taking regular breaks to walk around helps keep blood and oxygen moving around your body to avoid tension building up.
Poor posture comes with consequences, such as injury and pain. Take action and utilize the above tips to correct posture and prevent pain before it becomes a problem. In these trying times you may feel like you are being pulled in a thousand directions and meeting deadlines not only with work, but also family. Please remember there is always time to stand-up, stretch your back, take a lap around the house, rest your eyes from the screen, and grab a glass of water. We want you to stay safe at home.
If you need to gather supplies from your work office, such as monitors, wireless keyboards, etc., contact your supervisor and arrange an approved time to visit your office.
Additional information on ergonomics can be found here.
If you have been experiencing any issues or concerns related to your at home work-station, contact Occupational Medicine at 515-294-2056 or e-mail om@ameslab.gov.
Looking Back 25 Years: Lab recognizes employees
The April 1995 issue of Insider was all about employees. The covers -- front and back -- were dedicated to employees receiving Service Awards. Inside, there was a two-page feature spread on office professionals that detailed work by program secretaries and clerks throughout the Lab. There were also personality profiles on Marv Anderson and Kate Sordelet.
Elsewhere in the issue, there was an update on new CRADAs that were signed, a story on Iowa State's Employee Assistance Program, a story on chemical spill response, and a final public meeting on the chemical disposal site cleanup.
To read the entire issue, click on the cover.