A YEAR OF CONTINUED PROGRESSION

The winds of change blew through Jefferson Lab in 1996 leaving behind a new name, e-mail address and logo. And while the Lab's identity may have changed to the outside world, the mission to provide a state-of-the-art facility to the nuclear physics community remains.

On May 24, 1996, then Secretary of Energy Hazel O'Leary officially dedicated the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility under its new name, the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). The celebration that included more than 2,000 staff members and local, state and federal politicians, marked the climax of more than 20 years of perseverance, teamwork, collaboration and cooperation among the scientific community, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the U.S. Department of Energy and the SURA institutions, to build and commission the accelerator and begin the experimental program. The event not only recognized the significant accomplishment of completing the construction phase of the facility on time and within budget, but also illustrated the important role the laboratory has grown to fill in the Southeast, as a world class center for nuclear physics and a resource for research and technological innovation.

Among those recognized for their efforts included James McCarthy for his vision in creating an accelerator, and then turning that vision into a concrete proposal. Invited speaker, Martin Perl, 1995 Nobel Laureate for Physics, challenged the physicists to make new discoveries and to not be discouraged by the hardness of nature.

There were many noteworthy accomplishments for the laboratory in 1996.

Five experiments were conducted in Hall C - the first of the three experimental halls to come on-line - bringing the total of experiments conducted to six. Among the experimenters were Roy Holt of the University Illinois who led the investigation of the deuteron, and Keith Baker and Ben Zeidman of Hampton University who probed the kaon - marking the first major experiment conducted by faculty from a Historically Black College or University at a national laboratory concentrating in Nuclear Physics.

The accelerator had major accomplishments, as well. On April 18, 1996, the first single-pass 845 MeV beam was delivered to the Hall A target. On April 14, one-pass, 1-GeV beam was accelerated. On December 5, first beam was delivered to Hall B and 525-kilowatt beam was delivered to Hall C. December 15, polarized beam was delivered to Hall C.

Maintaining cryogenics for the accelerator, experimental halls and the FEL was a big feat for the Cryogenics Group. Their biggest effort was maintaining the refrigeration systems at 98 percent availability this year. Other major efforts for the year include modifying and rebuilding a cold box to use as the back up refrigerator for the Central Helium Liquifier (which keeps the accelerator cooled to near absolute zero); installation of a cryogenic system in the Test Lab for the Free Electron Laser's Injector Test Stand; and designing, fabricating and installing connections between the CHL and the back up refrigerator.

In preparation for all of the data anticipated from experiments, the Computer Center procured a new computer silo which is capable of scaling up to handle the 10 MB/per second of data anticipated to be produced by Hall B this year.

The Free Electron Laser project made many strides in 1996. A potential application of an FEL-type laser for shipboard defense has led to Congressional funding of an FEL program in the Department of the Navy for fiscal years 1996 and 1997. The Navy provided $8.1 million to Jefferson Lab through DOE that has initiated actual construction of the first phase of the laser to be housed in a new $5 million building funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Commissioning of the laser is expected in October 1997. (Please see related stories beginning on page 1.)

Other Technology Transfer initiatives included a Memorandum of Understanding signed January 17th with the Center for Innovative Technology to market Jefferson Lab inventions to industry. There were also several scientists awarded for inventions created while pursuing Jefferson Lab's fundamental research mission. They include Javier Gomez, Stan Majewski and Andrew Weisenberger for their invention of a Non Cross Talk Multi-Channel Photomultiplier Using Guided Electron Multipliers; Ganapati Myneni for a High Sensitivity Leak Detection Method and Apparatus; and Myneni and Peter Kneisel for the invention of a Metal Sponge for Cryosorption Pumping Applications.

There were several visitors to the laboratory including Martha Krebs on February 23, 1996, during which she presented Director Hermann Grunder the "DOE Distinguished Associate Award" for outstanding leadership in the successful construction of CEBAF. Senator John Warner visited on April 12, 1996, and met with the Newport News NOW organization. The Lab also hosted the14th International Conference on Particles and Nuclei (PANIC) conference. More than 600 physicists from five continents, more than 23 countries and 28 states attended the seven day conference in Williamsburg beginning May 22.

A groundbreaking ceremony on May 9 for the 120,000 square foot Applied Research Center, being built by the City of Newport News, attracted many well-wishers including Mayor Joe Frank, Christopher Newport University President Paul Trible, Virginia Delegates Mary Christian and Phil Hamilton, and State Senator Harvey Maxwell.

Nearly 7,000 students of all ages enjoyed the educational programs last year at the laboratory. Becoming Enthusiastic About Math and Science (BEAMS), which immerses fifth- and sixth-graders in hands-on math and science activities at the laboratory for a week, served more than a thousand students in 1996 (a total of 28,000 hours!) Eight hundred teachers participated in programs offered at the laboratory. The monthly Science Series, with topics ranging from lasers to quarks, attracted more than 2,000 participants.

For the first time, boys were included in the national "Take Our Daughters to Work Day," on April 25, 1996, which attracted 82 children of employees. The visitors enjoyed a tour of the laboratory, and presentations by several staff members.

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