Welcome to the summer 2010 issue of our newsletter. In this issue you will find updates on what's taking place in our laboratories. The types of activities at our labs in recent months, including educational outreach, research to improve our skies and rails, and enhancing the nutrition of crops, represent not only the diversity of missions, but also the common goal of impacting our lives in a positive way. Read more

Chemists at Brookhaven National Laboratory received three patents for developing catalysts to accelerate chemical reactions in fuel cells. The newly patented catalysts, as well as a method for making a particular type of catalyst with a thin layer of platinum, could greatly reduce the cost and increase the use of fuel cells in electric vehicles. The catalysts and the technique are available for licensing. Read more

2010 FLC Northeast Region Awards — Call for Nominations

The Northeast Region is now accepting nominations for its 2010 awards. The deadline to submit nominations is Thursday, July 29, 2010, and the awards will be presented in September 2010 at the Northeast regional meeting in West Point, New York. Read more

FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center Signs Agreement to Research Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace System

The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center has established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Insitu, Inc., of Bingen, Washington, and the New Jersey Air National Guard to study unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and to address their integration into the national airspace system (NAS). Read more

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently installed the Cab Technology Integration Laboratory (CTIL), a state-of-the-art locomotive simulator, at the Volpe Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It will allow researchers to simulate a number of conditions and scenarios encountered during railroad operations to identify safety problems and develop effective solutions. Read more

Brookhaven Launches Program to Bring Big Science to Classrooms

A new program at Brookhaven National Laboratory will give high school teachers and their students access to multimillion-dollar instruments at one of the nation's premier scientific facilities. In its first year, the program—Introducing Synchrotrons into the Classroom (InSynC)—is expected to engage dozens of teachers and students in hands-on experiments at Brookhaven's National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS). The NSLS produces intense x-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared light to study everything from advanced materials for solar cells and computer components to complex proteins from living cells. Read more

Beans that add pleasing tastes and textures to chili, soups, and other favorite dishes may tomorrow be an even better source of an essential nutrient—iron. That's a goal of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) physiologist Raymond P. Glahn. His studies may help plant breeders develop new and improved beans. Read more