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CHAMMP INFORMATION UPDATE 4/8/97

1.  The new Climate Change Prediction Request for Applications 
will probably not be published by the end of April as promised.  It
should be out soon thereafter.

2.  You may recall the CHAMMP Science Team abstract book that was being
prepared.  Most PIs have their abstract in, but please send it as soon
as possible if you are late.  Contact Dave Bader if you need a copy of
the format.  Remember to save the file, as much of it will be reusable
for the 1997 OHER/ESD "Rainbow Book" (previously the Red Book) of ESD
project abstracts.

3.  The information for DOE Office of Energy Research grant
applications is attached.  The booklet and guide are now electronic.
For university and other non-lab investigators, this information is
important for your grants administrators.

4.  The latest OHER newsletter is also attached from Ari Patrinos.

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     April 7, 1996

     About a year ago, ER's Grants and Contracts Division (ER-64) created a
     web site so that potential grant applicants could access the ER Grant
     Application Guide without requesting a paper copy via mail or phone.
     Also, ER's grant solicitation notices (about 15 per year) contain
     our web site address for easy access to the Guide.

     Please be mindful that the web is a very important tool to make the
     latest information available to our customers.  Grant and contract
     procedures change frequently. For example, two new forms have just been
     added to the Guide for use by certain types of applicants to implement
     new statutory requirements.  With the web, our customers have immediate
     access to this new information while paper copies could become outdated
     very quickly. Also, a new section at the beginning of the Guide
     summarizes any significant changes so that a user who had viewed or
     printed the Guide earlier may know immediately what changes were made
     since they last viewed or printed it.

     Your cooperation is appreciated.  The ER Grants and Contracts Web Site
     address is http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.

     John A. Alleva, Director
     Grants and Contracts Division
     Office of Energy Research
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                        U.S. Department of Energy
                     Office of Energy Research (OER)
           Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER)
                              OHER NEWS
                           March 31,  1997
     
     GENERAL
     
     Introductory Remarks:
     
     This newsletter comes to you as we begin to see evidence of springtime 
     in the cherry blossoms, forsythia, and other flowering trees and 
     shrubs around us.  It's a beautiful time of year and promises more 
     beautiful days ahead.  I can also say that I am encouraged by the 
     promises of the research programs we have sponsored over the past 50 
     years. Research results that we cannot begin to envision now will 
     bloom and show the way to even greater advances in addressing the 
     major issues facing us in the biomedical and environmental sciences as 
     we enter the new millennium.  This office, working mainly with staff 
     of our laboratories but also our university investigators, has always 
     strived to maintain research excellence; so I know you will agree that 
     the BER programs are positioned to make significant and revolutionary 
     contributions to science and society. 
     
     My staff and I continue to be bullish on the BER program even though 
     our numbers continue to decrease as a result of  retirements, and the 
     budget is not all that we would like.  People up and down the halls 
     here remain committed to getting the job done faster, better, and at 
     less cost.  Our budget could have been worse.  We're looking forward 
     and moving ahead, and in the following articles, you will read about 
     some of the many activities with which we are involved. 
     
     I especially want to take this opportunity to invite you to join us 
     for our 50-year celebration symposium on May 21-22 at the National 
     Academy of Sciences.  There is a brief article on it in this 
     newsletter, and the OHER web page provides additional information.     
     
     Retirements:
     
     On January 3, 1997, Dr. William Osburn of BER's Medical Applications 
     and Biophysical Research Division, retired after 33 years of Federal 
     service to the Atomic Energy Commission, the Energy Research and 
     Development Administration, and the Department of Energy.  Bill's 
     wide-ranging knowledge of ecology and environmental issues placed him 
     in a key position in the Office's development of policies in these 
     areas, and in our input to the development of regulations across the 
     Department.
     
     Effective today, Dr. Gerald Goldstein, also of BER's Medical 
     Applications and Biophysical Research Division, retired after over 20 
     years of Federal service with the Department of Energy and its 
     predecessor agencies.  Gerald has been the key program manager for 
     research in instrumentation for analytical chemistry, structural 
     biology, and the genome program, as well as for instrumentation and 
     boron neutron capture therapy research in the medical applications 
     program.  His knowledge, honesty, and integrity have been a great 
     source of strength for the Office.
     
     BUDGET
     
     FY 1998 Budget:
     
     The President's FY 1998 budget for the Biological and Environmental 
     Research (BER) program is $371,860.  The good news is that we were 
     able to "roll over" construction funding to operating.  This will get 
     the EMSL, genome, and structural biology user facilities up and 
     running.  The table below provides subprogram budget structure.
     
                  BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
                            FUNDING SCHEDULES
     
     I. LIFE SCIENCES
     
     Activity                        FY 1996        FY 1997         FY 1998 
     Structural Biology              $28,016        $27,661         $28,178 
     Molecular and Cellular Biology   20,442         19,709          20,129 
     Human Genome                     73,912         77,875          85,081 
     Health Effects                   22,825         19,979          20,026 
     SBIR/STTR                             0          3,497           3,623 
     Total, Life Sciences           $145,195       $148,721        $157,037
     
     
     II. ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES 
     
     Activity                        FY 1996        FY 1997         FY 1998 
     
     Climate and Hydrology           $64,475 $      $63,697         $62,356 
     Atmospheric Chemistry and 
         Carbon Cycle                 25,569         26,020         23,993  
           Ecological Processes         13,195       10,991         12,029
     Human Interactions                9,513          8,951          9,172 
     SBIR/STTR                             0          2,674          2,576 
     Total, Environmental 
     Processes                      $112,752       $112,333       $110,126
     
     
     III.       ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION
     Activity                        FY 1996       FY 1997         FY 1998  
     
     Bioremediation Research         $17,746       $21,204         $28,073 
     Clean-Up Research                 6,476        7,794            7,758 
     Facility Operations                 560        4,897           29,143 
     SBIR/STTR                             0          720            1,461 
     Total, Environmental 
     Remediation                     $24,782      $34,615          $66,435
     
     Funding Schedule--Medical Applications and Measurement Science:
     
        Activity                     FY 1996      FY 1997          FY 1998  
        Medical Applications         $50,941      $48,723          $36,196  
           Measurement Science         7,918        7,041            5,858  
        SBIR/STTR                          0        1,529            1,058  
        Total, Medical Applications 
            Measurement Science      $58,859      $57,293          $43,112
     
        Construction
                                      FY 1996      FY 1997         FY 1998 
                                      $62,620      $36,113               0
     
      Total                           FY 1996      FY 1997         FY 1998
                                     $410,956     $389,075        $371,860  
     
     
     
     BER 50-YEAR SYMPOSIUM
     
     The Biological and Environmental Research Program, Office of Energy 
     Research, is planning to celebrate 50 years of sponsored research in 
     the Department and its predecessor agencies.  Plans include a 
     retrospective publication that highlights the most significant 
     contributions of DOE-sponsored research to science and society and a 
     symposium that will focus on future research that will lead to 
     revolutionary solutions to energy-related biological and environmental 
     issues.  The brochure, replete with many illustrations and photos, 
     will be published in May, and the symposium will be held on May 21-22, 
     1997, at the National Academy of Sciences.  
     
     The symposium will be co-sponsored by the Biological and Environmental 
     Research Program (BER), Office of Energy Research, and the National 
     Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, which has a long 
     history of association with BER programs.  The theme of the symposium 
     is "The Legacy and The Promise," and it will revolve around three 
     forms of presentation:  program overview talks followed by panel 
     discussions, and exhibits developed by the national laboratories 
     reflecting the productive past and current focus, and presenting 
     compelling future prospects.  Outstanding keynote and featured 
     speakers and panelists will give their views of future research that 
     could best serve the needs of the Department and society.  
     
     Attendance is open to the public, and you may register through the 
     Board on Biology, NRC, by fax 202-334-1687 or by e-mail:  
     brerannv@nas.edu.  The NRC will provide you with hotel and other 
     information on the symposium.
     
     
     HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
     
     The Health and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (HERAC) will 
     meet on June 11-12, 1997, in the Washington metropolitan area.  The 
     agenda for the day and a half meeting will include subcommittee 
     reports and discussions of future BER program direction based on 
     outcomes of the BER 50 Symposium, recent HERAC reports on health 
     effects, genome, and environmental science, and other information. 
     
     BER RETREAT
     
     BER program staff participated in a strategic planning  retreat, 
     January 29-31, 1997.  The 3-day retreat, which was held at the 
     Morningside Inn near Frederick, Md. and attended by the majority of 
     our staff, resulted in a consensus strategic plan that will give us 
     direction in the years ahead.  Our vision statement is simply 
     "bringing revolutionary solutions to energy-related biological and 
     environmental challenges."  The Webster dictionary defines 
     revolutionary as bringing about a sudden, radical, or complete change. 
      So, attainment of this vision over the next decade presents a real 
     challenge to the entire BER program family to be creative and 
     innovative, both at headquarters and in the field.  Within our office 
     we are gearing up to develop the appropriate implementation plans.
     
     HOLLAENDER FELLOWSHIPS
     
     A panel of six outstanding scientists was convened Tuesday, March 18, 
     1997, to review 50 applications for Alexander Hollaender Distinguished 
     Postdoctoral Fellowships.  As many as ten awards may be granted to 
     begin in the June to September period for up to 2 years at a 
     laboratory with an advisor receiving BER program support.  Most BER 
     research areas are represented by the applicants.  In its ten program 
     cycles, 75 fellows from 45 universities in 27 states and one foreign 
     country have been appointed to 11 DOE and 11 university laboratories, 
     as well as two private facilities.
     
     ER SCIENCE EXPLORER POST
     
     On Saturday, March 8, members of ER's recently established Science 
     Explorer Post attended the National Capitol Area's Explorers 
     Conference held at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.  Julie 
     Stroud, of our office, the Post's Explorer Advisor, led the group to 
     participate in the day's Explorer activities.   The Science Explorer 
     Post was established to give area high school students interested in 
     science, an opportunity to explore the different scientific areas in 
     which ER is involved.  The students will be conducting ozone studies, 
     with guidance from scientific staff in the Biological and 
     Environmental Research Program, and comparing them with results 
     obtained by members of an Explorer Post on the West Coast.  The 
     results of the study will be published on a Web page created by the 
     students.
     
     
     RESEARCH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (RIMS)
     
     As a continuation of our efforts that began in 1995 to reengineer the 
     way we process new grant applications and other business processes, 
     OHER recently began implementing an electronic information system--the 
     Research Information Management System (RIMS).  Its purpose is to 
     facilitate project management and communications between researchers 
     and program managers.  RIMS is a central database of text information 
     on all OHER-supported activities that can serve a number of purposes 
     such as report preparation and program analysis.  It is expected that 
     the Web interface to the system will be available for use by 
     researchers this summer.  Additional updates will be provided as the 
     system develops.
     
     HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH DATABASE ON WORLD WIDE WEB
     
     I am glad to announce that the DOE Human Subjects Research Database, 
     updated for FY 1996, is now accessible on the World Wide Web. The 
     database contains information on all research projects that involved 
     human subjects and were funded by the Department of Energy, or 
     conducted in DOE facilities, or performed by DOE personnel during FY 
     1996.  The database consists of a detailed description of each 
     research project and a section that summarizes the information for 
     quick referencing.  Statistical information concerning the database, 
     along with a glossary of scientific terms to assist the reader with 
     unfamiliar terminology, are provided.  Information on individual 
     projects is available in the body of the database.
     
     Thirty-five research facilities reported a total of 252 projects.   A 
     total of 28,616 human subjects were reported.   Because registries, 
     questionnaires, surveys, and epidemiological studies were included in 
     this database, the total number of human subjects reported is not 
     representative of actual people participating but includes a large 
     number of records from human subjects.
     
     The total funding that was directly associated with tasks or portions 
     of projects involving the use of human subjects was about $50 million. 
       DOE annually funds approximately $37 million  in projects involving 
     human subjects while other federal and private sources fund an 
     estimated $13 million in such projects.
     
     SOLICITATIONS
     
     The Environmental Sciences Division has four open solicitations:  
     Integrated Assessment of Global Climate Change Research Program 
     (closing March 27);  Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program 
     (closing April 29); Biotechnological Investigations--Ocean Margin 
     Program (closing  May 6);  Atmospheric Chemistry Program (closing June 
     14).  In addition, two other solicitations have recently closed--the  
     interagency Joint Program on Terrestrial Ecology and Global Change 
     (TECO) and the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) 
     Program.  Thanks to all of you who have applied, who will apply,  and 
     who will help us in the expert review of the applications/proposals 
     received.
     
     Terrestrial ecology and global change research (TECO) is an important 
     facet of the U.S. Global Change Research Program.  Interagency 
     partners are DOE, NSF, NASA, USDA, and EPA.  For 
     3 years TECO has conducted joint solicitation and funding of research, 
     with most of the logistical support for the program provided by NSF.  
     This year it is DOE's turn to manage the solicitation, review and 
     selection, and Jerry Elwood and Roger Dahlman are leading the effort.  
     Selections and awards will probably be made by June.  We've observed 
     modest laboratory participation response to this cycle of TECO. 
     
     
     AWARDS
     
     On February 5, Ms. Julie A. Stroud was awarded a check for $1,000 from 
     the Upper Montgomery County's Soroptimist Club's Training Awards 
     Program (TAP).  Ms. Stroud is a Procurement Technician in the 
     Directorate of the Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER), 
     Office of Energy Research.  While sustaining her position in OHER, 
     where she has been employed since 1989, Ms. Stroud is continuing her 
     education at the renowned Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, where 
     she received her B.A. degree in May 1993.
     
     
     
                                        Ari Patrinos
                                        Associate Director for Health 
                                          and Environmental Research
                                        Office of Energy Research
     
     Note: Correction to $ amount in the above message
     
     In the March 31 OHER Newsletter the FY 98 total of 371,860 was 
     incorrect.  The FY 1998 request for the BER program is 376,710.  
     
     Please accept my apology for this error.
     
     Have a nice day.
     
     Judy Nusbaum