A manager, group leader or above, must nominate participants in the institutes. Anyone who supervises the work of others can seek nomination from his or her manager. Nomination criteria include exceptional past performance, a demonstrated and sincere desire to develop skills, and justification that participation in the institutes will benefit the Laboratory. Nominations must be received at least 30 days before the start of any scheduled institute. Lyons Be kind to your ciliates, flagellates and amoeboids Ciliates, flagellates and amoeboids are types of microorganisms, or bacteria, essential to the successful operation of the Laboratory's sanitary wastewater facility, and due to the nature of the Lab's work their lives are in almost constant danger.
Bacteria are key to the health and quality of sanitary wastewater treatment.
Everything flushed down the toilet, or put down the drain in a shower or kitchen, goes to the sanitary wastewater treatment facility. After the raw sewage undergoes an initial screening for grit, sand and other inorganic solids, it enters equalization tanks that keep the system from being overloaded. From the equalization tanks the sewage moves to aeration basins, and those are where the bacteria go to work, or more accurately, to dinner. This stage of sanitary wastewater treatment is called the activated sludge process, a biological treatment that takes place in the aeration basins and depends on the lush growth of aerobic microorganisms. The microorganisms feed on both the dissolved and suspended organic material in the wastewater.