More than the sum of its parts Nanoparticles unlock the future of superalloy metals

A team of Sandia researchers is pioneering thefuture of superalloy materials by advancing thescience behind how those superalloys are made.

As part of Sandia’s nanoscale research, agroup of experts specializing in inorganic synthe-sis and characterization, modeling, and radiationscience have designed a radical system of experi-ments to study the science of creating metal andalloy nanoparticles.

This research hasvast implications, saysTina Nenoff (1133). Thelightweight, corrosion-resistant materials thatthe team is creating areneeded for weapons cas-ings, gas turbineengines, satellites, air-craft, and power plants.

“What we’re doing is taking a completelynew approach to thinking about producing super-alloy materials,” Tina says. “We’re using radiationto break down the molecular structure of sub-stances and form nanoparticles — a syntheticapproach that is flexible and versatile for makinglarge quantities of superalloy nanoparticle com-positions that can’t be easily created otherwise.”

The science of alloys A quick trip down memory lane to the days

of high school science class will recall those chap-ters on material and chemical science definingalloys as a combination of two or more elements,at least one of which is a metal, where the result-

ing material has metallic properties different —sometimes significantly different — from theproperties of its components. For instance, steel isstronger than iron, its primary component.

The Superman of alloysSuperalloys, as the name would imply, stand

out from the general population of alloys in thesame way Superman would be considered extraor-dinary compared to the rest of us. These special-

ized alloys are exception-ally strong, lightweight,and able to withstandextremes that woulddestroy everyday metalslike steel and aluminum.

“These high-perfor-mance superalloys arerevered for their remark-able mechanicalstrength, and their resis-

tance to corrosion, oxidation, and deformation athigh temperatures,” says Jason Jones (1133).

In the past, the development of these super-alloys has depended on chemical andtechnological innovations, and been drivenmainly by the aerospace and power industrieswhere superalloys are in high demand.

“The method of radiation we’re studying —known as radiolysis — introduces an entirely newarea of research into creating alloys and super-alloys through nanoparticle synthesis,” Tina says.“This process holds promise as a universalmethod of nanoparticle formation. By developingour understanding of the basic material science

TINA NENOFF (1133) observes an experiment to cre-ate superalloy nanoparticles in a testing cell at theGamma Irradiation Facility. (Photo by Randy Montoya)

“What we’re doing is taking acompletely new approach tothinking about producing superalloymaterials.”

Sandia researcher Tina Nenoff

(Continued on page 4)

Dick Fate’s most courageous hikeAfter an increasingly frustrating and futile series ofsurgeries over the years to fight a rare form of can-cer, Dick Fate goes under the knife one last time tofind recovery, life . . . and the means to complete amomentous walk with a very important person.Read Dick’s story by Iris Aboytes on page 12.

Darrick Hurst wins music awardsA wisdom beyond his years about what’s reallyimportant in music and in life serves student internDarrick Hurst well at the New Mexico Music Awards.Darrick’s band, Man Born Blind, won best alternativerock song and Darrick won for best album design.Read Neal Singer’s story about Darrick on page 9.

16-year-old Wisconsinstudent snags Sandiascience fair scholarship

Also inside . . . • Sandia hosts conference to rewrite DOE Explosives

Safety Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3

• Nuclear Weapons SMU restructures . . . . . . Page 4

• Small businesses turn to Sandia for innovativesolutions to technical problems . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8

• Tonopah Test Range Family Day . . . . . . . . Page 10

Directed-energy defense weapontested at Sandia explosives facilities Tests of Raytheon laser-based system show potential of technology

To enhance protection of military assetsfrom mortar and small rocket attacks, Sandia, theAir Force Research Laboratory, and RaytheonMissile Systems Group successfully tested aprototype solid-state laser defense weapon builton the already-existing US Navy Phalanxplatform.

The Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS -pronounced “sea-whiz”) is a fast-reaction Gatling

gun deployed on Navy ships to protect againstanti-ship missiles.

In the tests, the Laser Area Defense System(LADS) replaced the Gatling gun on the Phalanxwith an off-the-shelf invisible-beam laser capableof destroying incoming targets. The tests weredesigned to determine if the weapon — based ona commercially available fiber-based laser system— could rapidly destroy mortar threats. The testsrepresented a major step in deploying a laser-based system to fill critical defensive military andhomeland security needs, researchers say.

“Our simulation predicted that industrialfiber lasers with moderate power capabilities, sim-plified beam control, and limited beam qualitycould provide an initial near-term solution to theproblem,” says Frank Brueckner, Raytheon pro-gram manager, “However conventional wisdomheld that more power and a nearly perfect beamwould be needed. These tests proved we are on

Sandia judges looked at Philip Vidal Stre-ich’s Intel International Science and Engineer-ing Fair (ISEF) project and liked what they saw.On the basis of their judgment, Sandia awardedStreich, a homeschooled 16-year-old from Plat-teville, Wis., a $2,500 scholarship for his pro-ject, “Determining Carbon Nanotubes’ Thermo-dynamic Solubility: The Missing Link to a

(Continued on page 5)

By Jacqueline Cieslak

Nano project also best in show

By Stephanie Holinka

By Darrick Hurst

(Continued on page 5)

GUARD AND RESERVE units from around the statedemonstrated their combat capabilities during theannual Bosslift exercise for New Mexico businessand community leaders. Sandia went along forthe ride. Story and photos on pages 6-7.

Vol. 59, No. 12 June 8, 2007Managed by Lockheed Martin for the National Nuclear Security Administration

What’s what

Lab News Reader ServiceThe Sandia Lab News is distributed in-

house to all Sandia employees and on-sitecontractors and mailed to all Sandia retirees.It is also mailed to individuals in industry,government, academia, nonprofit organiza-tions, media, and private life who request it.Retirees (only):To notify of changes in address, contactBenefits Dept. 3332, Customer Service, at505-844-4237, or Mail Stop 1021, SandiaNational Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM87185-1021.

Others:To receive the Lab News or to changethe address (except retirees), contactMichelle Fleming, Media Relations andCommunications Dept. 3651, 505-844-4902, e-mail meflemi@sandia.gov, orMail Stop 0165, Sandia National Laboratories,Albuquerque, NM 87185-0165.Employees:To change the number of copies of theLab News your mail stop is receiving pleasecall Honario Anaya, Mail Services Team10268-4, at 844-3796. At Sandia/California

There was a little reminiscing here several weeks ago about“soundies,” short films of musical performances that were sort ofprotovideos. It was prompted by a KNME-TV show hosted by singer Michael Feinstein, who has collected thousands of soundies and is aleading authority on their origin, equipment that showed them, etc.

That show noted that they were produced “between 1940 and 1946,”and those dates were passed along in the piece about the show. Butretiree Johanna James remembers them a bit earlier:

“I can remember as a child being taken to a bar by my parents andseeing the ‘soundies juke box.’ Inside was a rear screen Ampro 16mmprojector with a continuous reel. This was in the late 1930s, perhaps1937. As a side note, kids were served a small A&W-type mug with beer.Just like the parents. Times sure change! This was in Denver.”

* * *Older-timers tell me the search for

close-by restaurants with good, inexpensivefood has been a quest of Sandians for far morethan the nearly 16 years I’ve been here. Andthe urgency increased appreciably when theCoronado Club was closed, cutting off thatoption for pretty good food at pretty goodprices. (For newcomers who never had the chanceto sit under the trees and have lunch next tothe swimming pool on a balmy summer day, or dash in quickly on a coldwinter day, the green chile stew was legendary.)

There’s the cafeteria, of course, which has been there all along,and within a quick trip off the base, there’s Bea’s #2, Griff’s,Roper’s, a couple of Lotaburgers, Powdrell’s, Chili’s, Golden Pride,and a new Golden Corral, among others. And Jim Clinch (9105) emailsfrom the Sandia Science and Technology Park that two more are on theway: a Church’s Chicken in the southwest quadrant of the Central-Eubankintersection, expected to open in early July, and a Starbuck’s south ofWalgreen’s on Eubank, expected to open in September.

A well-known axiom has it that an army marches on its stomach.So, it seems, does a laboratory.

* * *Careful what you do with those old, seldom-used wedding gifts.A colleague recalled recently that an elderly next door neighbor

was ailing some time back, and that he and his wife decided to take hersome flowers. They put the flowers in one of a matched pair of wedding-gift vases and delivered them.

Some time went by and they realized that the vase had never beenreturned. They debated what to do, conceding that to go over and askfor the vase back would mortify the by-now-even-more-elderly neighbor.More time went by and the inevitable happened, and after yet more timewent by, there was an estate sale.

They went. They saw. They bought. And the long-missing vase isnow back with its mate.

* * *Still no word from Suavé Superfly.

— Howard Kercheval (844-7842, MS 0165, hckerch@sandia.gov)

Sandia National Laboratorieshttp://www.sandia.gov/LabNews

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-0165Livermore, California 94550-0969Tonopah, Nevada • Nevada Test Site • Amarillo, Texas •Carlsbad, New Mexico • Washington, D.C.

Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory operated bySandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin company, for the US Departmentof Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.

Bill Murphy, Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505/845-0845Chris Burroughs, Writer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505/844-0948Randy Montoya, Photographer . . . . . . . . 505/844-5605Mike Janes, California site contact. . . . . . . 925/294-2447Michael Lanigan, Production. . . . . . . . . . 505/844-2297

Contributors: Janet Carpenter (844-7841), John German(844-5199), Neal Singer (845-7078), Stephanie Holinka (284-9227),Howard Kercheval (columnist, 844-7842), Iris Aboytes (844-2282),Michael Padilla (284-5325), Julie Hall (284-7761), Patti Koning(925-294-4911), Rod Geer (844-6601), and Michelle Fleming(Ads, Milepost photos, 844-4902), Darrick Hurst (intern, 844-8009),Jacqueline Cieslak (intern, 284-8432), Dept. 3651 Manager:Chris Miller (844-0587).Lab News fax ................................................505/844-0645Classified ads ................................................505/844-4902

Published on alternate Fridays by Media Relationsand Employee Communications Dept. 3651, MS 0165

HOWARD KERCHEVAL

Security Salutes honorsManuel Barreras

Security Salutes, the program created to rec-ognize and reward exemplary security practices,has named Manuel Barreras (10842) as its latesthonoree.

According to theSecurity Salutes citation,“Manuel goes the extramile when it comes toprotecting the keys toour work (i.e., ourbadges). He has demon-strated this on a regularbasis by constantlyreminding folks who dis-play their badges outsideof Sandia to put theirbadges away.”

In addition to honoring Manuel, SecuritySalutes also recognized the attendees of theMarch Office of Independent Oversight (OIO)security information session. Attendees were hon-ored for embodying Sandia’s commitment toachieving operational excellence throughimproved security performance. The OIO sessionfocused on DOE reporting requirements andmanagement of Official Use Only (OUO) infor-mation. During the session, attendees were givensome basic tips on how to survive and benefitfrom an inspection (e.g., simple dos and don’ts).

The Security Education and AwarenessLiaison (SEAL) team, which determines theSecurity Salutes honorees, expressed its apprecia-tion for “the initiative demonstrated by Manueland the individuals who attended the OIO infor-mation session. SEAL challenges all members ofthe workforce to continue to be proactive withregard to Security.”

Security Salutes encompasses all Sandians,including personnel at Sandia/California, remotesites, and cross-cutting programs.

Since its inception, the Security Salutes pro-gram has recognized 60 individuals for their sup-port of security practices. Examples of the positiveactions have included:

• Displaying courage and tactfulness byapproaching a person who was using a personallyowned cell phone inside a limited area and escort-ing the individual to a Protective Force officer.

• Recognizing and reporting improper storageof unclassified controlled information.

• Suggesting and assisting with implementa-tion of an improved security process associatedwith the current OIO inspection.

If you know someone (employee, contractor,consultant) who has exhibited a good securitypractice, consider nominating that individual forrecognition by the Security Salutes Program.

For more information, visit the SecuritySalutes website on the internal web at:www-irn.sandia.gov/security/resource/salutes.

To Janet Von Toussaint (8521), on the deathof her husband Dave, who passed away April 7 inLivermore, Calif.

Sympathy

MANUEL BARRERAS

Q: Does Sandia specifically allow or disallowemployees to host high school foreign-national stu-dents through a foreign-exchange program in theirhomes? Does the sensitive/nonsensitive classificationof the student’s nationality make a difference? Whatis the policy?

A: Sandia not only allows but also encour-ages employees to consider hosting a high schoolforeign-exchange student. It is an enriching expe-rience for everybody. Obviously, the Sandianneeds to avoid discussing or otherwise revealingclassified or sensitive information. Moreover, ifthe student is from a “sensitive” foreign country,then the Sandia host needs to report this toCounterintelligence as a “substantive” personalcontact. This reporting is very easy to do; eithervisit the Office of Counterintelligence website atwww-irn.sandia.gov/srn-ci or call our hotline at284-4760 or 844-3834 and we will be happy tohelp. — Bruce Held (301)

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 3

Controlled chaos, or going BOOM! safely

Explosives are part and parcel of much of thework conducted at Sandia and across the entireDOE complex. Computer modeling can only takeyou so far — that’s why large areas of the Sandia/New Mexico site are dedicated to explosives test-ing and places like Site 300 and the Nevada TestSite exist.

Working with explosives carries an inherentdanger. Ensuring that work is carried out safely isthe mission of the DOE Explosives Safety Com-mittee (ESC). Representatives from Sandia,Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Pantex, theNNSA Office of Military Application and StockpileSupport, and other DOE sites make up the ESC.

Last month, the ESC held its 56th annualmeeting at Sandia/California.

“This was a very positive, very productivemeeting,” says Herman Armijo (8517), whohosted the event. “We had a resolution of an out-standing finding, a great accomplishment.”

The meeting had one main purpose — toupdate the DOE Explosives Safety Manual, whichis the bible of explosives work. Any such opera-tions must follow the manual to the letter. Themanual is carefully worded, with requirementsdifferentiated by “shall” (mandatory) and“should” (advisory).

The 200-plus-page manual covers a widerange of topics, such as criteria for guns used tofire projectiles at explosives targets, handling amisfire of a remotely fired gun, destruction ofexplosives by detonation, quantity-distance andlevel-of-protection criteria, and protecting explo-sives during an electrical storm.

The manual captures the expertise of the ESC.Members have more than 300 years of combinedexperience in explosives, fire safety, and security.In addition to Herman, Roger Smith and TinaStetson (both 10322) are longstanding members.

Many, including Allan Herrbach of DOE, JimDotts from LLNL, and Roger had full militarycareers before their current positions.

Since 1978, the committee has updated themanual twice a year, which barely keeps up with

changes in the field. Updating the manual is apainstaking process, involving line-by-line reviewby the entire committee.

“The manual is a living document and assuch, continues to change,” says Dotts “Technol-ogy changes, the way we conduct work changes,and we are constantly learning on the job.”

A new version of the manual comes out afterit goes through RevCom, the official DOE reviewprocess that allows outside input. To get an ideaof how long RevCom can take, the eighth revi-sion was released in 1996; the ninth revisionfinally completed RevCom in 2006. Later thisyear the 10th revision will be submitted for a“mini” RevCom, which will take input frominterested parties only,

Between RevCom updates, Dotts and JohnTaylor of Pantex release a committee version toget the updates into the hands of those workingwith explosives in the field.

The 56th Annual Meeting also markedHerrbach’s retirement along with that of C.V.Vick of Lawrence Livermore.

“Allan has been a valuable contributor andI’m not sure who will fill his shoes,” saysHerman. “He helped us meet the requirementsand stay safe.”

To read the manual, go to:www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetext/neword/440/m4401-1a.pdf.

Sandia funds Science Teacher of the Year award

Next year one or more teachers in the Liver-more Valley Joint Unified School District willreceive the Sandia Science Teacher of the Year

Sandia/California hosts 56th annual DOE Explosives Safety Committee meeting

By Patti Koning

SAFETY PROCEDURES for explosive tests like the onepictured here at Sandia from 2006 are addressed inthe DOE Explosives Safety Manual, now entering its10th edition.

award. Honorees will receive a grant of approxi-mately $500 for use in their classrooms. (Theexact amount of the award is based on availablefunds in a given year.)

The award is made possible through a new

permanent endowment recently established bySandia/California on behalf of the Livermore Val-ley Education Foundation (LVEF), a nonprofitorganization that supports Livermore schools.

“Recognizing and rewarding a teacher, orteachers, of the year is very important, not just toSandia, but to the entire community,” says Com-munity Relations Officer Jim Simmons (8528).“We’re very proud to support science educationin this way.”

A $40,000 Lockheed Martin grantSandia established the endowment with

$40,000 from Lockheed Martin’s gifts andgrants program. While the principal willremain untouched, the annual earnings will beused to make the annual cash award. LVEFPresident Victoria Schellenberger expects theendowment to generate $800 or moreannually.

She says she hopes other local businesseswill follow Sandia’s example and contribute tothe endowment, thus increasing the amountavailable for awards.

“We’re excited about this endowmentbecause it means we can provide this awardyear after year,” Schellenberger says. “It’s reallynice to reward our teachers for good work.”

The program is modeled after Sandia/NewMexico’s Excellence in Science Teaching awards(ESTe awards), which recognize top scienceteachers in elementary, middle, and highschools throughout Albuquerque publicschools. Up to 10 teachers are chosen for theannual award and receive a $500 award.

The details of the award, such as the nomi-nation and selection criteria, are still beingworked out. One thing is for sure — LVEF willbe handing one or more outstanding teachers agrant check next spring.

By Patti Koning

LIVERMORE VALLEY EDUCATION FOUNDATION President Victoria Schellenberger talks with Jeff Manchesterand Jim Simmons (both 8528) and Art Pontau (8750) at a recent community event. (Photo by Randy Wong)

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 4

behind these nanoparticle formations, we’ll thenbe able to expand our research into other aspectsof superalloys, like nickel-based alloys.”

The team is focusing its research on studyingthe science that happens in the “novel metastablephase spaces” that are not accessible with tradi-tional alloy produc-tion methods, suchas melting, says Tina.These “phase spaces”are possible points ina given path, ororbit, that representthe motion of a par-ticle over a period oftime. Each potentialstate of that particle’s system corresponds to oneunique point in a phase space. Understandingthese spaces is important for determining whatalloys are created, and how they form.

In the team’s experiments, solvent moleculesare combined with molecules or ions and dis-solved in water, and the researchers then subjectthe solution to radiolysis. By varying the reactionconditions and using alcohols as agents to limitparticle growth size, the researchers say they havedetermined through high-resolution transmissionelectron microscopy that they have been able tosuccessfully grow particles that are nearly identi-cal, delivering essentially defect-free superalloymetal nanoparticles.

Specialized in-house facilitiesThe team of Sandia researchers perform these

highly specialized experiments with the uniquecombination of the in-house Gamma IrradiationFacility (GIF) and the Ion Beam MaterialsResearch Laboratory (IBMRL), which provide theradiation environments demanded by thisresearch.

“The target solu-tions are placed inthe testing cells atthe GIF where theyare exposed to a vari-ety of gamma irradi-ation test configura-tions and controlledradiation doserates,” says DonBerry (1382), GIFsupervisor. “High-intensity radioactivesources, which arekept submergedbelow 18 feet ofdeionized water toshield workers fromradiation, are thenraised via elevatorsinto the testing cellsto irradiate the tar-gets. Once the irradi-ation is completed,the radioactivesources are returnedto their shieldedlocation in the water pool, and workers canagain safely enter the cells.”

In their study of the particle growth, theresearchers exposes the test solutions to evenhigher doses of radiation at the IBMRL.

“The ion beam irradiation experiments takeplace in a custom-built cell at the external beamend-station of the Tandem Van de Graff accelera-tor and result in intense dose rates in the solu-tion,” says Jim Knapp (1111). “A beam of protonsexits the vacuum and passes through a thin Kap-ton film before entering into the target solution.The system can expose targets for up to severalhours, but the exposures needed in these experi-ments are usually only fractions of a second.”

Studying the outcomeAfter irradiation at the GIF or IBMRL, samples

— none of which are radioactive — are studiedusing a variety of techniques, such as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and high-resolution trans-mission electron microscopy to understand whateffects time and experimental variables have onparticle formation, size, shape, and composition.

Depending on the combination of reactants,dose, and dose rate of radiation, researchers have

been able to create nanometer-sized particles ofgold in a variety of shapes including spheres, rodsand pyramids.

Researchers are also translating the resultsof these experiments into computer simulations.Kevin Leung (1133) is leading the effort to useab initio molecular dynamics, along withother methods, to interpret and understandthe controlling factors in the researchers’experiments.

“Using the results from the experiments,together with Sandia’s world-class computationalcapabilities, we’ll simulate the structure of thenanocrystal initiation,” Kevin says. “By examin-ing the free energy present in the interfacebetween the different materials, we will be able tounderstand what factors govern the size of thesemetal alloy nanocrystals.

“Modeling this region of the metastablephase space right after radiation has been appliedpromises to be a new and exciting area ofresearch.”

“What we’re doing is really breaking groundin fundamental research in the science of the for-mation of superalloy nanoparticles,” Tina says.“This is really the new frontier in superalloys.”

Tina Nenoff’s superalloy research teamincludes Kevin Leung (1133), Don Berry (1382),Jim Knapp (1111), Paula Provencio (1111),Dana Powers (6770), Jason Jones (1133), andproject manager Carlos Gutierrez (1133).

Superalloy(Continued from page 1)

JASON JONES AND TINA NENOFF (both 1133) set up an experiment in a testing cellat the Gamma Irradiation Facility. (Photo by Randy Montoya)

“This processholds promise as auniversal methodof nanoparticleformation.”

The Nuclear Weapons SMU looks differentthese days. Joan Woodard, Executive VP andDeputy Labs Director for Nuclear Weapons,announced the restructuring of the SMU inApril. She explained its goals in a letter to theVPs and all nuclear weapons personnel.

The new structure was created “tostrengthen and improve our effectiveness withour NNSA customers in achieving their goals, tostrengthen direction for program strategy andintegration, and to utilize the talents of all levelsof management,” Joan wrote.

“That means,” says Sandia VP Rick Stulen,“that the new restructure allows the individualswith the technical knowledge and responsibilityto be the ones responsible for program decisions.”

The new structure divides the program intostrategic areas, each owned by a VP with a full-time “principal program director.” VP RickStulen will head the NW Science and Technol-ogy strategic area; VP Paul Hommert will leadthe Weapons Engineering & Technology Matu-ration strategic area; and VP Steve Rottler willlead the Stockpile & Weapon Product Realiza-tion strategic area. The Defense Security Pro-gram remains an integral part of the program,with management unchanged from the previousstructure. David Carlson will remain as the NWSMU chief operating officer.

Dave, also director of Nuclear Weapons Plan-

ning and Integration Cen-ter 200, foresees a muchstronger relationshipbetween program and theline performing the work.

The new structure sim-plifies the managementstructure by consolidatingprogram responsibilityinto the strategic areas andcreating a Program Integra-tion Council consisting ofDave and the principalprogram directors.

This structure willenable Joan to spend moretime focusing on policyand strategic issues associ-ated with the nucleardeterrent, Dave says.

In addition, Dave sayshe sees the new structureas streamlining the deci-sion-making process andincreasing the efficiencyfor decision-making meetings.

The VP will make decisions within hisstrategic area, while the Program IntegrationCouncil will address cross-program issues, withfinal decisions resting with the NuclearWeapons Leadership Council.

This new process centralizes decision mak-

ing and reduces the number of people involved.Overall, Joan anticipates a time savings ofgreater than 25 percent in terms of people’s timespent in meetings. “Fewer meeting hours,” saysDave “means that program leadership can spendmore time providing strategic direction andengaging their customers.”

Nuclear Weapons SMU restructure boosts program strategy and integration By Stephanie Holinka

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 5

the right track with the fiber laser.”Sandia was contacted to perform experiments

demonstrating the laser technology. Two rounds

of testing were done in New Mexico. The firstround occurred indoors, at the Labs’ ExplosiveComponents Facility(Bldg. 905). The secondround occurred out-doors, at the TerminalBallistics Facility (Bldg.6750 in Tech Area 3).

Marcia Cooper(2554), principal investi-gator for both phases ofthe project, says the testshelped researchersunderstand how thetime required to destroythe mortar dependedon the explosive material,the mortar spin rate,and the on-target laserenergy.

“Ignition and burn-ing of explosive,” Marciasays, “can vary from asomewhat benign reac-tion that just slightlyruptures the mortar’scase to complete frag-

mentation of the case and rapid burning ofthe bulk explosive.”

To determine if a laser-based system iseffective, researchers care about both igni-tion time and target lethality, Marcia says.“The laser system must ignite the explosivewithin a munition quickly and must createa sufficiently violent reaction to minimizecollateral harm,” she says. A defensiveweapon cannot leave a nearly intact mortarround with a lot of explosive, Marcia says,because it could still successfully hit its tar-get causing significant damage.

The Explosive Components Facilityevaluated the laser firing on stationary andspinning mortars in a large test chamber.After those tests successfully demonstratedthe laser’s effectiveness in destroying themortars, the next step was to test the laseroutdoors and at long ranges.

The team wanted to show that theLADS could destroy a mortar with sufficientdestructiveness to negate its threat, so that it

could then bedeployed in awider array ofapplications —potentially even inor near land-basedassets near popu-lated areas.

In the outdoortests, Sandia tech-nologist DavidWackerbarth (2552) saysthat Raytheonresearchers wanted tosee if they could destroyan unfuzed, 60-mmround with the laserover a long distance, insuch a way that themortar would deflagrate(burn) rather thandetonate. Deflagratinga mortar destroys themortar without the con-centrated energy releaseof detonated explosives.

It could also mean fewer mortar fragmentsdropping down to earth.

Target mortar was 550 yards awayThe tested Phalanx system replaced the nor-

mal 20-mm Gatling gun with a continuous-wavefiber laser, usually used in industrial weldingapplications. The laser, which required a 270-kWdiesel generator, was fiber-optically linked to theRaytheon-developed beam director located on thePhalanx mount.

The target mortar was placed on a stand some550 yards from the Phalanx mount. The beamdirector consisted of a series of mirrors that posi-tioned and focused the beam downrange to thedesired spot diameter onto the target mortar.After maintaining the beam positioned on themortar, the explosive was heated sufficiently tocause complete destruction of the casing andburning of the explosive.

Sandia’s customer was pleased with the test-ing, according to Mike Booen, vice president of

Advanced Missile Defense and Directed EnergyWeapons at Raytheon Missile Systems inTucson, Ariz.

“In just six short months,” Booen says,“Raytheon and government engineers went froman idea to operational field testing of a solid-statelaser system that offers the potential of near-termprotection for our troops.”

“Sandia's Explosive Components Facility andthe Terminal Ballistics Facility turned out to bethe ideal places for these experiments,” saysDavid Wackerbarth.

The test group hopes to continue research tobetter understand the pre-ignition processes inexplosive materials under a variety of condi-tions. Understanding explosive response to pre-viously inaccessible heating rates, says Marcia,will advance Sandia’s own thermal hazards pro-gram while aiding in the development of aroadmap for force protection deployment of aLADS-type system.

Raytheon(Continued from page 1)

Practical Supermaterial?”Intel officials seconded Sandia’s judgment by

presenting Streich one of the Intel FoundationYoung Scientist Awards, which honored the topthree students at the Intel ISEF with $50,000scholarships. The science fair was held May 13-19in Albuquerque.

Sandia’s award was for the best project relatedto the application of nanotechnology in one ofthree categories: materials & bioengineering, elec-trical & mechanical engineering, or chemistry.Streich’s project, from the chemistry category, wasselected by Labs researchers Tim Boyle (1815), Jus-tine Johannes (1810), and Jeff Brinker (1002).

“All these students were very impressive,” Jeffsays. “They were competent, they understood thefield — but this guy stood out in accomplishingsomething that seemed to be pretty amazing. Heposed a very fundamental question about a veryimportant issue.”

By designing and creating an ultrasensitivephoton-counting spectrometer with spare partshe found in the University of Wisconsin Chem-istry Department, Streich discovered the first evi-dence that carbon nanotubes, which are incredi-bly strong and conductive, are thermo-dynamically soluble, a characteristic someexperts think could potentially lead to developingnanotubes as a supermaterial.

Along with awarding Streich the scholarship,Sandia invited him to participate in an all-expenses-paid two-week internship at the Labsthis summer. All award-winning ISEF participantsare also eligible to apply for one of these 15 spe-cial Sandia internships. Selected students will stayin dorms at Menaul High School and get hands-on experience in cyber security and materials sci-ence/forensics. Watch the Lab News for more.

Science fair(Continued from page 1)

Experimenting outdoors with a powerfullaser-based weapons system such as LADS pro-vided many safety challenges and required care-ful planning and execution, says Kevin Fleming(2554), the laser safety officer on the project. Henotes that all test procedures, hazards analysis,and hazard mitigation processes were reviewedby the Sandia, Air Force Research Lab, andRaytheon safety organizations, KAFB’s ControlledFiring Area Committee, and DOE.

Kevin calls the tests “one of the most chal-lenging scenarios” he’s ever seen.

“Anything over a class 3a or 3b laser light isconsidered eye-damaging,” Kevin says, “andthese tests used a class 4 laser of very high powerthat was also invisible.” To ensure that the beam

could not be elevated above the horizontal, thelaser and beam-directing optics were firmlyanchored to prevent any off-target movement.

Kevin says that prior to each test, the grouphad to notify the airport, Kirtland Base Opera-tions, and Tech Area 3 neighbors like the SledTrack. A log was maintained to record the timeand duration that the laser was powered on. TheFAA had to be notified well in advance, Kevinsays, adding that during the field tests, spottersmade sure there were no aircraft within a one-nautical-mile bubble around the testing grounds.

“There was a huge safety component to thisproject because we wanted to eliminate any pos-sibility for injury to the team or anyone else inthe area,” Kevin says.

Tests posed daunting safety challenges

A LIGHT TOUCH — Marc Hagan (2554) adjusts a target mortarround before a test at the Terminal Ballistics Facility in Tech Area 3.

PRIOR TO TESTS of the Laser Area Defense System inthe Explosive Components Facility, critical elements ofthe system were configured for stationary and spin-ning mortar targets.

“The laser system must ignite theexplosive within a munitionquickly and must create asufficiently violent reaction tominimize collateral harm.”

Sandia researcher Marcia Cooper

“In just six short months,Raytheon and government engi-neers went from an idea to opera-tional field testing of a solid-statelaser system that offers the poten-tial of near-term protection forour troops.”

Raytheon VP Mike Booen

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 6 SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 7

FILL ‘ER UP — An NMANGF-16 moves into positionbelow a KC-135 aerial re-fueling aircraft in the skieshigh above New Mexico.

uddenly, the F-16 is just there.I’m lying in a prone position on a bench at the tail end of a KC-135 aerial tanker looking out a small

window. Beside me, “Boomer,” an Air National Guard sergeant and refueling boom operator from an OhioGuard unit, looks over at me and gives a slight nod and smile. I’m the civilian newbie here and he’s saying tome, without words, “This is cool, isn’t it?”

Yes it is. Boomer, hands on a panel of controls, deftly flies the refueling boom — yes, flies; the business end of the

hose includes small winglets that aid in positioning — into the receiving port on the F-16. He’s in visual com-munication with the F-16 pilot; the cockpit of the New Mexico Air National Guard fighter aircraft isn’t morethan 50 feet from our window. We’re close enough that you can see the intensity of the pilot’s concentrationas he keeps the F-16 straight and level and exactly synced to the speed of the tanker.

Boomer’s in constant voice contact with the pilot. Though I can’t make out the individual words, I canhear him speaking in the low, slow, confident cadences of a man who knows what he’s doing and has done itthousands of times before.

A flight of four F-16s from the New Mexico Air National Guard has been flying along with the tanker on ashort hop from Kirtland Air Force Base to Cannon AFB in Clovis. The purpose of the flight is to practice (andfrankly, to show off) the Guard’s aerial refueling capabilities — and to impress those of us who don’t see thisstuff every day.

We’re impressed.That Ohio Guard unit, the 121st Aerial Refueling Wing, has dispatched the KC-135 to New Mexico to sup-

port an annual event called Bosslift, which is intended to showcase New Mexico Guard and Reserve capabili-ties to local business and civic leaders.

Bosslift is staged by the New Mexico Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) program. Sandia has been invited along on Bosslift because it is widely recognized as one of the state’s best — that

is, most enlightened — employers of Guard and Reserve members. Altogether, about 100 people from busi-nesses around the state have joined in the Bosslift exercise.

The morning had started out with briefings at KAFB about New Mexico’s Guard and Reserve capabilities.Steve Stevens, a retired brigadier general and head of New Mexico ESGR, brags on the caliber of Guard andReserve members and argues that compared to the nation’s regular military services, the Guard and Reservedeliver at “pennies on the dollar.”

“We think we’re a pretty good bargain for your tax dollar,” he says.New Mexico Air National Guard commander Col. Jay Bledsoe speaks next. He looks like the one-time

Detroit Lion he was, a big, rangy guy whose cockpit callsign is “Bluto.” (If you know Animal House, that han-dle probably tells you something about Bledsoe.) He tells us that his unit — our neighbors and colleagues inthe workplace — are “fully integrated in the war on terror. Our operational tempo is very high . . . we’ve neverbeen busier.”

In Clovis, we get more briefings on Guard and Reserve activities, both at home and in the global war onterror (New Mexico Guard and Reserve units are routinely deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan). During a ban-quet, Brig. Gen. Kenny Montoya, adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard, tells us that he’s proudof the moniker “weekend warriors,” emblematic as it is of neighbors and work colleagues who have answeredthe nation’s call to serve.

On Bosslift day two, we’re bused out to Melrose Range near Clovis to watch F-16s do practice bombingand strafing runs, then see an Army Guard unit do a rescue mission of a downed pilot while coming under firefrom a band of insurgents.

As we board the KC-135 for the flight home, all we can talk about is how impressed we are with every-thing we’ve seen. To a person, we’re convinced that our New Mexico Guard and Reserve members — includ-ing soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who work shoulder to shoulder with us at Sandia — are, as SteveStevens said during a briefing, “a cut above the average.” — Bill Murphy

BRIG. GEN. (RET) Steve Stevens (center), chairman of the New Mexico Committee for Employer Support of the Guardand Reserve program, visits with Guard and Reserve members from (left to right) the New Mexico Air National Guard,the Navy Reserve, the Marine Reserve, and the New Mexico Army National Guard.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE — A Marine Reserve recon unit exhibitssome of the gear it uses in carrying out its mission.

CHARGE! — “Insurgents,” played by Guardmembers, attack a helicopter landing zone.

A NM GUARD member in combat face paint. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD members (above) discuss how they will deploy to protect a landing zone for an air rescuemission. In the sequence of photos below, a Guard helicopter drops into a hot zone to recover a downed pilot. TAKE FIVE — Guard members take a break before a firefight demonstration.

New Mexico units show their stuff during Bosslift exercise

S

ON TARGET — A New Mexico Air National Guard F-16 (left) wheels away after dropping a dummy bomb on a target(right) at the Melrose Range near Clovis, N.M. The target aircraft are plywood mockups.

A CORPORATE COMMITMENT TO OUR GUARD AND RESERVEPhotos by Bill Doty & Tom McMahon

NM GUARD Adjutant General Kenny Montoya (left photo) provides amission briefing. In photo above, Guard and Reserve members discusscoordinating a training exercise. In right photo, Montoya talks withNM Air National Guard commander Col. Jay Bledsoe.

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 8

Sandia assists 293 small businesses in 2006

Sandia assisted 293 small businesses in 2006with projects ranging from a kids’ car organizer toa radio frequency signal that can alert 85-90 per-cent of drivers that a first responder isapproaching.

This was Sandia’ssixth year of helpingsmall businesses throughthe New Mexico SmallBusiness Assistance Pro-gram, thanks to a taxcredit passed by the NewMexico Legislature.

The program allowsSandia to apply a por-tion of the gross receiptstaxes it pays to the stateeach year to providetechnical advice andassistance to New Mex-ico small businesses.During 2006, Sandiareceived nearly $1.8 mil-lion in tax credits.

Due to successful legislation in 2007 the pro-gram has made some significant changes, saysJennifer Kamm Sinsabaugh (9118). Los AlamosNational Laboratory now has the same programand the maximum amount of tax credit wasincreased from $1.8 million to $2.4 million foreach participating laboratory.

There are few requirements for small-busi-ness participation — mainly that assisted compa-nies must be for-profit New Mexico small busi-nesses, and that the help is otherwise notavailable for a reasonable cost through privatesources.

Car organizer for kidsUtilizing Sandia’s rapid prototyping technol-

ogy, Bart Chavez (2455) built the first prototypeof a new car organizer for kids.

The Kids Console, by Baby Azul, is the onlycar organizer that is reachable and usable by chil-dren strapped in child safety seats. The organizercan be placed on a bench seat or between bucketseats and allows children access to their cups,books, or toys. An extra storage compartment inthe console can be used for items that parentswant to keep out of reach of their children. Theconsole is held securely in place with the seatbelt on a bench seat and with a strap systemwhen placed between bucket seats.

The Sandia assistance involved computer-aided design model analysis, stereolithography(STL) file generation, STL file verification, rapidprototyping (RP), and post-processing of the KidsConsole RP model. The model allowed for theproduct to be shown at trade shows and to gener-ate interest.

The New Mexico Manufacturing ExtensionPartnership assisted Baby Azul by developing amanufacturing feasibility study.

When company representatives attendedtheir first trade show, they received positive feed-back that encouraged them to press forward andhave the Kids Console product manufactured.Without the prototype, Baby Azul would havenot gone to the trade show and not pursued theidea any further, says Dawn Winters-Rizika,owner of Baby Azul.

“It is always an honor to work with theinnovative and remarkable individuals in ourcommunity,” says Bart, who has helped withabout 10 other small business projects over theyears.

“I support the [New Mexico Small BusinessAssistance] program 100 percent. It’s great tohelp people with their ideas.”

Winters-Rizika says the Sandia programplayed an essential part in helping her bring theKids Console to market.

“We will be receiving our first shipment atthe end of June and this wouldn’t be happeningif I hadn’t received my first prototype from

Sandia Labs,” she says. “Sandia has helped makemy idea come to life.”

Emergency vehicle approachingForce 4 Enterprises in Albuquerque has cre-

ated an alert system that first responders — police,firefighters, ambulance companies —can use to alert motorists of theirapproach when navigating throughtraffic during an emergency.

Michael Frasier, co-owner of Force4, says the system will alert motoristsby sending a message or tone, whichcan be heard on the existing soundsystem of any motor vehicle if theoperator is listening to any publiclybroadcast radio station. This amountsto nearly 90 percent of vehicles on theroad, according to Arbitron Radio Rat-ings and Media Research, he says.

“No one has managed to bringthis technology forward,” Frasier says.“We’re using common technology in away that has never been used before.”

The Eagle 1000 RF Siren can bedetected a quarter of a mile from the

approaching first responder and the area of com-plete capture is nearly one-tenth of a mile, hesaid.

First responders have traditionally relied onconventional audio sirens to warn motorists thatthey are approaching. Over the years, their effec-tiveness has been reduced by better soundproof-ing in today’s automobiles, Frasier says. Automo-bile accidents are the number one hazard facingfirst responders and accidents have been the lead-ing cause of police officer deaths for the last eight

years, says Frasier, citing the National LawEnforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

“Our mission is to improve the safety of thegeneral public and for first responders when andwhere they interact,” he says.

Sandia retiree Richard Sparks assisted Force 4with engineering and research guidance on theEagle 1000 RF Siren. Richard called on 38 years of

experience in assisting with radar and RF trans-mission issues.

Richard also provided Force 4 a number ofcontacts from the Center for Commercializationand Entrepreneurial Training and the NationalInstitute of Justice.

“The idea that Michael Frasier is pursuingcould save many lives that are lost across thecountry when people are unaware of emergencyvehicles approaching and fail to yield,” Richardsays. Force 4 is in a circuit design stage movinginto a test phase within the next few months.

Projects range from a siren for first responders to a car organizer for kids

By Michael Padilla

Baby Azul and Force 4 were among eightsuccess stories from the 2006 New MexicoSmall Business Assistance Program featured atan event at La Fonda Hotel in Santa Ferecently. The other six include:

• LaLuz Technologies, Inc., formerlyEntereza Network Solutions in Albuquerque,started in July 2001 as a professional servicesorganization focused on testing and evaluatinggovernment systems, as well as various type oftraining efforts. In January 2006, the companywas introduced to a new technology, a laserwind velocimeter that has the capability tolook at and define clear air turbulence. Thistechnology can be used to measure eventssuch as clear air turbulence, microbursts, wakevortexes, and wind shear at airports and heli-ports. Michael Murphy (5356) served as Sandiaprincipal investigator.

• Los Alamos Renewable Energy, LLC(LARE), in Pojoaque, N.M., was establishedin 2004 by Reed Jensen and David Jones. Itimmediately acquired majority ownership ofRenewable Energy Corporation (RECO),which was established in 1998 by Jensen.LARE is a pioneer in the solar production offuels through CO2 splitting (dissociation)with associated electricity production fromthe high-temperature dissociation process.LARE has been refining its process calledSOLAREC (SOLAr REduction of Carbon) atits development site in Pojoaque. LARE’sprototype is currently successful at splittingCO2 at a commercially viable level. RichDiver (6337) served as Sandia principalinvestigator.

• The Visualization Sandbox group inSanta Fe and Albuquerque combines multipledomains of subject-matter expertise rangingfrom simulation, visualization, and modelingto applied complexity, business management,and new product development. The Sandia-

aided project’s goal is to develop tools andcapabilities that will enable decision makers toreduce risk and increase time to market forhighly complex business and environmentalsituations. Carl Diegert (1412) served as Sandiaprincipal investigator.

• Altela, Inc., in Albuquerque providesproducts and services to customers who needto recover pure water from highly salinatedand contaminated water sources. Through theuse of its proprietary, patented AltelaRain™technology, Altela desalinates and decontami-nates highly challenged water sources withoutthe energy-intensive equipment, high temper-atures, or high pressures of other water desali-nation technologies, such as reverse osmosis.John Torczynski (1513) served as Sandia prin-cipal investigator.

• Fabtec Solutions, LLC, in Farmington,N.M., is one of the leading oil, gas, and miningequipment developers/fabricators in the FourCorners area. Previous projects developed andfabricated by Fabtec include: air handling sys-tems for locomotives and mining excavationequipment, air filter cleaning/recycling equip-ment, oil tank refurbishing, and oil pipelineradio-graphy robotics. Multiple shock tests atthe Mechanical Shock Test Facility at Sandiawere conducted to evaluate the response andreliability of Fabtec’s electronic image pro-ducer device. Luis Abeyta (1535) served as San-dia principal investigator.

• Satyrne Biotechnologies is a newcompany that develops highly differentiatedimplants and surgical guidance software fortraumatic skull fractures. Satyrne’s productsdrastically reduce surgery time and patientcomplications, saving US hospitals, insur-ance companies, and patients millions ofdollars annually. Anderson Schools of Man-agement – Management Technology servedas principal investigator.

Small businesses highlighted

THE KIDS CONSOLE, by Baby Azul.

BART CHAVEZ used Sandia’s rapid prototyping tech-nology to build the first prototype of the Kids Console.

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 9

As I drove into Colorado almost a year ago withtwo women of disparate ages, I played a CD titledMan Born Blind. My wife said, “Wow, who is that?They’re very good.” My son’s girlfriend said, “Theyseem very well structured.”

I thought they were good too, but because the diskwas given to me by Darrick Hurst — a student aide inmy office who’s a member of the band — I didn’ttotally trust my judgment. I like listening to peoplewhom I know, play. But when two women with diver-gent tastes both liked the disk, for the first time Ithought maybe it was really as good as I felt it was.

* * *It’s Sunday night in late May. Darrick Hurst

(3651), 23, is waiting in line at the Marriott-Pyra-mid for his ticket to enter the equivalent of theNew Mexico Grammy Awards — formally, theNew Mexico Music Awards. He’s a finalist, butthings aren’t looking good. Just behind Darrick is amusician who is not only a finalist but has beenpre-chosen by management to be part of thenight’s entertainment. With him in line, providingvisual glow, is a beautiful blonde in a red dress.

Darrick’s band members are too busy or toobroke to make the ceremony. They weren’tinvited to perform anyway. For visual glow,Darrick has only his parents. They standpatiently in line with him.

Some might claim that Mike and Joan Hurstlack band panache. Unlike, for example, theyoung guitarist in front of them, whose flowingblond hair is arranged in a pony tail and whowears wraparound sunglasses in the dimly litmeeting room, Darrick’s parents do not look likethey may stay up all night defining a certain beat.They do not resemble the Indians from JemezPueblo in colorful dance costumes, country west-ern singers in embroidered shirts and silver-inlaidbelts, young rap groups in jeans, and people “ofthe Tradition” who sing movingly in Spanish.

‘As long as he gets his education’ Mike Hurst (5353) wears a dark blue suit and

dark blue tie. He looks like a Sandia engineerattending his son’sgraduation.

“Music is good as ahobby,” says Mike. “Aslong as he gets hiseducation.”

Darrick’s charmingmother — a professionalembroiderer — standsloyally by.

Some young peoplewould prefer their parentsnot attend, so that the newgeneration can assert itsindependence. Darrick feelsdifferently.

“I thought, after allthey’ve put up with, theydeserve to be taken out todinner,” Darrick tells theLab News as the trio wait inline.

It may be that Darrick’sexperience with music groups since junior highhas taught him wisdom not generally associatedwith rock bands.

“A lot of being in a band comes down tocompromise,” he says. “Playing an instrument ina band isn’t just a collision of sound — you haveto stop and listen to each other. It’s something Ihad to learn.”

It also requires determination and patience.Lead singer Nate Jackson, who plays acoustic gui-tar and writes almost all of the band’s lyrics, ismarried and works weekends as an ambulanceparamedic. Weekends, of course, are when a start-up band seeks exposure in local bars. He’s tryingto switch his hours.

Drummer John Romano works for Big J Con-

struction Co. in the machine shop; he shares anapartment with bassist Jon Shores (1762). Darricksometimes crashes there when band practicestretches too late to go home to his room in hisparents’ home. Darrick — who is also a fifth-yeardouble-major UNM student with a high GPA —has a busy life.

Dropping the destructive thingsThis doesn’t stop him from thinking about

the band’s musical aims, which are less aboutindividualism than one might think.

“We try to drop things destructive to the endgoal of the music, and do that without hurtinganyone’s feelings,” he says.

Destructive actions include “instrumentalself-indulgent solos that are more distractionthan edifying in a piece of music.”

Positive results come from working together.“When we write a song, it’ll sound entirely differ-ent a few months later. We change the rhythm,the words.”

With all this commu-nity feeling, how do songsactually get written? “[Leadsinger] Nate has an interest-ing ability to look athumanity and condensedown what he sees into sto-ries, which he turns intosongs,” Darrick says. “Hecomes in and plays a set ofchords [at band rehearsals],or maybe he just has lyricsand we try to find music. Ifthe development of a songseems to be moving awayfrom the feeling of thelyrics, we attempt to besensitive to that.”

Reconciling this tenderapproach with the reality ofrock stardom as it exists —the big stage, thousands of

fans, bizarre behavior — is not easy, he recognizes.

Countering celebrity-ization“Communication with the audience [today]

takes a back seat to the celebrity-ization of music.It sabotages the intent of your music, which is toeffectively communicate with people. That’s adisparity in the way the world works. As a musi-cian, you have a little sliver of an opportunity tocommunicate, just a chance to push the world alittle bit in the direction for positive change, butthere are difficulties.”

The star treatment is one. “You lose touchwith reality,” he theorizes. “Just because you havea platform doesn’t mean you should be put on apedestal. If you’re writing stuff relevant to people,

you have to stay in touch with what keeps yourooted in your inspiration.”

Darrick has had fun experimenting withflashing lights and smoke machines but, he says,“it doesn’t leave you with anything lasting. Wewant something where people are drawn to theperformance, but not overpowered from the coregoal, which is to pay attention to the music itselfand whatever story it’s trying to tell.”

The group’s story wins first place in two cate-gories: best album design and best alternativerock song, “Safety Net.”

The cover, designed by Darrick (see graphicat left), begins on the left with a baby holding ablind man’s cane. In a series of images, the canegets shorter and finally disappears as the babyenlarges into an adult. The design, he says, “is ahopeful message depicting that we can becomemore clear-sighted as we get older.”

“Safety Net,” written by Nate, is a lengthy,emotionally moving piece in which Darrick playsa catchy guitar backup.

Impossible not to like himWhile other winners had groups of followers

who cheered and whistled their arrival at thepodium, young Darrick in his simple jeans andT-shirt was greeted mostly by silence and curiosity.His composure was unbroken, however. “Quite anight,” he said pleasantly over the microphone toseveral hundred attendees when he was called upfor a second award. He also had the presence ofmind to mention he’d consider signing up forguitar lessons from a particularly dynamic gui-tarist who stunned the audience with his exper-tise just prior to Darrick’s award announcement.

It was impossible not to like him and he wascheered as he left the podium. “It doesn’t hurtthat he looks like Brad Pitt,” quietly commentedDoug Geist of Santa Fe Center sound studios,which recorded the group’s CD.

“Not bad work, for a hobby,” says his dad asDarrick rejoins his parents with his second award.

* * *However. Ever since listening to the Man Born

Blind CD, whenever I see Darrick walk some errandthrough our building in his self-effacing way — in hisold jeans, T-shirt, soft shoes, and stand-up hair thatlooks like he just got up except that’s the style — I seeanother Darrick walking behind him. This Darrick istranslucent, I can see through him, but he has in fact alimousine at his beckoning, asks caterers for only thebrown M&Ms, and has his hotel room furniture putout by poolside. In short, in some alternative universe,Darrick Hurst has been discovered. He’s a rock star,worth millions of dollars. It just so happens that inthis universe, for now, he faxes and copies and some-times writes for the Lab News. But the transitioncould happen any time. Be ready for a call fromRolling Stone Magazine. Be ready.

Darrick Hurst’s band Man Born Blind wins two first-placeawards in New Mexico Music FestivalNew Mexico ‘Grammy’ awards may boost Sandia student aide’s music career

By Neal Singer

Phot

o by

Ran

dy M

onto

ya

DARRICK HURST won a New Mexico “Grammy”award for his design of the Man Born Blind albumcover. Darrick’s group, Man Born Blind, also won anaward for best alternative rock song, “Safety Net.”

David Gelet20 2125

Thomas Brown20 12347

Roxana Jansma20 5631

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 10

New Mexico photos by Michelle FlemingCalifornia photos by Randy Wong

Russell Clark15 4537

Ken Buck30 8948

David Haaland35 8332

James Clinch15 9105

Craig Tyner30 9104

Don Noack30 12001

Lane Yarrington20 5614

Jeffrey Kallio20 10530

Dennis Berry30 6800

Gregory Wyss20 6462

Terry Bersie40 8945

Bryan Drennan15 10322

Amir Mohagheghi15 6721

Johann Seamen37 1671

Paul Lari25 8229

Rosemae McKillip25 10507

M. Bradley Parks20 6410

Thomas Wubbels20 3654

Diana Darlene Rutan15 10507

DeAnna Spulak15 510

Dann Ward15 10328

Mark Wong15 10326

Family members came out to Sandia’s TonopahTest Range in late April for a range-wide Family

Day celebration. Visitors were permitted to remain on range

overnight in US Air Force dorm rooms. The AirForce also hosted a barbecue dinner for visitors. Inone of the highlights of the day, the TTR contractsecurity force (U.S. Security Associates, Inc.) con-ducted live-fire demonstrations at the Live Fire

Range. Washington Group International, theSandia/TTR O&M subcontractor, provided trans-portation/shuttle services for range tours.

Preparation for the Sandia/TTR Family Day was ajoint effort involving Sandia, U.S. Security Associ-ates, Inc., Washington Group International, and theAir Force. Range Manager Vern Gabbard (2915)and Safeguards and Security Director Mike Hazen(4200) expedited and approved the security plan.

Tonopah Test Range Family Day

SANDIA LAB NEWS • June 8, 2007 • Page 12

Self-proclaimed jock Dick Fate walks a star down the aisle

Activist Heather Mills switches prostheses forflexibility as she goes from one dance to anotherin “Dancing with the Stars.” Dick Fate (6483) justwants to be able to walk his daughter Jessicadown the aisle on her wedding day.

Dick is a self-pro-claimed jock; cancerwas not a part of hisequation — until hewas forced to con-front it. Diagnosedwith soft tissue sar-coma 12 years ago,Dick had undergonesurgery after surgeryto try to check thespread of the disease.He had the last two of10 surgeries in lateOctober and Decem-ber at the M.D.Anderson CancerCenter in Houston.One surgery removedhis left leg at the hipand created a stumpby attaching a sectionfrom his tibia (lower leg) where his femur shouldbe. The other surgery shaped the stump in prepa-ration for a prosthesis. “I have very little muscle,no calf, no real power source,” says Dick. “Withthe little bit of muscle I do have, I can actuallymove my stump back and forth a little. I intend tostrengthen it enough to use it to walk again.”

Dick’s type of surgery had never been per-formed before. “Removing the leg was the onlyoption,” he says. “The operations to save the legbecame less and less effective. They were accom-plishing very little. It was a fair trade — my legfor my life. I am lucky. I believe I have gotten ridof the cancer and have gotten my life back. I canstart planning for the future. I can live a life thatis as normal as my limitations allow. I am veryhappy. I will be able to walk and hike again.

“I will not be able to run again, but that’sOK,” he says. “My daughter Ashley, who was age

16 at the time,accompanied me toHouston for thesurgery that endedmy running,” saysDick. “The nightbefore surgery, I toldher that I would begoing for my last runat 4 a.m. before goingto the hospital at 6a.m. She said shewould try to go run-ning with me. At 4a.m. I tapped her onthe shoulder and toldher I was going to gorunning in 10 min-utes. I wasn’t sure shewould get up, but shedid. She and I rantogether. We did not

run fast, but we ran together. That run was asmeaningful a run as any marathon I had been in.Running with her the last time made giving upmy running easier.

“My cancer is rare and very aggressive,” saysDick. “Since it is rare, there is little researchmoney available.” After his initial diagnosis and

treatment, he was in remission for three to fouryears. He was able to bike, run in marathons, andhike. But the cancer came back.

In February2005, Dick com-peted in the22nd annual Mt.TaylorQuadrathlonnear Grants.(See March 4,2005, Lab News)He was part of afour-personteam who calledthemselves“Three Gimpsand a Geek.”With the aid of aleg brace, and ski poles for stability, Dick walked10 miles in the race, five of them uphill (an eleva-tion gain of 1,200 feet) and five downhill averag-ing 17 minutes a mile. In this event, as withmany of the other things Dick did on his journeythrough cancer, he relied heavily on the supportof his family, friends, and coworkers.

Dick has three children: Jessica, 25; Rickie Jr.,23; and Ashley, 21. “Depending on their age,there were different levels of understanding mycancer, but they were always very supportive andhelpful in their own way.”

Dick is in physical therapy to learn to use hisnew prosthetic leg. He says it is high tech, with amicroprocessor-controlled knee.

He is counting on walking his daughter downthe aisle. He says if he is not confident he will beable to walk unassisted, he will use a cane orcrutches. “I will not jeopardize her special day byfalling and becoming the center of attention,” hesays. “My daughter will be the star. I will just bethe bride’s proud father.”

By Iris Aboytes

Note: Dick Fate visited with me while he was being fit-ted for a prosthesis. We agreed to tell his story in theLab News after his daughter’s wedding. See the photoat right to see if his wish came true. — Iris Aboytes

DICK FATE walks his daughterJessica down the aisle on herwedding day.

Note: The following article was provided to theLab News by Sandia’s Benefits organization. This isthe first in a series of articles over the next few issuesregarding benefits-related subjects.

* * *Maybe you’re new to Sandia and have just

enrolled in a health care plan. Maybe you’vebeen on a Sandia health plan for years and havejust found out that your doctor is retiring. Per-haps your physician is no longer on the list ofpreferred providers for your plan. Or maybe youjust feel you need to make a change. Whateveryour situation, if you don’t have a primary carephysician already, or are about to lose the oneyou have, you should get one. And in choosingthe right doctor, there’s a lot more involvedthan just going through the phone book. Hereare some things to think about.

Questions to ask yourselfHaving a qualified doctor that you trust and

see regularly is an important part of stayinghealthy. Getting routine checkups and screen-ings can help you avoid serious health prob-lems. And, if you develop a chronic conditionthat needs long-term or specialized care, yourdoctor can help you find the treatment that isright for you.

To select a physician, here are some thingsto ask yourself:

• Does location matter to you?• How about the age of the physician, or

gender?• Which hospital(s) can your provider admit

you to?• Is the physician board certified?• Is the physician covered as in-network

under your plan?

The CIGNA In-Network Plan, the Kaiser Per-

manente HMO/Senior Advantage Plan, and theLovelace Senior Plan generally don’t providecoverage for services rendered by providerswho are not in their network. Depend-ing on which plan you areenrolled in, if you visitmyuhc.com, mycigna.com, ormembers.kaiserpermanente.orgyou can find out if the provider youare interested in is an in-networkprovider.

Maybe you are interested in gaug-ing the doctor’s adherence to quality ofcare and cost-effectiveness by reviewinghis or her ratings against national stan-dards. Large insurance companies suchas UnitedHealthcare (UHC), CIGNA, andKaiser Permanente are adopting proce-dures to systematically assess a physician’squality and cost efficiency relative toother docs. They present the ratings toyou, the plan participant, via the Internet. Bymeeting certain national standards of care andcost efficiency, physicians, like the facilitiesthey work in, will be value scored and assessedon the quality and efficiency of the care theyprovide.

You’ve found a doc — now what?Say you’ve answered the questions above to

your satisfaction and you’ve found a new doc-tor. Now what?

At your first appointment with a new doc-tor, you may want to ask about his or her con-tinuing-education efforts and whether he or sheis on the faculty of a teaching hospital or isboard certified. Perhaps you want to learn thedoctor’s plans for helping keep you well,including what is covered in your regular physi-cal. Does the provider’s office understand whatis covered under your health insurance forannual exams? What routine procedures will

the physician or the nurse provide each timeyou visit the office? Has the doctor received spe-cialized training in any aspect of medicine or

alternative treatments? Howdoes the doctor ensure he orshe refers you to other

providers who are in-network?How does the doctor respond to ques-

tions about getting second opinions oradvance directives (“living wills”)?

After this first visit, ask yourself howyou felt about the experience. Did the doc-tor listen to you? Did the answers you

received let you know that your questionsmattered? Were the answers clear and easy tounderstand? Would you feel comfortable ask-

ing this person a “silly” question? Would youtrust this doctor to be your advocate if youwere disabled or faced with a complicatedhealth condition?

You’re in the driver’s seatIf you feel that you and the doctor are a

good match, schedule your next appointment.Request that your records from your previoushealth care professionals be forwarded to yournew doctor.

By the time you see the doctor, you proba-bly will have completed an extensive healthquestionnaire. Expect your doctor to reviewyour medical history — and that of your family— with you. Bring a list of your current med-ications and a list of questions you may have.Be honest about your habits. Ask questions ifyou don’t understand something. If you feelrushed or worried about something, say so.Take notes.

Remember, you are in the driver’s seat whenit comes to your health. Speak up. Make sureyour concerns are addressed. Ask questions andstay informed. Only you can ensure that youreceive the care that best suits your needs.

Choosing your primary care doctorBy Margaret Lovell (3654)

CLIMBING CABEZON PEAK — Before one of his trips to Houstonfor surgery, Dick and some friends climb to the summit ofCabezon Peak. (Photo by Tim Goering)