SLAC kicks off golden anniversary

by on February 6, 2012 4:00 am
Categories: Best of, Great reads, Heard on Campus, Seen on Campus
SLAC communications staffers, from left, Thanh Ly, conference and event manager; Lina Ruhlman, tour coordinator; LaPria Genevro, administrative associate; Melinda Lee, outreach manager, and Rod Reape, multimedia services supervisor

SLACers are no slouches when it comes to having fun, and the photos just in from the lab’s recent 50th anniversary kickoff celebration demonstrate that SLAC people work hard and play hard.

The Jan. 26 event started with employees assembling on SLAC’s main green for a variety of photos and videos taken from land, lift bucket and helicopter by BRAD PLUMMER, the lab’s multimedia manager, plus four other professional photographers.

Later, employees enjoyed sumptuous edibles while local band “So Timeless” got funky on stage. There was a photo booth complete with outrageous wigs and shiny shades that staff definitely weren’t shy about putting on for the camera.

Many of these wacky images are online and available now at https://buzzimages.smugmug.com/SLAC.

LAPRIA GENEVRO, administrative associate in SLAC’s communications office, led the party planning. Among the myriad tasks checked off over the two months leading up to the event, she and colleagues selected the menu and band, created 34 reusable centerpieces and assembled the 1,700 “50th Anniversary” and “SLAC” buttons that employees took away.

Genevro said her team especially enjoyed thinking up fun “SLACspeak” names for the drinks: Project M (mock mojito), the Photonic Tonic (faux kir royale), the Accelerator (coffee), Tau Tea (hot water for tea), Synchrotron Cider (hot apple cider) and Cosmic Cocoa (hot chocolate).

The golden anniversary will be a central theme for many of the lab’s outreach activities this year, such as tours and public lectures, said MELINDA LEE, SLAC’s community relations manager. A scientific symposium and special event for VIPs and employees will be held in August and a community event is planned for September.

Read the full story by SLAC science writer MIKE ROSS on the lab’s News Center website.