Alumni & Parents
Local Chapters-Chicago
News & Events
Steering committee
News & Events
Fermilab tour
Join us for a special tour of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia! A hidden gem located 30 miles west of Chicago, Fermilab is the premier national laboratory for the study of particle physics. Its seven different particle accelerators support dozens of different cutting-edge physics experiments by which we seek to understand the most basic aspects of the universe around us. Its historically and scientifically groundbreaking Tevatron recently ended a powerful 28-year run, which, among other findings, enabled the discovery of the top quark and contributed to the discovery of the Higgs boson.
Fermilab's 10 square miles also include 1,100 acres of restored native prairie and hundreds of species (some rare or endangered) of birds, fish, deer, coyotes, and other wildlife. A herd of bison, representative of the lab's place on the "frontier" of science, also makes the grounds its home. Fermilab is not a classified facility, and members of the public are welcome daily to visit the site, fish in the lakes, and attend public tours, lectures, and concerts.
Cindy Joe '08, physics, an accelerator operator in the main control room, will lead a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the lab's facilities, including special access to restricted areas, including the Tevatron and Antiproton Source tunnels (not normally available to members of the public). We'll have some time to eat lunch together, visit the buffalo, and probably check out the gift shop. Expect to start in the morning and be done by mid-afternoon. There will be similarities, but participants in the 2011 tour may still be pleasantly surprised by the additions to this tour!
From Cindy:
For most parts of the tour I can accommodate about 30 people, who should be at least 10 years old (please contact me if special accommodation is necessary; not guaranteed).
The Tevatron and Antiproton Source tunnel special tour will be restricted to 10 people each, and participants in this part of the tour must be at least 14 years old (no exceptions). All participants should be able to walk and climb stairs and should not be pregnant. Participants who can't make the tunnel tour will have the freedom to explore the prairie interpretive trail or the education center during this part of the afternoon.
In an effort to reconcile expected demand with administrative restrictions, I will be offering the tour on two separate dates: Sunday, April 28, and Sunday, May 5.
To reserve your spot on the tour, please e-mail me at cindy.joe@gmail.com.
Please include:
1. Number of participants and their names
2. Which tour date you prefer (flexibility increases your chances of getting in)
3. Which part of the tour you are asking for a reservation for: "REGULAR" (30 people max), "TUNNEL" (10 people max), or both. Specify the number of people for each reservation and make sure, in the case of the tunnel tour, they are reasonably able-bodied and 14 or older.
As many people as possible will be included! But please do your best to make sure that you can follow through if you ask for a spot, as we expect a very high level of interest. More details will be supplied when you RSVP.
Questions? Comments? I'll be checking my e-mail all day.
--Cindy
Thirsty Third Thursday
Share conversation and comestibles with fellow Reedies on Thirsty Third Thursday. For the near future, we'll be gathering at The Paramount Room at 415 N. Milwaukee. Look for the pink table-top sign and the stuffed griffin at a pub/bar/restaurant near you.
RSVP to Alison Birkmeyer-Aske '93, alisonbirkmeyer@yahoo.com
Want to contact other Reedies about carpooling to this event (or others)? Try our opt-in listserv at https://www.lists.reed.edu/mailman/listinfo/alumni-chicago-network
If you want to see where other Thirsty Third Thursday events are happening, check here.
Listserves
The Chicago chapter has recently set up an email listserve to arrange get-togethers with fellow Reedies on short notice. If you want to invite Reedies to join you for a concert, movie, drink, dinner or a hike, please send an email to the list. This is an opt-in list, which means the only people who will see the announcements will be people who have subscribed to the web page. There is an option to get the messages combined in one message daily or weekly; please subscribe at https://www.lists.reed.edu/mailman/listinfo/alumni-chicago-network
Steering Committee
To contact the chapter, send email to alumni-chicago-steering@lists.reed.edu or you can look up individual members using the alumni directory in IRIS.
Alison Birkmeyer-Aske ’93, chapter chair
Greg Clarke ’88
Ray Coyne ’71
Cindy Joe '08, chapter rep
Beverly Lau '06
David Perry '73
Lauren Rother '07