January 10, 2007

Biscardi, Zhong Recognized at BNL Award Ceremony

Two NSLS employees – Richard Biscardi and Zhong Zhong – were honored at the Fiscal Year 2007 BNL Employee Recognition Award Ceremony on January 10, 2007. Biscardi, chief electrical engineer for the NSLS, received one of five Engineering Awards, while Zhong, an NSLS physicist, received one of five Science & Technology Awards. Details about their selection are below:

Richard Biscardi (back, center) with (clockwise) Alexander Pendzick, Collider Accelerator Department (C-A); Shigeki Misawa, Physics Department; Gary McIntyre, and C-A; Edmond Desmond, Physics.

Richard Biscardi

National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) chief electrical engineer Richard Biscardi was awarded for the wide variety of technological and safety contributions he’s made to the Laboratory. During the course of his career, Biscardi has served as the engineering steward of almost all of the NSLS electrical systems. He also served as manager of the x-ray ring before becoming the head of the Electrical Systems section and chief electrical engineer.

During the span of this extraordinary range of responsibilities, Biscardi made contributions that helped keep the NSLS at the technical edge, including working with Jack Bittner to develop a new method for determining transverse electron beam position. The so-called Bittner/Biscardi receivers have been widely adopted at other facilities and are the basis for a commercial product (Bergoz receivers). They also were an enabling technology for the global orbit feedback system pioneered at the NSLS, which provided unprecedented beam stability. Biscardi has also leveraged his extensive knowledge to help the Laboratory develop practical methodologies to address issues in electrical safety. The BNL Engineering Award acknowledges Biscardi’s tangible contributions to the technology base of the Laboratory, as well as his efforts in promoting a safe and healthy working environment for his colleagues.

Biscardi received his B.S. in electrical engineering from Polytechnic University in 1986, and his M.S. in electrical engineering from the university in 1990. He joined BNL in 1979.

The Engineering Award (presented by Michael Bebon, Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations) recognizes distinguished contributions to BNL’s engineering and computing objectives over one or more years. Contributions may be in any engineering or computing discipline. Nominees are evaluated on the exceptional nature and level of difficulty of the contributions as well as their benefit to the Lab.

Zhong Zhong (far left) received one of five Science & Technology Awards along with: (clockwise) Christopher Homes, Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science Department; Michael Blaskiewicz, Collider-Accelerator Department; Larry McLerran, Physics Department; and Jean Logan, Medical Department.

Zhong Zhong

NSLS physicist Zhong Zhong was recognized for leading the development of the first device able to focus a large divergence of high-energy x-rays. The device, called a Sagittal Focusing Laue Monochromator, could be used in about 100 beamline facilities around the world to conduct scientific research in physics, biology, nanotechnology, and numerous other fields. Zhong’s design simultaneously disperses and focuses high-energy x-rays, a goal that has been pursued for many decades by experts in x-ray optics.

The first of its kind worldwide, the monochromator uses a geometry that many others in the field considered impossible. The device, which can increase the intensity of high-energy x-rays in synchrotron radiation beamlines by a factor of 1,000, is in use at two NSLS beamlines already, with at least two more in development. Zhong and his collaborators also won a 2006 R&D 100 Award for the device.

Zhong received a B.S. in physics from Beijing University, China, in 1990, an M.S. in applied physics from Michigan Technological University in 1992, and a Ph.D. in physics from Stony Brook University in 1996. He joined BNL in 1997.

The Science & Technology Award (presented by Peter Bond, Interim Deputy Laboratory Director for Science & Technology) recognizes distinguished contributions to BNL’s science and technology mission over one or more years. Nominations for the Science & Technology Award are made by organization heads. The three criteria considered for this award are the exceptional nature of the employee’s contributions, their level of difficulty, and their benefit to BNL.