Latest news with #Peoples
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Science
- Chicago Tribune
John Peoples, Fermilab director at time of top quark discovery, dies
Physicist John Peoples Jr. was the third-ever director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Batavia, and in his 10 years in charge oversaw efforts to boost the power of the Tevatron, a circular particle accelerator that in 1995 contributed to the discovery of the top quark, the largest of all observed elementary particles. Scientists who study the building blocks of matter had widely believed since 1977 that the top quark existed, as it was the last undiscovered quark, or elementary particle, predicted by current scientific theory. The discovery, considered to be one of the most significant discoveries in science, advanced scientists' understanding of the fundamentals of the universe. 'He was so committed to the lab and he was able to master so many details related to the lab that if you just brought your A game, you were already in trouble,' said Joel Butler, former chair of Fermilab's department of physics and fields. 'But he managed to inspire us all — he was so good at things himself that he inspired us to achieve more than we thought we possibly could. He was an exemplar.' Peoples, 92, died of natural causes June 25 at the Oaks of Bartlett retirement community in Bartlett, said his son-in-law, Craig Duplack. Born in New York City, Peoples grew up in Staten Island and received a bachelor's degree in 1955 from Carnegie Institute of Technology, then a doctorate in physics in 1966 from Columbia University. He taught physics at Columbia and at Cornell University before joining Fermilab in 1971, four years after it opened. He was made head of the lab's research division in 1975. Peoples became a project manager in 1981 for the lab's Tevatron collider, a 4-mile ring on the lab site where collisions of particles occurred until it was shut down in 2011. After a brief detour in 1987 to work on a collider at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in California, Peoples returned to Fermilab in 1988 as deputy director. He was promoted the following year to replace the Nobel Prize-winning Leon Lederman as Fermilab's director. 'He was an extremely hard worker,' said retired Fermilab Chief Operating Officer Bruce Chrisman. 'He was dedicated to the science, and he visited every experiment at midnight — because that's when students were running the thing, and he would show up in control rooms for the various experiments just to talk to them and see how things were going from their perspective.' Peoples lobbied federal legislators in the 1990s to retain funding as Fermilab physicists worked to try to discover the top quark and solve other essential puzzles about the universe. Peoples secured $217 million in funding in 1992 for a new main injector, or an oval-shaped ring, that allowed scientists to stage about five times more collisions each year, thus keeping the U.S. internationally competitive in the field of high-energy physics. Peoples oversaw the shutdown of the scuttled next-generation particle accelerator project known as the Superconducting Super Collider, or SSC, in Texas that was canceled by lawmakers in 1993 because of rising costs. 'When he became director, the decision to place the SSC in Texas had been made, and the lab was in a state of demoralization that we had been bypassed despite the fact that we had the capability to (host) the SSC, so John had to develop a plan,' Butler said. 'He positioned us for both alternatives — he positioned us successfully for what would happen if the SSC ran into trouble, which it did, but he also had a plan to keep us prosperous and contributing to the forefront of science for at least the decade that it took to build the SSC.' 'He tried to respect the fact that the people at the SSC — many of whom were looking for jobs — they were good people. They were not the problem why the SSC failed,' Butler said. In 1994, Fermilab researchers tentatively announced that they had found evidence of the long-sought top quark, although a second team working independently said more work was needed. 'We've been improving the collider and the detectors at the lab to the point where they are much more powerful now than ever anticipated when they were built,' Peoples told the Tribune in 1994. 'We're continuing to upgrade them, and we're arriving at a place where investigations can go forward that will assure this lab's future into the next century.' The following year, both teams of physicists formally confirmed that they had isolated the top quark. 'We're ecstatic about this,' Peoples told the Tribune in 1995. 'It's been a goal of this lab for a long time.' Peoples subsequently oversaw efforts to learn whether a common but elusive particle called a neutrino has any mass. He also led efforts to expand the laboratory into experimental astrophysics and modernize Fermilab's computing infrastructure to enable it to handle the demands of high-energy physics data. As an advocate for scientific research, Peoples reasoned that seemingly arcane discoveries can unexpectedly yield astonishing and wide-range applications and results. 'The things that we do, even when they become extraordinarily practical, we have no idea that they will,' he told the Tribune's Ted Gregory in 1998. In 1999, Peoples stepped down as Fermilab's director to return to research. He remained closely involved at Fermilab, and he also oversaw the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in New Mexico, which is a wide-ranging astronomical survey, from 1998 until 2003. After that, Peoples oversaw the Dark Energy Survey, another astronomical survey, for a time. Peoples retired from Fermilab in 2005, but remained director of the Dark Energy Survey until 2010. In 2010, Peoples was awarded the Robert R. Wilson Prize for Achievement in the Physics of Particle Accelerators — named for Fermilab's first director — from the American Physical Society. Peoples' wife of 62 years, Brooke, died in 2017. A daughter, Vanessa, died in 2023, and another daughter, Jennet, died several decades earlier. There were no other immediate survivors. There were no services.
Cision Canada
21-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Public notice - Josephburg Condensate Fractionation Project
Participant Funding Available OTTAWA, ON, July 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Funding provided by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) is now available to help Indigenous Peoples and the public participate in the impact assessment process for the proposed Josephburg Condensate Fractionation Project, a new condensate distillation facility (refinery) in Alberta's Industrial Heartland, about 22 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, Alberta. Funding is available for eligible individuals and groups to support their participation throughout the planning phase of the federal impact assessment process. During the current comment period, which ends on August 6, 2025, Indigenous Peoples and the public are invited to review the summary of the Initial Project Description and provide comments. IAAC will retroactively reimburse eligible participants for their participation costs in this first comment period. Applications received by August 20, 2025, will be considered. For more information about the Participant Funding Program, including eligibility criteria and the application form, please visit the project home page on the Registry website, reference number 89634, and click on "Participant Funding." You can also contact the Participant Funding Program by writing to [email protected] or by calling 1-866-582-1884. Details about the project can also be found on the project home page.
Scoop
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Seymour's Attack On UN Official ‘Offensive And Irresponsible'
Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA) is expressing outrage at the conduct of David Seymour for his offensive treatment of the UN's Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - and its disappointment that this stance was endorsed by the Prime Minister. PSA Kaihautū Janice Panoho called on the Prime Minister to issues a formal apology to the Rapporteur, Dr Albert Barume, and for Foreign Minister Winston Peters to provide a meaningful, Tiriti-consistent response to the UN to the concerns raised with them about the Regulatory Standards Bill and the erosion of Māori rights that have occurred under this government. "The Rapporteur was simply doing his job in seeking a response from the government to legitimate concerns that have been raised with the UN. "David Seymour's disrespectful response to the Rapporteur not only undermined Foreign Minister Winston Peters who is responsible for leading our diplomatic relations, it was also ignorant and reeked of colonial defensiveness. "This further exposes this government's complete disregard for the foundational place of Māori as tangata whenua of Aotearoa. The Regulatory Standards Bill, for example, deliberately excludes Māori worldviews, ignores tikanga, and seeks to erase Te Tiriti obligations, and when the international community raises red flags, the response is open hostility. "Even more disturbing is the Prime Minister's public admission that he 'fully agrees' with the contents of Seymour's letter. This is not a mere misstep in process, this is an active and deliberate dismissal of indigenous rights, and a signal to Māori and the global community that this government believes it is above scrutiny. "This coalition government continues to prove itself unfit to govern in a Tiriti-based nation. The actions are not just diplomatically embarrassing, they are a direct attack on Māori and our rights as affirmed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and international law," says Panoho. "Māori will not be silenced by arrogant dismissals or political games. We will continue to use all available channels to hold this government accountable, nationally and internationally."
NBC News
17-07-2025
- NBC News
Alabama governor backs withholding video of officer fatally shooting Black student
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is supporting a state agency's refusal to release body camera footage in the fatal police shooting of an 18-year-old Black college freshman, saying the case must first be thoroughly investigated. Ivey said she was confident 'the facts will prevail' when the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency completes its investigation into the June 23 shooting of Jabari Peoples by an officer with the Homewood Police Department. 'This case [is] a top priority, and I am confident they are working to efficiently get this done,' Ivey said in a statement Wednesday to NBC affiliate WVTM 13 in Birmingham. Peoples, an aspiring police detective, was killed at a soccer complex where he was sitting in his parked car with his girlfriend. An officer approached his car around 9:30 p.m. because he said he smelled what seemed like marijuana. Peoples' girlfriend, whose name has not been released, has denied he had a gun, said family attorney Ben Crump. The officer, who has not been publicly identified, shot Peoples after he said Peoples reached for a gun in the pocket of his car door, according to the police department. Peoples was shot in the back but there was no exit wound on his body and the bullet was not found inside him, according to an autopsy conducted by an independent medical examiner hired by his family. An autopsy conducted by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office has not been released at the request of the state law enforcement agency. The officer's body camera video documenting the shooting has become a crucial piece of evidence as Peoples' family and girlfriend dispute the department's version of events. The family, local leaders and many Homewood residents are demanding that the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency release it. State Rep. Kelvin Datcher, a Democrat who represents Homewood, said withholding the video undermines public confidence in law enforcement and tarnishes the integrity of the case. 'The point of having body camera footage is to ensure transparency for the community,' he said Thursday. 'There's an urgency for the family to get a look at that video.' Protesters showed up to the Homewood City Council meeting this week calling for the video's release and threatening to boycott local businesses, with the idea that economic pressure might force leaders to change their position. 'We will host sit-ins, we will hold dine-ins and vigils through downtown at the doorstep of your businesses,' the Rev. Wayne Harris told the council, according to WVTM. 'Your commerce will feel our grief, and we will shut Homewood down for justice.'
Business Wire
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Pennsylvania Energy & Innovation Summit Shows Bright Future for Keystone State, Essential Utilities' Gas Infrastructure Will Support American Energy Dominance
PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the eyes of the energy world on Pennsylvania this week, the state's largest natural gas utility is at the ready to support data center and related development stemming from the $92 billion in statewide investment announced during Tuesday's inaugural Pennsylvania Energy & Innovation Summit. 'With 15,000 miles of pipeline throughout the 18 Western Pennsylvania counties Peoples serves, we are ready to lend our expertise in delivering essential energy to support the unprecedented investments announced this week,' said President Michael Huwar. Essential Utilities' gas division, Peoples Natural Gas, had a presence at the Summit's expo space for innovative energy and tech companies. Peoples showcased its ongoing hydrogen production pilot with H Quest and the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering, with Peoples President Michael Huwar among the energy industry leaders invited to attend the July 15 summit at Carnegie Mellon University. 'Pennsylvania's abundance of natural gas, combined with our strong labor pools for engineering, robotics and the skilled trades, make this the perfect place to power the AI and energy revolution,' said Huwar. 'With 15,000 miles of pipeline throughout the 18 Western Pennsylvania counties Peoples serves, we are ready to lend our expertise in delivering essential energy to support the unprecedented investments announced this week.' In addition to H Quest, Peoples also works closely with another Energy & Innovation Summit expo presenter, Peoples Energy Analytics (PEA). PEA uses algorithmic analysis of utility customers to better identify those at risk of defaulting on bills and enrolling them in assistance programs. Peoples and Essential are also major supporters of the Energy Innovation Center Institute (EICI), which announced the concept of a new, $135 million Infrastructure Academy Regional Training (IART) Facility for workforce development. Slated to be the nation's first integrated training and operational site for energy, utility and critical infrastructure workforce training, the IART facility will be located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Essential Utilities' ongoing efforts to support innovation and workforce development, combined with its investments to modernize gas, water and wastewater infrastructure showcase its commitment to make life better for its customers, employees, and the communities we serve. Essential has invested more than $5.4 billion in infrastructure modernization since 2020, replacing more than 800 miles of aged gas pipelines in that time as part of a long-term plan to replace 3,000 miles of pipeline by 2035. For more information, visit About Essential Utilities Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities. With a focus on water, wastewater and natural gas, Essential is committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status. We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint. Operating as the Aqua and Peoples brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 9 states. Essential is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. About Peoples Natural Gas Peoples, an Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) company, provides clean, safe, affordable and reliable natural gas service to approximately 740,000 homes and businesses in Western Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Peoples is committed to its customers, its employees, the environment, and to the regions it serves. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others: the potential for the project to provide a breakthrough for hydrogen as economic, zero-emission energy source and that 'turquoise hydrogen' may solve multiple challenges that have prevented hydrogen from large scale adoption. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including; the success of the project and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Essential Utilities business, please refer to Essential Utilities annual, quarterly and other SEC filings. Essential Utilities is not under any obligation — and expressly disclaims any such obligation — to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. WTRGG
