To All Birck Students:

Dear All,

I understand that some students cannot work from home and need to use our labs and cleanroom for their research. Birck as a shared facility can function only when users obey strict sanitizing, hand washing and social distancing rules. 

Students should minimize the use of shared offices, kitchen and other public spaces especially if they can’t keep 6ft distance. Also plan so that you minimize time in the cleanroom or labs and visit the facility only once per day. Students who need to work close to each other, should coordinate their schedules to minimize overlap.

I strongly encourage each faculty member to ask their students who have been traveling out of state to stay home for 14 days. There is a widespread shelter in place in several states and since there are no signs early on, it is important that we minimize the risks to other users. 

Please also review Sam’s email from yesterday. I appreciate very much NSAC’s great initiatives in these critical times.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions or comments

Best regards,
Ali






On Mar 20, 2020, at 3:37 PM, Turner, Jaime J <jjbiggs@purdue.edu> wrote:

On Fri, Mar 20, 2020 at 1:53 PM Samuel Peana <speana@purdue.edu> wrote:
Just a few notes on behalf of NSAC regarding the virus particularly how it affects Birck:
 
1. Please, please, please conserve the solvent gloves, the blue booties, and the bouffant caps.
-The solvent gloves in particular are low and can be washed with IPA after use and reused! Please make every effort to conserve them as supplies in the coming months are uncertain!
 
2. Please wash your hands before entering any lab or the cleanroom!
 
2. If you do not need to work in a lab with equipment, you may work remotely. This reduces the chances that we will have a spread of this virus in the Birck community.
-I am working with NSAC to release instructional videos tomorrow on how you can prepare your computer for remote workand how to use Purdue's online resources remotely. 
 
3. I know many of us skip reading emails from admin but please make sure you are receiving emails from our director  (shakouri@purdue.edu ) through the BNCall list to get the latest news and guidelines regarding our building. Additionally, I have included our directors previous email as a post script to this email.
 
4. As per Theresa Mayer's email from Discovery Park yesterday (make sure you read those too!). Please do not start long experiments or fab runs since your work could be shutdown on relatively short notice. 
-I also advise that at the end of each day you "safe" your work. IE leave everything in a state that if the center does not open the next day you can return in a month or two without losing track of what you were doing or having samples ruined. 
 
5. NSAC will be suspending all in person events till this thing is over. I am working with our social committee, sports committee, academic committee, and improvement committees to develop a strong online community for socializing, exercising, and also academic growth. 
-We are currently looking to put together a gaming community, online exercise groups, and also to transfer coffee hour online. (If you would like to present your research online please sign up here! )
 
6. If you are worried you are sick with this virus  or have questions regarding the response from the state of Indiana please consult this webpage: https://www.in.gov/coronavirus/ which has information on where to get tested, and treated. Additionally, there is information regarding Indiana policy such as restrictions and gathering guidelines.
 
7. As dark as everything looks right now, remember, Purdue has been around for 150 years and has thrived despite two World Wars, and a variety of pandemics and crises. This too will pass, and we will come out of this stronger and more focused than ever. 
 
I wish you all the best and don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions!
 
Sincerely,
 
-Sam Peana
President of NSAC 2018-2020
 
 
 
Prof. Shakouri's email:
 
Dear Birck Research Community,
 
Purdue research operations are continuing per the EVPRP’s guidelines:
https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2020/Q1/need-to-know-info-about-covid-2019.html (see sidebar, recent message from Theresa Mayer and Linda Mason)
I would like to provide some additional information regarding our work here at Birck.
 
Working from home: Purdue recommends working from home/ telecommuting wherever possible. I will meet shortly with engineering, building and admin staff managers to identify how we can implement this while maintaining our facility open.
 
Reuse shoe covers, bouffant caps, and veils:  Due to healthcare providers stockpiling these items we are asking users to reuse shoe covers, caps, and veils for longer periods than normal.  This will allow our operations to continue and will support healthcare workers who are needing these items for their own protection.
 
Wash hands prior to entering labs or cleanroom:  We now require anyone entering a lab or the cleanroom to thoroughly wash their hands prior to entering.  The CDC recommended procedure for hand washing should be strictly followed.
 
Use hand sanitizer if available: We’re trying to keep sanitizer available but it is becoming in short supply.  Please continue to use it if available.
 
Custodians Support Activities:  The Birck custodians are wiping door handles and other common surfaces with disinfectant on a more frequent basis.
 
Shipping Receiving:  Added steps and precautions are being taken by sanitizing the outside of all packages during the receiving process to protect our personnel and those receiving packages.  This may cause a short delay with the receiving process.  To help with limiting the number of packages being handled, we request to stop all personal deliveries to the centers loading dock.
 
Bulk process gas supply:  Through the Purdue purchasing organization we have been in contact with our bulk gas suppliers, Messer, Indiana Oxygen, and Praxair.  All vendors do not anticipate any disruption in delivery of our bulk gases to the facility.   Additionally our engineering staff has tied into the telemetry units and can now monitor the levels of all bulk gases except CO2. 
 
Traveling back to Birck: Currently CDC recommends self-quarantine for a period of 14 days after travel to high risk countries. With the quick spread of virus in many countries, including several states in US, and given that there could be no signs for up to two weeks, I recommend that we are extra cautious following the recommendations after any travels. By avoiding unnecessary face-to-face meetings, we can minimize unintended spread of the disease among colleagues. Of course, working remotely should be coordinated and approved by managers or faculty advisers.
 
Additional pandemic contingency plans:  We continue to develop additional contingency plans if EVPRP decides to limit or curtail research work.  This planning includes alternating shifts and telework.  At this time these are only plans that have no timeline for deploying.  If you have sensitive tools that require careful shutdown or attention while idle, it will be good to include them in the plan. Please contact Ron Reger (rreger@purdue.edu) and Mark Voorhis (mvoorhis@purdue.edu).
 
These are unprecedented times and we’re working on a daily basis to keep our community safe while anticipating possible future scenarios.  Please let me know if you have additional input, ideas, suggestions, or concerns.
 
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