Hispanic Heritage Month
Sandia’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month went mostly virtual this year, with video presentations and other digital events, including youth art contests, honoring HENAAC winners, sharing a booklet of recipes, sayings and wisdom and more. The car show was the only live event, but not the only celebration.
Operation Backpack supports CA military families
Volunteers from Sandia’s California site donated 206 backpacks filled with needed supplies this year to children of local military families. This year’s virtual donation event offered participants options to donate electronically or make direct purchases from an Amazon wish list. The next donation event, One Warm Coat, is happening now through Oct. 31.
‘Iconic’ researcher wins Indigenous Excellence Award
Sandia engineer Sandra Begay has earned the AISES 2020 Indigenous Excellence Award in recognition of her substantial work to advance opportunities for Indigenous students and professionals in science, technology, engineering and math education and careers.
Sandia Gives, stronger together
When there is a need, Sandia shows up. This year, the Sandia Gives campaign has set a goal to increase employee participation from 45% to 50%, to continue the Labs’ long-standing commitment to our communities.
Working parents meet virtual challenges
With school closures and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sandia parents are finding ways to meet their work commitments while balancing the unique needs of their family schedules, including taking advantage of Sandia resources, receiving management support and finding outside networks.
Sandia Gives, now more than ever
Sandia makes it easy to support our communities by conveniently giving to the United Way of Central New Mexico through payroll deductions. Employees may choose to allocate their donations to United Way or opt to give to other charities that support our communities. The annual Sandia Gives campaign begins Oct. 5.
Cyber programs engage future workforce
The growing demand for cybersecurity professionals around the globe puts a premium on those in the industry and makes cybersecurity a critical skills area at Sandia. GET SCET and Tracer FIRE are two Sandia programs that have been put in place to help grow the number of talented individuals available to enter the cybersecurity pipeline.
Bike to Work Week re-imagined
Bike to Work Week has been moved to September this year, due to the pandemic, and since many Labs employees are still working from home, the Sandia Bicycle Commuter Group is adapting the annual event a little further, encouraging participants to “bike to get somewhere.”
California students win 2020 DOE National Science Bowl
A team of students from Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, California, won the 2020 DOE National Science Bowl in June. The National Science Bowl, a Jeopardy-like competition for U.S. high school and middle school students, tests their knowledge and academic ability in all areas of science and mathematics.
Back to School Brigade
Sandians donated 250 backpacks and $1,300 toward the purchase of additional school supplies for the annual Back to School Brigade at Kirtland Air Force Base.