Dear Colleagues,
I hope you are well during these trying times. I know that all of you are facing challenges personally and professionally thrust upon you by unprecedented events, yet you are stepping up to the challenge, doing what is right by your work, your colleagues, and the community. I am happy to see your continued diligence, passion for your work, resilience, and kindness to your colleagues in difficult circumstances.
I would like to call out in particular our postdocs, whose contributions are fundamental to the Lab’s mission. I know that with the many changes that are taking place, postdocs in our community continue to have many unanswered questions; to the extent that I and others can answer these questions, I am having a Town Hall just for postdocs on Tuesday, August 11 at 1 p.m. If you would like to submit your questions ahead of time, please send them to the Career Pathways office. Look for a calendar invite that was sent to postdocs on July 27.
Risk has also been on my mind. It is important for the Lab to manage risks, including reputational risks and legal risks. Please see the revised media policy and an important reminder about export control requirements below.
Again, thank you for your commitment to your research and to the Lab as we continue to find new ways to move things forward.
Horst Simon
Deputy Laboratory Director for Research
Chief Research Officer
Research Integrity Officer Open Position
Berkeley Lab is seeking a Research Integrity Officer to uphold one of Berkeley Lab’s key stewardship principles: to conduct research of the highest quality, with honesty, accuracy, efficiency, and objectivity. If you know someone who may be a good candidate, please forward this position description to them.
Revision to Lab Policy on News Media Interactions
Berkeley Lab’s reputation for scientific excellence and institutional integrity depends on careful interactions with the public and the news media. The Lab’s revised Media Interactions and External Communications Policy, in effect starting August 1, 2020, requires coordination of all Lab-related news media interactions with Strategic Communications (media@lbl.gov) or your organization’s communications team.
This policy aligns with the policies at the other national labs, and it formalizes how Lab PIs, staff, and communicators have already been successfully coordinating with each other, ensuring that the Lab is able to make timely and required notifications to DOE and Lab leadership.
Most important, coordination prior to an interview gives PIs and staff time to take advantage of the resources available from Strategic Communications, including media tips and training, researching outlets and topics, and cross-checking reporter queries with current issues. This can result in significantly better outcomes and ensure that you deliver the messages you intend.
Here are the most important features of the revised policy:
- Encourages Lab personnel to share scientific results and expertise.
- Requires employees to coordinate news media interactions with Strategic Communications, or with an organization communicator, who can in turn coordinate with us.
- Prohibits employees from publicly offering opinions on policy or budgetary matters as representatives of the Lab.
- Requires that employees who do publicly offer opinions on policy or budgetary matters clearly indicate that their views are their own and that they are not speaking on behalf of the Lab.
- Applies to Lab faculty scientists and Lab affiliates for Lab-related media interactions, with specific guidance.
- Places responsibility on Strategic Communications for managing all Lab-related interactions with the news media, in coordination with Lab leadership and area, user facility, and division leadership and communicators.
Watch for announcements about this revised policy, and for opportunities to learn more and hone your media skills, including a series of virtual office hours over the next month. And thank you for sharing the Lab’s scientific achievements in a way that strengthens our key stakeholder relationships. If you have questions, please contact Strategic Communications at media@lbl.gov.
Export Control Restricted Party Screenings
To protect national interests, U.S. export control laws require U.S. entities such as the Lab to conduct Restricted Party Screenings (RPS). The screenings are to ensure that the entity does not engage in activities with sanctioned or denied entities or persons, whether in the U.S. or abroad. The U.S. government publishes various lists of these “Denied Parties,” with different prohibitions and requirements for each list. Both the Lab and you as an individual can incur civil and criminal penalties if you engage in activities with Denied Parties.
A positive match on a RPS List may mean a:
- strict export prohibition,
- specific export licensing or other requirements (e.g. obtain assurance statements, reporting, etc.), or
- a “red flag” designation requiring additional due diligence before proceeding with the activity.
To ensure that the Lab is in compliance, all principal investigators should conduct online Restricted Party Screening on the collaborators, partners, sponsors, and others they will be working with, and their organizations, and escalate any red flags or potential positive matches to their division’s export liaison or the Export Compliance Office. This screening should be completed prior to any work being performed. Some standard Lab processes, such as Memorandum of Understanding, Foreign Visits and Assignments, Shipping, Procurement, and Intellectual Property Office activities include the Restricted Party Screening as part of its process and you do not have to do it as a discrete step.
TAKE ACTION: To perform a Restricted Party Screening, you need to have an account or register for one on the Visual Compliance site. Click for instructions.
Visit the Lab’s Export Control website for additional information.