Research News: April 2021

Message from Horst Simon

Dear Colleagues,

Berkeley Lab, with its incredible talent, state-of-the art facilities, and extensive resources and network, is a great place to pursue our mission of developing science and technology solutions for the world. Every day, I see our people doing so, and I enjoy recognizing and honoring their efforts. Below you can read about the Director’s Awards, which is one way you too can recognize your colleagues.

You will also read stories about initiatives that work to provide opportunity, including DOE’s first Deputy Director for Energy Justice Shalanda Baker’s vision to provide energy justice to disadvantaged communities and the Lab’s hosting of emerging women STEM leaders from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia through the TechWomen leadership development program.

I also want to highlight our Earth Month activities and the I-Corps innovation training course. These activities provide opportunities for you to engage, to share, and to learn.

With lots of productive activity throughout the Lab this spring, I thank you all for your continued diligence and innovative spirit, creating opportunities for scientific discovery, and supporting this discovery every day.

Horst Simon
Deputy Laboratory Director for Research
Chief Research Officer

Director’s Awards Nomination Deadline is May 31

Nominate a colleague or team for a Director’s Award by the May 31 deadline. Award categories include:

The Lifetime Achievement Award for career-spanning exceptional achievements and contributions
Awards for Exceptional Achievement in ten areas (the Berkeley Lab Citation, which honors extraordinary achievements in science and operations, and Scientific, Early Scientific Career, Safety, Operations, Service, Tech Transfer, Outreach, Diversity, and Societal Impact awards).

Learn about eligibility and the nomination process. Self-nominations are not accepted.

Computing Advisory Group to Develop a Vision to Meet Lab’s Research Computing Needs

Computing technology is evolving at light speed, as are the computing needs of the Lab’s research community. As well, the deep collaborations between computational scientists, technology providers, and scientific staff have continued to raise the bar for our technology needs.

Read about the Future Berkeley Lab Computing Working Group, which is working to develop a vision for how to best provide computational resources and expertise in support of the Lab’s diverse research portfolio.

Earth Month Events

The Sustainability Office has curated a list of activities and events to help the Lab mark Earth Month in April. Below are two of these events.

“Saving Energy in Buildings at Berkeley Lab: Three Strategies that Work”, 4/23, 12-1 p.m.

At this seminar hosted by the Energy Technologies Area’s

Building Technology and Urban Systems Division, Lab Chief Sustainability Officer John Elliott will share three complementary strategies for producing significant and persistent energy savings in the Lab’s buildings and upcoming opportunities to advance sustainability at the Lab as the country moves toward increased ambition for climate action.

Game-Changing Solutions in the Fight Against Climate Change, 4/30 12-1 p.m.

Tune in to hear how Berkeley Lab researchers are helping advance clean energy solutions to mitigate climate change, ensuring a healthier, safer future for all. This event is part of Berkeley Lab’s 90th Anniversary Speaker Series.

Check out additional opportunities to engage in Earth Month.

DOE’s Shalanda Baker on Energy Justice Initiatives

The Department of Energy’s first Deputy Director for Energy Justice Shalanda Baker recently spoke about energy justice, the Justice40 initiative, and investments in clean energy for disadvantaged communities. Hear her discuss her vision (1:01) for energy justice at the Department.

Sign up for I-Corps Lite, the Lab’s Innovation Training Course

Are you interested in innovation training or entrepreneurship training? Sign up for I-Corps Lite, a Zoom training course in May offered by the Intellectual Property Office and led by Haas Business School instructors.

I-Corps is a training program that inspires lab employees to embrace an entrepreneurial mindset and apply it to everyday lab activities. Whether you are developing a new invention, writing a grant proposal, planning a startup, optimizing an administrative process, or pursuing a promotion, the I-Corps program has valuable insights to offer.

Watch this video about the I-Corps training session or visit the IPO website.

Lab Hosts Emerging “TechWomen” Leaders from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia

Emerging women STEM leaders from fifteen countries around the world and their mentors took part in a virtual TechWomen International Day at the Lab on March 15, getting a taste of the Lab’s science and climate impact and networking with leaders at the Lab. Learn more about the Lab’s involvement in the U.S. State Department’s TechWomen leadership development program. The program gives emerging women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East an opportunity to network and to participate in information exchange to advance their careers and help them pursue their dreams.

Elsevier Open Access Agreement

UC has reached a groundbreaking open access agreement with Elsevier which both restores our access to Elsevier journals and makes open access the default for all UC and Berkeley Lab authors publishing with Elsevier.

It has been two years since the Lab joined UC in cutting access to Elsevier journals as part of UC’s faculty-driven push to transform our agreements with publishers into integrated read/publish open access agreements. The agreement is a great example of the power the UC system has to drive and transform the conduct of research and publishing. The new agreement went into effect on April 1.

Good to Know

90th Anniversary Corner. In case you missed them on Elements, be sure to view these stories about the Lab’s Energy Sciences Area: Past, Present, and Future.

Recent Seminars. The Beyond Moore’s Law Distinguished Lecture Series recently featured the following events:

March 26, 2021: Steve Furber, University of Manchester, UK, “Building Brains” (1:06)
Jan 29, 2021: Dmitri Nikonov, Intel, “Beyond CMOS Coupled Oscillator Computing” (1:02)

View the recordings.

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