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Research News December 2023: Funding Awards, Superfacility, Hydrogen Research
Published on by Ruby Barcklay.
Message from Carol
Dear Colleagues:
As I take stock of this year, I am amazed at all that has happened and all that we have achieved. We began the year still struggling with a pandemic and its influences on work culture, and we are emerging from it, as a Lab, stronger than ever.
You have continued to make important strides in your research, making significant contributions to many issues of great importance to our nation and our world. Research News has covered just a few of these projects over the year, including, in this issue, the work by the hydrogen research team. In the celebration of ETA’s 50th anniversary, I have enjoyed learning about ETA’S history and some of their accomplishments.
You have found many ways to change how science is done; in this issue, we explore how the Superfacility project is changing how researchers partner with NERSC and accelerating discovery. We also talk below about the banner year we have had for funding awards to the Lab, giving many strategic initiatives the boost that will help us continue to make a difference in the years ahead.
We have much to celebrate, but I also know our path has not been without bumps. It has been a difficult year for many of you. The public health emergency for COVID-19 is officially over, but coronavirus is still in our community and many of us are still struggling with health issues or loss. There are many challenges still to come – delivering on our commitments, but also challenges that we face in our community that add to our burdens and affect our mental health, from distress about global conflict to climate anxiety.
At such a time, I feel privileged that we have so many opportunities to contribute to solving some of the world’s important problems. And I am comforted by having a community with whom I engage and work on common causes. I believe the strength of our extended community can help sustain all of us during tough times.
During the coming year-end break, I hope you are able to get a much-needed respite. The Lab is closed; it is a time for you to connect with your family, friends, and to take time for yourself in ways that are most meaningful to you. It is important to nourish ourselves so that we can all return to the Lab with a renewed sense of enthusiasm.
I wish you and your loved ones peace and happiness and look forward to seeing you in the new year.
Sincerely,
Carol Burns
Deputy Laboratory Director for Research
Chief Research Officer
Funding Awards Advance Strategic Areas of Research at Berkeley Lab
Berkeley Lab has been fortunate enough over the years to have received many awards that fund new and interesting work that ties into national priorities, from clean energy to biopreparedness. This year in particular has been a banner year, with the late summer and fall in particular bringing in news of many funding awards.
Revolutionizing How We Do Science: The Superfacility Story
Revolutionizing how we do science can mean different things, from making new discoveries to developing new science instruments. It can also mean finding innovative ways to serve the scientific community.
The concept of the superfacility developed at the Lab is one such innovation. A superfacility physically connects experiments and instruments with computational, data, and networking facilities. This model allows for discoveries across data sets, institutions, and domains and makes data from one-of-a-kind facilities and experiments broadly accessible.
Hydrogen has significant potential as an energy carrier and means of storing energy. Two recent DOE awards will further support hydrogen work at the Lab. The DOE’s Energy Earthshot Research Center (EERC) program is funding the Lab’s Center for Ionomer-based Water Electrolysis (CIWE), which will investigate how to improve efficiency and drive down the cost of making hydrogen. The DOE also recently awarded funding to the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) to accelerate hydrogen deployment in the California region. Lab scientists will play critical roles in supporting the University of California (a founding member of ARCHES), including systems analysis efforts (led by Hanna Breunig) and technical leadership (with Adam Weber as ARCHES’ Chief Technology Officer).
Export Compliance Team Joins the Research Compliance Office
The Export Compliance team has moved from the Laboratory Counsel’s Office into the Research Compliance Office (RCO). The RCO is now a one-stop shop for all research integrity and compliance issues, supporting researchers at the Lab in four fundamental areas: research integrity, conflicts of interest, research security, and now export control.
Joerg Heber, the Lab’s Research Integrity Officer, and Shilpani Perera, the Lab’s Chief Export Compliance Officer, explain the role of the Research Compliance Office and how the new integration of the Export Compliance Office (ECO) will support the Lab. Read the story.
GOOD TO KNOW
Apply for Cradle to Commerce Accelerator Program by Dec. 20
Join the fight against climate change by bringing national lab innovations to market. Berkeley Lab’s Cradle to Commerce (C2C) program brings together more than a hundred cutting-edge national lab technologies, 50 test beds and prototyping facilities, and a suite of expert mentors. The deadline to apply has been extended to Dec. 20.