January 2019 – July 2022
A spirit and culture of innovation are critical to achieving the Lab’s mission. Help strengthen innovation at the Lab by taking this 10-minute survey (for Lab employees only). Results of the survey will be shared with the Lab community. https://go.lbl.gov/ETHOSsurvey
As the planet continues to warm, the twin challenges of diminishing water supply and growing energy demand intensify. A team of researchers from Berkeley Lab, UC Berkeley, and UC Santa Barbara propose a framework for evaluating climate change adaptations, with a case study of California. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2021/01/11/impacts-of-climate-change-on-our-water-and-energy-systems-its-complicated/
Using first-principles calculations, researchers at the Molecular Foundry revealed a simple physical explanation for the efficient electron–hole dissociation and long carrier lifetimes in certain 2D perovskites. This study offers a framework to maximize the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. https://foundry.lbl.gov/2021/01/08/2d-perovskites/
By precisely balancing molecular controls, researchers have synthesized protein-like molecules with unique “nanobrush” architectures. Structural information was carefully encoded into the peptoid sequence to control its self-assembly into higher-order features, a hallmark of natural protein folding. https://foundry.lbl.gov/2021/01/05/peptoid-nanobrushes/
SPINTEC’s Bernard Dieny will talk about spintronics’ potential to displace the stand-alone and embedded memory chip markets. The Beyond Moore’s Law Lecture Series engages outside experts to stimulate the Lab community’s thinking about semiconductor advancement. https://calendar.google.com/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=Mm82ZmlqcHRiOTVtMGpxbWI3MDlyYThlOWEgbGJsLmdvdl80czRycmcxMmw2ZXFnNm5jbWMya3QwdmNnZ0Bn&tmsrc=lbl.gov_4s4rrg12l6eqg6ncmc2kt0vcgg%40group.calendar.google.com
A team based at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source is making waves with its new approach for whole-cell visualization, using the world’s first soft X-ray tomography (SXT) microscope built for biological and biomedical research. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2021/01/06/x-ray-view-intact-cells/
The Lab has developed a multidisciplinary, 10-year strategic plan for research of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 disease. The plan leverages our new capabilities and core strengths and supports the Lab’s long-term research mission. If you missed the December brown bag, attend this session. https://calendar.google.com/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=NXQ1bHNlYmxsOTM2b2Q4anJ2bzU1NTAxM2wgbGJsLmdvdl80czRycmcxMmw2ZXFnNm5jbWMya3QwdmNnZ0Bn&tmsrc=lbl.gov_4s4rrg12l6eqg6ncmc2kt0vcgg%40group.calendar.google.com
At the ALS, tiny bubbles of ordered spins (skyrmions) were observed to form in a material previously considered incompatible with skyrmion formation, opening up a new class of material systems that exhibit technologically desirable nanoscale features that are attractive for spintronic applications. https://als.lbl.gov/from-stripes-to-skyrmions-in-a-surprising-material/
Scientists in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division have developed a new program called diffBragg that can independently process every pixel collected from an X-ray free-electron laser for more accurate determination of protein structures. https://biosciences.lbl.gov/2020/12/21/new-refinement-technique-promises-greater-protein-structure-accuracy/
A new material developed by a team led by Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry could make hydrogen a viable energy source for a wide range of applications, including stationary power and portable power applications. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/12/21/improved-hydrogen-fuel-production/