January 2019 – July 2022
In this Q&A, Sinéad Griffin, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and Molecular Foundry, shares her thoughts on her search for light dark matter, the ultimate materials design challenge, and Berkeley Lab’s collaborative “team science” culture. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/10/30/dark-matter-qa-with-sinead-griffin/
Darria Vyshenska is developing a scalable framework for analyzing DNA stable isotope probing metagenomics data, allowing culture-independent identification of microbial populations performing specific metabolic functions. Watch Darria’s SLAM presentation to find out more. https://youtu.be/HRXhFFOBilo
New DOE funding totaling $18 million, including $1 million for user support, will be distributed among 10 partner institutions – including Berkeley Lab – and will continue and expand LaserNetUS operations for three years. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/10/28/lasernetus-high-power-laser-consortium-berkeley-lab-receives-18m-from-us-doe/
Early career researchers interested in the DOE Early Career Research Program are invited to attend a virtual round table and networking event on Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. Director Mike Witherell, Deputy Director Horst Simon, and a panel of past awardees will share success strategies. https://calendar.google.com/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=NWxxZWNrM2Jyc2lndmkyM2Z1OGxwNzZuaW4gbGJsLmdvdl80czRycmcxMmw2ZXFnNm5jbWMya3QwdmNnZ0Bn&tmsrc=lbl.gov_4s4rrg12l6eqg6ncmc2kt0vcgg%40group.calendar.google.com
Crews working on the largest U.S. experiment designed to detect dark matter directly completed a major milestone last month, and are now turning their sights toward startup after experiencing some delays due to global pandemic precautions. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/10/27/a-major-milestone-for-an-underground-dark-matter-search-experiment/
Stepped on by a hiking boot? Run over by a car? Good to go. What makes the diabolical ironclad beetle so sturdy? To find out, researchers used X-ray imaging at the Advanced Light Source and other techniques to explore a protective covering known as the “elytra,” on its abdomen and other body parts. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/10/27/x-rays-reveal-architectural-clues-to-the-crush-resistance-of-diabolical-ironclad-beetles/
In this Q&A interview at Sanford Lab, Kevin Lesko, a spokesperson for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment and senior physicist at Berkeley Lab, shares his insights about the mysteries of dark matter, what we know about it, and what we hope to learn about it from LZ. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/10/26/video-dark-matter-day-qa-with-lux-zeplin-spokesperson-kevin-lesko
DOE has announced the FY2021 Office of Science Early Career Research Program. This highly prestigious program supports early career researchers at DOE national laboratories with up to $2.5 million over five years to pursue their research. https://elements.lbl.gov/Email/Index/50323246-4050-4ce7-8b32-77086c6a16ba?recipientCode=jCBRFmu%2fJuW2RZzFU%2ftBBRPJkhk%3d
In a new blog series, NERSC engineers share insider details about how the facility is preparing for the Perlmutter supercomputer. First up is a peek at the system’s new GPU processors. NERSC will receive the first phase of Perlmutter at the end of this year. https://www.nersc.gov/news-publications/staff-blogs/jack-deslippe/preparing-for-perlmutter-dgx-3-nodes-arrive-at-nersc/
Nari Yoon, from the Energy Technologies Area, explores methodologies to harness natural ventilation in building design and operations to save energy and enhance personal comfort. Watch Nari’s SLAM presentation to find out more. https://slam.lbl.gov/2020-slam/2020-slam-finalists/nari-yoon