January 2019 – July 2022
Haimei Zheng (Materials Sciences Division) was selected to receive the MRS Medal from the Materials Research Society for her research on anisotropic nanoscale materials, transformation, and application. She shares the medal with Catherine Murphy of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwDrRXKcXgJcWCPNLtdrsHsjLSG?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1
In an underground vault enclosed by six-foot concrete walls, UC Berkeley students are making neutrons dance to a new tune: one better suited to producing isotopes for geological dating, police forensics, hospital diagnosis, and treatment. Berkeley Lab’s Lee Bernstein contributed to this research. https://news.berkeley.edu/2019/09/11/students-make-neutrons-dance-beneath-berkeley-campus/?utm_source=Berkeleyan&utm_campaign=cbb270153a-berkeleyan&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_99ee3800d7-cbb270153a-388726225
Jay Keasling, JBEI’s chief executive officer, will be awarded the Doing a World of Good Medal by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The Doing a World of Good Medal recognizes the achievements of an engineer whose work has had a positive impact on society and the world. http://www.jbei.org/jay-keasling-to-receive-aiches-doing-a-world-of-good-medal/
Future particle colliders will need strong magnets to steer beams as they travel close to the speed of light on their circular paths. Fermilab has achieved a record field strength of 14.1 teslas for a particle accelerator steering magnet. Berkeley Lab is part of this U.S. Magnet Development program. https://news.fnal.gov/2019/09/fermilab-achieves-world-record-field-strength-for-accelerator-magnet/
Renowned heavy-element chemist Polly Arnold has been elected as a member of Academia Europaea. Arnold was recently appointed Chemical Sciences Division Director at Berkeley Lab. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2019/09/24/european-academy-elects-polly-arnold/
The Lawrence Hall of Science is looking for physicists interested in inspiring young people and helping them think about careers in STEM. Scientists will have their pictures and biographies included in a traveling exhibit focused on teaching fundamental physics principles to students grades K-8. https://k12education.lbl.gov/volunteer
Robert Kaindl (Materials Sciences) and Ji Qiang (ATAP) were named as American Physical Society fellows. The honor recognizes exceptional contributions to the physics enterprise. Holger Mueller, Sayeef Salahuddin, and Ting Xu, who have UC Berkeley joint appointments, were also named. https://www.aps.org/newsroom/pressreleases/fellows2019.cfm
A microgrid technology event first organized 15 years ago by Berkeley Lab researcher Chris Marnay has flourished, drawing researchers from around the world. The Fort Collins 2019 Symposium on Microgrids, held last month at Colorado State University, was attended by 134 scientists from 24 countries. https://china.lbl.gov/news/article/microgrid-symposium-growing-field
Electrochemical devices using sunlight to generate fuel are hampered by the inability to observe and measure interactions at the liquid-crystal interface. Berkeley Lab researchers have invented a cell designed to allow unobtrusive observation of isolated, operating catalysts. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2019/09/12/a-chemical-reaction-close-up-new-technology-gives-a-glimpse-of-solar-fuel-generation-in-action/
The Lindau Fellowship for UC students and postdocs includes a week of lectures and small seminars with Nobel laureates in Lindau, Germany. For those selected to attend, UC will cover the cost of travel and attendance for up to 20 students in the summer 2020. The deadline to apply is Oct. 4. https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/nominations-sought-once-lifetime-nobel-laureate-meetings-fellowship#overlay-context=press-room/nominations-sought-once-lifetime-nobel-laureate-meetings-fellowship