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Community Activities

Berkeley Lab leads, sponsors, and participates in many community activities that support the needs of the community and fulfill the Lab’s mission. Scientific and technical advisory roles to individual local governments, support of energy efficiency and conservation strategies in our local communities, and volunteer efforts in the local schools and nonprofit organizations signal the Lab’s willing participation and community membership. Especially important are events and activities to inform people about the scientific research and achievements of the Lab. Additionally, Berkeley Lab contributes significantly to the region’s education efforts for future generations of scientists and engineers. Examples include:

Sci FY Program Inspires Students during Summertime

(Above left): Glenn Skipper: Electrical Engineer at Berkeley Lab. (Above right): John Pon: Computer Engineer at Berkeley Lab

Berkeley Lab’s scientists work diligently with 11 and 12 year old Oakland and Berkeley middle-school students to install circuitry energizing a Light-Emitting-Diode (LED) and to disassemble – and reconstruct – computers, teaching that science and engineering is challenging, logical, and exciting. With eagerness to learn but no formal training, these bright, young, future technology-savvy students in the Science for Youth summer program attack civil, structural, chemical, electrical, and computer engineering at UC Berkeley, based on curriculum developed with the assistance of Berkeley Lab’s Center for Science and Engineering Education.

College and Local High School Students Do Research Too

(Above left): Jackson State Student in the Center for Functional Imaging. (Above right): High School Summer Research Participants from Berkeley, Cupertino, and Walnut Creek: in the Life Sciences Division.

For most of these young people interning at Berkeley Lab, the experience of working alongside world-class scientists brings the excitement of learning and working in a pure research environment, and provides a stepping stone to future scientific careers. Some come from local high schools and colleges, others from across the country. Nearly 150 exuberant students join the laboratory staff scientists, most sponsored through the Lab’s Center for Science and Engineering Education. All are required to produce a product: a presentation or poster by the end of the summer session. Approximately 20 – 25% of the Lab’s research is conducted with the assistance of the undergraduate and graduate students.

The Lab's Center for Science and Engineering Education (CSEE), working in partnership with Laboratory Divisions and other institutions and agencies, provides summer and academic-year research opportunities for college and university students and faculty, and science education resources to K-12 students, teachers and schools.

The Environmental Energy Technologies Division provides worldwide and local expertise in energy efficiency including the federal government's "Green Energy Parks" program that was launched at the Presidio in San Francisco. There, our researchers are helping transform the Presidio National Park into a model for building renovation and operation that is energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable.  The same Division here at the Lab also created the Home Energy Saver website.

Our Green Team program conducts an annual beach cleanup effort.

Our scientists help teachers develop curricula in the East Bay Physics Alliance.

To prevent another catastrophic fire in the East Bay Hills, agencies including the Lab formed the Hills Emergency Forum.  The Lab has been leading the effort to manage vegetation and reduce fuel loads. In late 1999, Berkeley Lab published a Draft Vegetation Almanac to assist the communities of the East Bay in efforts to reduce wildland fire risks. Copiers are available for review at the Lab's repository, Doe Library, on the UC Berkeley campus.

Lab employees participate with local organizations to offer expertise and willing hands.  These organizations include the following:

  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Christmas in April
  • YMCA
  • Donating Computers to many local school districts

In addition, we join in local Job Fairs, Science Fairs, and local Earth Day events.