Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory located in the Berkeley Hills above the University of California campus in Berkeley, California. It conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed and operated by the University of California.
LBNL was founded in 1931 as the Radiation Laboratory at Berkeley, serving as a center for research into nuclear physics and developing methods for using radioactive materials in medical treatment. The lab’s work on isotopes soon led to its involvement with the Manhattan Project during World War II, when it worked on developing enriched uranium for use in atomic bombs. After the war ended, LBNL shifted its focus back to basic research, becoming a key part of what would later be known as the “Atoms for Peace” program that saw peaceful uses developed for nuclear technology. In addition to its work on isotopes, LBNL also made important contributions to high-energy physics and accelerator science over the course of its history.
Today, LBNL is one of ten DOE national laboratories overseen by Office of Science, within DOE’s larger umbrella organization called the Department of Energy National Laboratories and Technology Centers (DOE-NT). Its mission statement emphasizes its commitment to “solving pressing national problems in energy security, environmental sustainability and basic science.” In recent years this has included working on such issues as developing renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, understanding climate change and finding new ways to store carbon dioxide underground. The Lab also continues to play an important role in high-energy physics research; it is currently home to two major particle accelerators: the Advanced Light Source (ALS) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’sSite 300 linear accelerator complex
Over 3200 employees work at LBNL; about 1300 are scientists or engineers with PhDs or other terminal degrees while another 1200 are support staff. Nearly 1100 guest researchers from around the world visit each year to take advantage of LBLN facilities and collaborate with staff scientists; these collaborations often lead to joint publications between visitors and resident scientists. The annual budget for fiscal year 2013 was $780 million dollars; 70% came from federal sources including DOE-SC alone ($536 million), with state ($62 million)and local funding ($3 million) making up most ofthe rest . Of this total amount, $400 million went towards operating expenses while$230 million supported specific projects through various programs including Biological Systems & Engineering Division , Climate & Ecosystem Sciences Division , Environmental Remediation Sciences Program , Materials Sciences Division among others