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Programs

Research within Program Domains is organized by Programs. Programs include a portfolio of projects that have a common scientific theme; projects can range from single PI to large, multi-disciplinary, team-based efforts. Programs are typically closely aligned with sponsor offices, and Program Leads serve as the main Berkeley Lab point of contact for those offices. Scroll down to read about our fourteen Programs.

Carbon Removal & Mineralization Program

LBNL’s Carbon Removal and Mineralization Program is focused towards performing fundamental and applied earth science research relevant to capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere and durably storing it in geologic, bio-based and ocean reservoirs or in value-added products to create negative emissions.

Bhavna Arora portrait

Bhavna Arora barora@lbl.gov 510-495-2163

Energy Resources and Carbon Management

Earth AI & Data

Earth AI & Data researchers use data-driven methods to accelerate scientific understanding of complex Earth and environmental systems, and enable decision-relevant predictions across the breadth of geosciences.

Charuleka Varadharajan cvaradharajan@lbl.gov 510-495-8890

Earth AI & Data News Highlights

Earth AI & Data

Lithium Resource Research and Innovation Center (LiRRIC)

Berkeley Lab has established the Lithium Resource Research and Innovation Center (LiRRIC) to power lithium innovation. Through the new center, the national laboratory’s resource experts in environmental science are guiding research and development into lithium extraction technologies so that science breakthroughs lead to the greatest economic and environmental benefits.

Michael Whittaker mwhittaker@lbl.gov 510-486-6596

Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure
lightening strike in Great Plains Oklahoma

Atmospheric System Research

The Earth and Environmental Sciences Area’s, Atmospheric System Research Program advances fundamental understanding of atmospheric radiation, clouds, and precipitation, and their interactions with Earth’s surface and climate.

Margaret Torn

Margaret S. Torn mstorn@lbl.gov 510-495-2223

Climate & Atmosphere Processes | Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions

Basic Energy Sciences (BES) Geochemistry

Studying the fundamental chemical controls on the structure, properties and evolution of rock-fluid systems in terrestrial and subsurface Earth settings.

Benjamin Gilbert bgilbert@lbl.gov 510-495-2748

Discovery Geosciences

Basic Energy Sciences (BES) Geophysics

Understanding the impact of fluids injected into the subsurface is essential for a host of activities that have material benefits for society. The long-term mission of the BES Geophysics Program is to improve our ability to monitor and image in space and time where injected fluids migrate and what alterations they make to the Earth’s subsurface.

Private: Steven R. Pride srpride@lbl.gov 510-495-2823

Discovery Geosciences

Basic Energy Sciences (BES) Isotope

Developing and applying knowledge of stable isotope fractionation processes to provide insights into the controls on mineral precipitation and material transport in fluid phases.

Donald J. DePaolo djdepaolo@lbl.gov 510-486-7560

Discovery Geosciences

Bioenergy

Research projects in EESA’s Bioenergy Program apply synthetic biology, bioengineering, and microbiology to foster renewable fuel production. Key themes of the Bioenergy Program include: (1) developing novel biofuel pathways in bacteria, (2) exploiting microbial metabolic diversity for biofuel production and lignocellulose deconstruction, and (3) mitigating petroleum souring.

harry beller

Private: Harry R. Beller hrbeller@lbl.gov 510-486-7321

Environmental & Biological Systems Science
SEM-Kaolinite

Nanoscale Control of Geologic CO2 (NCGC)

Enhancing the performance and predictability of subsurface storage systems by understanding the molecular and nanoscale origins of CO2 trapping processes, and developing computational tools to translate to larger-scale systems.

Donald J. DePaolo djdepaolo@lbl.gov 510-486-7560

Discovery Geosciences

Climate Modeling

This program aims to develop global process-resolving models to help quantify the roles of climate feedbacks in anthropogenic climate change. Abrupt and extreme climate changes from anthropogenic warming pose some of the greatest risks to society and the environment. Understanding of the complex interactions involved with feedbacks is critical.

Christina Marie Patricola cmpatricola@lbl.gov

Earth Systems and Society | Climate & Atmosphere Processes | Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions
Coffee bean borer on coffee bean; caffeine chain upper left; bacteria image from beetle gut right. Crop 16:9.

Ecosystems Biology Program

The Ecosystems Biology Program focuses on discovering and understanding the molecular basis of plant, microbial and metazoan interactions, including specific gene functions, species interactions, and community dynamics under a variety of environmental conditions—and developing the advanced technology that enables such understanding.

Eoin Brodie elbrodie@lbl.gov 510-486-6584

Environmental & Biological Systems Science
History of uranium milling at a site of deep interest to LBNL (DOE’s Rifle, CO field station).

Environmental Remediation and Water Resources

The key driver for this program is to improve the scientific foundation of hydrological, biological, and geochemical processes and their interactions relevant to environmental remediation, water resources, and enhanced energy production.

Kenneth H. Williams khwilliams@lbl.gov 510-701-1089

Environmental & Biological Systems Science
Geological Carbon Sequestration

Carbon Storage Program

The Carbon Storage Program uses theory along with lab, field, and simulation approaches to investigate processes needed to inform and guide the safe and effective implementation of geologic carbon sequestration.

David Lee Alumbaugh dlalumbaugh@lbl.gov 510-486-6346

Energy Resources and Carbon Management

Geothermal Systems

The Geothermal Systems Program is focused on two research thrusts: (1) Developing innovative technologies for identifying and characterizing conventional and hidden natural hydrothermal systems; and (2) Characterizing, developing, and sustaining enhanced geothermal systems through the use of coupled process models, microearthquake (MEQ) monitoring, and laboratory studies.

Patrick F. Dobson pfdobson@lbl.gov 510-486-5373

Energy Resources and Carbon Management
Stock Image of Oil Field

Hydrocarbon Science

The Hydrocarbon Science Program focuses on developing the understanding of the basic concepts and methodologies governing the coupled processes and associated phenomena involved in resource development and production. EESA scientists work to develop improved understanding of the basic concepts and processes governing multiphase non-isothermal flow in subsurface porous/fractured media during hydrocarbon production under challenging conditions.

David Lee Alumbaugh dlalumbaugh@lbl.gov 510-486-6346

Energy Resources and Carbon Management

Nuclear Energy and Waste

The mission of LBNL’s Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Waste Program is to perform fundamental and applied earth-sciences-related research concerning the safe, secure, and responsible use of nuclear energy, mostly focused on the safe long-term geological disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste.

LianGe Zheng lzheng@lbl.gov 510-486-5502

Energy Resources and Carbon Management

Terrestrial Ecosystem Science

This program’s focus is to understand and explain mechanisms and processes controlling primary production, carbon cycling, and soil biogeochemistry; the impacts of disturbance on terrestrial ecosystems; and ecosystem feedbacks to climate in vulnerable environments. In addition, it seeks to establish and maintain environmental field observatories.

Margaret Torn

Margaret S. Torn mstorn@lbl.gov 510-495-2223

Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions
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