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By Caroline Liu (UCLCC Communications Intern 2025)

UCLCC Successfully Pilots HEDS Summer School to Meet a Growing and Critical Need

This August, the University of California Livermore Collaboration Center (UCLCC) launched a High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Summer School aimed at encouraging the next generation of scientists to pursue degrees and careers in this emerging and important discipline.

HEDS – the study of matter under extreme conditions of high pressure, temperature, and energy density, such as those found in stars and planets – is essential for fields that are critical to the country’s future and security, such as clean energy, astrophysics and material science. Since 2022, when Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) became the first facility to achieve fusion ignition, the demand for a talented HEDS workforce has dramatically amped up. Yet HEDS remains underrepresented in academia and relatively unknown to many talented young scientists.

The UCLCC summer school sought to address those concerns by introducing undergraduates from across the UCs to HEDS-related fields. A high-powered collaboration among UC campuses and LLNL allowed the program to successfully expose students to current research and experimental facilities at LLNL, offer tips for applying to graduate school, and facilitate networking with UC professors, LLNL scientists, and fellow students.

A Comprehensive Introduction to the Field

Over the course of one week, 24 undergraduates and post baccalaureates from UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz and UC San Diego participated in lectures, hands-on learning activities and small group discussions. The HEDS-related topics – taught by experts from UC and LLNL – ranged from shock and plasma physics to laboratory astrophysics and planetary science.

Those sessions also offered a chance for students to interact closely with HEDS scientists, a rare and fulfilling experience. “I did not have much exposure to this many scientists before,” said Anushka Rajasekhar, a junior at UC Berkeley. “Talking to scientists made me understand my career path.”

To that end, the students also participated in professional development workshops that included tips on resume writing and discussions about careers at the national labs. Many also attended tours at LLNL and even had time for self-organized social activities, such as rock climbing.

A Powerful Collaborative Effort

The program demonstrates the power of growing collaborations among the UC campuses and the national labs.  Federica Coppari, Ph.D., from LLNL,  Camille Bibeau, Ph.D., from UC Office of the President, Franklin Dollar, Ph.D., from UC Irvine, David Stubbe, Ph.D., from UC Merced and Farhat Beg, Ph.D., from UC San Diego led the effort.

Christopher Zhen, an incoming junior at UC San Diego believes, “the HEDS Summer School program has opened multiple pathways in exploration of plasmas, lasers and fusion. I greatly appreciate the speakers I’ve listened to, the facilities I’ve toured, the knowledge and connections I have made here.”

He also appreciated the opportunities to connect with UC students from different campuses interested in the same field, adding, “I have made such good friends here and it was overall a great experience.”

As the importance of programs and careers in HEDS continues to grow, filling the pipeline with brilliant young scientists will be essential. The HEDS Summer School offers one exciting example of just how that work can get done.

Students will conduct scientific and technical projects at national laboratories

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 term for two undergraduate internship programs: the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program and the Community College Internships (CCI) program. The application deadline is October 1, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EDT.

Through SULI and CCI, undergraduate students and recent graduates delve into science and technology careers at the DOE national laboratories. They gain new knowledge, skills, and professional experience to further their educational and career goals. Interns work directly with national laboratory scientists, engineers, and technical professionals. They assist these experts with science or technology projects that support the DOE mission, including new frontiers in artificial intelligence, quantum, nuclear energy and technology, critical minerals and materials, and fusion science and engineering.

SULI is open to full-time undergraduate students attending 4-year institutions and community colleges or recent graduates within two years of receiving their bachelor’s degree or associate degree. CCI is dedicated to supporting community college students. Both programs are stipend-based and offered three times annually in Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.

Two workshops are planned to introduce each program, including the application process and strategies for submitting a compliant application. 

• August 6, 2025, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT for CCI – Register on the CCI website
• August 14, 2025, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT for SULI – Register on the SULI website

In addition to the workshops, the program office invites applicants and letter of recommendation writers to attend office hours. At these times, DOE staff members will answer administrative questions such as those pertaining to uploading transcripts, submitting letters of recommendation, and general inquiries. Office hours are scheduled on September 4^th, 11^th, 18^th, and 24^th from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EDT. Registration (on the CCI and SULI webpages) is required for attendance. SULI and CCI are managed by the Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) in the Office of Science. More information can be found at https://science.osti.gov/wdts

By Caroline Liu (UCLCC Communications Intern 2025)

On July 8, 2025, the UC Livermore Collaboration Center (UCLCC) hosted its first ever UC Graduate School Fair. The event provided a rare opportunity to bring together representatives from nine University of California campuses, leaders from the Krell Institute and interns and employees from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The day marked yet another way to leverage UCLCC’s ability to foster cross collaboration among the UC campuses and three National Laboratories – and, in turn, inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Emphasizing The Fields That Will Lead the Future

The fair was especially focused on scientific and technological disciplines that will be essential in the near and long-term future, including engineering, physical sciences and high energy density science. The nine UC campuses (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz) brought representatives from those and related fields, including deans, vice provosts, assistant and associate professors, graduate students and staff. They were joined by LBNL and LLNL employees and representatives from the Krell Institute, a non-profit organization that provides U.S. Department of Energy-funded graduate fellowships to support students interested in pursuing doctoral degrees in fields using high performance computing.

Throughout the day, laboratory interns and employees engaged one-on-one with UC campus representatives to discuss the resources and support available to pursue graduate studies. This included learning more about the graduate application process, scholarship and fellowship opportunities and other unique pathways to higher education.

The intimate setting also allowed attendees to get their questions answered, network with current UC faculty from the different campuses and see current graduate student’s research and individual paths to graduate school. De’ja Bailey, an LLNL intern, was grateful to have had the “opportunity to connect with lab staff, University of California representatives, and other student interns.”

Three Formal Sessions

In addition, to informal networking, the event held three formal sessions. The first focused on UC Admissions, scholarships and the lab’s Employee Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). People directly in charge of those programs provided in-depth information on graduate admissions and ways to help fund higher education, including financial assistance for those interested in pursuing higher education while working at one of the national laboratories.

The second session was a panel that sought to dispel the mysteries of graduate school. Faculty members and their graduate students shared their unique, often non-linear journeys. The pairings of professors with their students also allowed participants to see the mentor-student relationship, a key factor in shaping academic success. “I appreciate hearing people’s own experience and hearing their personal journey on how they got to graduate school,” said Sofia Malmhall, a second-year intern at LLNL.

At the third session, employees from LBNL and LLNL showcased their career paths as part of an effort to have the UC graduate students learn about career opportunities at the labs. During this session, the lab employees and graduate students also had the chance to spend time speaking more informally about research and career paths. “The UC Grad School Fair was such a great opportunity to connect with so many bright students and interns from diverse research backgrounds,” said Xiaoxing Xia, a staff scientist at LLNL who spoke as a panelist. “After the panel, I had great conversations with UC faculty members and fellow panelists, which sparked many ideas for new research collaboration as well as institutional partnership.”

The day concluded with a reception, providing yet another opportunity for participants to informally connect with each other, discuss their research and explore potential opportunities for collaboration. It capped a highly successful day, in which UCLCC’s three buildings, six conference rooms and expert staff facilitated the kind of synergistic effort that has been the goal of the facility since its inception.