University of California Office of the President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
UC Office of the President contact: Chris Harrington (202) 974-6314
chris.harrington@ucdc.edu

Below is a statement from University of California President Robert C. Dynes regarding the decision by the U.S. Department of Energy to award a five-year management and operations contract for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to the University of California.

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I want to congratulate Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Director Steve Chu and all the employees at Berkeley Laboratory. The excellent scientific and technological work being done at the laboratory under Steve's leadership is what I believe the Department of Energy recognized in awarding this contract to UC.

I am very pleased that the Department of Energy has chosen the University of California to continue our proud tradition of managing Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. For more than 60 years, since E.O. Lawrence pioneered this kind of collaboration, the university has partnered with the federal government to manage this important scientific and technological enterprise in the national interest. I am pleased for UC, and our country, that this partnership will continue into the future.

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is an excellent example of the successful interaction between universities and the federal government in managing a scientific research facility and producing results of national significance. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is about breathing life into ideas and bringing researchers together in a rich interdisciplinary environment, to solve the scientific and technological challenges facing our nation and world. UC is proud that it will continue to have the opportunity at Berkeley Lab to respond to challenges in biology and living systems, nanoscience, energy technologies and efficiencies, the nature of our universe, homeland security and advanced computing, among other fields.

I am very happy that Berkeley Laboratory will continue to grow and prosper under the auspices and stewardship of the University of California. Under the leadership of director Steve Chu and the management team at the lab, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory has a strong future ahead, and our country will benefit as well.

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The University of California has managed Berkeley Lab since its inception in 1931, when it was one of the first laboratories of its kind showing the extraordinary value of multidisciplinary research, which ultimately led to the creation of the national laboratory system. Founded by Ernest O. Lawrence, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1939 for his invention of the cyclotron, Berkeley Lab has evolved into a multidisciplinary research facility advancing the forefront of scientific knowledge and addressing problems of national and global concern.

The DOE's Office of Science is the steward of 10 laboratories in the national laboratory system, including Berkeley Lab.

Background:

Today, Berkeley Lab performs research in nanoscience and advanced materials, the life sciences, computing, energy and earth sciences, physics, and cosmology. It also operates a homeland security office dedicated to leveraging fundamental scientific research to develop methods for ensuring the safety of our country. Researchers at the laboratory have won 10 Nobel Prizes and 12 National Medals of Science. More than 250 Berkeley Lab faculty and scientists hold joint appointments with UC Berkeley and other UC campuses.

The Department of Energy announcement regarding the award can be found at:

www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?PUBLIC_ID=17783&BT_CODE=PR_PRESSRELEASES&TT_CODE=PRESSRELEASE

For more information about the UC managed national laboratories, please visit:

www.universityofcalifornia.edu/labs/welcome.html

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