Deputy
Director Sally Benson has formed a task force that will help
chart the future of the Engineering Division at Berkeley Lab.
In the face of large
project funding fluctuations, Berkeley Lab is challenged to
provide a stable staffing environment for engineers while providing
state-of-the-art technical expertise to partners internal and
external to the Laboratory.
Kem Robinson is chair of the planning group, which includes
representatives from Engineering and from its present and
potential partner divisions. Peter Denes and Roderich Keller
are co-leaders of the task force, which will address several
key areas in its charter. They include:
- Mission, vision and strategy – What is necessary
to permit Engineering to fulfill its mission and contribute
to making Berkeley Lab the premier choice for scientific
research?
- Expertise, capabilities, and infrastructure – What
is the right level of investment for improving Engineering,
and how should the Lab prioritize those investments?
- Matrix management model – What can be enhanced
in this staffing model, and how can communication between
Engineering and its partners be improved?
- Funding and workforce stability – Are there ways
to make Engineering more resilient to changes, especially
funding fluctuations? What should be the role of independent
work within the Division?
Models from other organizations – Would cooperation
between laboratories help to improve capabilities and stabilize
funding?
“We are going to define a new consensus vision for
Engineering,” Benson said. “Jim Triplett (Engineering
Division Director) and the Division leadership have already
taken the first step in preparing a strategic plan. This Task
Force offers the opportunity to broaden the input and endorsement
of the plan throughout the laboratory.”
In order to ensure a broad range of input, the Engineering
Division Task Force has scheduled an open, one-day Plenary
meeting for June. The time and place will be announced. Presentations
will be made by Benson, Robinson, Engineering Division Director
Triplett, Engineering department heads, and partner divisions.
“The Task Force will examine the potential, opportunities,
and partnerships, both internal and external to the Laboratory,
that involve the Engineering Division,” Benson said.
“The Task Force is to formulate recommendations to address
those issues, challenges and opportunities facing the Division.”
Its report is due September 1.
The Task Force membership includes Alan Biocca, Alessandro
Ratti, Daryl Oshatz, Henrik Von Der Lippe, Jian Jin, Ross
Schlueter, all from Engineering; Damir Sudar of Life Sciences,
Helmuth Spieler of Physics, Howard Padmore of the Advanced
Light Source, John Corlett of Accelerator and Fusion Research,
Robert Shoenlein of Materials Sciences, and Jane Baynes of
the Deputy Director’s Office. There will be representatives
from Genomics and Earth Sciences/Environmental Energy Technologies
on the Task Force as well.
