July 2025
In times of dynamic change it is important to remind ourselves and others of the value Berkeley Lab’s Nuclear Science Division brings to the science enterprise and of the values that guide us in our daily work. In this context, the release of the LBNL 2025 Physical Sciences Strategic Plan is very timely as it lays out a vision for the next ten years, summarizes recent accomplishments, and describes the unique infrastructure and expertise across LBNL’s Physical Sciences Area.
NSD scientists continue to advance knowledge across the full division portfolio. In this issue of the NSD Newsletter we highlight several exciting advances including the exploration of the structure of the Quark-Gluon Plasma using jets as probes, advances in 3D simulations of the entire evolution of a supernova, and advances at the frontier of theoretical hadron physics for the EIC era. Also check out the most recent breakthroughs in the study of the chemistry of heavy-elements using an atom-at-a-time technique with FIONA at the 88-Inch Cyclotron (press release), and recently published efforts to track down three-particle short range correlations in A=3 nuclei at JLab.
It was great to see many members of the NSD team at the staff appreciation lunch on August 6. I deeply appreciate the invaluable contributions every member of our team makes every day to advance our science mission.
This summer has also been very busy for the division with contributions to the organization of various local events including the 22nd annual Exotic Beam Summer School, which is featured in this issue of the newsletter, as well as the Summer School and Workshop on Multi-Particle Reactions, and West Coast edition of the Symposium on Radiation Measurements and Applications, SORMA West.
Finally, I want to share the wonderful news that the main GRETA work at LBNL is wrapping up with detectors and components being shipped off. I am immensely proud of the whole GRETA team and grateful for the support and expertise provided by many people from divisions across the Lab. Check out these recent online articles featuring the incredible work by the Engineering Division and the ScienceIT Department. Following the delegation of the Project Authority from the DOE Office of Science to Berkeley Lab, GRETA has also just undergone a review for the equivalent of CD-4A and CD-E 4A was approved, marking another major milestone for this flagship project. The strong partnership with FRIB, ORNL, ANL, as well as Mirion is as much a key to success as is the team science approach across divisions at Berkeley Lab and the constructive partnership with the DOE Office of Nuclear Physics and the DOE Site Office. Congratulations to the whole GRETA team!
