The nonprofit Livermore Lab Foundation (LLF) is a key partner to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy national security laboratory. LLF uses public and private investments, grants, and philanthropic gifts to support research, student fellows, outreach in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), education, and community initiatives. LLF supports Lab research in three main areas. 

Since 2019, the Foundation has funded nearly $1M in early stage projects to accelerate collective efforts to diagnose, understand, and treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson's. Additionally, LLF works with the Lab to support research into meeting California's carbon neutrality goals as well as breakthrough fusion technologies. 

STEM outreach is also key to LLF. While the Lab hosts more than 1,000 students every year, some of these students would not be able to access a fellowship or cover certain research-related expenses without help from LLF. This year, for example, LLF is supporting 19 undergraduate and graduate students with financial awards ranging from $1,000 summer research stipends to $20,000 year-long fellowships.

"The Foundation is committed to cultivating the next generation of STEM leaders through a growing portfolio of scientific research fellowships in partnership with the Lab," says Executive Director Sally Allen. "These opportunities expose students to the vast possibilities of a STEM career, and contribute to the nation's critical STEM pipeline needed to solve issues of national and global importance. We recently hosted our first LLF Fellows Week at the Lab, where we organized career talks and tours for our students and encouraged them to learn from each other."

The nonprofit values "opening the door" for the next generation of scientists and engineers via fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students, who are paired with Lab-designated mentors and exposed to world-class research opportunities. The Foundation currently supports fellowship opportunities in carbon management, data science, fusion, and life sciences. It has also created named fellowships to honor former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory leaders.

"Even a modest financial award can make the difference in a student's research experience, helping them cover cost-of-living expenses or providing funding for equipment or materials to enable them to focus on their work and scientific passion," notes Allen. "Often the Lab cannot pay for these types of expenses, so LLF support matters." Of course, LLF's work would not be possible without the contributions of donors, funders, volunteers, as well as the Lab champions "who inspire us daily with their dedication to science in the national interest." 

"LLF is a critical enabler of new collaborations that can leverage the Lab's unique expertise for impact beyond its core national security mission," says Allen. One example is the nonprofit's new Climate in the Classroom toolkit, which provides interactive lessons, resources, and discussions for science students in grades nine to 12. Over the past two school years, LLF has piloted the program with 70 teachers and thousands of students in California. Once finished, the classroom materials will be included in California's open educational resource platform.

Allen invites those interested in the Foundation and the Lab to attend an upcoming talk by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Director Kim Budil. Her remarks will focus on the Lab's historic breakthrough in December 2022, when fusion ignition was achieved for the first time. The event will be held at the Bankhead Theater on Wednesday, November 9, at 7:30 pm.

For more information about the Livermore Lab Foundation, please visit livermorelabfoundation.org.

To download the Climate in the Classroom toolkit free of charge, please visit carboncleanupinitiative.org/?page_id=2281. 

For more information about An Evening With Kim Budil, please visit livermorearts.org/events/an-evening-with-kim-budil-director-of-llnl.