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Computing Sciences at Berkeley Lab

Photo of Wang Hall Computational Research and Theory Facility

The Wang Hall computational theory and research facility houses Berkeley Lab's Computing Sciences Area and serves as a hub for innovation and collaboration in scientific computing.

 

Scientists today rely on advances in computer science, mathematics, and computational science, as well as high-performance computing and networking facilities, to increase our understanding of ourselves, our planet, and our universe.

The Computing Sciences Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab achieves transformational, breakthrough impacts in scientific domains through the discovery and use of advanced computational methods and systems, and it makes those instruments accessible to the broad scientific community.

We seek to achieve transformational, breakthrough impacts in scientific domains through the discovery and use of advanced computational methods and systems and to make them accessible to the broad science community.

The Computing Sciences organization advances computational science throughout the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science research programs. Our greatest strength is our experienced staff. They specialize in solving scientific problems using their wide-ranging expertise in computer hardware and software, computational science, applied mathematics, networking, and middleware services.

Computing Sciences carries out its mission by operating two national user facilities — NERSC and ESnet — and by conducting applied research and development in computer science, computational science, and mathematics, the three essential elements of computational modeling and simulation.

Combining computer and network operations with research and development provides tangible benefits to both the scientists who use our systems and their research programs. Just as our R&D programs benefit science, the needs of scientists influence the direction of our research. These two sides of Computing Sciences' work — systems and services, and research and development — are more than complementary. Each enhances the quality of the other.

Computing Sciences is made up of four divisions: Applied Mathematics & Computational ResearchScientific DataNational Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) Center, and the Scientific Networking Division, which manages the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet).

The Computing Sciences organization was created in 1996 and currently has about 500 employees. Most of the computational research and resources provided by Computing Sciences are funded by the Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program in the DOE Office of Science.

Computing Sciences co-sponsors Berkeley CSE, a multidisciplinary research and education program in computational science and engineering. We also sponsor the Luis W. Alvarez Postdoctoral Fellowship in Computational Science and the Admiral Grace Murray Hopper Postdoctoral Fellowship in Computing Sciences. We also participate in the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF) program. Our Summer Student Program gives university students an opportunity to gain relevant research experience while pursuing their degrees. Our Diversity Task Force works to recruit women and minorities and encourages K–12 students to study and pursue careers in math and science.