CS Area’s 2020 Summer Student Program Goes Virtual

Like many organizations adjusting to a changing work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Berkeley Lab’s Computing Sciences (CS) Area is transforming its 2020 summer student program into an entirely virtual experience.  

For more than a decade, this program has offered undergraduate and graduate students in science and engineering fields the chance to gain research experience working with staff, mentors, and peers in Berkeley Lab’s Computational Research Division (CRD), ESnet, and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, most CS staff and students are currently working remotely. Despite the challenges this poses for the summer student program, the CS area is dedicated to providing a unique opportunity that will enhance participants’ professional development and open new doors to connections with peers and colleagues.

“For the last several years, this program has been rewarding to both visitors and staff, and we are working to ensure this is true even under the current situation,” said Osni Marques, a staff scientist in CRD and the 2020 Summer Student Program Chair. “While some situations cannot be accommodated remotely, we are confident our summer visitors will have an engaging and meaningful experience.”

As in years past, students have the opportunity to attend a ​​​range of educational presentations by Lab staff designed to provide an overview of the depth and breadth of research that takes place across the CS Area. All talks will be held via Zoom, with topics ranging from A Crash Course in Supercomputing and Efficient Scientific Data Management on Supercomputers to Modeling Antarctic Ice with Adaptive Mesh Refinement, Simulating Supernovae with Supercomputers, and Challenges in Building Quantum Computers.

In addition, the annual student poster session – always a favorite – will once again be held in early August, this year using an interactive online format.

The program officially kicks off on June 2. For more details, visit the Summer Students 2020 home page.