In an article in the October 14, 2005 issue of The Berkeley Lab View, Director Steven Chu was very optimistic about the Laboratory's future. He outlined a direction for research that will cut across disciplines of science and Laboratory divisions and programs in new and profound ways. Specifically, he described an important vision for fusing core strengths in biological, material, chemical and physical sciences in the search for a sustainable, C02-neutral source of energy. But to make this kind of far reaching discovery, he added there is a need for the Laboratory to be a model research institution that enables connectivity across divisions and fosters a creative and nurturing environment that develops and grows new initiatives and the talented people who make them happen.
It is in the spirit of this scientific vision and the need to build model initiatives and operations that the Berkeley Lab Institute (BLI) was launched in the fall of 2005. BLI courses and services are designed to:
Provide essential information for managing and working at the Laboratory.
Facilitate opportunities for learning and dialogue among Laboratory employees from across Divisions and functions about competencies we need to exhibit as leaders, supervisors and employees.
Provide information on leadership, management and communications programs conducted by experts throughout the UC system and from other higher learning institutions.
These services and activities of BLI will continually be developed and tailored to support and help enable all of our respective missions of work that collectively contribute to the future of the Laboratory as a premier scientific research institution engaged in the critical issues of our times. We encourage and invite you to access the BLI resources and services, as an employee for your own personal development or as a supervisor or Division manager for the development of your team. We hope this BLI website provides you with the information needed to get started and/or to help add courses and learning experiences to your current development plans. Please feel free to contact any of the BLI staff if you have feedback, questions, or ideas. We look forward to learning and working with you!
