Research, Technology & engineering, Science & environment

Energy secretary joins groundbreaking for new LBNL research facility

By Public Affairs

breaking ground
Breaking ground on the CRT (LBNL video still)

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu joined UC and Lawrence Berkeley Lab (LBNL) leaders Feb. 1 to break ground on the lab’s new Computational Research and Theory facility.

Chu used the occasion to highlight President Obama’s recent State of the Union address and the Obama administration’s commitment to U.S. leadership in scientific innovation, particularly in the area of energy.

Joining Chu, formerly the head of LBNL, as speakers were lab director Paul Alivisatos, professor of chemistry; UC President Mark Yudof; DOE Office of Science Director Bill Brinkman; and Chancellor Robert Birgeneau. The festivities were emceed by Kathy Yelick, LBNL’s associate director for computing sciences. Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates joined the shovel ceremony as well.

The CRT will be at the forefront of high-performance supercomputing research and be the Department of Energy’s most efficient facility of its kind.

Video clips of the ceremony may be viewed here.