Dula Parkinson has been a consistent figure at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) since starting as a postdoc in 2006. After becoming a research scientist in 2010, he has taken on multiple roles, including beamline scientist, Diffraction and Imaging program lead, and Photon Science Operations Manager. This year, he was recognized with the 2025 Director’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in Community Building, honoring his sustained commitment to fostering a culture at the ALS that reflects enthusiastic collaboration and the Lab’s stewardship values.
We recently sat down with Dula to learn more about his journey and community-building work.
Q. What do you do at the Lab?
I am a scientist at the Advanced Light Source. I help run a beamline where we do 3D imaging of everything from moon rocks to insects and batteries and all kinds of other things. I also supervise five beamlines within the Diffraction and Imaging Program. And, I serve as the Photon Science Operations Manager, where I help coordinate efforts to make things run smoothly around the Photon Science Group, which runs around 30 beamlines and supports a lot of users.
Q. Why did you get involved in community building activities?
As a user facility, a major part of our work is helping other people succeed. Of course, we all want to be recognized for our contributions, but we put in a lot of work behind the scenes to help users of the ALS succeed.
The kind of people who take this job are service-oriented and collaborative, and that’s what attracted me to the ALS in the first place and inspired me to want to be like that. When you care about others and work to help them succeed, that’s when you can have the most impact.
Q. How has that involvement helped you, either personally or professionally?
Personally, I’ve made a lot of friends and that makes me enjoy coming to work. Professionally, it means I have people that I can turn to for help.
People seem happier when they feel a sense of community, so creating opportunities for people to build connections gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Q. How do your efforts contribute to the Lab’s mission or culture?
Team science is about people coming together to achieve something they couldn’t accomplish alone, and it’s really hard to succeed in team science without being a team. I think community building is the way we make our team the best it can be.
Join the celebration:
Congratulate Dula and the other awardees at the Director’s Achievement Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 3 p.m. in the Building 50 auditorium or online at streaming.lbl.gov.
This event showcases individuals and teams whose work has had a profound impact on the Lab and the world through research, innovation, and stewardship. The awards recognize excellence in leadership, collaboration, and dedication to the Lab’s mission and strategic goals.
