This is one of several interviews in a series about the changes we can expect at the Lab during 2026.
There’s a fresh focus in 2026 on enhancing Berkeley Lab’s STEM education and workforce development initiatives. The newly launched Academic Learning Internships and Faculty Training (A-LIFT) Office aims to integrate K-12 programs with workforce training, creating a more cohesive pathway for individuals at every stage of their STEM journey. Elements spoke with A-LIFT Director Faith Dukes about how the program is set to play a crucial role in empowering the next generation of STEM leaders.
A-LIFT is a new office in the Laboratory Directorate. How was the office put together?
A-LIFT was created with a mission to cultivate the future workforce for our STEM ecosystem. By integrating the K-12 STEM Education program and the Workforce Development & Education (WD&E) program into a single office, we’ve created a more cohesive approach to developing talent and career pipelines. This merger enhances our ability to connect with individuals across all stages of their educational and career journeys, ensuring they have the support and resources they need to thrive in STEM fields.
By unifying our efforts, we’re streamlining the process for external stakeholders (local school districts, STEM nonprofits, academic institutions) to learn about and participate in workshops, training programs, internships, and collaborations. This allows individuals from K-12 to faculty to explore the diverse career and research opportunities available at a national lab. A-LIFT operates under the Lab Directorate, reporting to Carol Burns, our Deputy Director for Research, and Bill Johansen, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director for Research. Our aim is to amplify our impact and better prepare both the future and current workforce to take part in emerging research and national priorities.
What are A-LIFT’s major projects for 2026?
In 2026, A-LIFT is committed to actively engaging with education communities in the Bay Area, alongside our national recruitment and outreach efforts. We aim to develop strategies in collaboration with local community colleges, building on the curricula we’ve co-developed with researchers at the Lab to support research-related pathways within academic programs.
We have several projects specifically aimed at workforce readiness at the undergraduate level in quantum and AI. We are committed to aligning our efforts with national priorities and advancements in research and technology. This approach will help equip our program participants for the evolving demands of the STEM ecosystem – from research to operations – while fostering innovation across STEM fields.
How will these projects advance the Lab’s research mission?
These projects will enhance understanding of the vital work conducted at national labs like ours, facilitating greater connections between the public and our research initiatives. By raising awareness, we encourage and empower more people to engage in the scientific community.
Additionally, our focus on cultivating a skilled future workforce is crucial in continuing the over 90 years of groundbreaking research and development that Berkeley Lab is known for. By investing in talent today, we are not only supporting our current initiatives; we’re also laying the groundwork for future innovations that will have a lasting impact on science and technology.
What excites you about these projects?
What excites me most about these projects is witnessing the journey of our former program participants as they return to the Lab in various capacities. For example, the 8th graders who participated in our Reverse Science Fairs are now eligible for our high school programs. High school summer interns are transitioning into student assistants and even publishing papers. Former undergraduate interns are completing their thesis work through the Office of Science’s Graduate Student Research Fellowship, while visiting faculty collaborators are attending conferences and co-authoring papers with Lab researchers, incorporating their experiences into their courses. It’s inspiring to see how we’ve played a role in shaping STEM journeys.
Over the past five summers, we’ve hosted over 700 high school students in internship and training programs. We are now beginning to see them return as interns through initiatives like the Office of Science’s Workforce Development for Scientists and Teachers (WDTS)-sponsored Community College Internship (CCI) and Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) programs. We have SULI participants who are applying for PhD programs and notifying us when they are slated to complete their PhDs. The growth of our career pipeline and these connections are incredible! Knowing that we’re helping to shape future scientists and witnessing their paths unfold is genuinely inspiring.
We are actively engaging with local teachers, faculty members, and STEM deans to directly influence curriculum support that bridges the gap between traditional STEM concepts and real-world application. Our hands-on experiences and work-based learning opportunities are enabling a multitude of individuals to understand what it means to work in a scientific environment and visualize themselves at a national lab in the future. This is especially important for participants from less-resourced backgrounds. Our goal is to provide opportunity and access to the outstanding resources available at the Lab. The people, the research, and the network here are remarkable, and our programs thrive because we have access to such invaluable assets.
How is A-LIFT addressing or will address the challenges that come from these projects?
We recognize that the primary mission of a national lab is to meet the research needs and scientific advancements required by our nation, which can limit the availability of time for volunteering or mentoring. To address this, our office is dedicated to providing the necessary infrastructure, administrative support, and resources to enable our colleagues to engage with our programs without adding extra administrative burdens or requiring them to start from scratch. Our goal is to ensure the sustainability of both our programming and our people. By working collaboratively, we can maintain momentum in our initiatives and continue to support individuals through changes in personnel or shifting priorities.
To achieve this, we aim to work closely with our scientific, technical, and operations colleagues, especially during discussions about the evolution of research and future workforce needs. By involving A-LIFT early in the conversation, we can help create initiatives that are sustainable and have the capacity to engage the broader academic and local communities.
We also recognize that external stakeholders, especially those from K-12 and higher education, may encounter difficulties when navigating the Lab. To address this, our office will serve as a public-facing resource and dedicated space to facilitate engagement and collaboration, ensuring that these stakeholders receive the support they need to effectively connect with Lab staff, user facilities, and other essential resources.
What do you want the Lab community to know about A-LIFT?
While our office facilitates these programs, they truly belong to the Lab as a whole. These initiatives are pivotal in building our future talent pipeline, which will ultimately succeed us all. I believe our Lab community should play an active role in this effort, and I encourage our colleagues to engage with us and share how they’d like to be involved, whether that’s honing your communication skills with middle school students or mentoring a future Nobel Prize winner. We would be thrilled to have you participate in the work we’re doing.
I also want to extend a special invitation to those who may not be directly involved in research. We deliberately use the term “STEM ecosystem” because this work encompasses everyone—all 3,500+ employees. Our goal is that our office and programs eventually support the future workforce needs of the Lab’s entire ecosystem, and we value your experience and input to achieve that goal. Together, we can make a significant impact in shaping the future of STEM at the Lab.
Finally, I want to emphasize that I do not work alone. This mission relies on the incredible team that tirelessly ensures our programs are successful. They build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, develop curricula, translate documents, manage logistics, and evaluate our programs, among many other vital tasks. Their efforts are essential to our achievements. Below, you’ll find a list of our dedicated team members.
Career Staff Members:
Alisa Bettale, Brieanna Wright, Corbin Shatto, Elina Dluger Rios, Laleh Cote, Jacari Scott, Janique Ernest, Julio Jaramillo Salcido, Nakeiah Harrell
Student Research Assistants:
Adriana Sloan, Apple Zhu, Ernesto Sanchez, Minnoli Raghavan Molly Tuholski, Sage Miller
