Four Berkeley Lab Scientists Earn DOE Research Awards
The Department of Energy recognized four early-career researchers at Berkeley Lab for their scientific projects.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Science — General
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Four Berkeley Lab researchers have received grants from the Department of Energy Early Career Research Program. The recipients will use this funding to advance projects ranging from water networks to machine learning.
Why it matters
The program supports promising scientists at the start of their careers by providing significant funding to solve critical scientific challenges. This investment allows researchers to pursue long-term projects that could advance fundamental understanding in their fields.
The awards provide roughly $2.75 million per project for national laboratories over five years. Eligible scientists must be within 10 years of completing their doctoral degrees to qualify for the program.
The players
Berkeley Lab
This Department of Energy national laboratory, located in Berkeley, conducts unclassified research and is known for its scientific discoveries.
Asmit Bhowmick
He is a Berkeley Lab scientist who received funding to study water networks using time-resolved X-ray methods.
Marcus Noack
He is a Berkeley Lab researcher awarded for his project focused on scalable machine learning and the gpCAM platform.
Dan Wang
She is a Berkeley Lab award recipient working on a new approach to accelerator control systems.
Bingqing Cheng
She is a Berkeley Lab scientist recognized for her research on electrified interfaces.
The details
Award recipients Asmit Bhowmick, Marcus Noack, Dan Wang, and Bingqing Cheng were selected for their work in water networks, machine learning, accelerator control systems, and electrified interfaces, respectively. Bhowmick plans to utilize X-ray free-electron laser methods and machine learning, while Wang aims to test her control framework across four distinct systems.
Timeline
2010: The Department of Energy established the Early Career Research Program.
October 8, 2026: Berkeley Lab officially announced the four award recipients.
Deeper Dive
These awards fall under the Department of Energy Early Career Research Program, which has operated since 2010 to foster scientific innovation. This selection represents the program's ongoing commitment to funding transformative research at national laboratories.
These projects may eventually yield advancements in machine learning models and accelerator technology that could influence future scientific infrastructure. While these grants are for fundamental research, they build the technological foundation for tomorrow's commercial and industrial tools.
The takeaway
The Department of Energy continues to prioritize long-term investment in early-career talent to sustain scientific competitiveness. These grants provide the stability necessary for researchers to bridge the gap between theoretical models and practical applications.
Further reading
Learn more about ongoing research initiatives on the Science — General page.
More information
Find detailed program guidelines and results on the DOE Office of Science research information portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Berkeley Lab News Center.
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