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Federal Research in California

A Guide to Federal Research for State Leaders

In keeping with our state motto – "Eureka!" – California is home to an abundance of advanced research institutions. Alongside academic powerhouses such as the University of California campuses, Stanford, and Caltech, we also take pride in our unrivaled collection of federal laboratories and research centers.

Discoveries by California’s federal labs and research centers save lives, advance technology, and inspire possibilities. They take us deep inside the genetic code, support the foundations of our energy and national security, and launch us toward the stars. Moreover, Federal scientists study issues directly affecting Californians, armed with one-of-a-kind supercomputers, lasers, particle accelerators, simulators, and engineering foundries only federally funded institutions can sustain. They are an integral part of California’s innovation, intellectual, and information landscape.

As Californians confront big challenges — climate change, clean energy, cybersecurity, resource scarcity, and international competitiveness — these labs and centers stand ready to help. Let this portal be your guide to the federal research and expertise in the Golden State — and discover how our federal labs and research centers can help make California stronger with science.

Federal Labs Impact Report 2021 Cover Web
2021 Impact Report

CCST's Partners

As this independent science advisory institution serving the State of California, CCST operates in partnership with, as well as receives financial and mission support, from a network of public and private higher-education institutions and federally funded laboratories and science centers.

While CCST seeks out the best available technical expertise regardless of institution, this portal serves to highlight the federally funded institutions in California which have formal agreements and representation with CCST:

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Berkeley Lab Logo
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Logo
Sandia National Laboratories Logo
SLAC Logo

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

NASA Ames Research Center Logo
JPL Logo

Federal Labs News

May 4, 2023

Report: California’s NASA and DOE Labs Are Leading the Charge Toward a More Resilient and Sustainable Future
A graphic with the cover of the labs report and the title with CCST's logo on a blue background.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: [email protected] SACRAMENTO, Calif.—A new impact report released by the California ...
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Sep 21, 2022

California’s 5th Climate Change Assessment Roundtables
A slide listing the 5th Assessment roundtables with logos over a fading background image
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research in ...
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Aug 31, 2022

Watch: Decarbonizing Transportation with Hydrogen
A graphic with title on the briefing in blue and yellow lettering with photos of the panelists
Toward a Disaster Resilient California: Decarbonizing Transportation with Hydrogen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi0jDjsQofk   How can hydrogen help ...
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May 12, 2022

WATCH: Decarbonizing with Hydrogen: Challenges and Opportunities
A Zoom panel of 6 people with a question in the lower third in white text over a blue background
Replacing diesel trucks with hydrogen fuel cell trucks (which emit only water at the tailpipe) ...
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May 4, 2022

Berkeley Lab’s Carol Burns Appointed to CCST Board of Directors
Photo of Carol burns with blurred trees in the background
Carol Burns, PhD Berkeley Lab SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) Deputy Director for ...
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Apr 22, 2022

Watch: Managing Salinity in the California Delta in a Changing Climate
Zoom screenshot of the four panelists with a question in the lower third
The Emergency Drought Salinity Barrier is in place to help deter the tidal push of ...
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Feb 15, 2022

Watch: Science Policy for a More Resilient California: CCST Sessions at the 2022 AAAS Annual Meeting
AAAS graphic with headline Empower with Evidence hashtag A A A S m t g. Illustration shows various scientific motifs encircled by the outline of a cell wall or virus casing with protein spikes.
The theme for the 2022 AAAS Annual Meeting is "Empower with Evidence". SACRAMENTO, Calif.—From extreme ...
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Nov 30, 2021

Watch: Remote Sensing Technologies and Water Resilience
Shasta Lake, California. NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the ...
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May 6, 2021

Watch Now: Mitigating Extreme Heat in a Changing Climate
Zoom photo of all four panelists.
Map of land surface temperatures throughout Los Angeles County on Aug. 14, 2020 during a ...
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How CCST Can Help

Why tap into federal science?

Uniquely Positioned: Federal agencies such as DOE and NASA are uniquely positioned to contribute to California’s scientific conversation. They leverage the might of federally directed research resources and facilities — bringing mission- oriented research and scientific facilities that complement the wealth of expertise at University of California, California State University, Califonia Community Colleges, Caltech, Stanford, the University of Southern California, and other campuses.

Trusted Research Partners: Federal research includes many focal areas that can directly inform policy questions at the state level.Federal labs can partner with state agencies and campuses to conduct studies vital for our understanding of natural and physical processes. These federal-state-university partnerships require time for planning and implementation, but they yield collaborations and important knowledge for lifetimes.

Service to Policymakers: Each federal entity boasts a government relations team able to assist local, state, and federal offices. Together with CCST, these liaisons serve as aresource for community members and officials who want to learn more about federal labs and their broader impact for California.

Why CCST?

The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via Assembly Concurrent Resolution 162 in 1988. The resolution directed CCST “to respond to the Governor, the Legislature, and other entities on public policy issues related to science and technology.” To deliver independent advice to state policymakers, CCST engages science and technology (S&T) experts across California’s research enterprise, including through formal partnerships with the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), California Community Colleges (CCC), Stanford, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the University of Southern California (USC) and the six federal laboratory partners described above.

By connecting policymakers with leading scientists in California and beyond, CCST increases policymaker access to S&T advice that is informed by diverse expert perspectives. Over the past three decades, state leaders have requested CCST reports and expert briefings on many issues of policy importance, from natural gas storage safety to sustainable water futures. The connections we facilitate between policymakers and scientists also enhance the ability of our 12 Partner Institutions to transmit S&T information for the public good, including by expanding opportunities for experts to participate in the policy arena and by identifying questions that will drive future research and innovation.

About the CCST Partnership with Federal Laboratories

In 2005, there was growing interest by state leaders to improve access to expertise found at federal laboratories and science centers across California, and engage them on issues affecting the Golden State. The call for advice coincided with conversations and coordination already ongoing between CCST and several federal research institutions in California. CCST welcomed six new Partner Institutions.

Of the six institutions, four came from the U.S. Department of Energy: the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; and two came from NASA: the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Ames Research Center.

Disaster Resilience Initiative

In 2020, in recognition of a need for more agile science and technology advisory frameworks for the state and the increasing threat of natural disasters in California, CCST launched a Disaster Resilience Initiative, focused on increasing the delivery and responsiveness of the science advisory support provided by CCST’s science and technology experts to California policymakers. This five-year public-private partnership will convene diverse, interdisciplinary experts from throughout CCST’s network to address the State’s most urgent disaster resilience advisory needs through a series of needs- finding workshops, briefings to policymakers, advisory meetings, and other engagements.

How can CCST help?

California’s leadership in technology, environmental stewardship, clean energy, and other critical fields relies on its policymakers having access to clearly communicated, scientifically informed advice. CCST can help Legislators, appointed officials, and Capitol and executive branch staff navigate the tremendous resources spread across federal labs and science centers in California. CCST’s access to the Federal Laboratory Affiliates has resulted in several high-impact reports that have been useful to state leaders, delivering timely, nonpartisan, scientific analysis on complex issues. Examples include:

  • The Costs of Wildfire in California (2020): This report summarizes the state of knowledge regarding wildfire losses and their associated costs across key sectors. It challenges the assumptions underlying current fire management policies and proposes a novel framework for understanding the total cost of wildfire in California. The report relied on vital input from expertise at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
  • Remote Sensing Technologies and Water Resilience (2021): This Expert Briefing brought together scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, NASA Ames Research Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory to discuss the role of satellite based measurements in sustainable groundwater management with members of the Capitol community.
  • Building a Resilient Energy Grid to Respond to Escalating Hazards (2022): This scientific session presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) took a broad look at the threats facing the energy grid and discussed the qualities that enhance its resilience, as well as the challenges in quantifying a system’s resilience. The panel featured researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
  • Decarbonizing Transportation with Hydrogen (2022): This Expert Briefing explored the role of hydrogen as a potential avenue for decarbonizing the transportation and trucking and freight sectors. The panel of experts featured a scientist from Sandia National Laboratories.
  • California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment (2022): CCST, in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, hosted a series of six public roundtables to discuss California- specific information and knowledge gaps that will help inform the scope of climate change research conducted as part of California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment. Roundtable participants included experts from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

When should I contact CCST?

Policymakers should contact CCST:

  • During policy development, to obtain data and advice from subject area experts.
  • During the legislative process, to find experts for testimony at policy, fiscal, select committee, and other hearings.
  • During implementation and regulatory enforcement, accessing current science to review standards, technologies,
    efficacy, and relevance.
  • When analyzing natural disasters and human-engineered catastrophes and planning for prevention, preparation, response to, and recovery from these events.

If your office is considering legislation, regulations, or other work products that you believe would benefit from science and technology expertise, or if you are seeking data and advice to strengthen your decisions with science, contact CCST — and we will help you navigate the bounty of top scientific minds available to California.

Government Relations Contacts

CCST can assist California Legislative and Executive offices in navigating federal research resources in the State of California.

For assistance, please contact:

Sarah Brady, PhD
CCST Deputy Director
[email protected]
(916) 492-0996

Name Title Federal Lab Email Website
Lisa LockyerGovernment AffairsNASA's Ames Research Center[email protected]www.nasa.gov/ames
Michele JohnsonOffice of CommunicationsNASA's Ames Research Center[email protected]www.nasa.gov/ames
Cindy LeeGovernment AffairsNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory[email protected]www.jpl.nasa.gov
Jim HawleyState and External RelationsLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory[email protected]www.lbl.gov
Dan KrotzStrategic CommunicationsLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory[email protected]www.lbl.gov
Steven R. BohlenSenior Director, Government and External AffairsLawrence Livermore National Laboratory[email protected]www.llnl.gov
Scott F. WilsonState Government LiaisonLawrence Livermore National Laboratory[email protected]www.llnl.gov
Patrick SullivanGovernment RelationsSandia National Laboratories/California[email protected]www.sandia.gov
Michael Ellis LangleyCorporate Communications SpecialistSandia National Laboratories/California[email protected]www.sandia.gov
Erika Bustamante, PhDState Government RelationsSLAC National Accelerator Laboratory[email protected]www.slac.stanford.edu
Melinda LeeCommunicationsSLAC National Accelerator Laboratory[email protected]www.slac.stanford.edu

Related CCST Publications

May 23, 2023

CCST Annual Report 2022
Front cover of the 2022 Annual Report featuring an aerial view of the California State Capitol.
Read More

Apr 13, 2023

California’s Federal Labs & Research Centers: 2023 Impact Report
The cover of the 2023 federal labs impact report featuring photos from each lab and their logos
Read More

Mar 31, 2022

CCST Annual Report 2021
Report cover with a view of an open road with mountains and the sun setting or rising over them with shades of sky
Read More

Nov 12, 2021

An Assessment of Oil and Gas Water Cycle Reporting in California
Read More

Apr 28, 2021

California’s Federal Labs & Research Centers: A 2021 Impact Report for State Leaders
Read More

Apr 28, 2021

California’s Federal Labs & Research Centers: 2021 Impact Report
Read More

Apr 21, 2021

CCST Partner Institutions in Action Against COVID-19
Cover with title and image of gloved hands stretching out a California state flag mask.
Read More

Feb 20, 2019

Federal Labs & Research Centers Benefiting California: 2018 Impact Report for State Leaders
Impact-Report-Cover-2018
Read More

Feb 15, 2018

Federal Labs & Research Centers Benefiting California: 2017 Impact Report for State Leaders
Federal Labs & Research Centers Benefiting California: 2017 Impact Report for State Leaders
Read More
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