The Power of In-Person Engagement
By connecting fellows with mentors, lab teams, and peers, the UC–National Lab In-Residence Graduate Fellowship program puts relationships at the center of knowledge creation. Conducting on-site research for at least six months a year at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories, fellows are encouraged to build strong working relationships with academic advisors and national lab mentors, and to learn from the distinct cultures and expectations of both institutions. This immersive model accelerates scientific discovery and strengthens strategic ties between UC campuses and the national labs.
What has the fellowship meant to you?
"[It] has provided me invaluable exposure to collaborate with exceptional scientists and enhanced my growth by getting to work with multidisciplinary teams to pursue big ideas."
Pranjali Khajanji, UC San Diego / LLNL
"[It] has provided me with an incredible opportunity to network, collaborate, and learn from experts in my field at the National Labs."
Grant Gogul, UC Davis / LLNL
"This fellowship has given me the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of some of the most brilliant scientists in history"
Izabela Batista, UC San Diego / LANL
The national labs themselves were founded on a strong tradition of sustained relationship-building: as multidisciplinary spaces designed to bring together scientists to tackle complex challenges. Carrying this legacy forward, the program hosted its inaugural Graduate Fellowship Convening on August 18–19, 2025, at the UC Livermore Collaboration Center. Over two days, fellows, lab mentors, and UC advisors came together to share research, engage in dialogue, and explore professional pathways.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS FOR LONG-TERM RESEARCH SUCCESS
As part of a comprehensive schedule that included sessions on mentorship, professional pathways, and laboratory resources, fellows also gave presentations in three core focus areas: Biological & Environmental Sciences, Materials Science & Engineering, and Clean Energy. These presentations set the stage for deeper conversations during breakout discussions, revealing unexpected connections across disciplines.
"The speed networking event initiated many scientific and personal questions that made me get to know more people and how some of the collaborations began."
In one striking moment, a soil scientist saw new possibilities in a biomedical fellow’s methods, an insight inspired by face-to-face dialogue. Moments like this underscore the unmatched power of in-person gatherings to encourage cross-disciplinary thinking and to sustain a culture where research is shaped by collaboration and mentorship.
"Being able to meet [national lab postdocs] who started under this fellowship gave a very good perspective on paths for the future."
This spirit of connection was reflected in post-event feedback: 70% of participants said they plan to follow up with someone they met, signaling the potential for lasting collaboration and shared growth well beyond the fellowship.
