Within the Chemical Sciences Division, we recognize that diversity is critical to scientific excellence and groundbreaking innovations. We are dedicated to cultivating talent and promoting a culture of full inclusion and we recognize that the fostering of a diverse workforce requires a comprehensive approach to creating a work environment that values all people and empowers employees to reach their full potential.
Committee Members
The Chemical Sciences Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is composed of volunteers from across the Division who are interested in extending and enhancing our diversity activities. The group is engaging in both staff development and outreach programs as well as providing feedback to LBNL’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accountability (IDEA) Council.
Francesca Toma
CSD Committee Chair, CSD Appointee to LBNL WS&E Council, Representative of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (IDEA) Chairs Council
Staff Scientist
Rebecca Abergel
CSD IDEA Committee Co-Chair
Faculty Scientist
Rebecca Abergel is a Faculty Scientist in the Chemical Sciences Division at LBNL and an Assistant Professor in the Nuclear Engineering Department at UC Berkeley. Rebecca’s research program is dedicated to the coordination and biological chemistry of f-elements, with separations, therapeutic, and environmental applications such as chelation and bioremediation of toxic metals or development of antimicrobial strategies targeting metal-acquisition systems. She leads a large collaborative effort on the development of new drug products for the treatment of populations contaminated with radionuclides.
James Gaynor
Postdoc
James Gaynor is an Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellow working in the Attosecond Dynamics Laboratory in the research groups of Stephen Leone and Daniel Neumark; this research is part of the Atomic and Molecular Optics group in the Chemical Sciences Division. He earned his Ph.D. at University of Washington with Prof. Munira Khalil, and is currently developing ultrafast nonlinear techniques with attosecond extreme ultraviolet pulses to study electronic dynamics in chemical systems. James is interested in and committed to building a more diverse and inclusive culture in scientific research at all levels.
Dan Miller
Deborah Reed
Ziad Shafi
Graduate Student
"I am a chemistry PhD candidate working with gas-phase ions using an ESI-MS. My research is based on the trends in relative oxidation state stabilities across the f-block.
My professional interests lie in strategy and management consulting, social interests lie in systemic inequities healthcare and housing, and personal interests lie in backpacking (Colombia and Czech Republic; next: Switzerland or Nepal), or cooking (Indo-Pakistani, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Korean; next: Czech or Thai) "
Daniel Slaugther
Staff Scientist
(510) 486-4847
Dan Slaughter is a Staff Scientist and Principal Investigator in the Atomic, Molecular and Optical Sciences Group in the Chemical Sciences Division. He earned his PhD at Flinders University and gained postdoctoral experience at the Australian National University and at Berkeley Lab. Dan's scientific interests are in the dynamics of molecular systems excited by electrons or photons and investigating them using multidimensional charged particle imaging and nonlinear spectroscopy.
Committee Resources
Kristin Camarena
CSD Senior Business Manager
(510) 495-8702
Kristin Camarena is the Senior Business Manager for the Chemical Sciences Division. She has an MBA from UC Davis as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology. She has spent her career at the intersection of science and business, striving to bridge the gap between the different parts of an organization that are needed for a successful outcome. Kristin plans to combine analytical methods with her background in organizational behavior to cultivate a just and diverse work community by influencing policies and practices in Chemical Sciences as well as the greater LBL organization.
Committee Alumni
Christin Buechner
Postdoc
Christin Buechner is a Feodor-Lynen Postdoctoral Fellow supervised by Hendrik Bluhm. She studied chemistry at Humboldt University Berlin and worked on her PhD at the Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society.
Her current work focuses on the surface chemistry of thin model films of polyamide membranes. She uses ambient pressure XPS and other techniques to understand chemical interactions at the membrane-water interface that can shed light on water transport, contaminant rejection and fouling in desalination systems.
Ashley Fidler
Graduate Student
Ashley Fidler is aPh.D.candidate supervised by Prof. Stephen Leone and Prof. Daniel Neumark. She is working on a project to develop nonlinear techniques with attosecond pulses to study ultrafast electronic dynamics in chemical systems. Ashley is very interested in supporting inclusive environments at scientific institutions and hopes to bring the perspective of graduate students to the committee.
Wayne Lukens Jr
Staff Scientist
Wayne Lukens is a inorganic chemist/radiochemist. His main interests are understanding the incorporation of technetium into the transition metal oxides and studying the electronic structures of lanthanide and actinide elements.
Julian Rees
Postdoc
Julian Rees is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Heavy Element Chemistry, supervised by Prof. Rebecca Abergel. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Washington and was a DAAD graduate scholar with Prof. Dr. Serena DeBeer at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion. His current research is focused on the biology and chemistry of the f-block metals, and medical applications in decontamination, imaging, and targeted alpha therapy.
Lena Trotochaud
Postdoc
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenatrotochaud/