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On May 7, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Director Kim Budil, fourth from left, joined a public-private panel on AI for science, where she highlighted LLNL capabilities and AI focus areas, including the National Ignition Facility, El Capitan, high-fidelity modeling and simulation and advanced materials and manufacturing.
// S&T Highlights

LLNL showcases AI-enabled science, national security and energy innovation at A…

LLNL leaders, scientists and engineers joined national voices at the Special Competitive Studies Project’s (SCSP) AI+ Expo May 7-9, 2026 in Washington, D.C., highlighting how AI is reshaping science, security and energy innovation.
LLNL scientists Nicholas Watkins and Sankar Raju Narayanasamy run a high-throughput screening system to test hundreds of enzymes for their ability to break down cellulose
// S&T Highlights

Screening enzymes to break down plant waste and produce valuable biofuels

A team at LLNL has designed two high-throughput screening systems to test hundreds of enzymes for their ability to break down cellulose in various forms of agricultural byproducts and plant waste. The result could be used to identify the most efficient enzymes for different materials, transforming biomass into biofuel.
LLNL’s Innovation and Partnerships Office and the rare-earth element biomining research team won an FLC Excellence in Tech Transfer Award for 2026. Shown in their lab are (left to right): Yongqin Jiao, Patrick Diep, Ziye Dong, Jeremy Seidel, Gauthier Deblonde, Dan Park and Christina Kang-Yun. (IPO awardees Yash Vaishnav and Samantha Madru not shown.)
// S&T Highlights

LLNL researchers, partnerships office earn technology transfer awards

The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) has recognized the commercialization efforts of LLNL’s researchers and Innovation and Partnerships Office (IPO) for the mission innovation impact of two Lab-developed technologies through a 2026 award and an honorable mention.
One of the Pandora Observatory’s test images, captured by the near-infrared detector assembly (NIRDA) on January 19, 2026, demonstrates progress toward beginning its groundbreaking mission to study exoplanet atmospheres. The NIRDA disperses the light from the telescope in vertical lines — shown by the yellow streaking in the image — which are then correlated as specific intensities and wavelengths of light.
// S&T Highlights

Pandora mission images help prepare for exoplanet atmosphere observations

The CODA telescope, developed by a team of scientists and engineers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in partnership with Corning Incorporated, captured an abstract portrait of the cosmos as it opened its eyes to deep space for the very first time.
The AVLIS program began at LLNL in 1973 and was suspended in 1999. Now, the technology is being revived to create a domestic process for enriching lithium and fuel an energy-resilient nation.
// S&T Highlights

Revitalized laser technology captures commercialization grant

LLNL researchers are partnering with Hexium, Inc. to address this national need for lithium isotopes.
Ground motion simulation of a magnitude 7 earthquake on the Hayward fault using the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory-Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Earthquake Simulation platform.
// S&T Highlights

Simulations predict ground motion for earthquakes on Bay Area’s Hayward fault

In a recent study, published in Seismological Research Letters, scientists at LLNL and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) simulated earthquake scenarios on the Hayward fault and analyzed how the rupture and underground structure affect ground-motion intensity along the fault.
LLNL researchers invented a high-throughput platform that screens proteins for their rare earth element binding preferences at unprecedented scale.
// S&T Highlights

New protein-screening platform accelerates rare-earth separation for U.S. suppl…

In a recent study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, a team at LLNL invented a high-throughput platform that screens proteins for their rare-earth element binding preferences at unprecedented scale.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory leaders and researchers accept the 2026 Manufacturer of the Year award in the large manufacturer category from the Association of Manufacturers Bay Area (AMBayArea) on April 21, recognizing the Lab’s leadership in advanced manufacturing, engineering and national security innovation. Pictured (l-r) are LLNL Materials Engineering Division Leader Chris Spadaccini, robotics engineer Mason Sage, Government & Industry Relations Senior Advisor Yuvaraj Sivalingam and Director
// Recognition

LLNL named 2026 Manufacturer of the Year by AMBayArea

LLNL has been named the 2026 Manufacturer of the Year in the large manufacturer category by the Association of Manufacturers Bay Area (AMBayArea), recognizing the Lab’s leadership in advanced manufacturing, engineering and national security innovation.
With recently awarded funding, LLNL will develop quantum and machine learning-accelerated software tools and apply them to discovering ultra-strong, lightweight magnets that are crucial for electronic motors, generators and high-performance information technology.
// S&T Highlights

LLNL to harness quantum computing for next-generation magnets

LLNL has been selected to lead a project that will receive $4.1 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) as part of the Quantum Computing for Computational Chemistry (QC3) program.
Adding an optimized void structure (top right) counteracts a shockwave-induced instability, reducing jetting (bottom right) that can interfere with inertial confinement fusion. Without this void, significant jetting occurs (bottom left).
// S&T Highlights

Looking into the void to cancel out material instabilities

Researchers from LLNL, Imperial College London and their collaborators used AI to optimize and 3D printing to create a target that effectively negates the RM instability.