Contact: Chris Harrington (202) 974-6314, [email protected]

UC President Mark G. Yudof

University of California President Mark G. Yudof has named an 11-member committee of university regents, faculty and researchers to advise him in the search for the next director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).

Earlier this year, laboratory Director Steven Chu stepped down upon his confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Energy. Chu had led the laboratory since August 2004.

Serving on the committee to advise the president on the selection of a director will be:

– Richard C. Blum, chairman, Blum Capital Partners LP; co-chairman, Newbridge Capital LLC and a UC regent;

–  Richard A. Mathies, dean and the G. N. Lewis Professor of Chemistry, College of Chemistry, UC Berkeley;

– Eva Nogales, professor, biochemistry and molecular biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, UC Berkeley, and senior faculty scientist, structural biology, Berkeley Lab;

– Norman J. Pattiz, chairman, Westwood One and a UC regent;

– Henry Powell, vice chair, UC Academic Senate, professor of pathology, School of Medicine,

UC San Diego;

– Michael Prather, Fred Kavli Chair and professor, earth system science, and director, UC Irvine Environment Institute, UC Irvine;

– Burton Richter, director emeritus, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Paul Pigott Professor Emeritus, Stanford University.

– Leslie Tang Schilling, director, Union Square Investments Company and a UC regent; and,

– Bruce D. Varner, partner, Varner & Brandt LLP and a UC regent.

Ex-officio members of the search committee will be:

– Mark G. Yudof, convener, president, University of California;

– Russell Gould, senior vice president, Wachovia Bank and chairman, UC Board of Regents; and,

– Steven Beckwith, vice president for research and graduate studies, UC Office of the President.

The search committee will be advised by a screening taskforce appointed by the president.  Membership of the screening taskforce will be posted on a Berkeley Lab Web site that will also provide the latest news and information regarding the search.  The Web site can be found at http://www.lbl.gov/director-search/.

The committee’s first meeting will be on August 19 at Berkeley Lab, where committee members will meet with groups of researchers, faculty, and staff to gather ideas and comments regarding the search and to learn the distinct needs of Berkeley Lab.

It is hoped that a candidate will be presented for approval to the UC Board of Regents before December 2009.

Additional Information

For more news and information about the University of California, please visit: www.universityofcalifornia.edu

For more information about Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, please visit: www.lbl.gov