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Episodes from Big Ideas Lab
Genesis Mission
The Genesis Mission is a national effort to accelerate discovery by uniting AI, supercomputing, experiments, and the infrastructure of the national laboratories. This episode explores the problem Genesis is trying to solve, the growing gap between the pace of scientific discovery and the scale of the challenges facing the nation. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, this vision is turning into a reality through infrastructure, workforce training, and governance. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Dario Gil - Department of Energy Undersecretary for Science and the Director of the Genesis Mission Rob Neely - Associate Director for W...
Skyfall
Scientists are simulating cyber attacks and system failures on real-world energy infrastructure - without ever putting the actual grid at risk. This is Skyfall at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. From real-world incidents like the Ukraine power grid cyberattack 2015 to cascading failures across interconnected systems, this episode explores how cyber-physical incidents can disrupt critical infrastructure in the United States - and how scientists at Skyfall are working to understand and prepare for them. Researchers are using simulation, AI and new approaches like the immune infrastructure framework to understand those risks - and design systems that can...
JASPER
In a remote corner of the Nevada desert, scientists at JASPER study one of the most consequential materials on Earth: plutonium. This is the story of how a bold experimental concept became a trusted national asset. By utilizing a two-stage gas gun, researchers create extreme conditions for less than a microsecond, generating the precise data that helps to validate and strengthen U.S. science-based stockpile stewardship. The work demands extraordinary precision, complete containment, and an unwavering focus on national security. Guests featured (in order of appearance): David Bober - JASPER Team Lead, LLNL Ricky Chau...
HPC4EI
From corrosion-resistant coatings to next-generation batteries and stronger wind turbines, some of today’s toughest industrial challenges share a surprising common thread: they’re being solved inside a computer. In this episode, we explore the High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation program. This collaboration between U.S. national laboratories and private industry uses advanced supercomputing to tackle real-world problems in manufacturing, energy, and materials science. With nearly 200 projects across 12 Department of Energy labs, the program is helping companies reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions, and strengthen American manufacturing by tackling complex industrial challenges with computational science. Guests feat...
Energetic Materials
Behind every safeguard of national security lies a world few ever see. Inside Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists and engineers are redefining how explosions are developed, modeled, and tested to ensure the United States maintains a safe, secure, and reliable deterrent. From molecule-level physics to exascale computing systems, the Energetic Materials Center is the hub of subject matter expertise in explosive science at LLNL. EMC is partnering in global scientific collaborations aimed at reducing risk, advancing security, and shaping the future of deterrence in a rapidly changing world. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Lara Leininger...
Target Fabrication
At the center of every experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility is a target - a tiny, precisely engineered object built to withstand the intensity of the world’s highest energy laser system. Join us as we explore target fabrication: the craft behind capsules made of diamond, their intricate assemblies, and cross continental journeys that make fusion experiments possible. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Michael Stadermann, Target Fabrication Program Manager, LLNL Jared Hund, LLNL Contract Manager at General Atomics -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series...
24 Hour Operations
The world’s most demanding science never sleeps. From facilities that operate around the clock to the people monitoring safety, power, and infrastructure overnight, this episode goes behind the scenes of the invisible operations at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that keep critical science moving forward - even when nothing appears to be happening. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Cynthia Rivera, Principal Associate Director of Operations & Business, LLNL Robert Scripp, Emergency Management Department Head, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Ha...
Discovery Science at NIF
At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility, scientists recreate the most extreme conditions in the universe. Through the Discovery Science Program, researchers and students from around the world gain rare access to this machine to run experiments that exist for only a fraction of a second, yet reshape what we know about stars, planets, and matter itself. These experiments don’t just explore the cosmos; they create a shared laboratory for discovery and the training ground for the next generation of scientists who will evaluate the safety, security and effectiveness of our nation’s nuclear deterrence.Gues...
Drones
Drones, or autonomous sensing systems, step in where humans can’t. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists are developing machines that can see, decide and act in real time. In this episode, we explore how drones expand the frontier of possibility: scanning hidden pipelines underground, navigating dangerous terrain and coordinating swarms across land, air, and water. These aren’t just flying cameras. They’re intelligence-gathering systems, force multipliers and life-saving tools.Guests featured (in order of appearance):Brian Wihl, Associate Program Lead for Autonomous Sensors Program, LLNLJames Reimer, Mechanical Engineer for Autonomous Sensors Program, LLNL--...
Dark Matter
Dark matter is one of the universe’s greatest mysteries. It’s the invisible force that glues galaxies together and sculpts cosmic structure. In this episode, we trace the journey of discovery from massive objects in the Milky Way to particle-scale experiments designed to reveal what dark matter really is. From gravitational microlensing to cutting-edge detectors at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists are pushing the limits of technology and imagination to uncover the unseen and understand the mass that makes up most of our universe.Guests featured (in order of appearance):Greg Sallaberry, Staff Scientist at LLNL...
Neutrinos
Neutrinos are particles that defy expectations. They slip through matter effortlessly, changing identities and traveling vast cosmic distances. In this episode, we explore the surprising ways they connect the tiniest scales of physics to the grandest structures in the universe. From deep underground detectors to experiments designed to observe the unobservable, scientists at Lawrence Livermore are working to uncover secrets that could reshape our understanding of matter, energy, and the origins of everything around us.Guests featured (in order of appearance):Mike Heffner, Staff Scientist, LLNLNathaniel Bowden, Physicist, LLNL--Big Ideas Lab...
Offsite Assignments
Every decision in national security hinges on knowledge, insight, and expertise - some of that expertise starts in a lab in Livermore. The Offsite Fellows Program places Lawrence Livermore scientists inside government agencies, where their work helps shape policy, strategy and the future of national defense.In this episode, we dive deep into the Offsite Fellows Program (OFP) and how it positions Lab researchers shoulder to shoulder with government leaders who bring critical scientific insight directly into decisions that protect our nation. Hear from Offsite Fellows themselves, as we follow their journeys - where they m...