Berkeley Lab Postdoc Association

•  Date: Saturday, October 5
•  Time: 8.15 AM
•  Location:  University Hall West Lot, 2123 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704
• Sign up here

Dear postdocs,
BLPA is excited to invite you to a hike at the Wilder Ranch State Park near Santa Cruz on Saturday, October 4, 2024. We will hike a shorter version of the trail “Pacific to Redwood loop” to hike for around 3 hours (around 6 miles). Generally considered a challenging route, this is a popular trail for hiking, mountain biking, and running and offers stunning views of the ocean and the cliffs towering above the Pacific. We also plan to stop by a beach.
 
Details about the hike:
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024
Meeting Time: 8:15 AM
Departure Time: 8:30 AM
Meeting Point: University Hall West Lot, 2123 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704
For details and registration, see here. Please sign up by the end of Oct 1.

•  Date: Saturday, October 12
•  Time: 5:45 AM
•  Location:  University Hall West Lot, 2123 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704
• Sign up here.

Dear Hikers,
BLPA is excited to invite you to another extreme full-day hike on Saturday, October 12, 2024. During this hike we climb Maggie’s Peak that has an elevation of 8659 feet (2.6 km) above sea level. Although this trail is only around 7 miles (11 km) long, it includes very steep climbs in hard rocky terrain, and thus, this hike is intended for individuals with a high fitness level and experience of hiking in mountains. Therefore, please with respect to others consider your physical condition. It’s not fun for the person who struggles to keep the pace nor for others who have to wait.If you are not sure if your hiking experience or fitness level is appropriate, please contact the organizers (jdvorak2@lbl.gov).

Since the trailhead is more than three hours of driving from Berkeley, we will leave very early in the morning, see details below. The parking at the trailhead is a concern because this trail is very popular. In the case, we cannot get parking for the trailhead to Maggie’s peak, the backup option is Mount Tallac trail. As a reward, both trails offer stunning views of Desolation Wilderness and Lake Tahoe.
 Details about the hike:
Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024
Meeting Time: 5:45 AM
Departure Time: 6:00 AM
Meeting Point: University Hall West Lot, 2123 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704

 What to bring:

1. Bring food for a picnic-style lunch, snacks, and plenty of water (recommended >= 2 liters).
2. Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. Be prepare for sun, wind, and rain (layers, sun protection). The terrain is rocky and good hiking boots are recommended.

Each hiker is expected to contribute to their driver $35 to cover the fuel costs and possibly parking fee. Driving from Berkeley to the trail head will take above three hours. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and the number of spots is limited to 12 people. Feel free to bring a friend or a family member along to join in the fun. However, please note that this event is primarily aimed at postdocs and their immediate companions. 

We kindly ask that you consider your commitment carefully when signing up, as last-minute cancellations can prevent others on the waiting list from participating. We provide more information once our hike sign-ups are full.
Sign up here.

Postdocs make significant contributions to science, so let us celebrate with National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) on September 16 – 20. The lab is hosting many great events that week to show their appreciation:

Monday: Breakfast and banner raising ceremony to kick-off NPAW.
Tuesday: Pizza lunch. Who doesn’t love free pizza?
Wednesday: High Tea with Careers Pathways Office (CPO) and BLPA (B91 Patio, 10AM).
Thursday: Berkeley Lab Research SLAM, LBL’s premier presentation competition. Support your lab mates who are competing!

Watch your emails for details. Come along to an event to grab some special free swag.
Need more appreciation? Check out the calendar of external NPAW events posted by the National Postdoc Association here.

We have launched a new Slack “fun space” for all LBNL and affiliated postdocs.
We have dedicated spaces to chat about housing, healthcare, taxes, COVID-19 & vaccination, hobbies & events, food, movies & tv, childcare, sell or buy stuff and even to post photos of your pets! Sign up here and join the conversation.