Lawrence Berkeley National Lab had its first National Postdoc Appreciation Week, and it has been widely embraced both by postdocs and senior scientists !
Over the week of Sept 19-23, many events across the lab and across divisions brought scientists together over coffee, science slams or dinner at sunset.
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Among the highlights were the ALS/Molecular Foundry slam (pictures here), where the postdocs from the Advanced Light Source and Molecular Foundry united forces to present their science in a condensed form. Ruimin Qiao from ALS won the contest.
The Joint Genome Institute (JGI) kickstarted the event on Monday Sept 20th, with a pizza lunch. Computer Research Division (CRD) and the Biosciences division also organized their gathering, while Earth and Environmental Science Division (EESA) organized a Twitter challenge and PIs engaged the young scientists over coffee.
![eesa](https://postdoc.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/09/eesa-450x338.jpg)
The lab-wide event on Thursday drew over 150 postdocs, and many eminent scientists (among them Wim Leemans and James Symons) shared drinks and a gorgeous fall sunset on the patio of the cafetria (pictures are here).
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Lab deputy director and BLPA executive sponsor Horst Simon gave an address to the postdocs, underlining the importance and the great promises of research as a young scientist, unencumbered with non-scientific aspect of running a team and a lab.
![npaw2016_013](https://postdoc.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/09/NPAW2016_013-450x299.jpg)
Postdocs at the lab were also thrilled to have their counterparts from MSRI, located just above the lab on the hill; spouses, partners and children were also welcome to the party (though their drink options were more limited.)
![npaw2016_116](https://postdoc.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/09/NPAW2016_116-450x299.jpg)
Thanks to the lab management for support, and all the members of the Berkeley Lab Postdoc Association for organizing these events !
![npaw2016_075](https://postdoc.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/09/NPAW2016_075-450x299.jpg)
The National Postdoc Appreciation is not over yet, with the Energy Technologies Area (ETA) having it event on October 20th.