Demonstrating passion for our missions and meaningful impact

People, ideas, capabilities and enabling services and infrastructure are all essential to having the kind of impact we seek. All of us, working together as a team, making contributions large and small, should feel great pride of ownership of the accomplishments of the Lab.

Many organizations have great people, foster innovative ideas and pursue world-class research and development. But few have had the impact on U.S. national security and strategic deterrence that we have. Seeking only the hardest problems, putting aside personal accolades in favor of the team, and single-mindedly pursuing transformational solutions is part of our DNA. We often say, if the problems were easy, you wouldn’t need LLNL.

Priorities in the nation and the government change, budgets go up and down, and science and technology are always in motion, but our passion for what we do endures. We have demonstrated time and again a willingness and capacity to pour ourselves, body and soul, into the work, often under extremely difficult circumstances. Fixed and unchanging, our values and our commitments are how we approach everything we do. I hope they provide as much inspiration and motivation to you as I feel each morning. Feel free to share what keeps you motivated and passionate below.

Kim Budil
Director
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Being a trustworthy team member, partner, collaborator and colleague

The Laboratory has always prided itself on hiring the best and brightest, yet it takes more than scientific, technical or operations know-how to accomplish our missions. Trustworthiness, dependability, honesty, integrity, communication, listening, inclusiveness, follow-through and ultimately respect are the additional strengths that make for a successful team, and a successful Laboratory.

The commitment to service, integrity and teamwork is our heritage and remains foundational to the trust from our sponsors as well as the American public.

We preserve that trust by watching each other’s backs, treating our colleagues with respect and fostering camaraderie and loyalty. These relationships motivate us all to work hard, cooperate and be supportive toward one another. It is not something we can do now and then — it is a continuous process, requiring sustained attention from each and every one of us. 

Jeff Wisoff
Associate Director
National Ignition Facility and Photon Science

Innovation is important to our existence

Innovation is never a singular event, but a process of endless discovery and transformation. Connections with others, most importantly those with different skills, experiences and viewpoints different form our own, are an indispensable ingredient to have a “chance” at real breakthrough innovation. 

There is a greater responsibility that comes with most technological innovations. As a national laboratory we have an obligation to think about the national security consequences or unforeseen vulnerabilities that come with these breakthroughs, and then find a way to mitigate these adverse impacts. We all are aware of significant technological breakthroughs in the private sector that have surely enhanced the quality of our lives, but also have resulted in significant security implications that have been very challenging to address. 

Finally, innovation cannot be the province of a few – it must come from all of us. Our continued success requires a broad and deep commitment to innovation, agility and new ideas. This pledge is supported by every other commitment and every value we have. As a Laboratory we must take active measures to ensure we conceive new ideas, take risks and engender a sense of pride in the pursuit of innovation. 

Anantha Krishnan
Associate Director
Engineering

Integrity in all we do

Acting with integrity, both personally and institutionally, is fundamental to the work of our Laboratory. From our discoveries and innovation in support of national missions, to our commitment for the responsible use of resources provided by the taxpayers, nothing seems more crucial to our work.

The values and accompanying commitments that underpin our Laboratory are enabled by our ability to act consistently with integrity and to adhere to a community-based code of ethics. These behaviors inform our sponsors, our collaborators and the general public about our commitment to quality, and ensure that our work is done with transparency, honesty, accountability and dependability.

Our institutional integrity is derived from the behavior of all of us, as well as those who have gone before us and laid the foundation of trust and reputation that we build on today. Neglect of ethical behavior undermines scientific work and diminishes people, culture, communities and institutions.

The success of our Laboratory is built upon foundational principles of ethical conduct, including honesty, transparency and mutual respect, all of which starts with integrity.

Pat Falcone
Deputy Director
Science and Technology

Creating a more flexible and supportive work environment

While we should take pride in everything LLNL and its employees have accomplished over the years, we can’t let our institution’s history act as an anchor that holds back our ability to change. As missions evolve, as generations change and the workforce naturally refreshes, it becomes increasingly apparent that what was a best practice years ago may not hold true for today’s workforce. 

The Lab has been exploring how to cultivate a more constructive work environment where all employees are encouraged to offer their thoughts and opinions, try new ideas and engage in a positive healthy debate about those ideas. And even if we disagree, or an idea isn’t chosen to move forward, everyone involved should know that decisions have been made in a transparent and respectful way. This effort will take time and a commitment to culture change on the part of employees and managers.

As the working world evolves, we need to make sure the Lab can change along with it. We also must ensure the members of our community know they are valued for the contributions they make. Flexibility and support are vital components of the employee experience and a crucial part of our formula for success, for now and wherever our future missions lead us. 

Glenn Fox
Associate Director
Physical and Life Sciences

We can disagree without being disagreeable

Constructive debate is a critical component to advancing the innovative work that is a signature characteristic of our Laboratory. Rigorous debate sharpens our analysis skills and helps us think, listen and express our thoughts clearly. Most important, it helps us better understand the problems we are working on and leads to new, more accurate conclusions. 

Unfortunately, we sometimes see examples where debate turns personal. We can avoid this if we focus our debate on the idea, not the person. Also, efforts to win at all costs discourage new voices and alternate views, and can result in the loudest ideas instead of the most enlightened ones prevailing. Our drive for the Laboratory’s technical excellence is not predicated on conformity, but on diversity. Effective communication relies on listening to opposing viewpoints, carefully considering them with an open mind, and then deciding how to proceed as a team. 

Once a decision is made, it is imperative that we all pull together in support. While minds may or may not be changed through the debate, when we afford our colleagues respect by listening to their thoughts and ideas, we build the foundation for a stronger laboratory. 

Huban Gowadia
Principle Associate Director
Global Security

Time to double down on our commitment to an inclusive culture

At its core, inclusiveness is about mutual respect and empathy, and a genuine interest in others. It empowers each of us to connect, belong, contribute and grow. Not only is it the right thing to do, an inclusive culture is critical to the success of the Lab. Each of us has traveled our own path to get here, and we each bring unique skills and insights to the challenges we face together. The nation relies on us to solve its most challenging “Livermore-hard” problems, and we need to get the very best out of every employee to be able to meet this calling. A lack of inclusiveness limits the voices and perspectives at the table and keeps us from finding the best solutions or identifying flaws in our ideas. 

In addition, as the nation’s demographics become more diverse it becomes even more important that we can attract and retain employees from many different backgrounds. Inclusiveness is essential to our ability to sustain a diverse workforce. For all these reasons, I believe that enhancing the inclusiveness in our culture is an existential issue for the Lab. 

Inclusiveness requires sustained commitment from every employee in the way we interact with and treat each other. We need to listen deeply, disagree respectfully and debate constructively. We need to always recognize the humanity in our colleagues, be willing to speak up when we see something amiss, and be willing to be vulnerable. This is what fosters a feeling of belonging, and proves to everyone that they are valued, accepted and empowered to fully participate.

Bruce Hendrickson
Associate Director
Computing

Fostering a safe and secure environment that
enables our work

As a premier national security Lab, we are entrusted with critically important missions and cutting-edge science. Performing this work sometimes entails significant safety and security risks, for example experiments with hazardous materials and equipment, or highly classified research. In addition, nearly all of our day-to-day activities involve some risk, such as the risk of ergonomic injury, or inadvertent release of sensitive information.

Lab leadership is committed to providing the training, equipment and other resources needed to ensure we can conduct our work in a safe and secure manner. In the end, though, what really makes it work is a personal commitment from every one of us to foster a safe and secure work environment.

We must have the courage to speak up when we see something that does not look right or witness something being done incorrectly, even when we are not directly involved with the tasks being performed. Our commitment to a respectful and inclusive work environment means we care about the safety and security of our colleagues. We can harness our commitment to innovation by bringing creative safety and security solutions to our work. Holding ourselves to the highest standards in the areas of safety and security is an integral part of our overall Lab culture.

Cynthia Rivera
Principal Associate Director
Operations and Business