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1. EBI Welcomes Brazilian Government Delegation to Berkeley 2. California and Brazil Partner on Climate Action 3. Seminar Series Part 4: Biomass to Breakthrough 4. Happy Thanksgiving from the EBI! 5. Blog 6. EBI Recharge Facility 7. EBI Business Incubator 8. Job Opportunities 9. COP30 Takeaways: What’s Next for Corporate Climate Action RNG Conference 10. UIUC: Twelve Illinois scientists rank among the world’s most influential 11. UIUC: Study shows new hope for commercially attractive lithium extraction from spent batteries 12. LBNL: 2025 Laureates
13. CBS8: UC San Diego scientists discover climate solutions in seaweed collection 14. Reuters: Clamour for change inside the world’s COP30 climate negotiations 15. PR Newswire: Algae Products Market worth $8.07 billion by 2030- Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™ 16. UC News: Prescribed burning helps store forest carbon in big, fire-resistant trees |
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| | | EBI Welcomes Brazilian Government Delegation to Berkeley |
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| On October 30, the Energy & Biosciences Institute (EBI) hosted a distinguished delegation of Brazilian government leaders and industry representatives for a day of exchange on innovation, sustainability, and collaborative research. The visit was organized by Amcham-Brazil, the largest American Chamber of Commerce outside the U.S. connecting more than 3,500 companies across multiple sectors.
The delegation visited Berkeley to learn how our innovation ecosystem—spanning cutting-edge research, technology development, and intellectual property practices—supports breakthroughs in climate, energy, and biosciences. The guests were especially impressed by Berkeley’s strong culture of entrepreneurship and its track record of turning research into real-world impact.
Delegation highlights included: Federal Senators: Jorge Seif and Esperidião Amin Federal Deputies: Capitão Alberto Neto, Mersinho Lucena, and Zacarias Calil Amcham-Brazil: Bárbara Beatriz Maia, Alice Braga Instituto Livre Mercado: Rodrigo Marinho, Anna Laura Alvarenga Novo Nordisk: Dhiogo Pascarelli, Ana Amélia Montenegro University of São Paulo: Prof. Dr. Humberto G. Ferraz
We were delighted to share Berkeley’s vision for developing impactful partnerships and look forward to exploring new opportunities to work together on climate solutions, green energy innovation, and scientific progress. |
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| | California and Brazil Partner on Climate Action |
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| California and Brazil have formed a fast-growing climate partnership focused on cutting pollution, protecting forests, and accelerating clean energy. In 2025, California signed major agreements with both 21 Brazilian states and the federal government, creating one of the world’s largest subnational climate collaborations. The partnership spans clean transportation, carbon markets, forest conservation, air-quality monitoring, and climate resilience. It also emphasizes innovation—using digital tools, data, and new public-sector technologies to improve environmental management.
At COP30 in Brazil, Governor Gavin Newsom expanded these efforts with new initiatives on wildfire prevention, forest monitoring, sustainable procurement, and Indigenous-led conservation. With limited U.S. federal engagement, California is positioning itself as a reliable international climate partner. Why it matters: This cross-continental collaboration is advancing ambitious climate goals, supporting green jobs, and promoting both economic and ecological resilience—demonstrating how regional governments can lead global climate action. |
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| | Seminar Series Part 3: Biomass to Breakthrough |
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| The Energy & Biosciences Institute is excited to announce the latest installment of the Biomass to Breakthrough seminar series. Chris Rao, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Deputy Director of the Energy & Biosciences Institute, joins us to discuss his work on microbial engineering for the production of biofuels and other products.
We hope you enjoy this series and all that it will cover. Please share with students and anyone else that could be interested! Stay tuned for new installments and insights from innovators turning biomass into the breakthroughs of tomorrow. |
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| | | Happy Thanksgiving from the EBI! |
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| Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food, great company, and plenty of reasons to be thankful. We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with amazing partners like you and look forward to continued success together!
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| | | | EBI Executive Committee member David Zilberman will soon release a new blog titled “Developing Blue Environmental Leadership in Mo’orea.” In it, David will examine initiatives to foster community-driven ocean stewardship and responsible environmental leadership on the island, highlighting how Mo’orea’s abundant marine ecosystems—particularly macroalgae and coral reefs—can support innovation, strengthen local livelihoods, and promote sustainable economic growth.
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| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking an Energy-Water Scientist in Berkeley, CA, to model and analyze water, energy, and urban systems under climate change. The role combines Earth and social sciences, engaging stakeholders to translate real-world needs into scientific research. Candidates should have a PhD or equivalent experience in environmental sciences, hydrology, or related fields, with expertise in modeling and decision-making under uncertainty. |
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| | | Position available for Lecturer Department of Bioengineering – College of Engineering at UC Berkeley |
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| The UC Berkeley Department of Bioengineering invites applications for a pool of temporary instructors (Lecturers) to teach courses as openings arise. Screening is ongoing, and the number of positions varies by semester. Instructors typically teach one three-hour lecture per week (33% time), with duties including managing Graduate Student Instructors, holding office hours, running labs, grading, advising, preparing course materials, and maintaining course websites.
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| | | | COP30 Takeaways: What’s Next for Corporate Climate Action |
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| Join ESG Today and STX Group for an exclusive post-COP30 discussion on key outcomes, market impacts, and actionable insights for corporate decarbonization strategies. |
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The RNG Conference is the leading annual event for the renewable natural gas industry, bringing together executives and decision-makers from North America and beyond. Held at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Dana Point, the conference focuses on how RNG can support corporate sustainability goals, meet policy requirements, expand market opportunities, and advance clean, domestic energy solutions.
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| | | | UIUC: Twelve Illinois scientists rank among the world’s most influential |
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| Twelve University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scientists have been named to the 2025 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list, recognizing scholars whose publications rank among the top 1% most cited worldwide over the past decade. The honorees span fields including climate science, plant biology, materials science, psychology, computing, engineering, synthetic biology, and neuroscience. Notably, Huimin Zhao, a former EBI principal investigator, and Stephen P. Long, the former EBI Deputy Director, are among those recognized; Long and fellow psychology professor Ed Diener are honored posthumously. This year’s selections highlight Illinois’ broad and influential research impact across disciplines. |
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| | | UIUC: Study shows new hope for commercially attractive lithium extraction from spent batteries |
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A new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study demonstrates a commercially viable method for extracting lithium from spent batteries using an electrochemically driven recovery process. Led by chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Xiao Su, the approach uses an organic solvent and a polymer-coated electrode to selectively capture and release lithium, offering a more efficient, cost-competitive, and sustainable alternative to traditional mining. The proof-of-concept shows strong economic potential and could help build a more circular, secure lithium supply chain as the demand for rechargeable batteries continues to rise. |
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| | | | The 2025 Berkeley Lab Director’s Awards recognize standout achievements across scientific innovation, mentorship, community building, organizational impact, outreach, societal impact, and tech transfer, with Lifetime Achievement honors awarded to collider physicist Kevin Einsweiler. This year’s laureates include researchers advancing superconducting magnet design, smart building interoperability, watershed science, semiconductor detector technology, microbiome research, and nationwide data center energy analysis. Early Scientific Career awardee Kateryna Zhalnina, a current EBI–Shell investigator, is honored for her breakthroughs in plant–microbe metabolic exchange research. The ceremony will be held November 12 at Berkeley Lab. |
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| | | | CBS8: UC San Diego scientists discover climate solutions in seaweed collection
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| UC San Diego researchers are studying a newly digitized herbarium of 5,000+ preserved seaweed specimens to understand how seaweed can help address climate change. Led by Adi Khen and Jennifer Smith, the archive highlights seaweed’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide, support marine ecosystems, and reveal long-term ocean changes—including invasive species. With specimens dating back to the 1800s, the collection offers a valuable historical record and is now publicly accessible to advance seaweed-based climate solutions. |
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| | | Reuters: Clamour for change inside the world’s COP30 climate negotiations
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| At COP30 in Brazil, leaders and experts are debating whether the annual U.N. climate talks need major reform, as years of pledges have not curbed rising emissions. Some want COPs to shift from negotiation to real implementation, while others fear changes could weaken climate action. A U.N. advisory group is considering options like revising consensus rules and streamlining the summit. Brazil is urging countries to focus on fulfilling past commitments and has proposed a council to monitor whether nations follow through. |
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| | | PR Newswire: Algae Products Market worth $8.07 billion by 2030- Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™ |
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| The global algae products market is projected to grow from $5.87B in 2025 to $8.07B by 2030, driven by rising consumer demand for natural, nutritious, and plant-based ingredients like omega-3s and algal proteins. Red algae—rich in protein and ecologically important—are expected to see strong growth, while algae-based animal feed is also gaining traction for its nutritional and cost benefits. Asia Pacific will lead market expansion due to its diverse algae species, long coastlines, and growing demand across food, pharma, and personal care sectors. High production costs, however, remain a barrier for smaller companies. |
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