Jefferson Lab photo by Aileen Devlin
Penn State Berks professor joins the Visiting Faculty Program at Jefferson Lab
NEWPORT NEWS, VA Leonard Gamberg’s passion for research in nuclear physics might seem out of place at the tiny Penn State Berks. With no physics degree offered and a total student body of less than 2,500, the university is an unlikely place for a dedicated nuclear physics researcher to find in-depth collaboration and support in his field. But now, thanks to the Department of Energy’s Visiting Faculty Program (VFP), Gamberg has access to research collaboration typically found at much larger, research-centric universities
Recently, DOE’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility expanded its programs sponsored by the DOE’s Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) to include the VFP. The program aims to offer professors and students at smaller institutions of higher education the opportunity to collaborate directly and build support with researchers at the DOE national laboratories.
Last summer, Gamberg became Jefferson Lab’s first participant in the VFP. The opportunity included a 10-week research experience that enabled him to bring his wealth of knowledge and passion for research into the quark structure of protons and pions to bear in his work side-by-side with national lab physicists. The result of the collaboration not only paves the way for future collaborations and participation but also highlights the numerous benefits of the program.
What is the Visiting Faculty Program?
The VFP supports full-time faculty members from community colleges and universities historically underrepresented in STEM research. Institutions classified by the DOE as having higher research activity are not eligible. The program provides an opportunity for professors like Gamberg to enhance their research competitiveness while collaborating with scientists and engineers at one of the 15 participating DOE national laboratories.
Participants work on mutual interest projects to advance scientific impact and discovery. Faculty can choose from two tracks: the Research Collaboration track, which focuses on increasing research capacity, and the Teaching Initiative track, which helps previous participants integrate DOE-related research into their STEM curriculum. Gamberg's participation in the Research Collaboration allowed him to focus intensely on his research while collaborating with theorists, experimentalists and computer scientists from the Jefferson Lab community.
"The Visiting Faculty Program offers university faculty, undergraduate and postdoctoral students a chance to collaborate on a research project proposal co-developed with the research staff at the host DOE lab," said Lisa Surles-Law, Jefferson Lab science education manager.
A Passion for Physics and Research
Gamberg has been involved in DOE research since 2006 and was a 2019 VFP participant at Argonne National Laboratory. His research specializes in studying quark interactions inside protons and pions. He is particularly focused on understanding how quarks and gluons interact through the strong nuclear force, a fundamental process that behaves differently at various distances and energy levels.
During his 10-week appointment, Gamberg worked alongside Theory Center researchers in collaboration with Jianwei Qiu, the associate director for Theoretical and Computational Physics
at Jefferson Lab, and with scientists and students within the Jefferson Lab Angular Momentum (JAM) collaboration. Gamberg enjoyed the diverse environment of students and postdocs that are on-site at the lab during the summer months.
"I've always found the environment at Jefferson Lab to be very receptive," Gamberg shared. "You can just chat with research colleagues and discuss ideas you have that suddenly turn into projects. The Visiting Faculty Program allows faculty like me, from smaller institutions, to come and do research at the highest level."
The Jefferson Lab VFP Experience
Reflecting on his experience, Gamberg expressed a desire to return next year with one of his undergraduate students.
"I didn't bring a student this year, but I'm working with a few students back home, including a particular outstanding undergraduate," said Gamberg. "He just finished his sophomore year, and I've seen remarkable progress from him. Next summer, my plan would be to bring him along."
"Programs like VFP are essential for developing diverse, highly skilled STEM talent to support our future workforce," said Surles-Law. "We're excited to offer this program at Jefferson Lab and look forward to seeing more participants take advantage of this opportunity."
Contact Michelle Alvarez, Jefferson Lab Communications Office, malvarez@jlab.org