M.E.G. 

Welcome to the Metalloprotein Emulation Group at Berkeley Lab. We aim to do things a bit differently around here, with our scientific investigations guided by a few core principles:

• Chemical Emulation of Biological Systems

Translation: We prefer to spend our time not reinventing the wheel. In several scientific domains, nature has already proven itself a rather proficient and sometimes excellent wheeler. So we take nature's instruction where and when we can, seeking to incorporate the physics and chemistry of biological systems into artificial ones for energy production and storage. The development of artificial photosynthesis devices and rational design of chemical fuel replicators are just some examples of what we do here.

• Interdisciplinary Science: Generalists not Specialists

[Disclaimer: If you are not partial to the revised maxim "Jack of all trades, master of some," we are not the droids you're looking for.]

Evolution has proven an incredibly capable engineer. But is it a bioengineer? A chemical engineer? An electrical engineer? Turns out friend, it's all of these things (and more). As a result, we find it both hard and counterproductive to take formal divisions between the sciences too seriously. The only real constraint imposed upon our research program is what is physically possible, not traditional groupings of "what chemists do." This means we embrace the interdisciplinary, striving to become ever-more knowledgeable generalists.

• • The Marginal Utility of a Scientist is Maximized at the Research Frontier

As researchers, we opt for problems or points of attack that have garnered less attention, rather than limiting ourselves to areas where activity is highly concentrated. This carries great opportunities for making substantive gains that may otherwise go unrealized. This is important, because...

• A Key Function of Scientific Research is to Facilitate Human Progress

Meaningful scientific gains gradually accrue into technological ones. And historically, technological gains have been key drivers of aggregate economic growth and improved standards of living. Enhanced control over matter, information and especially energy, have been central to that progress. This motivates our focus on clean energy research, understanding that...

• Energy is Everything

Einstein taught us this statement can be taken quite literally. Meanwhile, the correlation between living standards and energy consumption indicate this statement carries practical implications too, centering energy researchers within the story of human material progress.