A CONVERSATION WITH ARICA CHHAY AND Juliane Mueller

The Early Career ERG helps foster a community of inclusion and belonging for those seeking clarity on how to navigate job growth opportunities. This ERG is co-chaired by Juliane Mueller from the Computing Sciences Area and Arica Chhay from the Information Technology division, and led by the Early Career Council which is composed of appointed representatives across the Lab. Juliane and Arica share how they strive to increase accountability to support early career employees and address their needs below.

What is the Early Career ERG’s mission?

Arica Chhay: The Early Career ERG (ECERG) aims to increase awareness of early career issues and to attract, retain, and empower early career employees to achieve their fullest potential at Berkeley Lab.

Juliane Mueller: By partnering with other ERGs, we will increase accountability to address the needs of early career employees and develop a supportive, inclusive environment.

What big challenge(s) are you hoping to solve with the ERG’s work in the next 20 years?

Juliane: The ECERG strives to:

• • • Enable continuous professional and leadership development for all early career (EC) staff through self-sustained series of talks/seminars supported by Lab leadership with intersectional appeal to other ERGs and employee activities associations (EAAs).

    • Develop and sustain a Lab-wide long-term mentoring program inclusive of early career staff.

    • Network with external ERGs to amplify common early career issues across national labs, UC campuses, and other institutions.

    • Provide a community for EC staff to exchange ideas, discuss opportunities, and bring up roadblocks to enable retention of EC staff by addressing pressing issues immediately and effectively.

What steps are you taking today to accomplish this vision?

Arica: The ECERG is led by a council composed of ALD-appointed representatives from each research area with two for operations areas. Check our website for contact information of your Early Career Council representative. That being said, anyone can join the ERG as a member. Our activities include the following:

• Engage with members to assess their interests and priorities for seminar topics and activities to identify topics of common interest

• Amplify and communicate early career issues effectively

• Collaborate with other ERGs and groups to host or participate in events inclusive of early career staff

• Provide a safe space for members to engage with each other and expand their professional networks

Who do you partner with at the Lab to bring this vision to life?

Juliane: The ECERG is supported by executive sponsors Natalie Roe and Michelle Lee. We are looking to partner with other groups at the Lab and beyond in order to increase awareness of early career issues, broaden our audience for communications, and support the institutional, long-term development, and retention of early career staff at Berkeley Lab. ECERG Council members are liaisons with their respective areas who help assess early career concerns and determine how to focus efforts.

Arica: For example, together with the Operations Career Development & Networking EAA, the ECERG co-hosted an Inaugural Workshop on April 23, 2021 in support of operations staff.

The ECERG co-chairs were also invited to join the virtual Lambda Alliance’s Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minority (SGM) Poster Session on June 3, 2021 as an educational experience for participants as well as a celebration of Pride. Connecting with other ERGs or EAAs on intersectional events or topics of concern are a high priority for FY22.

We are working to schedule information sessions with HR and the FAIR office regarding issues which impact early career staff, including family/bonding leave, harassment, short-term accommodations, and more.