Nurturing the next generation of particle accelerator researchers is a vital part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s (Berkeley Lab) mission and vision. Through classroom lectures, guided facility tours, and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fairs, Berkeley Lab researchers, technicians, and operations staff inspire and educate future scientists and engineers. This effort supports STEM careers and helps build the talent pipeline for the Lab.

As part of these efforts, Arianna Formenti, a research scientist in the Advanced Modeling Program at Berkeley Lab’s Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics Division, recently taught a class called “Introduction to Neural Networks” to this year’s cohort of high school students as part of the Lab’s STEM Education & Outreach Director’s Apprenticeship Program: Interdisciplinary Pathways to Machine Learning and Data Science. The Interdisciplinary Pathways to Machine Learning and Data Science is a Department of Energy Pathway Summer School funded through the Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists program.

“The purpose of the class was to familiarize students with the main terminology and concepts underpinning neural networks used in artificial intelligence and machine learning,” explains Formenti.

“Through visualizations and coding, I aimed to help students understand how neural networks, inspired by the brain, can produce complex outputs from simple components. Using coding tools they learned in previous BLDAP classes, I created a hands-on activity where students could experience this firsthand.”

One of the outcomes of the class, Formenti notes, was a collection of images displayed on an art wall in the K-12 classroom in Building 50 at the Lab.

“I had a great time teaching the class, and it also tested me to explain complex and challenging concepts in simple ways, with visualizations and experience-based activities,” she says, adding that these outreach and education efforts “allow me to contribute to informing and educating the future STEM workforce.”

Formenti wishes to thank the K-12 STEM Education & Outreach program staff who assisted her in preparing and delivering the class: K-12 STEM Education Program Director Faith Dukes, Content and Instruction Manager Alisa Bettale, and K-12 Student Education Assistant Sage Miller.

For more information on ATAP News articles, contact caw@lbl.gov.