About
The 2026 Future Labs Summer School brings together students and researchers to explore materials science in the era of automation and AI/ML. Over three days at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Molecular Foundry, participants engage in hands-on robotic synthesis, machine learning tutorials, and tinkering with robotic hardware.
Program scope
Robot-assisted synthesis
Participants fabricate and characterize thin-film and nanocrystal semiconductors using the Molecular Foundry's robotic platforms, providing hands-on experience with state-of-the-art laboratory automation.
AI/ML applications
Students learn current applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in materials science, then apply these techniques directly to data collected during the lab sessions.
Closed-loop experiment design
Participants explore Bayesian optimization, Gaussian processes, and active learning algorithms to design experiments autonomously, the core workflow of a self-driving laboratory.
Hardware control & integration
Participants will learn about hardware development considerations towards autonomous laboratories.
Who should attend
The summer school is open to professionals, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students. No prior coding experience is required; all hands-on activities support ChatGPT-assisted coding.
Sponsors
Host organizations
Contact
For questions about the summer school, please reach out to the organizing team.