Physicist Edward Teller, co-founder of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and founding chair of the Department of Applied Science at the University of California, Davis, will be on hand as the first shovel breaks ground for the new Edward Teller Education Center.

The teacher-training center, which will be housed in a 3,400-square-foot building, will include a wet laboratory classroom and a computer technology and lecture classroom. The building is expected to be open by March 1, 2002.

UC Davis Professor Emeritus Edward Teller will be on hand for the ground-breaking ceremony.

The mayors of Livermore and Hayward, state Assemblywoman Lynne Leach, state Sen. Tom Torlakson and a representative of U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher are expected to attend the ceremony.

Principals, superintendents, teachers and instructors from area community colleges, school boards and high schools are also expected to attend.

UC Davis, in collaboration with the UC Office of the President, UC Merced and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has established the Edward Teller Education Center adjacent to the UC Davis Department of Applied Science at LLNL to foster excellence in teacher training in science and math.

The center will provide opportunities for professional development for K-12 teachers working with participating school districts within the greater Livermore Tri-Valley area and the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys.

From I-580, take the Southfront Road exit and turn south on Greenville Road. Eastgate Drive is past Patterson Pass Road at the northern edge of the national laboratory. Parking is available outside the gates of the laboratory, between Hertz Hall and the LLNL visitor center. If your vehicle is not marked, place a business card or media accreditation on the dashboard.

The event will take place outside the LLNL security perimeter. Media wishing to enter the LLNL site will need to contact LLNL Public Affairs to arrange security clearance.