Unsung heroes of the College of Chemistry: how the Machine Shop fuels innovation

July 28, 2025
By Veronica Bartell | College of Chemistry

While the groundbreaking discoveries and Nobel laureates often take center stage at UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry, there's a vital, often unseen, engine driving much of this success: the College of Chemistry Machine Shop. This incredible facility and the skilled individuals who operate it are the unsung heroes who transform abstract scientific ideas into tangible reality; this directly contributes to Berkeley's standing as the world's leading chemistry program. This shop, along with the other technical shops within the College of Chemistry–the Carpentry Shop, Electrical Shop, Glass Shop, and others– are integral to enabling cutting-edge chemical research by providing the specialized tools, expertise, and custom fabrication necessary for experiments and instrumentation that cannot be sourced commercially.

For example: imagine a cutting-edge experiment requiring a highly specialized component that simply doesn't exist on the commercial market. Or a researcher needing to precisely control an environment to study a delicate chemical reaction. This is where the machine shop steps in.

"Many things the faculty need are unique enough that they don't exist as commercial objects," explains March Tighe, College Shops Manager, highlighting the critical role these experts play. The College of Chemistry Machine Shop isn't just about fixing broken equipment; it's a hub of innovation, design, and precision fabrication. Their services span a remarkable range, from:

  • Precision prototype machining: Crafting intricate, one-of-a-kind parts for complex experimental setups.
  • Working with specialized materials: Handling everything from common metals to challenging substances like glass, ceramics, and graphite.
  • Custom design and fabrication of high purity, high vacuum components: Designing and building the specialized environments needed for many advanced chemistry experiments.
  • Precision prototyping and welding: Enabling researchers to quickly develop and test new ideas, accelerating the pace of discovery.
  • Custom solutions for unique challenges, such as 3D printing: Collaborating directly with faculty and students to turn novel research concepts into working apparatus.

Adding to this robust infrastructure, the recent reopening of its Student Machine Shop in June is a significant step forward, specifically designed to augment the capabilities of the main machine shop. It provides students with direct access to basic machining and fabrication equipment, fostering hands-on learning and empowering the next generation of scientists and engineers to bring their designs to life.

Machine Shop Fabrication

Project for the Advanced Light Source; a vacuum assembly for the Neumark Group involved in Attosecond research.

Machine Shop Equipment

Project for Professor Omar Yaghi; phase 1 of the MOF moisture recovery system.

In the world of scientific research, especially in a dynamic field like chemistry, readily available commercial equipment often falls short of the unique demands of pioneering experiments. The ability to design and fabricate custom instruments and modify existing ones on-site provides an unparalleled advantage.

The College of Chemistry Machine Shop, along with its sister shops, and now critically, the new Student Machine Shop, form a comprehensive and critical pillar of UC Berkeley's research infrastructure. It's a testament to the fact that world-class science isn't just about brilliant minds; it's also about the dedicated craftspeople and state-of-the-art facilities that empower those minds to turn their visions into reality.

Clint Jessel: a machinist's journey

Man standing in machine shop in front of EnduroMax equipment

Clint Jessel, Lead Machinist at the Machine Shop

One of those dedicated craftspeople? Clint Jessel, Lead Machinist at the Machine Shop. Starting his journey as a welder in 1986, this seasoned machinist honed his skills through an apprenticeship at Varian, eventually transitioning into machining. After a year as a field service technician in Japan, he was recruited by UC Berkeley in 2002 to join the R&D shop at the College of Chemistry, a move that would define his career.

Initially focused on fabricating parts for experiments, his role has significantly evolved. Today, he transforms abstract concepts into functional experiments, overseeing the entire process from engineering to fabrication, culminating in data-collecting instruments. A typical day involves managing customer emails, ordering materials, hands-on fabrication, and mentoring students interested in the craft. He also provides crucial emergency repairs, ensuring research continuity.

He specializes in creating one-of-a-kind, custom parts for many departments, but is also adept at replicating obsolete components, a vital service for maintaining ongoing research. Among his most memorable projects are contributing to the development of a pioneering scanning tunneling microscope with Professor Gabor Somorjai and helping to develop DNA sequencing which later became "lab on a chip" technology with Professor Richard Mathies.

"I can work with a wide assortment of materials and build parts that are not currently available for research," said Jessel. "The shop has some new technology like 3-D printing of carbon fiber, capabilities of cutting thick material with our new waterjet, enclosed Multi-Tool CNC milling center for multiple identical production parts, high purity TIG welding and brazing dissimilar metals together."

In short, the shop is a service to help research for whatever their needs are that can't be met by outside companies.

So, the next time you hear about a groundbreaking discovery from Berkeley's College of Chemistry, remember the precision, expertise, and ingenuity humming quietly within its machine shops – the engines of innovation that help keep Berkeley at the pinnacle of global chemistry.

Read more about all the college shops and services.

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