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Debjani Singh, a senior scientist at ORNL, leads the HydroSource project, which enhances hydropower research by making water data more accessible and useful. With a background in water resources, data science, and earth science, Singh applies innovative tools like AI to advance research. Her career, shaped by her early exposure to science in India, focuses on bridging research with practical applications.

The award was given in “recognition of his lifelong leadership in fusion technology for plasma fueling systems in magnetically confined fusion systems.”

John joined the MPEX project in 2019 and has served as project manager for several organizations within ORNL.

A study found that beaches with manmade fortifications recover more slowly from hurricanes than natural beaches, losing more sand and vegetation. The researchers used satellite images and light detection and ranging data, or LIDAR, to measure elevation changes and vegetation coverage. Changes in elevation showed how much sand was depleted during the storm and how much sand returned throughout the following year. 

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are entering into a memorandum of understanding with the intent to collaborate in efforts to research, develop, deploy and evaluate technology and analytically based solutions to challenges in the area of quantum information science and engineering, including networking, sensing, and computing.

Whisper Aero is revolutionizing aviation with its ultra-quiet electric ducted fan technology. Using the Summit supercomputer, the company is designing the Whisper Jet, a nine-passenger electric plane featuring 20 to 30 small, silent EDFs to drastically reduce noise and emissions compared to traditional engines. Summit’s advanced simulations have accelerated their design process by over 20%, enabling rapid development and optimization of their aircraft. The technology is also being adapted for quieter commercial products like leaf blowers.

Researchers at ORNL have demonstrated that small molecular tweaks to surfaces can improve absorption technology for direct air capture of carbon dioxide. The team added a charged polymer layer to an amino acid solution, and then, through spectroscopy and simulation, found that the charged layer can hold amino acids at its surface. 

At ORNL, a group of scientists used neutron scattering techniques to investigate a relatively new functional material called a Weyl semimetal. These Weyl fermions move very quickly in a material and can carry electrical charge at room temperature. Scientists think that Weyl semimetals, if used in future electronics, could allow electricity to flow more efficiently and enable more energy-efficient computers and other electronic devices.

Gerald A. Tuskan, a Corporate Fellow and director of the Center for Bioenergy Innovation at ORNL, has been selected as a DOE Distinguished Scientist Fellow, one of the highest honors bestowed by the agency’s Office of Science for outstanding scientific leadership and research community engagement. 

In an impressive showcase of cutting-edge innovation and scientific prowess, ORNL has been recognized as a beacon of technological excellence, receiving 14 R&D 100 Awards, announced this week by R&D World magazine.