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Arial view of the Atchafalaya Basin

In the wet, muddy places where America’s rivers and lands meet the sea, scientists from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are unearthing clues to better understand how these vital landscapes are evolving under climate change.

Woman in a tan blazer is standing at a podium presenting to a room full of people.

SCALE users from 85 organizations across 21 countries gathered online and in person at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from June 5 to June 7 for the Eighth Annual SCALE Users Group Workshop. The meeting included 32 presentations and 14 hands-on tutorials on impactful and innovative applications of SCALE. 

Man in red and white stripe button down shirt with dark brown hair poses for photo in front of blue/grey background.

Andrew Conant from ORNL's nuclear nonproliferation division is collaborating with national laboratories to analyze isotopes generated in nuclear reactors. This research aims to glean insights into the operations and objectives of these reactors. ORNL, renowned for its leadership in nuclear research, maintains its legacy by promoting the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy worldwide.

Man in a blue polo is standing over blue water

ORNL researchers completed successful testing of a gallium nitride transistor for use in more accurate sensors operating near the core of a nuclear reactor. This is an important technical advance particularly for monitoring new, compact.

Headshot of Clarice Phelps

Leadership Tennessee has named Clarice Phelps to its 2024–2025 Signature Program Class XI to collaborate with professionals statewide to address Tennessee’s most serious issues. 

Red tube holds a cluster of green and purple dots (hundreds of dots) while a long white line runs across the image, giving the appearance of waves.

An Oak Ridge National Laboratory team revealed how chemical species form in a highly reactive molten salt mixture of aluminum chloride and potassium chloride by unraveling vibrational signatures and observing ion exchanges. 

Woman with dark brown hair pulled back into a bun holds a clipboard

Sara Martinez ensures the safety and longevity of aging structures at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, employing her engineering expertise to protect against natural disasters and extend the lifespan of critical facilities.

Rectangular box being lifted by a red pully system up the left side of the building

Researchers at ORNL and the University of Maine have designed and 3D-printed a single-piece, recyclable natural-material floor panel tested to be strong enough to replace construction materials like steel. 

Woman with dark brown hair, glasses wearing a green shirt underneath a black blazer jacket smiling for a photo in front of blue backdrop

Erin Webb, lead for the Bioresources Science and Engineering group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been elected a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers — the society’s highest honor. 

Two green oak leaves with other matter in two circles above them. To the right, a yellow blob. To the left, a brown material inside a bowl.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists ingeniously created a sustainable, soft material by combining rubber with woody reinforcements and incorporating “smart” linkages between the components that unlock on demand.