October 21, 2026
7 MIN READ
Brandon Sloan is applying his expertise in modeling plant physiology and the water cycle to one of the grand challenges in biotechnology: The engineering of resilient crops that can be grown inexpensively on marginal lands and yield abundant biomass for manufacturers.
October 21, 2026
6 MIN READ
After international production of gadolinium-153 halted in 2023, ORNL and the Missouri University Research Reactor established a domestic supply chain for the isotope, which is used to calibrate SPECT scanners for medical imaging. ORNL developed a purification process for the required gadolinium-152 source material, enabling MURR to produce enough Gd-153 to meet U.S. commercial needs.
October 20, 2026
6 MIN READ
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a strategic approach for improving the energy performance of aging buildings at Fermilab Village in Batavia, Illinois.
October 20, 2026
5 MIN READ
The Smoky Mountains Computational Sciences and Engineering Conference brought together leaders from government, academia, industry and the national laboratory community to explore how high-performance computing and quantum technologies can accelerate scientific discovery.
October 19, 2026
4 MIN READ
Three researchers at ORNL have been named Corporate Fellows, the laboratory’s highest recognition for research staff. Travis Humble, Edgar Lara-Curzio and Thomas Maier were recognized for significant career accomplishments, scientific leadership and their standing in the international research community.
October 19, 2026
4 MIN READ
Scientists at ORNL identified a record-breaking atmospheric river as a key driver of catastrophic flooding in the United Arab Emirates and surrounding Gulf region in April 2024, advancing understanding of extreme rainfall in some of the world’s driest climates.
October 19, 2026
3 MIN READ
Nikki Thiele has received a 2026 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. The five-year National Institutes of Health grant supports innovative research with the potential for broad impact on biomedical and behavioral science.
October 19, 2026
5 MIN READ
ORNL has joined BioMADE, a national institute focused on advancing manufacturing using biological systems in the United States, strengthening connections between ORNL research, industry needs and pathways to commercial-scale production of new chemicals and materials.
October 15, 2026
8 MIN READ
ORNL leadership and Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, or ORPSEF, announced a "transformational lead gift" of $2.5 million from UT-Battelle in support of the Oak Ridge Schools Innovation Center.
October 14, 2026
4 MIN READ
ORNL and collaborators earned the 2026 CAMX Combined Strength Award for developing advanced 3D-printed composite forms that can accelerate nuclear construction.
October 14, 2026
3 MIN READ
Gary Staebler, distinguished R&D scientist at ORNL, has been selected by the American Physical Society as a team of four recipients of the 2026 Lev D. Landau and Lyman Spitzer Jr. Award for Outstanding Contributions to Plasma Physics.
October 14, 2026
8 MIN READ
ORNL has opened the Translational Research Capability, a new 100,000-square-foot multidisciplinary facility near the historic Graphite Reactor that supports advanced research in areas like materials, quantum science, energy storage, nuclear energy and national security. The TRC builds on ORNL’s Manhattan Project-era legacy while providing specialized, state-of-the-art spaces and equipment designed to foster collaboration and tackle modern scientific challenges.