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SOS26 attendees standing in front of the Kennedy Space Center on Merrit Island, Florida the night of their dinner reception provided by the conference sponsors. The keynote speaker was Rupak Biswas from NASA. Credit: Judy Potok/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Held in Cocoa Beach, Florida from March 11 to 14, researchers across the computing and data spectra participated in sessions developed by staff members from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, or ORNL, Sandia National Laboratories and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre. 

ORNL’s Erin Webb is co-leading a new Circular Bioeconomy Systems Convergent Research Initiative focused on advancing production and use of renewable carbon from Tennessee to meet societal needs. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

ORNL’s Erin Webb is co-leading a new Circular Bioeconomy Systems Convergent Research Initiative focused on advancing production and use of renewable carbon from Tennessee to meet societal needs. 

ORNL quantum researchers, from left, Brian Williams, Phil Evans, and Nick Peters work on their quantum key distribution system.

ORNL scientists have spent the past 20 years studying quantum photonic entanglement. Their partnership with colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory and private industry partner Qubitekk led to development of the nation’s first industry-led commercial quantum network. This type of network could ultimately help secure the nation’s power grid and other infrastructure from cyberattacks.

Alyssa Carrell is an ORNL ecologist studying how plant-microbe relationships can build resilience in natural ecosystems vulnerable to climate change. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Alyssa Carrell started her science career studying the tallest inhabitants in the forest, but today is focused on some of its smallest — the microbial organisms that play an outsized role in plant health. 

ORNL engineer Canan Karakaya uses computational modeling to design and improve chemical reactors and how they are operated to convert methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia or ethanol into higher-value chemicals or energy-dense fuels. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Canan Karakaya, a R&D Staff member in the Chemical Process Scale-Up group at ORNL, was inspired to become a chemical engineer after she experienced a magical transformation that turned ammonia gas into ammonium nitrate, turning a liquid into white flakes gently floating through the air. 

ORNL researcher Brian Williams prepares for a demonstration of a quantum key distribution system. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

An experiment by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory demonstrated advanced quantum-based cybersecurity can be realized in a deployed fiber link. 

Chuck Greenfield, former assistant director of the DII-D National Fusion Program at General Atomics, has joined ORNL as ITER R&D Lead.

Chuck Greenfield, former assistant director of the DIII-D National Fusion Program at General Atomics, has joined ORNL as ITER R&D Lead. 
 

Scientists discover super sensor for the smallest scales

A team that included researchers at ORNL used a new twist on an old method to detect materials at some of the smallest amounts yet recorded. The results could lead to enhancements in security technology and aid the development of quantum sensors. 

A multidirectorate group from ORNL attended AGU23 and came away inspired for the year ahead in geospatial, earth and climate science

ORNL scientists and researchers attended the annual American Geophysical Union meeting and came away inspired for the year ahead in geospatial, earth and climate science. 

Chelsea Chen, polymer physicist at ORNL, stands in front of an eight-channel potentiostat and temperature chamber used for battery and electrochemical testing. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Chelsea Chen, a polymer physicist at ORNL, is studying ion transport in solid electrolytes that could help electric vehicle battery charges last longer.