ORNL’s Associate Laboratory Director Robert Wagner, right, Argonne’s Associate Laboratory Director Claus Daniel, left, and LSU’s Executive Vice President and Chancellor James Dalton, center, celebrate the signing of a memorandum of understanding to advance scientific innovation and job growth in the Gulf Coast region. Credit: LSU
A research agreement between the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Louisiana State University (LSU) will accelerate energy generation and critical materials manufacturing and enhance job growth in the fuel and chemical industries, particularly in the Gulf Coast region.
The organizations signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Jan. 29 in Washington, DC, at the Louisiana Economic Development Pavillion to formalize the collaboration.
ORNL’s Energy Science and Technology Directorate will lead research efforts with LSU and provide expertise in materials science, energy infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, grid reliability and resilience, and coastal ecosystems science.
"ORNL is excited to partner with LSU to harness our combined expertise in advanced energy generation, industrial innovation and workforce development,” said ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer. “This partnership will help foster the next generation of innovators, ensuring our nation remains a global energy and industry leader. Together, we will accelerate scientific breakthroughs that strengthen energy security and underpin economic growth.”
Louisiana plays a major role in the economic security of the U.S. through the production of chemical manufacturing, refined fuels and liquefied natural gas exports. The state is also becoming a development base for next-generation data centers. LSU, as the state’s land-grant university, is a leader in engineering research and a key partner for industrial stakeholders in the region. The state is poised to take a leadership position in energy innovation for the nation.
National user facilities at ORNL to accelerate critical material discovery on Gulf Coast
Through the MOU, LSU staff will have access to the resources of several DOE national user facilities at ORNL including the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), the world leader in advanced manufacturing research and development. LSU staff will work alongside MDF scientists, who are driving the adoption of new materials, software and systems for energy applications.
The MDF leverages the expertise and capabilities at ORNL’s neutron, materials characterization and computational facilities to advance research and development of novel materials for advanced manufacturing processes and systems. These facilities include the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, High Flux Isotope Reactor and Spallation Neutron Source. Researchers within the MDF are creating new materials designed with structures and properties exceeding conventionally processed materials. Through artificial intelligence, researchers are rapidly characterizing for defects, microstructures and mechanical properties to enable qualified materials and quality assurance.
“By combining our collective expertise, we will demonstrate what is possible when national laboratories and universities join forces and focus on innovation in energy production and critical material discovery,” said Robert Wagner, ORNL’s associate laboratory director for Energy Science and Technology. “This MOU marks the beginning of a collaboration that will see technologies brought to industry at a rapid pace to ensure affordable, reliable energy.”
Securing the next-generation workforce, fueling nation’s energy future
The MOU calls for collaboration on a diverse set of projects ranging from joint proposals and faculty positions to state-of-the-art research workshops and publications. It presents a cohesive plan to bridge the gap between academia and industry while preparing a skilled workforce capable of fueling the nation’s energy future. Workforce development will focus on future job opportunities in the chemical and fuel industries, nuclear energy, high performance computing, cybersecurity and advanced energy generation, and artificial intelligence.
LSU will serve as a crucial hub for coordinating research efforts and facilitating engagement with local government and industrial leaders.
“This MOU reinforces our commitment to drive innovation, expand educational opportunities and stimulate economic development at both the regional and national levels,” said Wagner.
Argonne National Laboratory also signed an MOU with LSU in parallel with ORNL. LSU staff will receive hands-on training at Argonne while scientists work with university staff at statewide research sites and test beds, and with LSU’s energy industry partners.
Learn more about the ORNL-LSU partnership.
DOE's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility is supported by the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office and acts as a nationwide consortium of collaborators focused on innovating, inspiring and catalyzing the transformation of U.S. manufacturing.
The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, the High Flux Isotope Reactor and the Spallation Neutron Source are DOE Office of Science user facilities.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
