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Robert Saethre has worked to create a LEGO model of the ring injection region of the SNS’ pulsed accelerator that features the new Proton Power Upgrade magnets and vacuum chambers.

The "SNS LEGO Model Middle School Outreach Program" invites middle school students to build a LEGO model of the SNS, a major scientific accelerator. This engaging initiative aims to teach students about STEM careers and the inner workings of the SNS through hands-on construction and interactive lessons. Launching next spring, the program seeks to inspire interest in science and engineering among young learners.

Hood Whitson, chief executive officer of Element3, and Cynthia Jenks, associate laboratory director for the Physical Sciences Directorate, shake hands during the Element3 licensing event at ORNL on May 3, 2024. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

A collection of seven technologies for lithium recovery developed by scientists from ORNL has been licensed to Element3, a Texas-based company focused on extracting lithium from wastewater produced by oil and gas production. 

3D printed “Frankenstein design” collimator show the “scars” where the individual parts are joined

Scientists at ORNL have developed 3-D-printed collimator techniques that can be used to custom design collimators that better filter out noise during different types of neutron scattering experiments

Caption: Jaswinder Sharma makes battery coin cells with a lightweight current collector made of thin layers of aligned carbon fibers in a polymer with carbon nanotubes. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Electric vehicles can drive longer distances if their lithium-ion batteries deliver more energy in a lighter package. A prime weight-loss candidate is the current collector, a component that often adds 10% to the weight of a battery cell without contributing energy.