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Professionals from government and industry gathered at ORNL for the Nondestructive Assay Holdup Measurements Training Course for Nuclear Criticality Safety, a hands-on training in nondestructive assay, a technique for detecting and quantifying holdup without disturbing operations. 

Researchers at Georgia State University used the Summit supercomputer to study an elaborate molecular pathway called nucleotide excision repair. Decoding NER’s sophisticated sequence of events and the role of PInC in the pathway could provide key insights into developing novel treatments and preventing conditions that lead to premature aging and certain types of cancer.

Using the Frontier supercomputer at ORNL, researchers have developed a new technique that predicts nuclear properties in record detail. The study revealed how the structure of a nucleus relates to the force that holds it together. This understanding could advance efforts in quantum physics and across a variety of sectors, from to energy production to national security.

A workshop led by scientists at ORNL sketched a road map toward a longtime goal: development of autonomous, or self-driving, next-generation research laboratories. 

Scientists designing the world’s first controlled nuclear fusion power plant, ITER, needed to solve the problem of runaway electrons, negatively charged particles in the soup of matter in the plasma within the tokamak, the magnetic bottle intended to contain the massive energy produced. Simulations performed on Summit, the 200-petaflop supercomputer at ORNL, could offer the first step toward a solution.

ORNL’s annual workshop has become the premier forum for molten salt reactor, or MSR, collaboration and Â鶹ӰÒô, convening industry, academia and government experts to further advance MSR research and development. This year’s event attracted a record-breaking 365 participants from across the country, highlighting the momentum to bring MSRs online.

A research partnership between two Department of Energy national laboratories has accelerated inspection of additively manufactured nuclear components, and the effort is now expanding to inspect nuclear fuels. 

The US focuses on nuclear nonproliferation, and ORNL plays a key role in this mission. The lab conducts advanced research in uranium science, materials analysis and nuclear forensics to detect illicit nuclear activities. Using cutting-edge tools and operational systems, ORNL supports global efforts to reduce nuclear threats by uncovering the history of nuclear materials and providing solutions for uranium removal. 

The National Center for Computational Sciences, located at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, made a strong showing at computing conferences this fall. Staff from across the center participated in numerous workshops and invited speaking engagements.

ORNL’s National Security Sciences Directorate partnered with the University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs to develop a graduate certificate in nuclear security that launched in the fall of 2024.