Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has launched its Neutron Nexus pilot program with Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Florida State University (FSU) through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. It is the first program of its kind nationwide.
The Nexus is aimed at broadening and diversifying the scientific user community with outreach to universities and colleges to increase collaboration and, ultimately, scientific advancement.
Although a recently planned two-day ORNL Days event at the college’s campus was cut short due to Hurricane Helene, the presentations and networking that did happen set the stage to carry out the joint vision of the initiative for ORNL’s Neutron Sciences Directorate and host institutions.
“It’s exciting to expand our reach to strengthen already existing relationships, as we have had with FSU and FAMU, and create new partnerships we hope will continue for many years,” said Jens Dilling, associate laboratory director for Neutron Sciences at ORNL. “This is all to the benefit of ORNL, our university collaborators and, most importantly, to the benefit of science. We are thrilled to bring the wonder of neutrons to a new generation of undergraduate and graduate students and help faculty grow their science and technology impact.”
The goals of the ORNL Neutron Nexus program are to foster professional and personal relationships, widen neutron science educational opportunities, organize in-person visits to ORNL for students and faculty, organize on-site presence for remote experiments, increase engagement for technical and scientific support, and set up physical space commitments between ORNL and a regional collection of colleges and universities, including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), community colleges, and technical colleges.
A planned Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the joint college is part of the inaugural Neutron Nexus, as ORNL “brings neutrons” to northern Florida, enabling new users to leverage cutting-edge neutron scattering and imaging capabilities to transform their research.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a powerhouse in scientific research, and this partnership strengthens the joint college’s ability to lead in engineering innovation, said FSU President Richard McCullough.
“We’re investing significantly in recruiting tenure-track and research faculty to build this materials science and engineering department,” McCullough said. “Their expertise will elevate our research, teaching, and ability to shape the future. It’s certainly an honor to be one of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s core university partners and to be part of Oak Ridge Associated Universities.”
The special relationship between the two universities as the “parents” of the nation’s only joint college of engineering, and the unique model of the college itself, benefits the pilot Nexus program.
“The collaboration between the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a testament to our collective efforts to advance cutting-edge research and innovation,” said interim FAMU President Timothy L. Beard. “The launch of the new Materials Science and Engineering Department at our school will ensure that our graduates are prepared to assume leadership roles in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.”
Why neutron scattering?
Because neutrons offer unique features, they can provide insights no other research method can. They are non-invasive and can probe small but also massive material due to their tunneling ability. Neutrons are especially sensitive to chemical elements like lithium, carbon and hydrogen, which play significant roles in organic material, combustion processes and batteries, to name a few. Neutrons have a magnetic moment — a built-in compass to detect magnetic materials or behaviors — which are crucial for many electronic and electric devices, but also quantum computers.
Neutron scattering seeks to answer questions about the fundamental nature of materials at the atomic scale. Neutrons spur innovations that improve our daily lives: more powerful computers, more effective drugs, longer-lasting batteries, drought-resistant crops, stronger and sustainable infrastructure and more. Neutron research will play a critical role in providing solutions to the world’s grand scientific challenges, including clean energy and national security.
About ORNL
Oak Ridge National Laboratory delivers a world-class neutron sciences program made possible by the safe and reliable operation of two of the most advanced neutron scattering facilities in the world: the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS).
Few neutron facilities around the world can match the power and scientific capabilities SNS and HFIR offer, coupled with close access to additional world-leading research facilities. As a result, thousands of scientists from around the world apply each year to complete their research at HFIR and SNS. The most promising proposals are selected by a scientific panel through peer review. Scientists who have their proposals selected use the facilities and instruments at SNS and HFIR free of charge in return for making their data and findings public.
About the joint college
The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering is the joint engineering research and education institution for Florida A&M University and Florida State University, the only such shared college in the nation. It is less than three miles away from each campus. After satisfying prerequisites at their home university, students learn together at the central engineering campus with its adjacent, associated research centers and a national laboratory.
