Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) - Profiles

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest U.S. Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security.

ORNL is operated by UT-Battelle LLC, supporting DOE’s national missions of scientific discovery, clean energy, and security. The Laboratory employs more than 4,400 including scientists and engineers in more than 100 disciplines, with an operating budget of approximately $1.4 billion.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory was established in 1943 to carry out a critical assignment for the Manhattan Project: demonstrating the production and separation of plutonium to fuel an atomic weapon. Following the war, ORNL took on a new assignment: the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The facilities and expertise assembled for the Manhattan Project expanded to support a nuclear research and development portfolio that extended from basic science to applied technology.

Researchers at ORNL work with federal, state, and local agencies to develop and deploy technologies to improve the ability to detect, prevent, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism as well as natural disasters. In addition to nuclear detection technologies, the lab is providing new ways to identify small quantities of explosives, hazardous chemicals, and biological materials. ORNL also develops systems for threat assessment, risk awareness, and emergency planning and response, as well as new capabilities for first responders.