Article Archives
Article Archives
Monday, March 17, 2025
Events2025 NSUF Annual Program Review
NSUF will be hosting its 2025 Annual Program Review April 14-17 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. MDT/11 a.m.- 5 p.m. EST at Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls, Idaho and Microsoft Teams. The NSUF program review will feature:Comprehensive overview presentations by the NSUF program office at Idaho National Laboratory and select partner facilitiesTechnical highlights from NSUF-supported user access projectsInsights from NSUF stakeholders, including the user communityTo attend this meeting virtually or in person, please RSVP by Monday, March 31 using the link below. International colleagues interested in attending in person should contact the NSUF program office at [email protected] no later than Friday, February 28.Register
Read More
NSUF awards 33 Rapid Turnaround Experiments
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy awarded 33 Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects May 28 to support nuclear science and technology. NSUF provides access to world-class capabilities at no cost to researchers. This is the second set of RTE awards for fiscal year 2024. 33 new RTE projects, totaling approximately $1.9 million, were awarded in this call, bringing the total to roughly $3.37 million for fiscal year 2024. The second call awards went to 19 principal investigators from 13 universities, two principal investigators from industry, and 12 scientists from six national laboratories. The awarded RTE projects cover a breadth of novel approaches to gain fundamental scientific understanding
Read More
Monday, March 11, 2024
Calls and AwardsNEW! Super RTE Call for Proposals
NSUF is pleased to announce the first ever Super Rapid Turnaround Experiment (Super RTE) call for proposals coming April 1, 2024. What is a Super RTE? More fundingMore time Greater accessThe first Super RTE call for proposals will open April 1 and will close on April 30 at 4 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time. The Super RTE call will function similarly to the traditional RTE solicitations but will encourage larger award amounts allowing greater work scopes to be performed. Awards are anticipated to allow twice as many days of access to any NSUF facility or capability. The award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited
Read More
First innovative NuScale experiment cycle completed, en route to post-irradiation examination
By Alexis Starks, NSUF at Idaho National Laboratory In a major step towards commercial, small modular reactor deployment, progress is being made in testing new materials for NuScale's small modular reactor lower containment vessel. In 2019, NuScale Power LLC received access to Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor and Westinghouse Churchill Laboratory Services through the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) as part of the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research program. The arrangement allowed NuScale to obtain irradiation data on F6NM, a martensitic stainless steel, with the intent of using F6NM for its lower containment vessel as part of the NuScale power module design for small modular reactors. (Left to right) Idaho National Laboratory
Read More
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Users GroupNSUF welcomes 2024 Users Organization Executive Committee
By Alexis Starks, NSUF at Idaho National LaboratoryOur Nuclear Science User Facilities leadership is proud to introduce the 2024 Users Organization executive committee: Chair Maria Okuniewski from Purdue University, Vice Chair Stephen Taller from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Secretary Ramprashad Prabhakaran from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Student Representative Malachi Nelson from Idaho National Laboratory. “I am excited to work with a group of such talented and experienced NSUF users with a diverse representation from national laboratories, academia and industry,” said Chair Maria Okuniewski.” This year there was overwhelming support and interest from the community for the Users Group Executive Board. This engagement will allow for continued sustainability within the community.” As stated
Read More
NSUF awards 27 Rapid Turnaround Experiment proposals
Last updated 2/29/2024The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has awarded 27 proposals to support the advancement of nuclear science and technology by providing access to world class capabilities at no cost to the researcher. This is the first award for fiscal year 2024.27 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.46 million, have been awarded. These awards went to 11 principle investigators from universities, including three international universities, and 16 principal investigators from national laboratories. FY24 First RTE Call Awards table.tableizer-table { font-size: 10px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding:
Read More
Second FY24 RTE Call Now Open
The second Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) call for fiscal year 2024 is now open. Proposals must be submitted by 4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on February 29, 2024.This award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities. Completion of RTE projects is expected within 9 months of award. Prospective researchers are strongly encouraged to request samples from the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library.RTE proposals are typically solicited and awarded three times per year. They are reviewed and evaluated for technical merit, relevancy and feasibility. The number of awards is dependent on the availability of
Read More
Argonne launches Activated Materials Laboratory at Advanced Photon Source
By Alexis Starks, NSUF at Idaho National Laboratory Last year, NSUF welcomed a new addition to the nuclear materials community. The Activated Materials Laboratory (AML), a new radiological facility at Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source (APS), has recently been developed to assist in examining radioactive samples at the High-Energy X-ray Microscope and other APS beamlines.In November 2023, Argonne National Laboratory and NSUF hosted a workshop at the new facility to introduce upgrade capabilities and showcase applications of high-energy X-rays in nuclear materials research and other fields. The workshop also helped researchers identify suitable X-ray techniques for critical problems, such as
Read More
Monday, January 15, 2024
Facility HighlightOutside looking in: Remote capabilities at Research Collaboration Building improve ease of research
By Paul Menser, Idaho National Laboratory Communications The Research Collaboration Building at Idaho National Laboratory's Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) now offers remote operating system capabilities. This enhancement provides researchers with easier access to select instruments within the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL), a key resource for high-demand instruments such as the plasma focused ion beam and transmission electron microscopes. The Research Collaboration Building serves as a landing spot, collaborative working space, and training area for a growing number of students, visiting researchers and postdoctoral researchers engaged in work at MFC. Completed in 2019, the building features 28 offices for researchers, staff members
Read More
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Calls and AwardsNSUF awards 22 Rapid Turnaround Experiment proposals
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has awarded 22 proposals to support the advancement of nuclear science and technology by providing access to world class capabilities at no cost to the researcher. This is the third award for FY 2023. 22 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.608M, have been awarded. These awards went to 14 principal investigators from universities, 7 from national laboratories, and one from industry. The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period.
Read More
Penn State joins DOE Nuclear Science User Facilities program
Penn State’s Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) has joined the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) as a partner institution.
Professor Kenan Ünlü, director of the Radiation Science Engineering Center (RSEC), and Dan Beck, RSEC engineering program manager, look at a poster of the neutron beam ports and simultaneous beam operations available in RSEC. Penn State nuclear resources like these are now available to partner institutions through the Nuclear Science User Facilities program. Credit: Kenan Ünlü/Penn State. All Rights Reserved.UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) has joined the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) as a partner institution.The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s NSUF program offers nuclear energy researchers access to world-classRead More
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Facility HighlightApplications open for European user facility network
By Tiera Cate, INL Communications A European-based user facility opened its first call on April 3. The next application cut-off is September 30. The OFFERR project, launched by the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform and funded by European Atomic Energy Community, announced its first call for proposals earlier this month. The European User Facility Network catalog was also published to showcase a wide range of nuclear research facilities participating in this call. The network facilitates international cooperation in nuclear research between European Union research organizations, universities, companies and their partners. They also finance transnational access to critical nuclear research infrastructures. U.S. researchers may be familiar with certain aspects
Read More
Thursday, June 15, 2023
Calls and AwardsThree Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Proposals Awarded
The Department of Energy (DOE) has selected one DOE national laboratory and two university-led projects that will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications. All three of these projects will be supported by more than $6.3 million in facility access costs and expertise for experimental neutron and ion irradiation testing, post-irradiation examination facilities, synchrotron beamline capabilities, and technical assistance for design and analysis of experiments through NSUF. A complete list of NSUF projects with their associated abstracts is available here. IDTitlePIScopeInstitutionAccess Value23-28973Irradiation-Corrosion of Alumina-Forming Austenitic Stainless Steels in Static LeadJanelle Wharry NSUF 1.1Purdue University$2,288,97423-28959UN multi-design
Read More
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Calls and AwardsNSUF awards 28 Rapid Turnaround Experiment proposals
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has awarded 28 proposals to support the advancement of nuclear science and technology by providing access to world class capabilities at no cost to the researcher. This is the second award for FY 2023.28 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.74M, have been awarded. These awards went to 19 principal investigators from universities and 9 from national laboratories.The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Proposals were evaluated
Read More
Monday, April 3, 2023
Facility HighlightFrom atoms to earthquakes to Mars: High performance computing
Computational scientists use supercomputers to perform “virtual experiments” to accomplish research that couldn’t be done by conventional means.
By Cory Hatch, INL CommunicationsResearchers solving today’s most important and complex energy challenges can’t always conduct real-world experiments. This is especially true for nuclear energy research. Considerations such as cost, safety and limited resources can often make laboratory tests impractical. In some cases, the facility or capability necessary to conduct a proper experiment doesn’t exist.At Idaho National Laboratory, computational scientists use INL’s supercomputers to perform “virtual experiments” to accomplish research that couldn’t be done by conventional means. While supercomputing can’t replace traditional experiments, supercomputing is an essential component of all modern scientific discoveries and advancements.“Science is like a three-leg stool,” said Eric Whiting, director of Advanced Scientific Computing atRead More
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Calls and AwardsNSUF awards 24 Rapid Turnaround Experiment proposals
The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has awarded 24 proposals to support the advancement of nuclear science and technology by providing access to world class capabilities at no cost to the researcher. This is the first award for FY 2023.24 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.42M, have been awarded. These awards went to 10 principal investigators from universities, one from industry, two from international entities, and 11 from national laboratories.The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation
Read More
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Program Office HighlightEnhancing Nuclear Energy Research
Enhancing Nuclear Energy Research: The Science Review Board By Tiera Cate, INL Communications and Outreach For the first time in four years, a federal nuclear research program opened itself up to critique from experts assembled to help the program enhance its impact. Research conducted through the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) is critical in developing solutions to extend the operation of our nation’s nuclear power plants, which are clean, safe, and reliable energy sources. To advance the ability to conduct nuclear energy research, the NSUF provides expertise and no-cost access to unique research facilities. These resources aid in meeting the research and development goals for the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE). The research enabled through the NSUF program either
Read More
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Facility HighlightUncovering the Past
INL researchers recently imaged several fossils using a powerful X-ray microscope. The 3D images will be used to create exhibits for Wyoming’s Fossil Butte National Monument and help experts gain insight into the origins of these and other relics.
Aase mounts one of the fossils in the X-ray microscope for imaging.By Matt Fisher, INL Communications & OutreachIdaho National Laboratory is perhaps best known for innovative research that helps shape the clean energy economies of today and tomorrow – and for good reason. But while much of the laboratory’s work is focused on building a sustainable future, INL is also doing its part to preserve the past. INL researchers recently imaged several fossils using a powerful X-ray microscope. The 3D images will be used to create exhibits for Wyoming’s Fossil Butte National Monument and help experts gain insight into the origins of theseRead More
Friday, July 15, 2022
Users OrgExecutive Committee Plans Successful Users Organization Meeting
The Executive Committee of the NSUF Users Organization planned another successful Users Organization Meeting. This meeting was held virtually on July 12th and 13th and featured a fantastic talk from the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Dr. Kathryn Huff. Not only did this meeting include an exceptional keynote speaker, but it also had segments that covered new NSUF Capabilities and Upgrades. This includes presentations such as High Performance Computing, the new Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) in the Center for Advanced Energy Studies, the Activated Materials Laboratory at Argonne National Laboratory, and more. Attendees heard presentations from students at universities such as Auburn
Read More
Monday, June 20, 2022
Calls and AwardsFour Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Proposals Awarded
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected one industry, one DOE National Laboratory, and two university-led projects that will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications. DOE will support two of these projects with a total of $1.6 million in research funds. All four of these projects will be supported by more than $2.2 million in facility access costs and expertise for experimental neutron and ion irradiation testing, post irradiation examination facilities, synchrotron beamline capabilities, and technical assistance for design and analysis of experiments through the NSUF. Abstracts can be found here. IDTitlePIScopeInstitutionAccess Value22-26632Mechanical Response and Chemical Effects at
Read More
Monday, June 20, 2022
Program Office HighlightNSUF Deputy Director Announced
The Nuclear Science User Facilities is excited to welcome Collin Knight as the Deputy Director. Collin has prior experience with the NSUF as the lead post irradiation project manager since 2010. Collin Knight. Working in the Post-Irradiation Examination and Project Execution Department at Idaho National Laboratory, Collin managed post irradiation examination related projects, and coordinated activities at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) as well as other NSUF partner facilities. He was the project manager for Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL) equipment installation and provided engineering and project manager assistance for the PIE Equipment Upgrade project. Collin has more than 29 years of
Read More
Friday, June 17, 2022
AnnouncementDOE Awards $61 Million to U.S. Universities, Industry, and National Laboratories
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AWARDS $61 MILLION IN NUCLEAR ENERGY PROJECTS AT U.S. UNIVERSITIES, INDUSTRY, AND NATIONAL LABORATORIES 74 Projects Accelerate R&D, Strengthen Infrastructure, and Provide Career Opportunities WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today awarded more than $61 million for 74 nuclear energy projects across the country. The projects will support nuclear technology development, infrastructure improvements, and career opportunities at more than 40 U.S. universities. They will also help move the nation closer toward its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 by expanding access to nuclear energy—the nation’s largest source of clean power. “These awards are an investment in both
Read More
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Calls and AwardsNSUF awards 30 Rapid Turnaround Experiment proposals
The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has awarded 30 proposals to support the advancement of nuclear science and technology by providing access to world class capabilities at no cost to the researcher. This is the first award for FY 2022.30 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.53M, have been awarded. These awards went to 20 principal investigators from universities and ten from national laboratories.The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Proposals were evaluated based on a variety of factors including technical approach, mission relevance, and scientific-technical merit.
Read More
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Users OrgSave the Date: NSUF Annual Users Organization Meeting
The Executive Committee of the NSUF Users Organization is pleased to announce the 2022 Annual NSUF Users Organization Meeting. The Users Organization Meeting will take place online July 12 and July 13, 2022 from 8:00-11:00 AM Mountain Time. Join the Zoom meeting here - Password: 231519.This meeting will highlight additions and upgrades to NSUF capabilities and research achievements from NSUF sponsored projects.We are excited to hear from the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Dr. Kathryn Huff and the NSUF Director, Dr. Rory Kennedy.The meeting will also feature:Rapid Student Presentations: current and past student users are encouraged to present results of NSUF research and
Read More
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Facility HighlightThe National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF): opportunities for access
Access for July to September closes May 31, 2022
The National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) is a £100 million investment by the UK government in state-of-the-art experimental facilities for research and development in nuclear science and technology.The aim is to install new equipment and laboratories, provide training opportunities for nuclear scientists and engineers, and foster international collaborations. Outstanding facilities There are 30 NNUF facilities, many of which can handle active materials.Additional capability has been added at well-established facilities, including the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory, the University of Manchester’s Dalton Cumbrian Facility, and UKAEA’s Materials Research Facility. Newer projects include a neutron source at Birmingham, an investment in nuclear robotics at Bristol,Read More
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
High Performance ComputingA transfer of (computing) power
This computing infrastructure allows access to the computing resources necessary to perform modern scientific research and engineering.
This computing infrastructure allows access to the computing resources necessary to perform modern scientific research and engineering.By Cory Hatch, INL Communications & Outreach - When Kyle Schroeder began his nuclear engineering degree at Idaho State University, he relied on his personal computer to run complex simulations required for his job as a research assistant.Specifically, Schroeder was trying to model how fluid might flow through a new type of heat exchanger – a discovery that could someday make nuclear reactors more efficient.“I have a pretty robust personal computer, and it would take 12 to 20 hours,” said Schroeder, who is working toward his master’s degree. “On the supercomputers, I can run somethingRead More
Monday, March 7, 2022
Facility HighlightSupporting our nuclear future - The Activated Materials Laboratory
The Activated Materials Laboratory (AML) at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) will assist the nuclear community in examining radioactive samples at the High-Energy X-ray Microscope (HEXM) at 20-ID and other beamlines at the APS. This facility will support the broader needs of the nuclear community by introducing highly advanced characterization tools, providing more utility, and offering additional functions. The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) encouraged placement at Argonne National Laboratory because Argonne also hosts the Irradiated Materials Laboratory. This radiological facility performs post-irradiation examination and specimen preparation of radioactive materials. It has been used for irradiated sample receiving, preparation, mounting
Read More
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
IndustryHow The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) Supports Industry Research
Through the NSUF’s competitive proposal programs, the nuclear industry is supported with access to world-class research facilities.
Through the NSUF’s competitive proposal programs, the nuclear industry is supported with access to world-class research facilities. A major goal of the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) is to offer unparalleled opportunities for nuclear energy researchers. Users are provided access (at no cost to the researcher) to world class nuclear research facilities, technical expertise from experienced scientists and engineers, assistance with experiment design, test vehicle assembly, irradiation safety analysis, and post irradiation examination. Through the NSUF’s competitive proposal programs, the nuclear industry is supported with access to these world-class research facilities to aid in achieving their individual missions. Boopathy Kombaiah is the instrumentRead More
Monday, January 17, 2022
Calls and AwardsFirst FY 2022 RTE Call Now Open
This cycle opened on 1/17/2022 and will close 2/28/2022.
This cycle opened on 1/17/2022 and will close 2/28/2022.The first FY 2022 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) call has opened.Proposals are due Monday, February 28th, 2022. The RTE award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities. Applications are accepted from all levels of experience including graduate students and very early career researchers. Completion of RTE projects is expected within 9 months of award. Prospective researchers are strongly encouraged to request samples from the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library. RTE proposals are typically solicitedRead More
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Calls and AwardsFY 2022 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) Update
Prior to the opening of the FY 2022 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) call, the NSUF will be making two changes to the solicitation process.
Prior to the opening of the FY 2022 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) call, the NSUF will be making two changes to the solicitation process. Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) Update Prior to the opening of the FY 2022 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) call, the NSUF will be making two changes to the solicitation process. The first change will be to give special consideration to each Principal Investigator (PI) from a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). The second change will implement two new rules designed to make initial information from RTE projects available to the research community in a timely manner. Call Dates The first cycle ofRead More
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
NewsletterNSUF, EPRI Pilot Project paves way for reactor life extensions
By Paul Menser for INL Communications and Outreach A study that began in 2009 by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has finished its third and final phase. The study provides important insight that will not only extend the life of the United States’ fleet of nuclear power plants but also provides an example of a joint government-industry testing program. Before the study, there was limited data on how materials behave in the tough reactor environment – specifically the cracking behavior and fracture-toughness in two materials that are commonly used reactors – alloy X-750 and XM-19.
Read More
Monday, August 2, 2021
NewsletterMichigan Center for Materials Characterization joins University of Michigan NSUF partner facilities
The Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, also known as (MC)2, has been approved to become a University of Michigan Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) partner facility.
The Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, also known as (MC)2, has been approved to become a University of Michigan Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) partner facility. The (MC)2 joins two other University of Michigan laboratories that are already part of the NSUF, the Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory (MIBL) and the Irradiated Materials Testing Laboratory (IMTL), directed by Professor Gary Was. (MC)2 is directed by Professor Alan Taub. NSUF provides researchers access to neutron, ion, and gamma irradiations, post-irradiation examination, and beamline capabilities from 50 partner facilities. Most of the research looks at either understanding the mechanisms of radiation on materials and fuels to address the challenges ofRead More
Monday, June 28, 2021
Calls and AwardsU.S. Department of Energy Announces FY21 CINR Awards
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected four projects that will take advantage of Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications.
North Carolina State University PULSTAR reactor. On June 25, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected four projects that will take advantage of Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications. DOE has selected one university, two national laboratory, and one industry led project. These projects will be supported by almost $4 million in facility access costs and expertise for experimental neutron and ion irradiation testing, post-irradiation examination, and technical assistance for design and analysis of experiments through the NSUF. A complete list of NSUF projects with their associated abstracts is listed on neup.inl.gov.Read More
Department of Energy Nuclear Science User Facilities Awards 29 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Proposals
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 29 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.14M. These project awards went to 13 principal investigators from universities, nine from national laboratories, four from industry, and three foreign universities. The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of high-quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Each proposal was evaluated based on a variety of factors including technical approach, mission relevance, and scientific-technical merit. The NSUF, managed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides unparalleled opportunities
Read More
NSUF Welcomes New Industry Lead and Communications Liaison
Peng Xu will serve as the new NSUF Industry Lead and Tiera Cate is joining NSUF as the Communications Liaison. Learn more about the latest additions to the NSUF Program Office.
Communications Liaison As the new Communications Liaison for the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF), Tiera Cate is excited to help amplify the important work taking place through NSUF and its partner facilities. The aim is to maintain consistent communication and aid in making information as transparent as possible. Cate previously supported project management work at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), an essential Idaho National Laboratory asset, where she highlighted successful projects through the Plant Health Program Accomplishments Report. Prior to working for INL, Cate provided technical administrative support for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Boise, Idaho, by supporting theirRead More
Users’ Q&A Webinar Slideshow Now Available
In place of the annual Users Organization Meeting, NSUF Director, Dr. Rory Kennedy, held a Q&A Webinar on March 18, 2021. This gave an overview of the program as well as answered questions from NSUF Users. The presentation from the Webinar is now available.
The presentation from the Webinar is now available. In place of the annual Users Organization Meeting, NSUF Director, Dr. Rory Kennedy, held a Q&A Webinar on March 18, 2021. This presentation provided an overview of the Nuclear Science User Facilities and useful contacts. It highlighted Action Areas such as executing awarded projects and expanding high performance computing via Falcon and Sawtooth. NSUF is continuing to track citations, publications, and facility utilization. Some of the questions included: Q: How can we reinforce student led RTE projects? Could we have a separate call just for students? A: Although we doRead More
Thursday, May 20, 2021
NewsletterNSUF FY 2020 Annual Report
The Annual Report is now available. NSUF has continued to be productive despite 2020 being such an unusual year. View the report here.
The Annual Report is now available. The FY 2020 Annual Report is now available. With 2020 being such an unusual year, as well as a significant reduction to funding, NSUF still awarded 56 Rapid Turnaround Experiments and eight Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research projects. Some highlights for the FY-20 Annual Report include: NSUF accomplishments beyond its access awards e.g., Capability updates like the Sawtooth supercomputer and access to the Michigan Ion Beam Lab (MIBL) transmission electron microscope NSUF By the Numbers, highlighting the 64 total access awards given, made possible even with a significant reduction in funding for FY-20 TheRead More
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
AnnouncementNSUF Websites Updated
This update includes new mobile-friendly card views for data, implementation of dynamic keywords to improve collaboration and proposal reviewer selection, and optimizations and improvements to various search systems.
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new version of the Nuclear Science User Facilities websites. This update contains new features to improve collaboration and the proposal reviewer selection process, a complete overhaul and upgrade to the various search systems used to locate research and development data, and a new feature to allow result pages to be fully compatible with smaller resolution devices. Dynamic KeywordsGenerated keywords help connect proposals and researchersTo improve collaboration and the reviewer selection process, expertise keywords are now generated for each reviewer using publications and presentations they have associated with their user account through theRead More
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Calls and AwardsFirst FY 2021 RTE Call Opens
The first FY 2021 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) has opened. Proposals are due Thursday, February 25th.The RTE award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities. Completion of RTE projects is expected within 9 months of award. Prospective researchers are strongly encouraged to request samples from the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library.RTE proposals are solicited and awarded three times per year. They are reviewed and evaluated for technical merit, relevancy, and feasibility. The number of awards is dependent on the availability of funding.
Read More
2020 NSUF Annual Review
The 2020 NSUF Annual Review presentations are now available online
The 2020 NSUF Annual Review presentations are now available onlineThe 2020 NSUF Annual Review presentations are now available. Please access each presentation using the links below:Kennedy - Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) FY 2020 OverviewSeleker - Review OverviewOgden - FY2020 Preliminary Metrics and ChallengesPimblott - Analysis of the NSUF Research PortfolioBean - CINR Awards and StatusBenson - Rapid Turnaround ExperimentsWall - Irradiation of Sensors and Adhesive Couplants for Application in LWR Primary Loop Piping and ComponentsYeom - Investigation of Degradation Mechanisms of Cr-coated Zirconium Alloy Cladding in Reactivity Initiated Accidents (RIA)Murty - Effect of Neutron Irradiation on Microstructure and MechanicalRead More
Monday, July 20, 2020
Calls and AwardsRTE Schedule Update
The next Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) call is anticipated to open later this fall. If you have questions about RTEs, please contact Jeff Benson ([email protected]).SEE LATEST AWARDED RTES »
Read More
Monday, July 20, 2020
Researcher HighlightNSUF Researcher Feature: Haiming Wen
Haiming WenThe nearly 500 samples of steels and advanced alloys in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are part of a giant, seven-year Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) project led by Assistant Professor Haiming Wen of Missouri University of Science and Technology that will contribute to improving alloy performance and durability for advanced nuclear reactors.“The materials in a nuclear reactor are the key to the development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors,” Wen said. “We want to improve the radiation performance of the materials such as steels.”The approximately $3 million innovative project funded by the U.S.
Read More
DOE Awards 37 RTE Proposals
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 37 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.4 million. These project awards went to 22 principal investigators from universities, 11 from national laboratories, one from industry, and three foreign universities. The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of high-quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Each proposal was evaluated based on a variety of factors including technical approach, mission relevance, and scientific-technical merit.The NSUF, managed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides unparalleled opportunities for
Read More
Monday, July 6, 2020
Calls and AwardsDOE Awards Eight CINR NSUF Projects
In June, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected one industry, three DOE national laboratory, and four university-led projects to take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications. DOE will support two of these projects with a total of $1 million in research funds. All eight of these projects will be supported by more than $4 million in facility access costs and expertise for experimental neutron and ion irradiation testing, post-irradiation examination facilities, synchrotron beamline capabilities, and technical assistance for design and analysis of experiments through NSUF."Advancing the next generation of nuclear energy is paramount to
Read More
Materials and fuels find new life in NFML
Researchers view materials at the Irradiated Materials Characterization LaboratorySince its inception a decade ago, the Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library (NFML) has blossomed into one of the largest assortments of nuclear fuels and materials available to the general nuclear research community for individual testing and research. These specimens range from conventional and advanced steels to experimental alloys, as well as ceramics and fuels, many of which were used inside of nuclear reactors. Operated and managed by the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF), NFML was initially conceptualized by the NSUF staff who identified an abundance of legacy materials from past research and
Read More
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
NewsletterA New Tool: The RAD Calculator
To get a job done, you need the right tool. Researchers now have one that will make their job easier.Most experiments run through the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) have the same underlying goal: quantifying changes in material properties. These changes arise from the radiation damage caused to a sample placed in a nuclear reactor.When designing these material science experiments, NSUF researchers have to make some choices: which reactor or reactors among those available would be best to use, where to place a sample within the reactor, how long to irradiate the test material and to what radiation damage levels
Read More
RTE Schedule Update
Like with many things, the spread of COVID-19 has impacted the Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) award process. Proposals submitted in the second RTE call are still being reviewed. Award letters were originally scheduled to be sent June 1. However, this will most likely be delayed. The third RTE is anticipated to open on August 3, 2020. If you have questions about RTEs, please contact Jeff Benson ([email protected]).
Read More
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
AnnouncementNSUF Seeking High-Interest Capability Recommendations
The NSUF is seeking input on needs and recommendations to assist DOE-NE in determining what capabilities supporting research are of highest interest to the nuclear energy (NE) research community over the next 1, 3, and 5 years. This is an informal request from the NSUF and is intended to supplement the official annual request for information from DOE-NE. The information provided has the potential to influence DOE-NE infrastructure investments.The input being sought includes capability descriptions, potential scientific impact, programmatic importance, anticipated utilization, and costs (capital investment, installation, and operating and maintenance [O&M]). Input is requested not only for new capabilities but
Read More
Thursday, March 26, 2020
AnnouncementStatement Regarding COVID-19
All,Like the rest of the country we have been watching and monitoring the impacts of the COVID-19 virus. Because we are a distributed user facility, we have been tracking our partner facilities as they received guidance from their parent institutions. All NSUF partner institutions have been impacted at some level.As many facilities close or restrict access and activities, please work directly with the facilities conducting your work to determine how this will impact your project and milestones.The NSUF Program Office based at Idaho National Laboratory has been working remotely since March 17 and anticipate this will be the case for
Read More
NSUF Project Leads Postdoc to INL
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) postdoctoral researcher Kaustubh Bawane attributes much of his career success so far to a 2018 Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) award he received while working on his doctoral thesis at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.The NSUF access award allowed Bawane to irradiate the nuclear fuel cladding materials he was studying, use cutting-edge instruments often unavailable to university students and ultimately secure his two-year postdoctoral position at INL that started in February 2020. To add to the journey, Bawane was recently awarded a second NSUF project that will allow him to utilize Texas A&M University's Accelerator
Read More
Users Organization Meeting Presentations Now Available
The presentations from the NSUF Users Organization Meeting are now available. If you have questions about any of the presentations, please contact the presenter. Facility Flash TalksArgonne National Laboratory (MeiMei Li)Brookhaven National Laboratory (Lynne Ecker)Center for Advanced Energy Studies (Yaqiao Wu)Idaho National Laboratory (Brenden Heidrich)Los Alamos National Laboratory (Tarik Saleh)Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Gordon Kohse)North Carolina State University (Ayman Hawari)Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Kory Linton) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Ramprashad Prabhakharan)Purdue University (Janelle Wharry)Sandia National Laboratories (Khalid Hattar) SCK-CEN (Steven van Dyck)The Ohio State University (Praneeth Kandlakunta)University of California, Berkeley (Peter Hosemann) University of Florida (Assel Aitkaliyeva) University of Michigan (Kevin Field) University of Wisconsin (Hongliang
Read More
Second FY 2020 RTE Call Opens
The second FY 2020 Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) has opened. Proposals are due Thursday, March 12.The RTE award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities. Completion of RTE projects is expected within 9 months of award. Prospective researchers are strongly encouraged to request samples from the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library.RTE proposals are solicited and awarded three times per year. They are reviewed and evaluated for technical merit, relevancy, and feasibility. The number of awards is dependent on the availability of funding. Further
Read More
NSUF’s High Performance Computing Powers Innovation
When the Wright brothers were building the world’s first aircraft, the inventors’ primary concern was whether or not their machine could get off the ground. It’s easy to assume that neither Orville nor Wilbur were thinking about the infinite number of variables associated with airplanes today, many of which are unpredictable; or so it may seem. Today aerospace engineers utilize modeling and simulation to remove some of the danger the Wright brothers first experienced.“Aviation is a high cost and consequence industry,” said Eric Whiting, Division Director for Advanced Scientific Computing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). “Anything you can do to
Read More
DOE-NE Awards 19 RTE Projects
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 19 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $690,000. These project awards went to 12 principal investigators from universities, five from national laboratories, one from industry, and one foreign university. The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of high-quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Each proposal was evaluated based on a variety of factors including technical approach, mission relevance, and scientific-technical merit. The NSUF, managed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides unparalleled opportunities for nuclear energy researchers. Through the RTE solicitation, a researcher can
Read More
Friday, January 24, 2020
Program Office HighlightNSUF Welcomes New Planning and Financial Controls Specialist
Jones will take over this role for Travis Howell who is now an NSUF experiment manager.
Rachel Jones is organized, detailed and deliberate—traits that make her a good fit in her new role as a planning and financial controls specialist (PFCS) for the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF).Jones started in October supporting NSUF by monitoring and tracking the funding and costs of projects with budgets ranging from $50,000 to $2.5 million. She also will support the development, implementation and schedule of nuclear energy research projects awarded by the program, including nuclear fuels and materials experiments. “I’m a very structured person and I enjoy the structure that comes with planning and monitoring these projects,” Jones said. She replaces TravisRead More
Friday, January 24, 2020
NewsletterNSUF Research Helps Support Student Researchers
The opportunities for student-led research are nearly endless
A vital resource in the United States’ critical energy infrastructure, nuclear power requires perpetual research in order to advance. While other user facilities reside across the globe, very few provide the resources or capabilities of the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF).As the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s only user facility, NSUF has championed hundreds of researchers from across the country and world in the pursuit of nuclear energy innovation to benefit our nation. Researchers are provided access to world-leading nuclear facilities, such as the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) or the HighRead More
Register Now for Users Organization Meeting
The NSUF Users Organization will hold its annual meeting to update users on NSUF research and facility capabilities as well as act as a venue for users to voice concerns. The event will take place after the annual TMS meeting in order to make it even more convenient for NSUF users. Discussion topics will include:NSUF Program Office updatesRecent partner facility updates Panel discussion with NSUF Program Office staff to discuss what is and isn't workingNSUF research project updatesIf you have questions about the event please reach out to Peter Hosemann or Tiffany Adams. REGISTER NOW »
Read More
DOE-NE Reopens NSUF 1.3 in CINR FOA
DOE-NE has released Amendment 003 to the FY2020 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The purpose of this amendment is to: (1) Clarify readiness requirements for NSUF-1.3 applications with this statement: “The NSUF readiness requirements are applicable to all NSUF funded workscopes (Reference Table 1. FY 2020 Work scope Overview) with the exception of NSUF 1.3: NUCLEAR MATERIALS DISCOVERY AND QUALIFICATION INITIATIVE. Applications in the NSUF 1.3 work scope may include preliminary materials fabrication and characterization within the context of the work scope. Other than this noted exception, NSUF will not support preliminary fuels, materials or instrumentation development work,
Read More
Colin Judge Joins NSUF as Industry Lead
Judge joined NSUF in September leaving Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. With a background in materials science, Judge will also act as a technical lead, assisting experiment managers with NSUF projects.
Materials scientist Colin Judge may have just recently joined Idaho National Laboratory, but his knowledge of the lab goes back 10 years. He estimates that off and on he spent three months of his career at INL before taking his current assignment in September.Judge came from Canadian Nuclear Laboratories in Chalk River, Ontario, where he was a research scientist in the Materials Science branch. His association with INL goes back to 2009, when he sought to examine CANDU reactor fuels and materials using focused ion beam (FIB) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipment at INL’s Materials & Fuels Complex (MFC).WithRead More
New Users Organization Executive Committee Members Announced
The Users Organization Executive Committee will work to advance NSUF user concerns and priorities.
From Users Organization Chair, Peter Hosemann:Thank you to all who voted in the Users Organization Executive Committee election. I’m excited to welcome our newest members. Their terms will begin January 2020. Secretary/Chair Elect: Gabriel Meric de BellefonGabriel has been an active user of NSUF since 2017 working on three Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects at four different NSUF facilities. Gabriel currently works at Kairos Power leading the irradiation testing of structural materials of the fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor. NSUF PROFILE »LINKEDIN PROFILE » Committee Member: Daniel LaBrierDaniel is not new to the Users Organization Executive Committee; he previously served as a student committeeRead More
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
NewsletterHow to Be a Better Scientific Communicator
Once research is done, there is still an opportunity to communicate the impacts of your research to a broader audience.
Scientific communication is all about the message, that is, one that resonates with people and explains the impact that research will have on their lives. For Dan Ogden, it’s all about framing the appropriate message for the given audience. For Simon Pimblott, it’s all about explaining science to the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) foremost stakeholder — the public. For Jeff Benson, it’s all about the cool factor.These varying concepts of what scientific communication is all about represent the gamut of approaches that researchers often consider. But they also come from a common source: they all touch on the realityRead More
NSUF Facility Highlight: University of Michigan
The University of Michigan's two NSUF partner facilities offers NSUF users access to extensive capabilities to study the effects of radiation as well as conduct high temperature mechanical property, corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking experiments on neutron irradiated materials in an aqueous environment to characterize the fracture surfaces after failure.
Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory The Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences at the University of Michigan has developed extensive capabilities in the use of accelerators directed towards the study of radiation effects by emulating neutron damage in nuclear reactor materials. The laboratory also provides a wide range of capabilities for both surface modification and analysis. Facilities include: A 3 MV Pelletron Tandem accelerator that can provide ion energies up to 6 MeV for single charged ions and to higher energies that depend on the ion charge state. Ion sources include a Torvis high current proton source, anRead More
From the Users Group: Vote for Your New Executive Committee
The goal of the Users Group is to provide a formal and clear channel from the NSUF users to the NSUF program office as well as advocate for the experimental activities at NSUF, and the Executive Committee helps facilitate this.
Thank you to those who submitted their nominations for the Users Group Executive Committee. We received excellent nominations for the User organization board and encourage all NSUF users to vote. Our election is now open. Please submit your votes by 10/31. Thank you for your commitment to NSUF! To vote, please go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/C5PRW3D.If you have questions about the Users Group, please contact chair Peter Hosemann.Read More
NSUF Researcher Feature: Lingfeng He
The TEM group leader for INL, He manages the two TEMs in INL's Irradiated Materials and Characterization Laboratory, and it continually making sure that his group's expertise is cutting edge, but also that users have access to that expertise via NSUF.
As a Nuclear Science User Facilities instrument scientist, Lingfeng He works with more than 20 NSUF users each year on the microstructural characterization of irradiated nuclear fuels and materials at the Irradiated Materials and Characterization Laboratory at Idaho National Laboratory. This work ultimately helps discover and create more efficient and cost-effective improvements for the next generation nuclear reactors. He assists users, often students, develop NSUF proposals ranging from studying irradiated structural materials to nuclear fuels and nuclear waste associated materials. Once awarded, He works with the users on experimental characterization at IMCL. Most recently, He helped prepare nine NSUF proposals with eight accepted. “I like to work with theRead More
Monday, October 7, 2019
NewsletterDrawn to Nuclear
While both are chief scientists for NSUF, Brenden Heidrich and Simon Pimblott took different paths to get here.
The two chief scientists for the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program both chose to pursue nuclear research early in their careers, but they did so in different ways. Brenden Heidrich, NSUF’s chief irradiation scientist, has always been interested in technology. Growing up, he was into cars and stereos. After joining the navy, Heidrich operated naval nuclear reactors for six years before going to college, working on the USS Enterprise for four years, saying his time in the Navy was a “strong impetus to get into nuclear.” Meanwhile, Simon Pimblott, NSUF’s chief post-irradiation scientist, forecasted his future at aRead More
DOE Awards 31 RTE Proposals, Opens FY-20 1st Call
Awards will go to 22 principal investigators from universities, six from national laboratories, and three from foreign universities.
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 31 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.1 million. These project awards went to 22 principal investigators from universities, six from national laboratories, and three foreign universities. The FY 2020 first call is also now open for proposals. More information is available on the RTE page on nsuf.inl.gov. The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of high-quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Each proposal was evaluated based on a variety of factors including technical approach, mission relevance, and scientific-technical merit. The NSUF, managed byRead More
How to Write Better Proposals: Awareness, Specificity and Brevity
NSUF has two main funding opportunities, Rapid Turnaround Experiments (RTEs) and work scopes in the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research program.
First, it started with the Advanced Test Reactor in 2007. Then came the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor in 2008. Then it expanded to include additional Idaho National Laboratory facilities in 2009. Now the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program boasts 50 cutting-edge facilities (and growing!) across 20 institutions. Want to reap the benefits of this no-cost user program?To be accepted for a project award, the NSUF Program Office urges prospective users to do their homework before applying — whether that’s familiarizing yourself with the websites for NSUF or Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) or even getting inRead More
NSUF Researcher Feature: Kumar Sridharan
Sridharan's research team put the NSUF's first material samples into the ATR, launching a new era of research into the behaviors of fuels and materials in a nuclear reactor environment.
Professor Kumar Sridharan and his colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison helped kickstart the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF), formerly known as the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) National Scientific User Facility in 2007. The team put the organization’s first material samples into the ATR, launching a new era of research into the behaviors of fuels and materials in a nuclear reactor environment. His research partners included university colleagues Lizhen Tan (now at Oak Ridge National Laboratory), Yong Yang (now at the University of Florida, Gainesville), and Heather MacLean Chichester of Idaho National Laboratory, where the Advanced Test Reactor is located. A decadeRead More
From the Users Group: Nominations Open for Users Group Executive Committee
The goal of the Users Group is to provide a formal and clear channel from the NSUF users to the NSUF program office as well as advocate for the experimental activities at NSUF, and the Executive Committee helps facilitate this.
The NSUF Users Group Executive Committee has several open seats, including one secretary/chair elect, two committee member positions, and two student members (graduate students only). To fill these positions, the Users Group is currently accepting nominations and will hold an election in October. Nominations are open to all NSUF users, and users can nominate themselves for multiple positions. Voting will take place from October 1-31 and will be announced via this newsletter and on the NSUF website.The goal of the Users Group is to provide a formal and clear channel from the NSUF users to the NSUF program office as well as advocate for the experimental activities atRead More
RTE Update: FY-20 First Call Expected to Open 10/1
The RTE award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities.
The first cycle of the Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) award process is expected to open on 10/1 and close on 10/31. RTEs offer an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities. Completion of RTE projects is expected within 9 months of award. Prospective researchers are strongly encouraged to request samples from the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library. RTE proposals are solicited and awarded three times per year. They are reviewed and evaluated for technical merit, relevancy, and feasibility. The number of awards is dependent on the availability of funding. Further explanation of theRead More
Infrastructure Funding Opportunity Announcement Released
This infrastructure program, a part of the Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) program was established to continue to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in nuclear R&D and ensure that American universities have the best equipment and tools available to educate the next generation of industry leaders.
The Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) has released the FY 2020 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0002129). The infrastructure support program will be administered by the Nuclear Science User Facilities program office. This FOA supports research reactor upgrades and general scientific infrastructure for universities only.Application Due Date: November 13, 2019 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.VIEW FOA »LEARN MORE ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM »SUBMIT AN APPLICATION »Read More
CINR Funding Opportunity Announcement Released
NSUF has eight work scopes open for proposals ranging from researching in-reactor instrumentation to high performance computing.
The Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) has released the FY 2020 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (DE-FOA-0002128). Official copies of the documents are available at grants.gov. Applications are to be submitted to neup.gov.The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has eight work scopes in the FOA:FC-2.5: NSUF Separate Effects Testing in TREAT using Standard Test CapsulesNSUF 1.1: Testing of Advanced Materials for Sensors and Advanced Sensors for Nuclear ApplicationsNSUF 1.2: Irradiation Testing of Materials Produced by Innovative Manufacturing TechniquesNSUF 1.3: Nuclear Materials Discovery and Qualification InitiativeNSUF 2.1: Core and Structural MaterialsNSUF 2.2: Nuclear Fuel BehaviorRead More
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Calls and AwardsCINR Awards Announced
Projects will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications.
Projects will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications.DOE has selected nine projects that will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications.Thermal Conductivity Measurement of Irradiated Metallic Fuel Using TREAT (University of Pittsburgh)Neutron Radiation Effect on Diffusion between Zr (and Zircaloy) and Cr for Accurate Lifetime Prediction of ATF (The Ohio State University)High Fluence Active Irradiation and Combined Effects Testing of Sapphire Optical Fiber Distributed Temperature Sensors (Idaho National Laboratory)Irradiation of Optical Components of In-Situ Laser Spectroscopic Sensors for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Systems (University of Michigan)Irradiation Studies onRead More
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Calls and AwardsRTE 3rd Call for Proposals Opens
Completion of RTE projects is expected within nine months of award.
The third Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) has opened. The RTE award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities. Completion of RTE projects is expected within nine months of award. Prospective researchers are strongly encouraged to request sample from the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library.For more information about the RTE rules and requirements, please go to: https://nsuf.inl.gov/Page/rteRead More
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Calls and AwardsRTE 2nd Call Awards Announced
These project awards went to principal investigators from 26 U.S. universities, eight national laboratories, two British universities, and one Canadian laboratory.
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 37 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling approximately $1.6 million. These project awards went to principal investigators from 26 U.S. universities, eight national laboratories, two British universities, and one Canadian laboratory. The NSUF competitively selected these projects from a pool of high-quality RTE proposals submitted during the solicitation period. Each proposal was evaluated based on a variety of factors including technical approach, mission relevance, and scientific-technical merit. The NSUF, managed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides unparalleled opportunities for nuclearRead More
Monday, February 25, 2019
Calls and AwardsRTE 2nd Call for Proposals Opens
The RTE award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities.
The second Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) has opened. The RTE award process offers an avenue for researchers to perform irradiation effects studies of limited scope on nuclear fuels and materials of interest utilizing NSUF facilities. Completion of RTE projects is expected within nine months of award. Prospective researchers are strongly encouraged to request samples from the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library.More information about NSUF's Rapid Turnaround Experiments can be found here: nsuf.inl.gov/Page/rteRead More
Friday, February 8, 2019
Calls and AwardsRTE 1st Call Awards Announced
These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE-NE.
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 31 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.4 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE-NE. The NSUF, first established at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is the nation’s only user facility sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Energy and solely dedicated to the advancement of nuclear energy. NSUF provides research teams with access to irradiation, post-irradiation examination, high-performance computing, andRead More
Monday, January 14, 2019
Users GroupNSUF Announces 2019 Users Meeting
Meeting will be held in conjunction with the ANS Student Conference
In conjunction with the ANS Student Conference, NSUF will hold its Users Meeting on April 4 and 5 in Richmond, Virginia on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. The Users Meeting will run concurrently with the ANS Student Conference and will offer researchers the opportunity to learn about:NSUF program updatesResearch updates from NSUF-funded projectsHow to apply for NSUF fundingNSUF unparalleled and expanding capabilities To register for this event, please visit the ANS Student Conference page and use one of the codes to bring the professional price to $255.NSUF-SC19 (valid until 3/7 for non-member professionals)NSUF-SC19-100 (valid from 3/8-4/6 for member professionals)NSUF-SC19-200 (valid 3/8-4/6 for non-member professionals)IfRead More
Monday, June 18, 2018
Calls and AwardsDOE Announces CINR Awards
The awards fall under DOE's nuclear energy programs, including the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), the Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) program, and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program. The NEUP administers the CINR funding program on behalf of DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), and the NSUF administers the Scientific Infrastucture Support for CINR funding program on behalf of DOE-NE.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced awards for advanced nuclear technology to DOE national laboratories, industry and U.S. universities. The awarded project proposals were submitted in response to two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs):The FY2018 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) FOA, andThe FY2018 Scientific Infrastructure Support for CINR FOA.The awards fall under DOE's nuclear energy programs, including the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), the Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) program, and the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) program. The NEUP administers the CINR funding program on behalf of DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), and the NSUF administers theRead More
Monday, June 18, 2018
Calls and AwardsDOE Awards 33 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Research Proposals
These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy.
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 33 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.2 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy. NSUF, first established at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is the nations only user facility overseen by the Office of Nuclear Energy. NSUF provides research teams with access to reactor, post-irradiation examination, high-performance computing, and beamline capabilities at a diverse mix of affiliated partner facilities inRead More
Monday, May 14, 2018
Calls and AwardsDOE Awards 33 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Research Proposals
These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy.
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 33 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.5 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy. The NSUF, first established at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is the nation's only user facility overseen by the Office of Nuclear Energy. The NSUF provides research teams with access to reactor, post-irradiation examination, high-performance computing, and beamline capabilities at a diverse mix of affiliated partnerRead More
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
AnnouncementNSUF Websites Updated
This update contains many features aimed at improving the utility and convenience of public- and user-facing systems, new features for facilitating research collaboration, and improvements to methods used in the exploration of supported capabilities and resources.
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new version of the Nuclear Science User Facilities websites. This update contains many features aimed at improving the utility and convenience of public- and user-facing systems, new features for facilitating research collaboration, and improvements to methods used in the exploration of supported capabilities and resources. User ProfileNSUF account holders will now have access to a dynamically generated User Profile that includes many quality of life improvements to support collaboration, review assignment, publication and presentation administration, and reduce the amount of time required to submit proposals to the NSUF.In addition to expanded biographicalRead More
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Calls and AwardsDOE awards 39 RTE Projects
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 39 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.3 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy.NSUF, first established at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is the nation’s only user facility overseen by the Office of Nuclear Energy. NSUF provides research teams with access to reactor, post-irradiation examination, high-performance computing, and beamline capabilities at a diverse mix of affiliated partner facilities
Read More
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Calls and AwardsDOE Releases FOA to Support Development of Advanced Nuclear Technology
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to support development of advanced nuclear energy technology. DOE is soliciting proposals for cost-shared projects to develop innovative, industry-driven reactor designs and accompanying technologies with high potential to advance nuclear power in the United States.DOE expects to make up to $30 million or more available for awards in FY 2018 subject to the availability of funding. The FOA will be open for a five-year period accepting applications on a year-round basis, with a quarterly selection process. Additional funding will be available in future years, as allocated by
Read More
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Calls and AwardsDOE-NE Releases FY 2018 Scientific Infrastructure FOA
DOE-NE has released the FY 2018 Scientific Infrastructure Support for Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0001773). The infrastructure support program will be administered by the Nuclear Science User Facilities program office. This FOA supports research reactor upgrades and general scientific infrastructure for universities only.The FOA and all official guidance will be hosted at Grants.gov, and courtesy information and a Q&A can be accessed at the Nuclear Science User Facilities website.Applications Due: November 30, 2017Anticipated award announcement: June-July 2018
Read More
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Calls and AwardsDOE-NE Releases FY 2018 CINR FOA
DOE-NE has released the FY 2018 Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The FOA contains workscopes for NEUP, NEET, and NSUF research areas. Changes to the FY 2018 CINR FOA include: No pre-applications for NEUP or NEET-CTD R&DTwo new workscopes for R&DNo IRP workscopePI?s are only eligible to compete as many applications as they may have with existing eligibility requirements All NSUF applications require the NSUF Access Request (a combination of the LOI and pre-app)NSUF-2 will be out of phase (delayed) with respect to the rest of the FY 2018 CINR processFY 2018 projects are scheduled to begin on
Read More
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Calls and AwardsU.S. Department of Energy Announces FY17 CINR FOA Awards
DOE selected five university, four national laboratory, and five industry-led projects that will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications.
Today, the DOE has selected five university, four national laboratory, and five industry-led projects that will take advantage of NSUF capabilities to investigate important nuclear fuel and material applications. DOE will support 6 of these projects with a total of $2.3 million in research funds, and all 14 of these projects will be supported by over $10 million in facility access costs and expertise for experimental neutron and ion irradiation testing, post-irradiation examination facilities, synchrotron beamline capabilities, and technical assistance for design and analysis of experiments through the NSUF.A complete list of NSUF projects with their associated abstracts is listedRead More
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Calls and AwardsU.S. Department of Energy Announces FY17 University Infrastructure Awards
These awards strengthen U.S. competitiveness in nuclear R&D and ensure that American universities have the best equipment and tools available to educate the next generation of industry leaders.
The U.S. Department of Energy is awarding approximately $6 million to 19 colleges and universities to support research reactor infrastructure and general scientific infrastructure improvements. These awards strengthen U.S. competitiveness in nuclear R&D and ensure that American universities have the best equipment and tools available to educate the next generation of industry leaders. The FY 2017 university infrastructure awards will upgrade the existing fleet of research reactors and support equipment and infrastructure improvements, making these reactors and capabilities more efficient and in line with industry advances. A full list of infrastructure recipients is listed below. Actual project funding will be established duringRead More
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Calls and AwardsU.S. DOE Nuclear Science User Facilities Awards 35 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Research Proposals
These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy.
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 35 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.3 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy. NSUF, first established at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is the nation’s only user facility overseen by the Office of Nuclear Energy. NSUF provides research teams with access to reactor, post-irradiation examination, high-performance computing, and beamline capabilities at a diverse mix of affiliated partner facilities inRead More
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Calls and AwardsU.S. DOE Nuclear Science User Facilities Awards 30 Rapid Turnaround Experiment Research Proposals
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 30 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.2 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy.
IDAHO FALLS -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) has selected 30 new Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) projects, totaling up to approximately $1.2 million. These projects will continue to advance the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear fuels and materials in support of the mission of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy. NSUF, first established at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is the nation’s only user facility overseen by the Office of Nuclear Energy. NSUF provides research teams with access to reactor, post-irradiation examination, high-performance computing, and beamline capabilities at a diverse mix of affiliated partner facilities inRead More
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
AnnouncementDOE-NE Releases FY 2017 Request for Information (RFI) for Nuclear Materials
DOE-NE, through the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF), is seeking information regarding 1) existing nuclear energy research materials and specimens that can, potentially, be added to the NFML, and 2) future needs for nuclear energy-related material to support ongoing nuclear energy challenges as well as future research advancements in nuclear energy.
DOE-NE has released a Request for Information (RFI) (DE-SOL-0010995) FY 2017 University, National Laboratory, Industry and International Input on Potential Additions to the NSUF Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library. DOE-NE, through the Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF), is currently seeking information regarding 1) existing nuclear energy research materials and specimens that can, potentially, be added to the NFML, and 2) future needs for nuclear energy-related material to support ongoing nuclear energy challenges as well as future research advancements in nuclear energy.The Nuclear Fuels and Materials Library (NFML), which is owned by DOE-NE and curated by the NSUF, is a collectionRead More
Monday, March 20, 2017
AnnouncementDOE Seeking Information on FY 2018 R&D and Infrastructure Focus Areas
DOE is seeking information, comments, feedback, and recommendations from interested parties for future work scope areas for the major NE-funded research programs in four R&D areas.
DOE is seeking information, comments, feedback, and recommendations from interested parties for future work scope areas for the major NE-funded research programs in the following R&D areas:Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FC R&D) ProgramReactor Concepts Research, Development, and Demonstration (RC RD&D) ProgramNuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) ProgramNuclear Enabling Technologies (NEET) Crosscutting Technology Development (CTD)DOE is also seeking information, comments, feedback, and recommendations from interested parties to determine what capabilities that support research, training and technology demonstration, are of high interest to the nuclear research community. In addition to receiving feedback on the aforementioned capabilities, DOE seeks input onRead More
Monday, March 13, 2017
AnnouncementGateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) announces small business voucher opportunity
The small business vouchers are provided by the DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy to support nuclear energy innovation in the small business sector.
The Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) today announced the availability of fiscal year 2017 funds for small business vouchers to assist applicants developing advanced nuclear energy technologies who are seeking access to the world class expertise and capabilities available across the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories complex. The small business vouchers are provided by the DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy to support nuclear energy innovation in the small business sector."The objective of GAIN is to accelerate cost-effective commercialization of innovative nuclear energy technologies," said Rita Baranwal, GAIN director. "This cost-sharing initiative enables partnerships with small businesses andRead More
Friday, February 3, 2017
AnnouncementU.S. Department of Energy, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre sign MOU
Beligan Reactor 2
Belgian Reactor 2The United States Department of Energy (DOE) and Belgium's Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie/Centre d'Etude de l'Energie Nucléaire (SCK/CEN) (also known as the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning cooperation in nuclear energy research and development on January 13, 2017.This MOU will enable collaboration on future irradiations and post-irradiation examinations (PIE), including planned SCK/CEN activities to take place in the Belgium Reactor 2 (BR-2) and associated Laboratory for High and Medium Activity (LHMA) hot cells, as well as planned DOE activities to take place in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT)Read More
About Us
The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) is the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's only designated nuclear energy user facility. Through peer-reviewed proposal processes, the NSUF provides researchers access to neutron, ion, and gamma irradiations, post-irradiation examination and beamline capabilities at Idaho National Laboratory and a diverse mix of university, national laboratory and industry partner institutions.
Privacy and Accessibility · Vulnerability Disclosure Program
