Feature Articles

Rekha Rao thrives on solving complex scientific problems.

She’s been doing it to help Sandia meet the nation’s needs for 35 years.

This year, her work earned her dual recognitions as she was elected a fellow of two professional societies: the Society of Rheology and the International Association for Computational Mechanics.

ORNL researchers are developing intelligent automation systems that help manufacturers operate efficiently with smaller workforces. Work at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility integrates robotics, sensing and advanced controls to increase flexibility and reduce production time. These technologies are strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness by supporting faster deployment and securing domestic supply chains.

With support from U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Texas-based company Element3 has launched the first domestic lithium mining project in 50 years. This achievement is likely to have a big impact, turning the United States from a net importer of lithium to a country well on the path to greater energy independence, national security, and economic strength.

How do you power a spacecraft traveling 880 million miles from Earth?

Promising battery materials often work in tiny lab cells but falter when made larger. ORNL’s STAR Lab studies what goes wrong during scale-up, using advanced manufacturing, imaging, modeling and testing to build safer, higher-performing batteries.