News Releases

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory created a platform that pinpoints genetic triggers that turn microbes into efficient factories for new chemicals and materials. The method enables rapid, precise reprogramming of bacteria as biotechnology tools, supporting the domestic production of valuable products and the recovery of critical minerals and materials, enhancing the nation’s supply chains and global competitiveness.  

The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies, has launched a new national center to help strengthen the U.S. cement and concrete supply chain at a time of rising demand, increasing imports and mounting pressure on domestic infrastructure.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Rutherford Energy Ventures recently kicked off FULCRA, an innovative consortium that combines national lab capabilities with private-sector investment to develop shared fusion testbeds, de-risk critical technology, and speed commercialization. As the first initiative of its kind, FULCRA has the potential to reshape how fusion test infrastructure is designed, funded, and operated, creating a model that can be replicated across the public research ecosystem.

Sandia National Labs tests a portable security system for military applications and border security. 

Three grid researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory were recently elevated to senior membership in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Shamim Hasan, Mohammad Khalid and Deepika Patel focus on energy infrastructure in their research within the lab’s Energy Science and Technology Directorate.

(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) – For the first time, researchers from Idaho National Laboratory, the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Purdue University used a geographically distributed control system to remotely and automatically adjust the power of a research reactor in real time, with the reactor’s own safety systems retaining full control throughout. Working with PUR1, a low-power research reactor at Purdue, the team first demonstrated remote power adjustments through an automatic adjustment system called a digital control loop, then made the loop further autonomous using a reinforcement learning model running in software that simulates how physical forces interact within the reactor. The demonstration linked three sites operating together in real time: high-performance computing systems in Idaho, the PUR1 reactor in Indiana, and a Microsoft Azure cloud environment in Virginia.

Ahmed Arabi Hassen, group leader of Composites Innovation at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, one of the highest honors bestowed by the organization.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s National (ORNL) Transportation Research Center have developed a novel electric motor drive design that meets the performance demands of aircraft, marine vessels and heavy-duty trucks while reducing excess heat and premature wear.

Hong Wang, a senior distinguished R&D scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Transportation Research Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been named a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers earned five of nine awards presented by DOE’s Transportation Technologies Office during its 2026 Annual Merit Review, held in Arlington, Virginia.