MATERIALS – Lighter, stronger engines . . .
Engines could become lighter and more efficient because of a research project that combines the talents and resources of the Chrysler Group, Nemak S.A. of Mexico and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The goal of the four-year $5.5 million cooperative research and development agreement is to develop an advanced cast aluminum alloy for next-generation higher efficiency engines. In addition to being lighter, the new alloy for cylinder heads would be stronger and capable of sustaining the higher temperatures and pressures of engines with improved efficiency, according to ORNL's Amit Shyam, who leads the project. [Contact: Ron Walli, (865) 576-0226; wallira@ornl.gov]
CYBER – The science of security . . .
Dozens of cyber authorities will gather at Oak Ridge National Laboratory April 8-10 to discuss strategies to safeguard cyberspace, which is fundamental to the nation's prosperity and security. Participants in the 9th Cyber and Information Security Research Conference will present papers to be published by ACM International Conference Proceeding Series and discuss topics that include moving targets, designed-in security, cyber economic incentives and the science of security. This year's event will feature demonstrations of cyber technologies developed by the nine DOE cyber science laboratories. Keynote speakers include Lt. Gen. Michael Basla of the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon of the U.S. Army Cyber Command and Carol Hawk of the Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. More information is available at: http://www.cisr.ornl.gov/cisrc14/index.html. [Media contact: Ron Walli, (865) 576-0226; wallira@ornl.gov]
CLIMATE – Report highlights advances . . .
The 2013 annual report of the Climate Change Science Institute at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is now available. It highlights ecosystem-process work that spans microbial to global scales and feeds data into world-class models and simulations run on supercomputers; diverse environmental and climate data sets and tools; and analysis of impacts of climate change on human and natural systems. "Co-location and integration of these capabilities within CCSI create great potential to advance the science and provide accessible information and tools to help people deal with the consequences of climate change," said CCSI Director Jack Fellows. [Contact: Dawn Levy, (865) 241-4630; levyd@ornl.gov]
BIOMEDICAL -- Collaborative innovation . . .
Researchers from all disciplines are invited to attend Oak Ridge National Laboratory's annual Biomedical Science and Engineering Conference, which explores intersecting topics in brain science. The theme of the conference, set for May 6-8 at ORNL, is "The Multi-Scale Brain: Spanning Molecular, Cellular, Systems, Cognitive, Behavioral, and Clinical Neuroscience." "Bridging the gap between molecules and mind requires critical innovations in areas such as neuroimaging, nanosensors, multi-scale modeling, and large-scale data analytics," said Georgia Tourassi, director of ORNL's Biomedical Science and Engineering Center. More information is available at https://web.ornl.gov/bsec_conferences/2014/. [Contact: Morgan McCorkle, (865) 574-7308; mccorklelm@ornl.gov]
TECHNOLOGY -- New superhydrophobic glass . . .
A new type of durable, superhydrophobic, antireflective glass developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is available for commercialization. The technology differs from comparable superhydrophobic materials in terms of its optical clarity and atomically bonded structure. Potential applications for the technology include building materials, windshields, goggles, glasses and optical lenses. ORNL's Technology Transfer Office is accepting applications to license the technology through March 28. More information about the technology is available at the FedBizOpps website. [Contact: Morgan McCorkle, (865) 574-7308; mccorkleml@ornl.gov]