News Releases

Nikki Thiele, a staff scientist in the Chemical Sciences Division of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has received a 2026 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. The five-year National Institutes of Health grant supports innovative research with the potential for broad impact on biomedical and behavioral science. Thiele will develop innovative chelator designs to improve targeted radiopharmaceuticals.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed Motor Decide, a Super Intelligence-driven platform that helps manufacturers compare electric motor technologies based on performance, material availability, supply chain stability, technology maturity and resilience to changing market conditions.

(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) – The Department of Energy’s MARVEL microreactor project recently cleared more milestones as Idaho researchers prepare the reactor for initial startup tests this winter.

Savannah River National Laboratory and 3D Systems have entered into a cooperative research and development agreement, or CRADA, to accelerate innovation in additive manufacturing for advanced energy generation and national security applications. The partnership centers on SRNL’s Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative, leveraging the facility’s unique position as South Carolina’s only national laboratory-operated site located on a public university campus.

Through this CRADA, SRNL and 3D Systems will jointly pursue advancements in materials development, equipment enhancements, artificial intelligence/machine learning – enabled process optimization, manufacturing systems, cybersecurity and workforce development training.

In partnership with A.J. Tuck Company, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a new manufacturing approach that could simplify production of critical components for advanced nuclear reactors and other energy and defense applications. The method combines 3D printing and electroforming to produce complex, leak-free hot isostatic pressing (HIP) cans, sealed containers used to form high-performance metal parts from powder materials under high heat and pressure. This approach for making HIP cans could speed up production and reduce reliance on constrained supply chains.

The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge and Idaho national laboratories announced a collaboration to expand the domestic supply chain of industrial pressure vessels. Together, the labs will help enable wire arc 3D printing of these large components, which are critical for energy-related industries and capable of reliably withstanding harsh service conditions. The initiative boosts the rapid expansion of U.S. nuclear manufacturing capabilities.