Ames Laboratory

Ames Laboratory. It is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory located on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Originally established in the 1940s as part of the Manhattan Project, its founding mission was to produce high-purity uranium metal for the war effort. Today, it is a world leader in materials discovery, synthesis, and analysis, with core research areas spanning critical materials, quantum information science, and computational chemistry.

History

The origins of the laboratory trace directly to the Manhattan Project during World War II. In 1942, Frank Spedding, a Iowa State University chemist, assembled a team known as the "Ames Project" to develop a large-scale process for producing pure uranium metal, a critical material for the Chicago Pile-1 and other early nuclear reactors. The project's success in producing over two million pounds of metal using a novel thermite process was a pivotal contribution to the war effort. This work led to the official establishment of the laboratory in 1947 under contract with the Atomic Energy Commission. Throughout the Cold War, research expanded into rare-earth elements, with scientist Harvey A. Wilhelm pioneering large-scale separation techniques. Landmark discoveries continued, including the identification of the Burgers vector in materials science by Willem Burgers and foundational work on quasicrystals by future Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Dan Shechtman.

Research and achievements

Core research is focused on solving energy-related challenges through materials science and chemistry. A historic and ongoing strength is in the field of rare-earth elements and critical materials, where scientists develop methods for extraction, separation, and recycling to ensure a secure domestic supply. The laboratory is a leader in the design and discovery of new materials, including metallic glasses, high-entropy alloys, and next-generation magnets. In computational chemistry and materials modeling, researchers develop sophisticated software and theories to predict material properties, with tools like the Solvation Tool for Ab initio Quantum chemistry and Molecular dynamics (STAQS) being widely used. The laboratory also conducts pioneering work in quantum information science, exploring new quantum materials and qubit platforms. Its researchers have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Department of Energy's E. O. Lawrence Award and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

Facilities and capabilities

The laboratory operates several specialized, world-class user facilities open to the global scientific community. The Critical Materials Institute, an Energy Innovation Hub, is headquartered here and focuses on supply chain innovation. The laboratory houses the Sensitive Instrument Facility, which provides ultra-low-vibration environments for advanced microscopy. Key instrumentation includes high-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, a molecular beam epitaxy system for growing thin films, and advanced electron microscopy suites. Major computational resources are provided through its partnership with the DOE Office of Science's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC). These facilities enable cutting-edge research in synchrotron radiation studies, atom probe tomography, and neutron scattering experiments conducted at partner sites like the Advanced Photon Source and Spallation Neutron Source.

Leadership and organization

The laboratory is managed for the United States Department of Energy by Iowa State University. Its director reports to both the university administration and the DOE Office of Science. The laboratory's structure is organized around interdisciplinary research divisions, including the Division of Materials Science and Engineering and the Division of Chemical and Biological Sciences. This structure fosters collaboration between theorists, experimentalists, and engineers. Day-to-day scientific direction is provided by a team of associate laboratory directors overseeing major research initiatives and core capabilities. The workforce comprises federal employees, university faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, creating a strong integration between the laboratory's mission and academic training.

Partnerships and collaborations

As a mid-sized national laboratory, it leverages extensive partnerships to amplify its impact. The foundational partnership with Iowa State University provides shared facilities, faculty, and student talent. It is a core member of the DOE Basic Energy Sciences program and collaborates extensively with other national laboratories, including Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on large-scale projects. The laboratory leads the Energy Frontier Research Center on pyrochlore oxides and participates in the Quantum Science Center. Significant industrial partnerships, often facilitated through the Critical Materials Institute, involve companies like General Electric and Samsung to translate basic research into commercial technology. International collaborations connect its scientists with leading institutions worldwide, including the Max Planck Society in Germany and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan.

Category:United States Department of Energy national laboratories Category:Research institutes in Iowa Category:Buildings and structures in Ames, Iowa Category:Iowa State University Category:Manhattan Project