National Labs

Number of Labs

17

Oversight Body

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Founding Context

Outgrowth of scientific research initiated by U.S. Government during World War II, including the Manhattan Project

Operational Model

16 of 17 labs are Government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO), managed by private-sector organizations or university systems

Years of Innovation

Over 70 years

Primary Mission Areas

Energy, climate, environment, national security, health, scientific and technological research

1940s-1950s

Ongoing

The National Laboratories have served as the leading institutions for scientific innovation in the United States for more than 60 years.

<p>The Department of Energy’s 17 National Laboratories are powerhouses of science and technology whose researchers tackle some of the world’s toughest challenges. The Laboratories support scientists and engineers from academia, government, and industry with access to specialized equipment, world-class research facilities, and skilled technical staff. Together, they are working to solve some of the world’s greatest scientific challenges.</p>

TheUnited States Department of Energy National Laboratories and Technology Centersis a system oflaboratoriesoverseen by theUnited States Department of Energy(DOE) for scientific and technologicalresearch. The primary mission of the DOE national labor...

The Department of Energy’s 17 National Laboratories are powerhouse institutions that have led scientific innovation in the United States for more than 70 years.

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3. There are 17 national labs in total, of which 16 are FFRDCs that are technically managed and operated by companies or university systems on behalf of the government, an arrangement described as “GOCO” (government-owned, contractor-operated). For example, the University of California system administers the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the company Batelle administers the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the Idaho National Laboratory. [...] ### Overview of the national labs today Beyond the nuclear-focused labs described in the history section above—Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia—the DOE also oversees a network of other “national labs”3, each with specific missions and expertise in various fields. These labs are crucial in advancing scientific research and technological innovation. They include (not comprehensive): [...] Separate from the DOE-associated “national labs”, the military also runs labs focused on specific services. Military labs are R&D facilities operated by various branches of the armed forces to advance military capabilities, technologies, and readiness—thus playing a crucial role in supporting defense and security objectives.

Most national laboratories maintained staffs of local researchers as well as allowing for visiting researchers to use their equipment, though priority to local or visiting researchers often varied from lab to lab. With their centralization of resources (both monetary and intellectual), the national labs serve as an exemplar for Big Science. [...] The United States Department of Energy National Laboratories and Technology Centers is a system of laboratories overseen by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for scientific and technological research. The primary mission of the DOE national laboratories is to conduct research and development (R&D) addressing national priorities: energy and climate, the environment, national security, and health. Sixteen of the seventeen DOE national laboratories are federally funded research and [...] development centers administered, managed, operated and staffed by private-sector organizations under management and operating (M&O) contracts with the DOE. The National Laboratory system was established in the wake of World War II, during which the United States had quickly set-up and pursued advanced scientific research in the sprawling Manhattan Project.

Ames Laboratory Argonne National Laboratory Brookhaven National Laboratory Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Idaho National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Los Alamos National Laboratory National Energy Technology Laboratory National Renewable Energy Laboratory Oak Ridge National Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory [...] The National Laboratories conduct scientific research and development in areas related to energy and technology. Website National Laboratories Find an office near you [...] Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Sandia National Laboratory Savannah River National Laboratory SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

An outgrowth of immense investment in scientific research initiated by the U.S. Government during World War II, the National Laboratories have served as the leading institutions for scientific innovation in the United States for more than seventy years. [...] The Energy Department's 17 National Labs tackle the critical scientific challenges of our time -- from combating climate change to discovering the origins of our universe -- and possess unique instruments and facilities, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. They address large scale, complex research and development challenges with a multidisciplinary approach that places an emphasis on translating basic science to innovation. ## Office of Science Laboratories [...] 75 Discoveries Explore Our User Facilities Map: Find a National Laboratory near you 17 national labs in 17 minutes 17 Labs in 17 Minutes Computing #NationalLab Tweets State of Labs Report cover State of the National Labs Report Department of Energy Committed to Restoring America’s Energy Dominance. Committed to Restoring America’s Energy Dominance. Follow Us