SNS News Archive - 2005

Links to some articles on the SNS News Archive page are not active because some newspapers archive articles on their Web sites and require a subscription for access. The citations are left on this page for your convenience in indentifying older stories. Contact the newspaper or your library to obtain a copy.

December

John Sullivan, Associate Under Secretary, took a tour of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), October 4, 2005.

Spallation Neutron Source Amazing Science Facts (Newswise 12/22) The New Year is bringing the science community a grand present: The Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. On schedule for completion in 2006, the Department of Energy's new science facility will provide researchers with the world's most powerful and most advanced tool for analyzing a host of materials with neutrons.

First Postma Medal awarded (Oak Ridger 12/19)
Thom Mason, director of the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was honored Friday with the Postma Young Professional Medal at a special breakfast meeting of the East Tennessee Economic Council..."I believe that Thom Mason is the Oak Ridge community's finest representative of the community spirit and leadership modeled for us by Dr. Postma," said Jeff Wadsworth, director of the lab, in his nomination letter."..."Thom's work with the Education Foundation is just one example of his commitment to Oak Ridge and his appreciation of the value of good relations between the scientific community and the community as a whole."

UT-Battelle wins new contract (Knoxville News-Sentinel 12/02)
UT-Battelle, a partnership of the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute, has received a new five-year contract to manage the government's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The contract with the U.S. Department of Energy is valued at $6.3 billion. The contract extension has been in negotiations for months...UT-Battelle took over management of ORNL in 2000, succeeding Lockheed Martin Energy Corp. Under terms of the performance-based contract, UT-Battelle can earn up to $10.7 million annually in management fees, said Jeff Smith, ORNL's deputy director for operations. A number of big projects are under way at ORNL, including the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source, which is under construction, and upgrades at the lab's High Flux Isotope Reactor, Smith said.

November

Senate Passes Support For Tennessee Energy, Water Projects (Chattanoogan 11/15)
U.S. Sens. Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander Tuesday applauded Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations conference report that includes funding for Tennessee’s energy and water priorities. The funding will support facilities and research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) in addition to flood control and economic development taking place along Tennessee’s waterways and in the state’s rural communities. Tennessee Projects funded in the legislation include: $156.7 million for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), including $41.7 million for construction, $106.9 million for operations and $8.1 million for instruments. Upon completion, SNS will be the most powerful research facility of its kind, providing researchers an opportunity to study basic and applied research, as well as develop technology in the fields of condensed matter physics, materials sciences, magnetic materials, polymers, chemistry, biology, earth sciences and engineering.

Munger: Lab director humbled by professional recognition (Knoxville News-Sentinel 11/7)
At ceremonies Oct. 9 in Washington, D.C., Jeff Wadsworth was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering. That's a big deal, of course, and it was a special weekend for Wadsworth, the director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the past two years and a metallurgist with a deep and distinguished body of research...Wadsworth, per usual, was upbeat about happenings at ORNL, but he indicated there may be no way around the budget cuts created by Mother Nature's wrath along the Gulf Coast. He said he thinks Katrina, et al, will have a major impact on federal funding for science, although there's been no definitive word on how that will play on ORNL's research programs...Wadsworth said he hoped the Spallation Neutron Source, the $1.4 billion science research center that is nearing the end of construction, would not be affected.

October

Scientist proud of himself, proud of his team (Knoxville News-Sentinel 10/03)
He hardly flinched when asked if he was the guy who rescued the Spallation Neutron Source. "Modesty comes unnaturally to me," the 57-year-old physicist said with a chuckle, stretching out his long frame as he contemplated the question. Moncton, who directed the $1.4 billion project for two years (1999-2001), was back in town recently to head a seminar at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

September

Governor visits ORNL (Oak Ridger 9/16)
Gov. Phil Bredesen visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory Thursday, touring the lab's Spallation Neutron Source, Joint Institute for Computational Sciences building and other areas that have recently progressed at ORNL.

August

$150 million TeraGrid award heralds new era for scientific computing (Oak Ridger 8/26)
...Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is one of eight TeraGrid sites, will receive $5.5 million over five years to support the TeraGrid. ORNL's principle task for this project is to operate the Neutron Science TeraGrid Gateway, a network that will make it possible to efficiently share the incredible amount of data that will be generated by experiments at the Department of Energy's $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source. The SNS, which will be coming on line next year, is expected to create 250 terabytes of raw experimental data per year by 2008. By 2011, the SNS will have accumulated data in excess of 1,000 terabytes.

'Cold linac' commissioning major step for SNS (Oak Ridger 8/23)
The Spallation Neutron Source at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has met a crucial milestone on its way to completion in June 2006 - operation of the superconducting section of its linear accelerator..."The successful operation of the cold linac is a major step toward the 2006 completion of the SNS and demonstrates the success of the collaboration of national labs in keeping the project on time, on budget and on scope," said Thom Mason, ORNL's associate director for the SNS.

SNS milestone: Workers commission 'cold linac' (Knoxville News-Sentinel 8/23)
Workers have commissioned the "cold linac" at the Spallation Neutron Source, a key milestone in development of the $1.4 billion research complex, officials at Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced.

ORNL to support 'TeraGrid' (Knoxville News-Sentinel 8/18)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory will play a supporting role in TeraGrid — a newly operable "cyberinfrastructure" that’s supposed to make the nation’s computing resources more widely available for scientific use...ORNL will receive $5.5 million over five years to operate a network that will share massive amounts of experimental data from the Spallation Neutron Source — the $1.4 billion research center that’s set to begin operations in mid-2006.

Energy secretary: Here to learn (Knoxville News-Sentinel 8/1)
On his first visit to Oak Ridge as energy secretary, Samuel Bodman said today he was here to learn and offered few opinions on topical issues...Bodman toured the Spallation Neutron Source, the $1.4 billion research center under construction on 75 acres near ORNL, and he had good things to say. "It seems to be being done on time, on schedule, on budget," he said. "So I'm very pleased with it... It's a very impressive facility. The scale of it, the scope of it, is really quite a thing to see."

July

ORNL Mirrors Powerful Tools for Studying Micro-, Nano-materials (Newswise 7/20)
Precision mirrors to focus X-rays and neutron beams could speed the path to new materials and perhaps help explain why computers, cell phones and satellites go on the blink. In the last few years, a team led by Gene Ice of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has improved by a factor of nearly 10 the performance of mirrors that enable researchers to examine variations in structure and chemistry and even individual nanoparticles...“There’s a worldwide race to develop high-performance mirrors that will dramatically expand the capabilities of major science facilities like the Advanced Photon Source and the Spallation Neutron Source,” said Ice, a member of ORNL’s Metals & Ceramics Division.

ORNL will host Community Day Aug. 27 (Oak Ridger 7/7)
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory will host Community Day, its first public open house in eight years, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. Admission is free. The theme for Community Day is "Ready for the Next Generation of Great Science." New additions such as the $300 million East Campus area and the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source will be featured.

Mason: Education in Oak Ridge not a hard sell (Oak Ridger 7/7)
In a civic leadership role unlike any he has held before, Thom Mason is chairing the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation board as it pursues a massive goal: raise $12 million in private funds, not only to help ensure a 21st century high school of the highest quality but to create an endowment to enhance the city's public schools for years to come. Mason is accustomed to big ticket projects in his professional life. He is associate director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Spallation Neutron Source, a $1.4 billion development, the nation's largest civilian science project, scheduled for completion in 2006.

June

SNS celebrates 4 million workplace injury-free hours (Oak Ridger 6/27)
Four million work hours without lost time for injury were celebrated by construction workers today at the Spallation Neutron Source at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. "We had the union representation, national AFL-CIO and state labor union representation, as well as management here to thank (them) for a huge effort over the last five years," said Dick Davis, project manager during the construction phase.

Spallation Neutron Source safety landmark observed (Knoxville News-Sentinel 6/23)
[Need to scroll] Officials at the Spallation Neutron Source on Wednesday celebrated 4 million construction hours at the Oak Ridge project without a lost-time accident. The $1.4 billion science center is scheduled to open next year and eventually become the world's leading site for neutron research.

ORNL: Most advanced research facility in the world a year away from completion (WBIR-TV 6/1)
The most advanced scientific research facility in the world is being built in Oak Ridge, and it's only one year away from completion. The $1.5 billion facility will be the home of what are now unimaginable breakthroughs in science and technology. "SNS will be the most powerful facility of its type in the world," says Thom Mason, Associate Laboratory Director at ORNL.

May

ORNL nanoscience center 'Jump Starts' medical compound device (PhysOrg.com 5/24)
A device that could create custom-tailored medical compounds faster than ever before is one of the first projects launched under the new Center for Nanophase Materials Science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

SNS, Knight/Jacobs mark successful partnership (Oak Ridger, 5/20)
Officials of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source and Knight/Jacobs Joint Venture, the SNS project's prime construction contractor, marked the successful completion of Knight/Jacobs' role in the Department of Energy project in a Friday afternoon ceremony.

PAC meeting draws eyes of the world to OR, SNS (Oak Ridger, 5/19)
The Particle Accelerator Conference, hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source and Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, has attracted nearly 1,400 scientists from over the world to Knoxville this week.

Particle conference to draw nearly 1,400House panel OKs funding for OR projects, including Spallation (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 5/20)
Several high-profile projects of Oak Ridge's federal operations, including the world's fastest computer and the Spallation Neutron Source, won House committee approval for high levels of funding despite budget cutbacks elsewhere. U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., whose district includes Oak Ridge, said Thursday that the $151 million for Spallation would complete construction and equipment for the $1.4 billion scientific research facility and begin operations.

Wamp announces East Tennessee Nano Initiative (Oak Ridger, 5/18)
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-3rd District, arrived at Technology 2020 Monday to announce the formation of the East Tennessee Nano Initiative. The initiative is being formed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, Y-12 National Security Complex, Technology 2020 and Innovation Valley to help the region capitalize on its nanoscience research tools. These include the Spallation Neutron Source and High Flux Isotope Reactor, the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, the Center for Computational Sciences at ORNL, UT's nanofabrication facilities and Y-12's precision machining capabilities.

Particle conference to draw nearly 1,400 (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 5/18)
East Tennessee is a magnet this week for scientists and engineers from around the globe, and that should be a trend for years to come. Nearly 1,400 are gathering daily at the Knoxville Convention Center for an international conference on particle accelerators and particle physics. The star attraction isn't really in Knoxville but in nearby Oak Ridge - where the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source is nearing completion. First operations are set for next spring.

Take first peek at $1.4 billion Oak Ridge research facility (Oak Ridger, 5/17)
The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is the biggest project in the history of Oak Ridge. It's even bigger than the Manhattan Project, the massive and secret effort to build a city and nuclear weapons facility during World War II. The SNS won't officially open for business until next year, but 6 News was able to take a look inside the billion dollar facility to see how it will someday make your life easier.

SNS co-hosts PAC05; Einstein focus (Oak Ridger, 5/4)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source and Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility are hosting the 2005 Particle Accelerator Conference, the 21st in the series, in Knoxville May 16 through 20. "This conference and its more than 1,200 attendees will cover new developments in all aspects of the science, technology and use of particle accelerators," a press release stated. Topics of interest at the PAC05 conference revolve around the World Year of Physics, which marks the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's "miraculous year" of 1905 - when he published three papers that revolutionized the physical sciences.

April

State of ORNL address presented (Oak Ridger, 4/22)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Jeff Wadsworth reported Thursday that the lab has "delivered everything we promised" in its contract with the Department of Energy for the past five years...The $1.4 billion SNS is "on scope, budget and time" for operation beginning in June 2006, Wadsworth reported. He credited a "world class" scientific and operating team and the state of Tennessee for helping to make the project a success, despite uncertain funding in its beginning.

Pleased with progress (Oak Ridger, 4/19)
If you're searching to be inspired by someone who's passionate about their work, look no further: Les Price is a man who truly loves his job. Price is the project manager of the Spallation Neutron Source, the $1.4 billion accelerator-based science facility that will provide 2,000 researchers each year from universities, national labs and industry with opportunities for basic and applied research and technology development in the fields of materials science, magnetic materials, polymers and complex fluids, chemistry, and biology. Located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the SNS will provide neutron beams with up to ten times more intensity than any other source in the world.

March

Congressman visits SNS (Oak Ridger, 3/30)
U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-9th District, was in town Tuesday and eager to take back lessons learned from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to Memphis. "I'm here to learn," Ford stated. During a statewide tour of Tennessee over the congressional break, Ford visited Oak Ridge's Spallation Neutron Source facility. The congressman met with SNS director Thom Mason, ORNL Director Jeff Wadsworth and Deputy Director Jeff Romero, who explained the innovative and groundbreaking technology currently going on at the lab.

Spallation project turns new page (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 3/27)
The Spallation Neutron Source is nearing completion, and the $1.4 billion science research center is just one of the big things happening at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SNS is scheduled to begin research operations during the summer of 2006, opening a new chapter in ORNL's storied history of scientific achievement.

Remarkable record at SNS has little to do with science (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 3/2)
The real test of the Spallation Neutron Source will come sometime next year during startup proceedings. That's when we'll find out if the spectacular research center - featuring a linear accelerator and a bounty of other scientific equipment - works like it's supposed to work and can produce neutrons by the zillions. The $1.4 billion project, however, has already been successful on several fronts.

February

UT-Battelle scores with report card (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 2/15)
UT-Battelle received an "outstanding" performance rating for its management of Oak National Laboratory in 2004.The federal contractor, a partnership of the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute, earned a fee of $6,619,000. That's 96.4 percent of the total fee available, according to information released Monday to the news media...In a Feb. 2 letter to Wadsworth, DOE Manager Gerald Boyd praised UT-Battelle for its work on the Spallation Neutron Source, the $1.4 billion science center under construction, and several research programs.

ORNL still finds bright spot in Bush's '06 budget cuts (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 2/8)
The government operations here will take a hit from the Bush administration's cost-cutting plans for 2006, but the budget picture isn't all bad...There was generally good news for the Spallation Neutron Source, the $1.4 billion research complex under construction at ORNL...Thom Mason, the SNS director, said the proposed budget includes $75.6 million to complete construction; $8.1 million for future research instruments; and about $73 million for operating funds in 2006. The last figure is $2 million below the request or a 2.6 percent shortfall, Mason said.

Tight budget proposal would finish SNS (Oak Ridger, 2/8)
The Bush administration's budget proposal released Monday could help finish a major project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and may reform how the Tennessee Valley Authority conducts business...The budget calls for $75.6 million to finish building the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge. The $1.4 billion project is a giant linear accelerator designed to study the composition of inorganic and living materials.

Bredesen's budget funds ORNL facility (Oak Ridger, 2/1)
Gov. Bredesen's proposed state budget contains funding for a new research facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that will be shared with the University of Tennessee. The governor's budget includes $8 million to build the Joint Institute for Neutron Sciences. Located adjacent to the Spallation Neutron Source, the state facility will house researchers from both ORNL and UT who will study ways to improve the structure of materials.

January

Oak Ridge National Lab: SNS inching closer to completion (WBIR-TV, 1/28)
Construction crews at the Oak Ridge National Lab are doing work like no one else in the world. A $1.4 billion, high tech facility at ORNL is the only one of its kind on earth. "Every day, every week, every month, there's some new thing that's finished off," says Assistant Lab Director Thom Mason.

'New era' for ORNL predicted (Oak Ridger, 1/4)
The new year holds great potential for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In fact, director Jeff Wadsworth reported that 2005 just may be the most important year since the lab was built in 1942...One of the year's biggest events for the lab will be preparing for the opening of the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source. The "world's biggest science project" began in 1999 and is approximately 88 percent complete.