Biological and Environmental Sciences Directorate

Welcome

The Measurement Science and Systems Engineering (MSSE) Division was formed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in March of 2008.  Although the division is relatively new, the talent, expertise, and capabilities of our staff and resources encompasses over 60 years of electronics, instrumentation, controls, and systems research and development at ORNL.  Today, we provide a unique blend of applied science and engineering in measurements, sensing, signals, communications, robotics, and integrated systems that helps bridge the gap between basic research and the practical implementation of new technologies.  These technologies address our research portfolio in areas of,

Collage of materials, sensors, and actuators Research encompasses many areas such as functional nanomaterials (left), mesofluidics and robotic (center), and MEMS/NEMS arrays and sensors (right).
  • Energy research
  • National Security
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • U.S. Competitiveness
  • Basic Science

Capabilities

The division’s 130 research, technical, and administrative staff are organized into nine technology-focused groups that specialize in R&D related to the creation, testing, integration, and application of science and technology (S&T) that support measurements and the consumption of measurements using appropriate modes of sensing at various spatial and temporal scales in a wide variety of physical environments. Within the ORNL research environment, MSSE provides an important pathway for the translation of basic science to engineering and technology applications. Our core competencies describe capabilities in electronics, photonics, sensors, systems, models, and methods that interface science and engineering to produce technology solutions.

Partnerships

The MSSE Division works closely with a number of ORNL facilities, research organizations, industries, and universities around the world. Some of our recent partners include,

  • The National Security Directorate (NSD) at ORNL has a mission to provide federal, state and local government agencies and departments with the technology and expertise required to support national and homeland security needs. NSD achieves its primary missions by leveraging the science and technology capabilities of organizations like MSSE.
  • A wide variety of U.S. DOE Programs and Program Offices impacting Energy Efficiency and Electricity, Energy Materials, Fusion Energy Science, Global Security and Nonproliferation, Nuclear Technology, and Transportation.
  • The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL is a collaborative nanoscience user research facility for the synthesis, characterization, theory/modeling/simulation, and design of nanoscale materials.
  • The Spallation Neutron Source at ORNL is an accelerator-based neutron source and user facility providing neutron scattering and imaging techniques for studying the structure and dynamics of materials.
  • United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC), Oak Ridge, TN, is working with ORNL to develop USEC’s next-generation uranium enrichment process based on U.S. centrifuge technology.
USEC MSSE is supporting a variety of engineering development activities at the USEC R&D Center, Oak Ridge, TN.

Partnering with MSSE provides collaborative opportunities to pursue programs and projects of various scales and complexity that address some of the most challenging science and engineering problems facing the nation today in energy, security, defense, and biomedicine. Through strategic partnerships on a wide range of S&T efforts, MSSE has developed significant experience and capabilities that it brings to new partnerships and customers to make the nation and the world energy efficient, safe, and healthy.