Archived News Releases for 2001

For more information on ORNL and its research and development activities, please refer to the resources listed below or to one of our Media Contacts. If you have a general media-related question or comment, you can send it to news@ornl.gov.

 
Transportation research opportunities to increase at NTRC
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Dec. 27, 2001 — Scientists studying vehicle safety, fuel efficiency, traffic management and other transportation issues will now have improved access to state-of-the-art laboratories at the National Transportation Research Center.

White Christmases becoming more a dream than reality
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Dec. 20, 2001 — In 1942, Bing Crosby crooned about a white Christmas, and a dream is just what a snowy Dec. 25 has become in several parts of the United States, according to statistics provided by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

ORNL helping Seattle solve crumbling building mystery
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Dec. 17, 2001 — If you mention the three m's to a group of researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they're apt to think of moisture, mold and mildew instead of the company from Minnesota.

ORNL Awards Night winners announced
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 30, 2001 — Herb Mook is the recipient of the 2001 Director's Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Science and Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Mason elected AAAS fellow
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 19, 2001 — Thomas Mason, associate laboratory director of the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Nanoparticles in air bad news for people
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 16, 2001 — Tiny airborne particles too small to see are more plentiful and may pose a greater health hazard than previously thought, says an Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher studying airborne particles in the Great Smoky Mountains and beyond.

Groundbreaking held for new Mouse House
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 13, 2001 — Construction began today for a state-of-the-art genomics facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that will help researchers better understand gene function and disease by studying the more than 60,000 mice that will be housed there.

Plummer earns Vacuum Society honor
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Oct. 30, 2001 — Ward Plummer, distinguished scientist in Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Solid State Division and distinguished professor of physics at the University of Tennessee, has earned the prestigious 2001 Medard W. Welch Award from the American Vacuum Society.

ORNL conducting field test of instruments to detect lead
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Oct. 29, 2001 — Instruments and methods to detect lead in house dust will get a tryout at a field verification event conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory Nov. 5-9 in Hartford, Conn.

Contract awarded for SNS electrical commodities
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Oct. 23, 2001 — Contract pricing agreements have been awarded for site-wide electrical commodities at the Spallation Neutron Source project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

ORNL to partner with industry on three new proposals
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Oct. 16, 2001 — Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Superconductivity program has been selected to partner on three new superconductivity proposals that are being negotiated by U.S. industry.

Spinach protein could offer new hope for the blind
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Sep. 26, 2001 — Spinach, touted in the Popeye cartoon for its ability to strengthen the body, may prove even more valuable for restoring vision to people who are legally blind.

ORNL heads DOE project that looks to the stars
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Sep. 18, 2001 — Through a newly funded Department of Energy project, astrophysicists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and around the United States hope to gain a better understanding of what happens when stars die in spectacular explosions called core collapse supernovae.

Zacharia appointed head of new ORNL directorate
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Sep. 10, 2001 — Thomas Zacharia has been selected to head Oak Ridge National Laboratory's new Computing and Computational Sciences directorate.

Zacharia appointed head of new ORNL directorate
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Sep. 10, 2001 — Thomas Zacharia has been selected to head Oak Ridge National Laboratory's new Computing and Computational Sciences directorate.

New Knox company has big plans for ORNL technology
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Sep. 10, 2001 — Knoxville startup company QGENICS Biosciences is looking for big things from a miniaturized platform technology developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to quickly diagnose disease, analyze DNA, protein and other molecules.

ORNL heads effort to build better supercomputer centers
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Sep. 6, 2001 — Supercomputers provide researchers with powerful tools, but operating them can also be a super hassle, says an Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher who heads a team working to fix the problem.

ORNL, IBM pooling talents to examine diseases
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 22, 2001 — Massive computing power and biology are coming together in a big way through a cooperative research and development agreement announced today by IBM and the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Contract awarded to build SNS cooling towers
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 21, 2001 — A $2.2 million contract has been awarded to design and build two multicell cooling towers for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

DOE initiative targets heart of fusion machine
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 16, 2001 — Enormous computing power and $1.2 million from the Department of Energy are expected to help researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University better understand and control fusion machines.

ORNL computational center awarded funding for climate studies
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 15, 2001 — Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) co-leads a team that will receive $20 million in funding over the next five years from the Department of Energy to speed the development of computer models to predict climate change.

ORNL earns Tennessee small business award
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 1, 2001 — A Tennessee Small Business Advocacy Award has been presented to the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for its support of small business in the Volunteer State.

Parker to participate in national engineering symposium
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., July 9, 2001 — Lynne Parker, a researcher at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering's seventh annual Frontiers of Engineering symposium.

ORNL adds two R&D 100 Awards to DOE lab-leading total
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., July 2, 2001 — Researchers and engineers at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have won two R&D 100 Awards, pushing their national lab-leading total to 109 since the awards began in 1963.

ORNL, Vortek have solution to surface processing needs
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., June 7, 2001 — Manufacturers working to produce better wear- and corrosion-resistant coatings and materials are invited to come to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and capture a bolt of lightning, courtesy of Vortek Industries of Canada.

ORNL leads minority internship program
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., June 1, 2001 — Minority college students from across the country are participating in a hands-on research program at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) through Aug. 17.

SNS electrical contract awarded
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 31, 2001 — A $3.4 million contract has been awarded to design, fabricate and supply electrical unit substations and transformers to the Spallation Neutron Source at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

ORNL, partners working to keep trucks, nation on road to prosperity
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 29, 2001 — Established programs in lightweight materials, intelligent vehicle systems and advanced diesels place the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) firmly in the cab when it comes to the 21st Century Truck Partnership.

Cochran appointed to commission
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 25, 2001 — Hank Cochran, senior research staffer in the Chemical Technology Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has been appointed to the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Buttram named STC associate fellow
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 25, 2001 — Ann Wilson Buttram, a technical editor and writer in the Computing, Information and Networking Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has been named an associate fellow of the Society for Technical Communication (STC).

UT-Battelle funds Oak Ridge High School science lab
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 21, 2001 — A new science laboratory at Oak Ridge High School has been created through funding provided by UT-Battelle.

UT-Battelle Scholarship awarded to Farragut student
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 16, 2001 — Eric C. Mueller, a member of Farragut High School's Class of 2001, has been named recipient of the first UT-Battelle Scholarship for children of employees at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Team UT-Battelle to build Habitat for Humanity home
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 15, 2001 — Employees of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, will be constructing a home in the community of Heiskell in southeastern Anderson County beginning Saturday, May 19.

ORNL technology puts power of lab into the field
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 14, 2001 — A point-and-shoot portable instrument to protect people and the environment is a product of some 20 years of research by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) scientist Tuan Vo-Dinh.

Pennycook earns honor
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., May 9, 2001 — Steve Pennycook, group leader in the Solid State Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has earned the Institute of Physics' Thomas Young Medal and Prize.

ORNL hosts two summer camps
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., April 27, 2001 — Two sciences camps for students in the fourth through sixth grades will be offered this summer at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Construction Contract awarded for Spallation Neutron Source Project
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., April 27, 2001 — A $2.2 million contract has been awarded to build concrete structures for the Front End Building and Linac Tunnel at the Spallation Neutron Source at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

E-85 fuel station dedicated at ORNL
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., April 19, 2001 — A new refueling station to provide alternative Ethanol-85 (E-85) fuel to vehicles in the fleet at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was dedicated here today.

New superconductor research laboratory dedicated
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., April 19, 2001 — A new high-temperature superconductor research laboratory was dedicated today at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

ORNL teams earn four awards of excellence
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., April 16, 2001 — Four awards for excellence in technology transfer have been earned by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from the Federal Laboratory Consortium.

ORNL winners in international competition
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., April 12, 2001 — Entries from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) won five awards at recent international competitions sponsored by the Society for Technical Communication (STC). First-place winners in regional competition are eligible for international judging.

Spring 2001 Community Adventure Rambles on Oak Ridge Reservation
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 30, 2001 — Community Adventure Rambles, a series of nature walks, will be offered during April and May on the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation.

Stewart named editor of publication
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 20, 2001 — Arthur Stewart of the Environmental Sciences Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been named editor of "Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry."

Petersen earns Danish Academy award
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 20, 2001 — Lars Petersen, a Wigner fellow working with the Solid State Division at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has earned an award from the Danish Academy of Natural Sciences for his outstanding doctoral thesis of 1999.

ORNL collaborates on six energy efficiency grants
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 20, 2001 — The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a collaborator on six of 13 university-led projects that have received funding from DOE's Energy Efficiency Science Initiative.

Zhou named to editorial board
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 20, 2001 — Jizhong Zhou, a research staff scientist in the Environmental Sciences Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has been appointed to the editorial board of the American Society for Microbiology Journal, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Garrett elected to district council of engineering group
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 20, 2001 — Donald Garrett, senior engineering and project manager in the Engineering Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been elected chairman of the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) District 9 Council.

Kennel named AAAS fellow
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 20, 2001 — Stephen J. Kennel of the Life Sciences Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Wise earns medical certificate from Duke
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 20, 2001 — Edmund Wise, physician assistant in the Health Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has received a certificate of completion for his participation in the first postgraduate occupational and environmental medicine program offered at Duke University.

Mason Named Director of Spallation Neutron Source Project
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Feb. 22, 2001 — Dr. Thom Mason has been named to lead the construction of the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Mason's selection was announced today by Bill Madia, Director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Salmon habitat, hydropower problems focus of ORNL projects
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001 — Thousands of miles from the Pacific Northwest, researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) work to preserve the salmon habitat and balance power generation needs.

Marilyn Brown named director of ORNL's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Feb. 9, 2001 — Dr. Bill Madia, director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), today announced the appointment of Dr. Marilyn A. Brown as director of ORNL'S Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program. Since 1994, she has been deputy director of ORNL's $110 million program to accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable energy technologies. Her appointment is effective on April 2.

SNS director to return to Argonne
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Jan. 17, 2001 — After completing two years as executive director of the Spallation Neutron Source project, David Moncton is returning to Argonne National Laboratory.