The ORNL Neutron Sciences Directorate
The Neutron Sciences Directorate (NScD) manages and operates the Spallation Neutron Source and the High Flux Isotope Reactor, two of the world's most advanced neutron scattering facilities.
Both facilities are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.
In conjunction with the University of Tennessee, NScD also operates the Joint Institute for Neutron Sciences.
The goal of NScD is achieving excellence in science. Through safe, reliable operation and continual development, we strive to provide researchers with unmatched capabilities for understanding the structure and properties of materials, macromolecular and biological systems, and the fundamental physics of the neutron.
How We're Organized
NScD is composed of about 670 staff and is made up of the Executive Office and the following divisions:
- Biology and Soft Matter
- Chemical and Engineering Materials
- Neutron Data Analysis and Visualization
- Quantum Condensed Matter
- Instrument and Source Design
- Research Accelerator
- Research Reactors
Collaborations
NScD also works closely with other organizations that fund and operate instruments at SNS.
The ORNL Physics Division funds and operates the Fundamental Neutron Physics Beam line, which addresses important questions in nuclear and particle physics, as well as astrophysics and cosmology.
The Jülich Centre for Neutron Science operates a satellite facility at SNS, where it funds and operates the Neutron Spin Echo Spectrometer. This instrument was designed for experiments using ultrahigh-resolution spectroscopy.
