Report Urges Renewal of High Energy Density Facilities and Workforce
The Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Labs.
(Randy Montoya / Sandia National Labs)
A report the National Academies released last week reviews the status of high energy density (HED) science in the U.S., focusing on fundamental science topics relevant to the National Nuclear Security Administration. Congress requested the report through the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, intending it as a complement to a separate classified study on HED research for stockpile stewardship.
The report finds that the “overarching challenge” facing NNSA is workforce recruitment and retention and recommends the agency enhance access to flagship HED facilities to support the growth of the field.
It specifically calls for NNSA to establish plans over the next five years to extend, upgrade, or replace its flagship HED facilities, which include the National Ignition Facility, the Z Pulsed Power Facility, and the Omega Laser Facility. It also recommends expanding remote access to experimental and computing facilities and encouraging deeper collaboration with academia, the private sector, and international partners while also addressing security and nonproliferation concerns.
In addition, the report lays out “grand challenge” directions for future research and outlines strategies for expanding education opportunities and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the HED workforce.
