On July 1, 1946, a new laboratory was born with a single purpose: to kick-start the field of nuclear energy.
Seventy-five years later, Argonne National Laboratory has grown into one of the country’s largest science laboratories, with thousands of employees working with partners in industry and academia to tackle pressing challenges in energy, climate, science, health and medicine, and national security.
Argonne, which is managed by the University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy, will celebrate its diamond anniversary with a series of free virtual public events throughout the week of June 28, and everyone is invited to join in.
Read on to learn more about each of the events—including how to register—along with other ways the laboratory is celebrating in 2021.
Celebrating 75 Years at Argonne National Laboratory: Supercomputers and X-rays
Monday, June 28 — 6-7:30 p.m. CT
In this event, hosted by the Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST), Argonne experts will provide an in-depth look into Argonne’s large-scale science facilities. Thousands of researchers from around the world every year use these powerful tools, which include the Advanced Photon Source and the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, to drive discoveries across the spectrum of science. Registration is recommended for this free event, which will be hosted on C2ST’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Through Scientists’ Eyes: The Next 75 Years of Discovery and Impact
Wednesday, June 30 — 7-8:15 p.m. CT
In this anniversary edition of Argonne’s popular OutLoud public lecture series, four leading researchers will provide a glimpse into the next 75 years of science at the lab. Atmospheric scientist Scott Collis, physicist and computational scientist Katrin Heitmann, neuroscientist Narayanan “Bobby” Kasthuri and chemist Dave Rotsch will discuss the path forward to breakthroughs in climate change prediction, astrophysics, brain mapping, and diagnosing and treating disease using radioisotopes. Registration is required for this free virtual event.
Decarbonization Within Reach
Thursday, July 1 — 10-11:30 a.m. CT
This event explores how partnerships between laboratories, academia, government and industry will help the United States reach its ambitious goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This event features keynote speaker Arun Majumdar, a Stanford University professor who has previously served as the founding director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), and as vice president for energy at Google. A panel discussion moderated by Argonne’s Kawtar Hafidi will include Kerry Duggan, CEO of SustainabiliD, and the University of Chicago’s Michael Greenstone. Registration is required for this free virtual event, which is part of Argonne’s Director’s Special Colloquium series.
Learn about Argonne’s history at the forefront of discovery
Throughout 2021, the lab is publishing articles, interactive features, and videos telling the story of its history—and its future.
- 75 years of discovery: A timeline of Argonne’s major milestones
- Transforming science, improving lives: A video overview of the lab’s past, present and future
- 75 years of brilliant discovery: A series of short articles on Argonne’s major discoveries and key current research initiatives that describes the lab’s continuing mission to create a safer, more sustainable and more prosperous society
- Partnering with U.S. industry for a better world: A quick video look at Argonne’s history of partnerships with U.S. companies that have improved and shaped the world around us
- Our history: An overview of the lab’s history, from 1946 to 2021
—Adapted from an article published by Argonne National Laboratory.
—Prof. Kunle Odunsi
