Capabilities

ORAU’s UNIRIB Strengthens America’s Scientific Research and Education Enterprise

The University Radioactive Ion Beam (UNIRIB) consortium provides dedicated support to its member universities whose students and faculty come to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to perform research on the fundamental structure of nuclei at world-class facilities.

UNIRIB’s capabilities are highlighted in the following areas:

Training

One of UNIRIB’s key initiatives is to provide training as part of its effort to help the U.S. Department of Energy build a highly-skilled, national scientific workforce.

By creating a university atmosphere within the structure of a national laboratory, UNIRIB’s distinguished staff provide dedicated experimental support, as well as guide the training of students—from undergraduates to postdocs. Opportunities also exist for faculty to spend time at UNIRIB, including extended visits and sabbaticals.

Research Opportunities

UNIRIB’s ability to provide not only funding, but also the technical support, equipment, and capacity to bring scientists together to collaborate, has made research possible for students and faculty from all over the world. This dedication was the catalyst behind the development of the Center of Excellence for Radioactive Ion Beam Studies for Stewardship Science—a consortium of universities, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and ORNL—led by Rutgers University.

The purpose of the center concentrates on the use of radioactive ion beams to study low-energy nuclear reactions of importance to stewardship science, as well as to prepare future researchers in applied nuclear science.

The Center focuses its research in the following areas:

• Neutron transfer measurements—providing information useful for nuclear structure, astrophysics and stewardship science studies.
• Ion source development—understanding the processes that take place in a target-ion source in order to optimize the purification and intensity of beams.
• Oak Ridge Rutgers University Barrel Array (ORRUBA)— identifying protons that result when radioactive ion beams are directed at a target of deuterium.

Expanding the Body of Knowledge

In addition to serving as a resource for training and research opportunities, UNIRIB expands the body of knowledge on nuclear physics. Each year, the UNIRIB consortium contributes to numerous scholarly publications and presents research at a variety of international conferences.

For more information, view the bibliographical listings of our publications by year.