Our Impact

Since 1946, one thing has been our focus—our customers’ missions. Ensuring their success has been our goal.
Advancing their vision has been our passion. Helping them make an impact has been our inspiration. For more than 70 years, ORAU has been committed to this one thing. Today, that commitment is stronger than ever.

Whether ORAU is furthering the missions of our customers through collaboration and innovation or enabling our specialized experts to positively impact and contribute to the industries we serve, ORAU and its employees embody the essence of going Further. Together.

Our Stories

We're helping our customers strengthen the U.S. scientific mission and its global competitiveness.

Our People

Our employees are passionate about what they do for their customers and their communities.

Perspectives

Learn how our capabilities intersect with emerging workforce, public health and science trends.

ORAU Webinar Series

Our 2020 Webinar Series features world-class subject matter experts presenting novel and emerging research in their respective fields. Our goal is to stimulate conversation and collaboration around some of the important research needs facing our country.

Further Together, the ORAU podcast

Join your hosts Michael Holtz and Jenna Harpenau as they discuss all things ORAU, through interviews with our experts who provide innovative scientific and technical solutions for our customers. They’ll talk about ORAU’s storied history, how we’re impacting an ever-changing world, as well as our commitment to our community.

United Way and Community Shares

For the tenth consecutive year, ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares, making total donations more than $1 million for the timeframe.

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Second Harvest Food Bank

Thanks to the generosity of ORAU employees, 52 children will be sponsored for a school year through the Food for Kids program of Second Harvest Food Bank, which sends backpacks full of nutritious food home with children every weekend.
Imagination Library

As an original corporate sponsor of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in Anderson County, Tenn., ORAU has provided more than 428,800 books to area children from birth to age five since 2001. For more information, contact April Hackler at 865.241.4339.
Helping Paws Animal Network

Helping Paws Animal Network, a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports 30 animal rescue groups in the East Tennessee area, started in 2011, consists of 87 ORAU members and has donated a total of $175,000 to animals in need of food, vet services and homes.
Project Grad Laptop Telethon

Eric Abelquist, executive vice president and chief research officer, presented a check for the second annual WATE-TV Project Grad laptop telethon. The telethon helps ensure Project Grad seniors receive a laptop for college.
Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties

For more than 20 years, ORAU has participated in the Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties school supply program. In 2017, ORAU employees contributed approximately $2,100 in cash donations.
Habitat for Humanity

Recently, ORAU celebrated the completion of the newest Habitat for Humanity home in Anderson County. In addition to the financial support totaling $25,000, many ORAU employees, along with their families and friends, volunteered to help build the new home. All skill levels, from those adept at hand tools to those who could help pick up debris, were welcomed. The home’s completion was celebrated with a dedication event for the new owner and her family in June.
Holiday Bureau’s Holiday Toy Distribution

Always mindful of the need to strengthen the research and education enterprise of our nation, ORAU never loses sight of the importance to also invest at the local level. ORAU’s outreach activities are evidence of our mission to advance science and education, starting with our own community and reaching out from there.

Employees took turns playing the role of elves at the Holiday Bureau’s Toy Distribution during the holidays as they helped parents in need in the community find the perfect presents for their children.
Helping the Homeless

ORAU employee Shelia Johnson and other members of Oak Valley Baptist Church recycle grocery bags by cutting them into strips and weaving sleeping mats for the homeless. Each mat takes about 10 hours to produce, and the plastic bags they’re made of provide insulation against moisture and cold. Many ORAU employees keep Shelia supplied with the bags to support her in her personal mission to help the homeless.