The U.S. Department of Energy is funding over $6 million for a collaboration between two of its offices and researchers for a workforce-development project in high-energy-density science.
DOE announced the plan on its website Dec. 16. The Office of Science and the National Nuclear Security Administration will provide up to $6.5 million to domestic universities, industry and nonprofit research institutions to support work related to High-Energy-Density Laboratory Plasmas (HEDLP), the DOE announced.
The collaboration will "provide support to develop the workforce needed by DOE national laboratories to advance both the Office of Science and National Nuclear Security Administration missions in high energy density science and inertial confinement fusion," DOE states in the announcement.
Researching the effects extreme conditions such as temperature, pressure and density have on matter is the focus of HEDLP science, according to DOE. The laboratory studies and experiments with ionized matter have potential applications in astrophysics, medicine, plasma science and national security, the DOE states.
“Understanding high-energy density laboratory plasmas will greatly advance knowledge in plasmas physics and related areas,” DOE Associate Director of Science for Fusion Energy Sciences James Van Dam said in the announcement. “This interdisciplinary scientific discipline also has practical applications in medicine, industry, homeland security and defense."
Applications are open to domestic universities, industry, and nonprofit research institutions, according to the announcement. Funding will be awarded based on competitive peer review process. Total planned funding is up to $6.5 million in Fiscal Year 2022 dollars.
