Ames Laboratory celebrated 50 years as a national laboratory in 1997;
therefore, it is an appropriate time to reflect on where we started and what we have
achieved over the span of a half-century.
Like most of the U.S. Department of Energy laboratories, the Ames Lab began as part of
the Manhattan Project. It responded by quickly developing an entirely new technology
for the conversion of uranium ore to high-purity uranium metal and then used that
technology to produce more than 2 million pounds of uranium by the end of World War II.
Not surprisingly, we have a much broader spectrum of research activities today since the
focus of the agency we serve has expanded dramatically to attack all aspects of the myriad
energy-related problems facing our nation and our planet. Even so, the roots of much of
what we do today are evident in our past.
Our work with rare metals has resulted in new discoveries about the capabilities of these
substances. The materials purity demanded by the Manhattan Project led us to develop
world-class analytical capabilities. The need for new, more efficient ways of performing
chemical transformations stimulated our work to perform industrially important reactions
without producing toxic waste.
Over the years, we have truly partnered with our contractor, Iowa State University, to
make us by far the most cost-effective laboratory in the DOE system. The outstanding
achievements of our scientists demonstrate that being cost effective does not inhibit
quality and excellence. During our first 50 years, we built the teams, infrastructure,
morale and total commitment necessary to provide the American taxpayer with the
highest-quality science and technology at the lowest possible cost.
My crystal ball for the future is cloudy, but I'm confident that we will continue our
synergetic relationship with Iowa State University, to the benefit of both organizations.
By being physically located on the campus; sharing facilities, functions and
faculty/principal investigators; and extensively utilizing graduate students (who have the
opportunity to work and train with our world-class scientists), DOE gains access to a
talented and multidisciplinary labor pool which can be exchangeable as missions come and
go. The constant turnover through graduation of a significant portion of our workforce
makes change far easier than having to retrain and redirect a static group.
We will continue our partnering with industry by providing cutting-edge science and unique
capabilities to help solve existing problems, improve methods, and provide new products
and processes. We will continue to engage a diverse workforce by actively recruiting women
and minorities into all areas of the Laboratory. We will continue to encourage K-12
students to enter scientific and mathematical fields.
Of one thing I'm sure: Whatever activities the Laboratory will be performing over the next
50 years, the staff at Ames Laboratory will maintain the quality and high-caliber results
that have come to be synonymous with Ames.
Last revision: 4/17/01 kg
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