OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Oak Ridge National Laboratory is celebrating its 80th anniversary and opened a new display on Thursday to mark the occasion.
The new display features flags from the 74 home countries of laboratory staff. It also includes highlights of key events and people throughout the laboratory's history.
People can walk through the display to learn about the laboratory's history and moments that led up to what it is today, such as when the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment went critical using uranium-235, and it became the first reactor to use uranium-233.
The display also includes pictures from when Ernest Wollan and Clifford Shull started investigating neutron diffraction in 1946, which helped pioneer modern materials science.
"It's an amazing story. It takes a lot of wall space, so we got a couple of places lined up in Main Street where you can walk from the beginning to the current day, in terms of what this lab has done to make a difference for our nation," said Jeff Smith, ORNL's interim director.
At the event, ORNL also discussed a partnership with Pellissippi State Community College to promote a new curriculum meant to prepare students for careers as technicians in radiochemistry and technology.
"This collaborative effort between ORNL and Pellissippi State is so we can help bring radio chemistry programs to the community," said Clarice Phelps, an engineer with ORNL. "(We're) giving opportunities to learn about what we do out here to the Pellissippi State students, and hopefully giving them an opportunity of employment once they finish their associate's degree."