An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research

Fiscal Year 2025

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Panel on Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research (CNR)

Physical Sciences, Systems, and Infrastructure Program Area

Center for Advancing Science and Technology

Consensus Study Report

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This study was supported by a contract between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (1333ND23DNB100003). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-60076-7
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/29280

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research: Fiscal Year 2025. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/29280.

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PANEL ON ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY (NIST) CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH (CNR)

AARON P.R. EBERLE, Baytown Technology and Engineering Complex Site Manager, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Chair

JOHN CHARLES BARBOUR, Director, Center for Radiation and Electrical Sciences, Sandia National Laboratories (retired)

MARIA MONICA CASTELLANOS, Associate Director, AstraZeneca

SKYLER DEGENKOLB, Professor, Universität Heidelberg

VICTORIA GARCIA SAKAI, Division Head for Neutron Spectroscopy, ISIS Neutron Muon Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, United Kingdom Research and Innovation

ANDREW JACKSON, Head, Large Scale Structures Division, European Spallation Source

MARC KASTNER (NAS), Donner Professor of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (emeritus)

MEGUMI KAWASAKI, Associate Professor, School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Oregon State University

DESPINA LOUCA, Maxine S. and Jesse Beams Professor of Physics and Chair, University of Virginia

FLORENCIA MALAMUD, Instrument Scientist POLDI, Paul Scherrer Institute

ANDREW G. STEPHEN, Senior Principal Scientist, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

KENAN ÜNLÜ, Director and Professor of Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University

Study Staff

ELIZABETH ZEITLER, Director, Laboratory Assessments Board

K. JOHN HOLMES, Senior Scholar

CATHERINE WISE, Senior Program Officer

MAURA WALSH, Administrative Coordinator

KATIE BRATLIE, Director, Laboratory Assessments Board (until June 6, 2025)

JIM MYSKA, Senior Program Officer (until May 23, 2025)

Reviewers

This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

MARCO C. BLANCO, Merck Research Laboratories

ADRIAN BRÜGGER, Columbia University

LAURA H. GREEN, Florida State University

TAKEYASU ITO, Los Alamos National Laboratory

JOHN KATSARAS, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

DALE E. KLEIN, University of Texas at Austin

RUDY WOJTECKI, Applied Materials, Inc.

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by DAVID W. JOHNSON, JR. (NAE), Bell Laboratories (retired), and DAVID A. WEITZ (NAS/NAE), Harvard University. They were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.

Contents

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

SUMMARY

1 INTRODUCTION

Statement of Task

Conduct of the Assessment

Structure of the Report

References

2 OVERVIEW OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH

Research at NCNR

Education Programs at NCNR

NCNR Budget and Staff

NCNR’s Place in the Neutron Research Community

Conclusion and Recommendation

References

3 TECHNICAL PROGRAM AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH

Technical Program

Scientific and Technical Expertise

Budget, Facilities, Equipment, and Human Resources

Responsiveness and Impact

Conclusions and Recommendations

References

4 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH REACTOR

Research Reactor at NIST

Plan for Reactor Cleanup and the Resumption of Scientific Operations

Budget, Facilities, Equipment, and Human Resources

Conclusions and Recommendation

References

5 NEUTRON INSTRUMENTATION AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH

Neutron Instrumentation

Scientific and Technical Expertise in Neutron Instrumentation

Budget, Facility, Equipment, and Human Resources

Conclusions and Recommendations

References

6 PANEL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Key Conclusions and Recommendations

Chapter-Specific Conclusions and Recommendations

NCNR Response to Previous Assessment Recommendations

References

APPENDIX: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PANEL

Figures

2-1 NCNR cleaning and remediation schedule to resume normal scientific operations

2-2 The breadth of topics addressed by scientific work conducted at NCNR

2-3 NCNR budget by year, not adjusted for inflation

2-4 NCNR workforce overview, showing number of employees by office

4-1 Schematic showing an example beam hall structure for the NNS, including access to the two cold neutron sources and eight thermal beam tubes for new neutron source at NIST

4-2 Schematic design showing proposed reflector tank with reactor core, two cold neutron sources, and neutron beam tubes for new neutron source at NIST

Acronyms and Abbreviations