INL and Idaho State University expand joint research initiatives

(IDAHO FALLS, Idaho) – Today, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Idaho State University (ISU) signed an agreement to deepen joint research and development projects that will advance solutions to the nation’s energy and security challenges.

The newly signed Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research (SUPER) agreement expands collaboration between ISU students, faculty and laboratory researchers in two key areas: critical and strategic materials and minerals and environmental sustainability and security. Critical and strategic materials and minerals research involves the study and development of essential materials and minerals that are critical to modern technology and industrial processes but are at risk of supply disruptions. Environmental sustainability efforts will focus on carbon reduction, sequestration and storage technologies, digitalization and artificial intelligence, geothermal energy, and spent fuel storage and disposal, among others.

“We have maintained a close research relationship with Idaho State University since 1949, when our laboratory was first established as the National Reactor Testing Station,” said INL Laboratory Director John Wagner. “Research into critical and strategic materials and minerals is vital to our nation’s manufacturing and technology centers. This agreement with the university has the potential to increase INL’s impact on this urgent national priority.”

The five-year agreement will promote greater collaboration between both organizations through shared scientific materials, visiting scholars, and joint symposiums, seminars, workshops and conferences. Long-standing research and development efforts in areas such as nuclear energy, high-performance computing and cybersecurity will also continue as part of this strengthened partnership.

“ISU and INL have a long history of successful partnerships and collaborations,” said ISU President Robert Wagner. “ISU has more shared appointments with INL than any other single university, and we continue to grow in ways that provide ISU faculty and students with work opportunities” directly with INL. Not only are we preparing our students for the future, but INL and ISU faculty are also finding innovative solutions to the energy challenges ahead.”

The official memorandum of understanding is between the Battelle Energy Alliance, which manages INL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, and ISU.

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