Sandia LabNews

Annual Sandia simulation strengthens emergency response

Scores of Labs employees in Albuquerque, joined by outside emergency response personnel, were immersed in a simulated crisis April 17 as part of the annual emergency management full-scale exercise.

Sandia leader recognized for STEM mentoring

Amy Halloran, senior manager in renewable energy, was recently honored with the annual Women in Technology award by the New Mexico Technology Council. The council gives the award annually to outstanding women making a difference in STEM fields in the state. Amy was recognized specifically for her work mentoring numerous professional women who work in STEM fields in program management.

Materials scientist joins 2019 class of 40 Under Forty honorees

It’s only April, but 2019 is shaping up to be a big year of professional recognition for materials scientist Olivia Underwood. She recently was named to this year’s class of Albuquerque Business First’s 40 Under Forty honorees. Now in its 18th year, 40 Under Forty honors young professionals from around New Mexico for their professional achievement, leadership and community involvement.

NM Legislature marks impact of Sandia Science and Technology Park

The New Mexico Legislature recently recognized the Sandia Science and Technology Park for 20 years of economic impact. The memorials recognized the park for positively contributing to the local and state economies, for being one of the first research parks developed in connection with a national laboratory and for serving as a model for other laboratories and universities.

Testing solar irradiance

Last year, Sandia’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility brought in a helicopter to collect data on the strength and direction of light reflected from the concentrating solar power field at the solar tower.

Sandia, NMSU ink research deal

Sandia signed an MOU with New Mexico State University on April 10 that outlines how the institutions intend to collaborate for the next decade. The agreement seeks to foster research in areas of national security, including water, energy and critical infrastructure.

Sandia lends expertise to hydrogen center

Sandia is building on longstanding partnerships to help found a new global center focused on safety and best practices for the use of hydrogen in the global energy transition. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, in partnership with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, recently launched the Center for Hydrogen Safety.

Nanomaterials researcher wins mid-career research award

Sandia materials scientist Hongyou Fan is the sole recipient of this year’s Mid-Career Researcher Award from the Materials Research Society, the largest U.S. materials society. Hongyou was chosen for “outstanding contributions in nanoparticle self-assembly of functional nanomaterials.”

Sandia aerospace engineer to head national institute

Members of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics elected Basil Hassan, a senior manager and engineering program deputy, as the group’s next president. The AIAA represents more than 30,000 individual and 95 corporate members from the aeronautics and space community. Basil will begin a yearlong stint as president-elect of the institute in May, and then serve a two-year term as president starting in May 2020.

Future hypersonics could be artificially intelligent

A test launch for a hypersonic weapon — a long-range missile that flies a mile per second and faster — takes weeks of planning, and it's uncertain how useful test systems will be against urgent, mobile or evolving threats. But Sandia's hypersonics developers think artificial intelligence and autonomy could slash these weeks to minutes for deployed systems.

B61-12 team reaches milestones in nuclear deterrence mission

Sandia’s B61-12 nuclear weapons team has accomplished several milestones, including the gravity bomb’s final design review and the first production completion of several components for the life extension program. Sandia and LANL presented the B61-12 design for final review to an independent peer-review panel of 12 military and civilian experts last fall.