Kyle Fuerschbach earns 2019 Kevin P. Thompson Optical Design Innovator Award
Sandia engineer Kyle Fuerschbach has been named the 2019 Kevin P. Thompson Optical Design Innovator Award recipient by the Optical Society. The award recognizes significant early-career contributions to lens design, optical engineering or metrology.
Global collaboration to study photovoltaic performance, reliability
An international community of research institutions, led by Sandia, to advance photovoltaic research and expand solar markets formally launched its work on May 14 in Munich, Germany. The organization provides a unique platform for studying photovoltaic performance and reliability in multiple, diverse environments and climates.
Rooftop solar panels get boost from Sandia tool
Homeowners and businesses may now have an easier time getting solar panels on rooftops thanks to software developed at Sandia. The new software can run a detailed, second-by-second simulation that shows utility companies how rooftop solar panels at a specific house or business would interact with a local electrical grid throughout the year.
Don’t set it and forget it — scan it and fix it with tech that detects wind blade damage
Drones and crawling robots outfitted with special scanning technology could help wind blades stay in service longer, which may help lower the cost of wind energy at a time when blades are getting bigger, pricier and harder to transport, Sandia researchers say.
Pilot program prepares future leaders
Thirty Sandia employees, working in departments ranging from engineering to security, recently finished a deep dive into leadership skills through the Future Leaders Pathway program. The seven-month pilot program provided an opportunity to build partnerships, identify personal strengths, and reflect about career goals and personal motivations.
Workshop strengthens Caribbean resilience
Sandia and DOE hosted the Advancing Caribbean Energy Resilience workshop at the Universidad Ana G. Mendez’s Gurabo campus in Puerto Rico, where researchers, engineers, policy makers and utility representatives met to discuss how to enhance and improve energy resilience throughout the Caribbean.
New robots, new tricks
Bomb squad teams from coast to coast challenged their emergency preparedness skills during Sandia’s five-day Robot Rodeo and Capability Exercise last month. Twelve scenarios involving vehicles, simulated terrorist events and timed obstacles were set up from May 13-17 around Sandia and Kirtland Air Force Base for the military and civilian teams.
Strategic priority No. 2 prepares for future nuclear deterrent
Today, more than ever, there is urgency for Sandia’s Nuclear Deterrence portfolio to implement strategic initiatives that explore, research and refine “big ideas” and innovative approaches for nuclear deterrence on the 15- to 20-year time horizon, and in many cases much sooner. Such initiatives are the focus of our Labs-level strategic priority No. 2 — Maintain an Agile and Effective Nuclear Deterrent.
New look at old data leads to cleaner engines
New insights about how to understand and ultimately control the chemistry of ignition behavior and pollutant formation have been discovered in research led by Sandia. The discovery eventually will lead to cleaner, more efficient internal combustion engines.
Sandia launches a bus into space
The bus, which is a device that links electronic devices, was among 16 total experiments aboard two sounding rockets that were launched as part of the NNSA’s HOT SHOT program, which conducts scientific experiments and tests developing technologies on nonweaponized rockets. The flights took place April 23-24 at the Labs’ Kauai Test Facility in Hawaii.