Research Foundations

Certain research areas are considered key to the success of Sandia’s national security programs. These areas — known as research foundations — underpin Sandia’s innovations at the interface of science and technology.

Research foundations have strong ties to Sandia’s mission and have broad applicability for achieving mission goals. In addition, research foundations often represent technical areas of excellence — places where Sandia has a proven track record of offering unique capabilities and leadership in the scientific and engineering community. Finally, research foundations generally have a future orientation; there is sufficient breadth to adapt and evolve research activities to meet the demands and challenges of the years to come.

Sandia’s research foundations encompass a wide range of disciplines, ranging from the life and physical sciences to microelectronics and information systems. Within each foundation, Sandia works with academic and business leadership to support essential research-and-discovery activities that translate into invention, innovation, entrepreneurship, economic opportunity, and public benefit.

To ensure that our fundamental science and engineering core is vibrant and continually pushing the forefront of knowledge, Sandia has chosen to invest in the following research foundations: