PNNL's Patricia Paviet Builds Global Gen IV Knowledge Base
Patricia Paviet, senior technical advisor at PNNL, has organized and moderated over 100 international webinars through the Generation IV International Forum, building a global resource for nuclear education and collaboration. The series has reached more than 15,000 viewers across 84 countries to spotlight innovations in advanced reactor systems. Paviet's leadership is helping preserve expert knowledge, engage new voices, and promote international dialogue on next-generation nuclear energy. Read more.
PNNL's Laura di Vacri Joins the Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors
Laura di Vacri, an analytical chemist at PNNL, has been selected to serve a two-year term on the Executive Board of the Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors (CPAD). She is the first PNNL scientist to hold this leadership role, which supports the development of next-generation instrumentation for high-energy physics. di Vacri brings expertise in low-background radiation detection, a critical capability for advancing ultra-sensitive particle detectors. Read more.
PNNL Partnership Produces Purest-Ever Tungsten
A collaboration between PNNL and Ultramet has resulted in the purest known tungsten metal, verified through cutting-edge analytical methods developed at PNNL. This ultra-pure tungsten has the potential to replace lead in radiation shielding and improve the performance of detectors used in fundamental physics research. By combining Ultramet's chemical vapor deposition process with PNNL's expertise in low-background analysis, the partnership is enabling new possibilities for high-sensitivity instrumentation. Read more.
PNNL Wins DOE Awards to Accelerate Nuclear Materials Research
Three PNNL-led and supported projects have been selected for the Department of Energy's 2025 Rapid Turnaround Experiment awards. These short-term, high-impact efforts will explore radiation effects on advanced alloys and reactor steels to support safer, longer-lasting nuclear energy systems. The awards reflect PNNL's leadership in nuclear materials science and its role in advancing both current and next-generation reactor technologies. Read press release here.
PNNL Events
PNNL researchers will be featured at these upcoming conferences.
Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management Symposium
Join researchers and industry leaders at the Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management Symposium (SBNWM), the premiere international event on nuclear waste management, held November 2–7, 2025, in Tri-Cities, Washington. Hosted by PNNL and endorsed by the Materials Research Society, the symposium will explore cutting-edge advances in waste treatment, materials science, repository design, and more. Registration and abstract submissions are open. Learn more.
Recent News and Publications
Strengthening Security for Mobile Radiological Sources
PNNL researchers contributed to the development of real-time tracking systems for industrial radiological sources in transit, improving response to loss or theft incidents. Read publication abstract.
New Reactor Powers 400k Homes and Produces Green Hydrogen
As NuScale's small modular reactor begins powering homes, PNNL supported earlier research exploring how the reactor's heat and electricity could drive processes like desalination and brine-to-hydrogen conversion. Read full Sustainability Times article.
Simulator Launches for Hydrogen-Producing Nuclear Reactor
NuScale has launched the world's first simulator for a nuclear reactor designed to generate over 200 tons of hydrogen daily, using innovative electrolysis and brine reuse. In partnership with PNNL, NuScale is advancing a hydrothermal chemical process that converts desalination brine into hydrogen feedstock. Read Interesting Engineering article.
Addressing Insider Threats to Nuclear Security
A new PNNL-led study outlines how organizational vulnerabilities and domestic extremism trends intersect to heighten insider risks to nuclear and radiological materials. Read publication abstract.
Nuclear Career Opportunities Across PNNL Research and Operations Missions
D-SIMS Materials Scientist. Apply by August 8. Level 2, Req ID: 10785. Level 3, Req ID: 100784.
See full details on these and additional opportunities on the Careers website; search for “nuclear.” Join our Talent Community and upload your resume to receive updates on future PNNL job postings.
PNNL's multidisciplinary expertise in nuclear science provides solutions to some of the world’s most complex environmental, radiological, and national security challenges.
Nuclear@PNNL gives readers a firsthand look at PNNL's focus on nuclear materials behavior, chemistry, forensics, and processing to advance nuclear energy, resolve legacy waste, and support national security. Each issue highlights the expertise of our researchers, their contributions to the nuclear mission space, and our state-of-the-art research facilities where discoveries and advancements are made.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in energy resiliency and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle and supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information about PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow us onX, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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