Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) last week marked the 20th anniversary of being designated as a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory.
Office of Environmental Management
May 14, 2024
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AIKEN, S.C. — Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) last week marked the 20th anniversary of being designated as a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory.
To help mark the occasion, Laboratory Director Vahid Majidi, Deputy Director of Operations Sharon Marra and Deputy Director of Science and Technology Sue Clark celebrated with SRNL employees at three different SRNL locations on May 7, the official date of the two-decade anniversary.
“Thank you for everything you do for the laboratory to make us great in what we do,” said Majidi. “Thank you for having the best interest of the American people in mind every day you come to work and thank you for being a great member of the community.”
As the DOE Office of Environmental Management’s national laboratory, SRNL applies its unique expertise and applied technology capabilities to assist DOE sites across the nation in meeting their environmental and legacy management missions.
EMTV: Watch this video of a celebration marking 20 years since Savannah River National Laboratory was designated as a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory.
Marra remarked that SRNL employees have a bright future at the laboratory.
“Glad you all are a part of it,” Marra said. “I hope you feel a part of it and will continue to contribute to our mission for 20-plus more years to come.”
Clark emphasized to the SRNL employees that they are essential to everything being done at the lab, whether they were there 20 years ago or just arrived two days ago.
“We all are in pursuit of excellence in science and technology,” Clark said. “That’s what we’re here for: serving the nation.”
The May 7 celebration was the first of three events to celebrate SRNL’s 20th anniversary.
On Saturday, May 18, from 4 to 8 p.m., the public is invited to Meet SRNL at Highfields Event Center, Aiken. Those attending can enjoy live music featuring Low Country Locals, Chip Herring and Jack McCarthy; tasty treats from 10 area food trucks; and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities for all ages. Admission is free and open to the public.
The third celebratory event, SRNL Day at SRP Park, Augusta, Georgia, is planned for Aug. 30.
Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Director Vahid Majidi speaks to laboratory employees at an event marking the 20th anniversary of SRNL being designated as a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory.
“We are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of our national laboratory designation, but that designation doesn’t mark the start of SRNL’s journey,” Majidi wrote in an earlier message to employees. “Our legacy spans seven decades. It’s a legacy forged at the onset of the Cold War to produce nuclear materials in support of our national nuclear deterrent and ultimately leading to the inevitable end of the Cold War.”
An outgrowth of immense investment in scientific research initiated by the U.S. government during World War II, the national laboratories have served as the leading institutions for scientific innovation in the United States for more than 70 years.
The Energy Department's 17 national labs tackle critical scientific challenges — from combating climate change to discovering the origins of the universe — and possess unique instruments and facilities, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. They address large scale, complex research and development challenges with a multidisciplinary approach that places an emphasis on translating basic science to innovation.
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