Military Academy Collaboration

NNSA's Military Academy Collaboration map
Service academy students at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico.
Service academy students at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico.

The Military Academy Collaboration (MAC) is a cooperative research program administered by NNSA’s Office of Defense Programs, through which cadets, midshipmen, and faculty are temporarily assigned to one of eight locations across the Nuclear Security Enterprise.

The MAC program provides select cadets, midshipmen, and faculty an opportunity to explore cutting-edge research and development in disciplines and technologies of mutual interest to the Military/Service Academies, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation, and the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Cadets, midshipmen, and faculty can apply to the MAC program by contacting their academic advisor.

  • NNSA's MAC program participants tour of the High Explosive Application Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
    MAC program participants tour of the High Explosive Application Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
    • Bioscience and Biotechnology   
    • Chemistry and Materials Science
    • Computations
    • Energy and the Environment
    • National Security
    • Physics and Astrophysics
  • Students at Sandia National Laboratories in California.
    Students at Sandia National Laboratories in California.

    I worked on exciting, real world problems while also learning about the critical link between DOD and DOE.  I enjoyed the chance to have a meaningful role in a project that might go on to change lives.

    U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet
    Class of 2018

    The opportunity to expand knowledge and network with brilliant like-minded individuals were endless and will prove very useful in my future career.

    U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman
    Class of 2017

    Exposure to different departments in the government is something that we rarely receive, but is important because the military often works very close in hand with other parts of the government.

    U.S. Military Academy Cadet
    Class of 2018
  • U.S. Air Force Academy MAC participants at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
    U.S. Air Force Academy MAC participants at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
    • Derivatization of biological markers for their detection and identification by electron ionization gas chromatography mass spectrometry
    • Development and characterization of mini-tubular ceramic filter prototypes
    • Film scanning and re-analysis
    • High-power impulse magnetron sputtering
    • Strategic implications of hypersonic weapons
    • Study of atmospheric methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor from small satellites