CAES announced the 2020 recipients of $139,000 in CAES Collaboration Program Development Funds in May. In its third year, the CAES Collaboration Fund is designed to help establish collaborative relationships between INL researchers and the CAES universities in research, education, and innovation, by directing funds to INL PIs. After reviewing the submissions, CAES Leadership determined that six proposals were best suited to enhance collaborative relationships among the CAES entities in at least one of the seven focus areas outlined in the CAES Strategy. A high priority was given to projects with a tie to future direct-funded work such as through a DOE solicitation. CAES congratulates the following teams:
- Advanced Manufacturing: Rare Earth Elements, INL researchers Donna Baek & Mary Case, EES&T (Caleb Hill, University of Wyoming)
- Innovative Energy Systems: Non-Thermal Plasma, INL researcher Hongquiang Hu, EES&T (Haiyan Zhao & Sarah Xiao, University of Idaho)
- Computing, Data, & Visualization: Virtual Reality, INL researchers Rajiv Khadka & John Koudelka, NS&T (Mustafa Mashal, Idaho State University)
- Nuclear Energy: Molten Salt Nuclear Batteries, INL's Piyush Sabharwall, NS&T (Rich Christensen, University of Idaho & Dan LaBrier, Idaho State University)
- Innovative Energy Systems: Unique Carbon Materials, INL researcher Eric Dufek, EES&T (Patrick Johnson, University of Wyoming)
- Advanced Manufacturing: Atomic Layer Deposition, Mary Case & Robert Fox, EES&T (Elton Graugnard, Boise State University)