Get Up Close and Personal With Science at Argonne National Laboratory

The non-profit research lab boasts a workforce of about 3,500 hundred employees, including more than 1,000 scientists and engineers.

Editor's note: Patch is profiling Chicago-area destinations this year for locals and visitors alike. One stop along the way is at Lemont's Argonne National Laboratory.  One of the largest national laboratories for scientific and engineering research in the United States can be found just minutes from Lemont. Argonne National Laboratory, located at 9700 S. Cass Ave., boasts a workforce of about 3,500 hundred employees, including more than 1,000 scientists and engineers aiming to solve the nation's most important challenges in energy, the environment and national security. The non-profit research lab is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Researchers from Argonne have been closely involved …

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Cut Foreign Oil Dependence? Argonne Gets Grant That Could Help

Argonne National Laboratory received a $120 million federal grant to create revolutionary battery technology that could help promote American energy independence.

The Argonne National Laboratory received a $120 million federal grant that could help slash dependence on foreign oil, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Western Springs) announced Thursday. Argonne, a non-profit research lab operated by the University of Chicago for the Department of Energy, will devote the grant to developing revolutionary battery technology for transportation and the electric grid, according to a news release from Lipinski's office.  The federal funding will be delivered over five years and "has the potential of creating a revolution in battery technology that slashes dependence on foreign oil and makes our region the worldwide leader in battery manufacturing," the news release stated. "This award sets up Argonne National …

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Bob R

9:00 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012

Because of market demand, the US is on it's way to mining our own. Supply and demand. Here is an article from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/06/08/rare-earth-minerals-an-end-to-chinas-monopoly-is-in-sight/   more ›

Argonne Highlights Sustainability Research during Earth Day Fair

Scientists from across the lab showcased environmentally conscious technologies that might soon find their way into daily life.

Argonne Conference Shows Girls it’s Chic to be a Geek

Graduate student Katarina Ruscic shared her wisdom with local high schoolers on how to be an influential scientist—and look fierce while doing it.

When you think of standard scientist gear, your imagination probably veers more toward lab coats than leopard print. Unless you’ve met Katarina Ruscic.  With her long brown hair, knee-high boots and crimson lips, Ruscic proudly flouts stereotypes about women in science as she simultaneously pursues an MD and PhD at the University of Chicago. Ruscic spoke to roughly 350 female high school students at Argonne National Laboratory Thursday, offering her wisdom on reaching goals while staying true to yourself. Her talk was part of the lab’s daylong Science Careers in Search of Women Conference that introduces area teens to opportunities for women in research.  Ruscic eschews the idea that women need to downplay their femininity to be taken …

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Quinn: Energy Efficiency, Independence the ‘Challenge of Our Lifetime’

Gov. Quinn visited Argonne National Laboratory as one of his stops during Earth Week.

Gov. Pat Quinn emphasized the importance of alternative fuel research in securing Illinois’ position as a leader in industry during a stop at Argonne National Laboratory Wednesday. During the visit, Quinn toured energy labs in which researchers are developing battery technology for electric cars, as well as fuel tanks that can accommodate as many as four different types of fuel, including biofuels and traditional gasoline. “Anyone who sees $4 or $5 a gallon gas I think is all for it,” he said. Researchers at Argonne developed technology used in the battery for the 2011 Chevy Volt. The Volt is an electric hybrid car that can run for up to 35 miles exclusively on battery power before switching to gasoline, according to Chevy. Argonne …

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