Laboratory Directed Research and Development

Maintaining the intellectual vitality of the National Laboratories and Sites

The LDRD program is a key resource for addressing the long-term science and technology goals of the National Laboratories and Sites , as well as for enhancing the scientific capabilities of their technical staff. Through careful investment of LDRD funds, the Laboratories and Sites build their reputation, recruit and retain excellent scientists and engineers, and prepare to meet evolving national needs.

Impacts of the LDRD program are particularly evident in the quality of publications resulting from LDRD-funded research, the number of awards LDRD researchers receive, and the number of postdoctoral candidates supported by the program. The metric information provided below represents the combined impact of the LDRD and SDRD programs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Nevada National Security Sites, and Sandia National Laboratories.

Technical vitality

LDRD is a scientific success story, where projects continue to win national recognition for excellence through papers published and cited in peer-reviewed journals, patents granted, and prestigious awards.

Fiscal Year 2023
	Peer-Reviewed Publications	US Patents Granted	R&D 100 Awards
# LDRD supported	1,724	174	12
% of total	37%	50%	67%

Postdoc support

The National Laboratories and Sites have a long-standing reputation of being centers of scientific excellence where the nation’s best and brightest researchers can become scientific leaders. For this reason, many young researchers forego the prestige and visibility of academic careers and choose to devote their talents to the National Laboratories and Sites, where their innovations benefit national security missions.

Fiscal Year 2023
	Postdoc Support	Postdoc Conversions
# LDRD supported	850	163
% of all postdoctoral researchers	56%	63%

The LDRD program is a powerful means to attract and retain top researchers from around the world, making it an essential link between the newest generation of scientists and the future workforce of our National Laboratories and Sites.

Impact of LDRD Investment

The LDRD program is an investment in our nation’s future, ensuring mission support that is often realized many years after an LDRD-funded project concludes. Recognizing this long-term impact of the LDRD program, we believe it is important to highlight indicators that span multiple years, demonstrating the true impact of LDRD as a national asset. We collaborated with our colleagues from LDRD programs at other NNSA institutions to identify ways that we could best represent the long-term impact of LDRD investments. This section highlights the longer-term (>5 year) impact of LDRD as a national asset. These performance indicators will be updated annually. As it is expected that the data may vary from year to year, long-term running totals will also be included and updated every 5 years.

Long-term Impact: Highlighting impact indicators that span multiple years

Another relevant indicator of advancement and leadership in a ST&E field is R&D 100 Awards. The prestigious “Oscars of Invention” honor the latest and best innovations and identify the top technology products of the past year. Each site’s LDRD Program Offices engage in an extensive process to uncover the details of how the LDRD work led to the celebrated invention.

	Single-Year Statistics			Multi-Year Statistics
		FY21	FY22	FY23	FY14-18	FY19-23
Total awards	18	17	18	69	91
Awards with LDRD roots	9	11	12	43	54
% with LDRD roots	50%	65%	67%	62%	59%

A relevant indicator of career advancement in a ST&E field is the recognition of individuals as distinguished members of the technical staff. These staff members are named “Fellows” at LANL, Senior Scientists/Engineers at SNL, and Distinguished Members of the Technical Staff (DMTS) at LLNL and NNSS. The shorthand name used here, “Top 2%,” comes from the intent at each laboratory to limit membership to the top 1% or 2% of scientific and technical staff. Typically nominated and screened by a committee, the Top 2% are recognized for something similar to a lifetime achievement award, in this case, for contribution to the Laboratory’s mission.

History of Top 2% at LANL, LLNL, NNSS, and SNL

	Single-Year Statistics			Multi-Year Statistics
		FY21	FY22	FY23	FY14-18	FY19-23
Total awards	33	73	56	90	166
Awards with LDRD roots	16	50	35	62	131
% with LDRD roots	48%	68%	63%	69%	79%

A relevant indicator of advancement and leadership in an ST&E field is the election of individuals as Fellows of professional societies. This indicator reflects success for both the individual researchers and the Laboratories and Sites as a whole.

History of Fellows at LANL, LLNL, NNSS, and SNL

	Single-Year Statistics			Multi-Year Statistics
		FY2021	FY2022	FY2023	FY14-18	FY19-23
Total awards	13	9	12	110	67
Awards with LDRD roots	9	8	12	97	57
% with LDRD roots	69%	89%	100%	88%	85%

Performance Metrics

A key resource for the National Laboratories and Sites