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Fast Facts
Total employees: 13,137
Triad National Security, LLC: 9,397
Centerra Group, LLC Los Alamos (Guard Force): 281
Compa, Staff and support contractors: 478
Students: 1,323
Unionized craft workers: 1,160
Post doctoral researchers: 498
Located 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 34.7 square miles of DOE-owned property.
1,280 individual facilities, including 47 technical areas with 9 million square feet under roof.
Replacement value of $14.2 billion
FY17:
63% Weapons programs
10% Nonproliferation programs
4% Safeguards and Security
7% Environmental Management
4% DOE Office of Science
3% Energy and other programs
9% Work for Others
Triad and students only
35% of employees live in Los Alamos, the remainder commute from Santa Fe, Española, Taos and Albuquerque.
Average Age: 43
65% male, 35% female
45% minorities
67% university degrees
27% hold undergraduate degrees
19% hold master’s degrees
21% have earned a PhD
145 R&D100 awards
34 E.O. Lawrence Awards
9 Presidential Early Career Awards
3 Glenn Seaborg Medals
Edward Teller Medal
Nobel Prize in Physics, Frederick Reines
Albuquerque to Los Alamos, NM
98 miles; 1 hr, 51 min.
Driving directions
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As of Aug. 18, 2020

Machine learning aids in simulating dynamics of interacting atoms
Automated approach transformative for computational materials science - 2/23/21
Lack of symmetry in qubits can’t fix errors in quantum computing, but might explain matter/antimatter imbalance
Unexpected twist in the Kibble-Zurek theory offers a new approach to solving two famous physics problems regarding matter/antimatter asymmetry and isotope separation - 2/22/21
Los Alamos National Laboratory staff recognized for outstanding response to pandemic and more
248 employees receive Department of Energy Secretary’s Honor Awards - 2/17/21
Machine learning blazes path to reliable near-term quantum computers
By reducing error rates by 2 to 3 times, the noise-aware circuit learning approach is poised to play a key role in reaching quantum advantage - 2/17/21
Colloidal quantum dot lasers poised to come of age
Despite lingering obstacles, practical lasing devices based on these ‘tiny specs of semiconductor matter’ are just around the corner - 2/17/21
Perseverance rover takes New Mexico to Mars
Los Alamos National Laboratory plays multiple roles in new mission - 2/16/21
Public invited to Mars rover landing virtual after-party
Los Alamos National Laboratory hosts online event to celebrate historic landing - 2/16/21
New virtual platform shows students the science behind everyday objects
See the Science targets middle-school students—especially girls—with educational videos, games, and Q&A sessions with experts - 2/11/21
Los Alamos National Laboratory signs lease on Santa Fe office
New downtown facility includes Dorothy McKibbin Conference Center - 2/10/21
$2.5 million grant benefits students, businesses, and communities in Northern New Mexico
Funds from Los Alamos National Laboratory’s operator highlight the organization’s commitment to the community - 2/9/21
Two Los Alamos Medal winners recognized for revolutionary contributions
Fred Mortensen and Bette Korber were selected for their profound scientific achievements in weapons design and vaccine design - 2/9/21
Laboratory spent $413 million with New Mexico small businesses in FY 2020
Economic impact data shows gains in procurement contracts to small business, job creation and economic development projects - 2/8/21
Forests with diverse tree sizes and small clearings hinder wildland fire growth
Novel 3D computational study links observable forest characteristics with fire behavior and reveals how forest structure propagates fire - 1/27/21
Newly identified tiny mineral named for Los Alamos and U. Wisconsin scientists
Xuite, in the garnet group, is named for Hongwu and Huifang Xu - 1/25/21
Dana Dattelbaum wins prestigious 2020 E.O. Lawrence Award
Department of Energy honor cites ‘several transformative scientific and intellectual achievements’ - 1/19/21
Apply for Rosen Scholar Fellowship to work at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center
Fellowship supports research on neutron scattering, dynamic materials, isotope production, and both applied and basic research in nuclear physics for up to one year - 1/11/21
Employee holiday gift drive raises $58,000 and buys more than 2,500 gifts
Presents to be distributed by local nonprofits in Mora, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, and Taos Counties - 12/23/20
‘Garbage to Gas: Using Biodigesters to Create Energy’ wins 2020 New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge
Student scientists at Santa Fe’s Monte del Sol Charter School earn $4,500 prize, impress Laboratory judges - 12/22/20
Los Alamos study hopes to characterize and optimize ventilator treatment for COVID-19
Scientists and engineers use computer modeling and experimental fluid mechanics to understand how tiny aerosol particles, when pulsed into the lung, may break up disease-related mucus and improve gas exchange - 12/21/20
Multi-messenger astronomy offers new estimates of the size of neutron stars and the rate of the universe’s expansion
Study finds neutron stars are typically about 11.75 kilometers in radius, and provides a novel calculation of the Hubble constant - 12/21/20
New diagnostic isotope to enhance targeted alpha therapy for cancer
Team brings a new tool for alpha therapy by developing a paired isotope option for PET scans - 12/16/20
AI reveals first direct observation of rupture propagation during slow quakes
Deep-learning approach extracts data from ‘noisy’ images to reveal how ground deforms during seismic event - 12/9/20
Breakthrough material makes pathway to hydrogen use for fuel cells under hot, dry conditions
Innovative proton conductor developed to be effective at high temperatures - 12/7/20
AAAS and Los Alamos announce 2020 Fellows
Distinguished researchers honored for their contributions - 11/24/20
Novel chemical process a first step to making nuclear fuel with fire
A new "combustion synthesis" process recently established for lanthanide metals could be a guide for the production of safe, sustainable nuclear fuels - 11/24/20
DisrupTECH features superior plastics recycling, smart software, predictive mapping
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists pitch their research to investors as part of the Lab’s tech-transfer mission - 11/23/20
Los Alamos announces details of new computational storage deployment
The new file system leverages advanced technology based on emerging NVMe standards including Eideticom’s NoLoad technology on an NVMe computational storage processor (CSP) in a dense storage enclosure based on Marvell’s NVMe Ethernet bridging technology, and NVMe fabric connectivity provided by Mellanox ConnectX-6 technology - 11/16/20
Study reveals how to improve natural gas production in shale
Molecular-dynamics simulations and high-pressure small-angle neutron scattering help team discover optimal methane-releasing pressure range - 11/12/20
The Secret City: Project Y mobile app is back
Explore Los Alamos as it was during the Manhattan Project with this app from Los Alamos National Laboratory - 11/12/20
Rare ‘superbolt’ flashes found to be 1,000 times brighter than normal lightning
Two new Los Alamos National Lab studies show, when it comes to extreme lightning, size and polarity matter - 11/12/20
Laboratory and NMSU sign agreement for joint appointments
Staff-and-faculty exchange will build bottom-up collaborations and workforce pipeline - 11/10/20
Fallen trees become firewood for local pueblos
Mitigation project stokes kiva fireplaces and woodstoves in the region - 11/9/20
Los Alamos works to make better, more recyclable plastics with new BOTTLE consortium
New Department of Energy program builds on strengths of multiple laboratories - 11/9/20
New Los Alamos spin-off aims to put nuclear reactors in space
The Laboratory has signed an agreement to license the “Kilopower” space reactor technology to Space Nuclear Power Corporation (SpaceNukes) - 11/2/20
Scientists find a way to quickly test rust on graphene-protected cars, planes, ships
Journal reports on graphene’s novel gas permeation property - 10/29/20
New mentor-protégé program between Triad National Security and Pueblo Alliance, LLC grooms Native businesses for successful contracting
Pueblo businesses will be mentored in landing contracts with LANL and other U.S. DOE entities. - 10/29/20
Breakthrough quantum-dot transistors create a flexible alternative to conventional electronics
Quantum dot logic circuits provide the long-sought building blocks for innovative devices, including printable electronics, flexible displays, and medical diagnostics - 10/29/20
Study reveals robust performance in aged detonator explosive
PETN explosive is used extensively in commercial detonators and in the nuclear stockpile - 10/28/20
Sensors driven by machine learning sniff-out gas leaks fast
ALFaLDS works on large oil and gas infrastructure, can help cut methane emissions by 90% - 10/28/20
Los Alamos National Laboratory named a top employer by Latina Style
Surveyed readers ranked top 50 companies for Latina training, mentorship, retention and promotion - 10/22/20
Los Alamos National Laboratory brings next-generation HPC to the fight against COVID-19
New capabilities will give scientists substantially higher supercomputing performance, further enabling critical research ranging from therapeutics design to modeling viral spread - 10/20/20
Six physicists elected 2020 Fellows of the American Physical Society
APS Fellowship recognizes outstanding contributions to science, technology, teaching, or service - 10/14/20
Evelyn Mullen named American Nuclear Society Fellow
Mullen was named a fellow for her leadership in nuclear national security and ensuring the nation’s experimental capability in nuclear criticality - 10/13/20
Seven Los Alamos scientists and engineers honored as 2020 Laboratory Fellows
Tanmoy Bhattacharya, Christopher Fontes, Vania Jordanova, Thomas Leitner, John Lestone, Joseph Martz and Ralph Menikoff - 10/12/20
Los Alamos to lead fuel cell consortia
Lab seeks to drive advances in resilient energy projects - 10/8/20
Sarkar honored for theory of self-replicating materials
American Physical Society presents the Irwin Oppenheim award for early-career scientists - 10/7/20
Los Alamos, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and NVIDIA partner to speed up scientific computing
New developments will include innovative high-performance computing (HPC) technology efforts to advance greater performance efficiency, workflow efficiency and analytics - 10/6/20
Eight Los Alamos projects win R&D 100 Awards
“Oscars of Invention” honor the best innovations of the past year - 10/5/20
Top students tapped for Los Alamos science experience
Graduate program from DOE prepares students for STEM careers - 10/5/20
New algorithm could unleash the power of quantum computers
Fast-forwarding quantum calculations skips past the time limits imposed by decoherence, which plagues today’s machines - 10/5/20
Los Alamos announces details of new Crossroads supercomputer
Next–gen supercomputer will support predictive weapons research and calculations - 9/30/20
Nathan Moody to share in 2021 IEEE particle accelerator award
Moody was cited for “deep and broad contributions to accelerator science and technology, especially multi-disciplinary photocathode science” - 9/24/20
Role of amyloids in type II diabetes
A collaboration between Los Alamos, Yale University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute published research that sheds light on pathological properties of amyloids identified in type II diabetes. - 7/6/16
Retired supercomputers enable student research
Decommissioned supercomputers give systems researchers and students a one-of-a-kind, hands-on lab to learn computational science. - 10/20/12
Nonprofit organizations receive community giving grants
The organizations received grants for projects that range from a summer camp for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders to providing winter coats and shoes for needy children. - 12/15/09
Unique LANL pathogen detector gains corporate partner
LANL has executed an agreement with Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corporation (BMGP) for the further development of a diagnostic tool known as an optical biosensor. - 12/14/09
LANL employees, Lab contractor pledge record $2.3 million to local United Way
The Laboratory employee contributions will fund a number of United Way agencies and programs as well as other eligible nonprofit organizations. - 12/1/09
Lab begins demolition of Cold War-era buildings
More than 165,000 square feet of former research, production, and office buildings will be demolished. - 12/1/09
Lab receives $25,000 for Math and Science Academy
The program is conducted by LANL in cooperation with its regional education, business, and government partners. - 11/30/09
Lookman and Moore named 2009 LANL Fellows Prize recipients
The Fellows organization includes some of the Laboratory’s most prominent scientists. - 11/23/09
New funding will stimulate alternative energy research
The Laboratory recently received notice that it has received ARRA funding to participate in four geothermal projects with Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico Tech, and the University of Utah. - 11/16/09
Scientists use supercomputer to unravel mysteries of exploding stars
Scientists use supercomputer to model a fundamental process in physics that could help explain how stars begin to explode into supernovae. - 11/16/09
LANL names six scientists as 2009 Fellows
Antoinette “Toni” Taylor, Stephen Becker, Joachim Birn, Lowell Brown, Patrick Colestock, and Samuel “Tom” Picraux have been designated 2009 LANL Fellows. - 11/5/09
LANL breaks ground on key sediment control project
Called “grade-control” structures, the approximately $2 million features are up to eight feet high and made of rocks packed tightly into wire enclosures. - 11/5/09
Laboratory adds a sixth R&D 100 Award to its 2009 count
This year’s awards bring the Los Alamos total to 113 since the Laboratory first entered the competition in 1978. - 11/4/09
Scientists use world's fastest supercomputer to explore magnetic reconnection
The focus is to understand the three-dimensional evolution of thin electrical current layers where magnetic reconnection initially develops. - 10/30/09
LANL sponsors Recovery Act Job Fair
The fair was aimed at filling current and future positions with subcontractors working on environmental cleanup under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. - 10/30/09
Scientists use world's fastest computer to model materials under extreme conditions
Materials scientists are for the first time attempting to create atomic-scale models that describe how voids are created, grow, and merge. - 10/30/09
World's fastest computer to simulate nanoscale material failure
With this new tool, scientists can better study what nanowires do under stress. - 10/29/09
Zerkle wins Governor’s Distinguished Public Service award
The award recognizes outstanding contributions to public service and the improvement of government at all levels by private citizens and government employees. - 10/29/09
Fastest computer to understand nonlinear physics of high-power lasers
To achieve fusion scientists must put as much laser energy on target as possible. - 10/28/09
World's fastest supercomputer to create the largest HIV evolutionary tree
Researchers are using the supercomputer to analyze vast quantities of genetic sequences from HIV infected people in the hope of zeroing in on possible vaccine target areas. - 10/27/09
Neutron stars is focus of Frontiers in Science lectures
Lectures are intended to increase local public awareness of the diversity of science and engineering research at the Laboratory. - 10/27/09
Science at the Petascale: Roadrunner results unveiled
The Roadrunner system is now beginning its transition to classified computing to assure the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent. - 10/26/09
World’s fastest supercomputer to model origins of the unseen universe
The model aims to look at galaxy-scale mass concentrations above and beyond quantities seen in state-of-the-art sky surveys. - 10/26/09
Networking forum, businesses make their pitch for Recovery Act work
One key goal of the Recovery Act is to provide jobs and opportunities for Northern New Mexicans. - 10/22/09
Saving computers with new malware detection tool
A computer tool that allows the machine to identify malicious executable files without being exposed to their harmful actions. - 10/21/09
Standards for a new genomic era
A team of geneticists has recently proposed a set of standards designed to elucidate the quality of publicly available genetic sequencing information. - 10/21/09
IBEX satellite finds ribbon-like structure at edge of heliosphere
The NASA IBEX mission has sent back data that indicates a “noodle soup” of solar material has accumulated at the outer fringes of the heliosphere bubble. - 10/15/09
NNSA and DNFSB free up millions In previously allocated funding
The DNFSB and NNSA required the CMRR project to address specific design issues related to safety. - 10/2/09
Oldest hominid skeleton provides new evidence for human evolution
The discovery reveals the biology of the first stage of human evolution better than anything seen to date. - 10/1/09
LANL demolishes first containment dome at disposal area
It once housed thousands of drums of radioactive waste that have been shipped to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant for disposal. - 9/30/09
Bradbury Science Museum takes part in Smithsonian’s Museum Day
Museums and cultural institutions open their doors free of charge to Smithsonian magazine subscribers and Smithsonian.com visitors. - 9/21/09
Los Alamos science discoveries unveiled September 15
The event is an opportunity for business leaders and community members to learn about where science is heading, as well as for students to discover potential new career directions. - 9/8/09
Technology strikes a chord with algal biofuels
Sound-wave technology is helping Solix Biofuels, Inc. optimize production of algae-based fuel in a cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally benign fashion. - 9/2/09
Changes to vehicle traffic-screening regimen at vehicle inspection station
Lanes two through five will be open 24 hours a day and won’t be staffed by a Laboratory protective force officer. - 9/1/09
Hydrogen storage gets new hope
A new method for “recycling” hydrogen-containing fuel materials could open the door to economically viable hydrogen-based vehicles. - 9/1/09
High-efficiency solid-state lighting and superconductor research receives funding
Each project will be funded for up to three years. - 8/28/09
LANL awards subcontracts for architectural and engineering services
Six small businesses are receiving subcontracts for providing architectural and engineering services to Los Alamos. - 8/28/09
Regional companies eye growth
Adaptive Radio Technologies, Los Alamos Visualization Associates, Mesa Tech International Inc., and ThermaSun Inc. were awarded from the Venture Acceleration Fund. - 8/21/09
Frontiers in Science lectures focus on radiography
Christopher Morris explains how X-rays, protons, and naturally occurring cosmic rays can be used to see through opaque objects. - 8/21/09
Knapp to head combined Weapons Engineering, Weapons Physics Directorate
New leadership position will allow for greater integration in the planning and execution of the stockpile stewardship program. - 8/18/09
LANL names cleanup subcontractors
The three companies are Los Alamos Technical Associates (LATA), Portage Inc., and ARSEC Environmental, LLC (ARSEC). - 8/14/09
Lab announces Venture Acceleration Fund recipients
Adaptive Radio Technologies, Los Alamos Visualization Associates, Mesa Tech International Inc., and ThermaSun Inc. selected as recipients of awards. - 8/11/09
LANS creates mentor-protégé agreements with two veteran-owned businesses
New mentor-protégé agreements with SDV Construction and Trillacorpe Construction. - 7/30/09
Charles McMillan to lead LANL’s Weapons Program
He will provide oversight and direction for the nuclear weapons program at Los Alamos to accomplish the Laboratory’s core mission. - 7/28/09
LANL scientists will codirect $14.5 million National Center for Systems Biology
The new Spatiotemporal Modeling Center is funded by a $14.5 million, five-year grant from the National Institute for General Medical Sciences. - 7/28/09
LANL sponsors Hazmat Challenge
The challenge provides hazardous materials responders the opportunity to network and learn new techniques under realistic conditions in a safe environment. - 7/27/09
Lab receives Recovery Act funds
Recovery Act funds will go toward environmental compliance and cleaning up Cold War-era buildings slated for demolition. - 7/21/09
LANL sponsors Hazmat Challenge
The Summer Environmental Science Program lets students explore a wide range of science-related topics in the Valles Caldera National Preserve. - 7/9/09







