Argonne is one of the U.S. Department of Energy's largest research centers. It is also the nation's first national laboratory, chartered in 1946.
Argonne is operated by the University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Today, the laboratory has more than 4,000 employees, including about 1,400 scientists and engineers, of whom about 700 hold doctorate degrees. Argonne's annual operating budget of more than $475 million supports upwards of 200 research projects, ranging from studies of the atomic nucleus to global climate change research. Since 1990, Argonne has worked with more than 600 companies and numerous federal agencies and other organizations.
Argonne is not and never has been a weapons laboratory.
Argonne research falls into four broad categories:
- basic science;
- scientific facilities;
- energy resources;
- environmental management.
Argonne's Division of Educational Programs provides a wide range of educational opportunities for faculty and students ranging from leading national universities to local junior high schools. More people attend educational programs at Argonne than at any other DOE national laboratory.
