Fellowship Goals and Objectives

As part of its science and national security missions, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) supports a broad spectrum of basic and applied research in science and engineering.  This research is conducted at NNSA National Laboratories and through extensive grants and contracts with universities and the private sector.  Because of its continuing needs, NNSA has a special interest in encouraging the development of the next generation of leaders in stewardship science.

The primary objective of the NNSA Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship program is to encourage the training of scientists by providing financial support to talented students who enter a period of study and research in designated areas of stewardship science accompanied by practical work experience at NNSA research facilities.  Areas of interest for this competition include:

1. Properties of Materials under Extreme Conditions and Hydrodynamics

   Areas of interest include the static and dynamic properties of materials under conditions of high-pressure, high-temperature, high-strain and high-strain-rate. Materials properties of interest include thermodynamic properties and mechanical constitutive properties. Interest exists in hydrodynamic experiments in low-energy density physics regimes where materials properties dominate and in the development of novel advanced diagnostics and measurement techniques.

2. High-Energy Density Physics

   Graduate students planning to study high-energy density physics and fluid dynamics, with particular emphasis on experimental investigations based on the utilization of lasers and/or pulsed power technology. This includes investigations in related areas of hydrodynamics, plasma physics, properties of materials under high-energy density conditions, inertial fusion, atomic physics, radiation generation, and the interaction of radiation with matter. Also of interest is the physics of turbulence and fluid interfaces or the understanding of astrophysical phenomena. Development of novel diagnostic and measurement techniques to study phenomena under high energy density conditions is of interest.

3. Low-Energy Nuclear Science

   Of interest are investigations leading to greater accuracy in the knowledge of low energy nuclear science; e.g., the development of advanced simulations and measurement techniques leading to improved radiation and particle detection methods, a more complete understanding of the physics of the fission process, and advanced diagnostic techniques relevant to high-energy proton radiography and X-ray radiography along with the development of experimental diagnostic techniques for laser or pulsed power implosion systems.

More detailed descriptions of these areas may be found at http://nnsa.energy.gov/dsup/ssaap_research_areas.htm

Additional information on defense science university programs is available at http://nnsa.energy.gov/dsup/

For More Information Contact: SSGF Coordinator 1609 Golden Aspen Dr., Suite 101 Ames, IA 50010 Phone:  515.956.3696 Fax:  515.956.3699 ssgf@krellinst.org