A multi-laboratory team including researchers from Argonne’s Photon Sciences (PSC) directorate were recognized with the Defense Programs Award of Excellence from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on September 21. 

The award was given for work directed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and performed in collaboration at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS), a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility, at High Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HP-CAT) in 2021. 

The awards, established in 1982, are given annually to recognize significant individual and team accomplishments in quality, productivity, cost savings, safety and creativity within the NNSA’s nuclear weapons program. This award recognizes individuals and teams at Argonne and partner sites for their contributions to nuclear security and classified experiments done to ensure the security and proper stewardship of America’s nuclear stockpile.

"We are deeply honored and proud of our scientists for their outstanding contributions in receiving this award,” said Laurent Chapon, associate laboratory director of PSC and director of the APS. “Their collaborative efforts have advanced the field of nuclear security."

Those recognized with the award from Photon Sciences include Jonathan Lang, X-ray Science Division (XSD), John Quintana, PSC and from the High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team: Eric Rod, XSD, Jesse Smith, XSD, Maddury Somayazulu ,XSD and Nenad Velisavljevic, LLNL.  Other Argonne awardees include Tracy Bennish, Keith Bradley, Gregory Robinson, Sandy Schroeder, and George Vukovich. 

Awardees from LLNL include Nathan Barton, Nolan Bernal, Hyunchae Cynn, Will Evans, Dayne Fratanduono, Sony Jacob, Zsolt Jenei, Earl O’Bannon, Daniel Sneed, and Rick Sood.