Facilities for the Future of Science

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science leads the world in the conception, design, construction, and operation of large-scale research facilities.  

In November 2003,  in the landmark publication Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook, DOE proposed a portfolio of 28 prioritized new scientific facilities and upgrades to current facilities spanning the scientific disciplines to ensure the U.S. retains its primacy in critical areas of science and technology well into the next century. 

When it was published four years ago, the Facilities Outlook was the first long-range facilities plan prioritized across disciplines ever issued by a government science funding agency anywhere in the world.

An August 2007 DOE Office of Science publication, Four Years Later: An Interim Report on 'Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook,' shows that the agency has made significant progress in deploying the scientific facilities and instruments that the United States needs to capture world scientific leadership, extend the frontiers of science, and support DOE's missions.

Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook (PDF 2.32 MB)

Four Years Later: An Interim Report on 'Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook' (PDF 1.97 MB)

10/11/07 - DOE Office of Science Publishes Update of Landmark Plan, "Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook"

The European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures (Report 2006), inspired by Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook, is accessible at ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/esfri/docs/esfri-roadmap-report-26092006_en.pdf

11/10/03 - Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham Announces Department of Energy 20-Year Science Facility Plan

11/10/03 - Remarks by Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham at the National Press Club

Overview of Facilities for the Future of Science(PDF 916 KB)

Office of Science Advisory Committees’ Recommendations

Facilities for the Future of Science benefited from the assistance of the U.S. scientific community as represented through the six Office of Science Advisory Committees:

· Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee (ASCAC)
· Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC)
· Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee   (BERAC)
· Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC)
· DOE/NSF High Energy Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP)
· DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC)

Letters, Statements and Reports about Facilities for the Future of Science

8/8/03 – Letter from the DOE Office of Science National Laboratory Directors to Secretary of Energy Abraham (PDF 916 KB)

8/11/03 – Letter from the DOE Office of Science Advisory Committee Chairs to Secretary of Energy Abraham(PDF 1.6 MB)

11/10/03 – Statement by Nils Hasselmo, President, Association of American Universities, on Department of Energy's 20-Year Facilities Outlook(PDF 94 KB)

11/14/03 – DOE Secretary Abraham Announces 20 Year DOE Facilities Plan, FYI Number 148: The American Institute of Physics (AIP) Bulletin of Science Policy News

11/17/03 – Letter from Kathryn Bannan, Chairman, Energy Sciences Coalition, to Secretary of Energy Abraham (PDF 44 KB)

11/20/03 – "Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook," FYI Number 150: The AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News

11/20/03 – Comments on DOE "Facilities for the Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook," FYI Number 151: The AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News

Current Office of Science User Facilities

The major user facilities supported by the DOE Office of Science are listed below by program office:

· Advanced Scientific Computing Research
· Basic Energy Sciences
· Biological and Environmental Research
· Fusion Energy Sciences
· High Energy Physics
· Nuclear Physics