A Call to Secure the Future of U.S. Neutron Science
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The Neutron Scattering Society of America (NSSA) has issued a critical petition warning of an impending crisis in U.S. neutron research infrastructure. With overlapping multi-year outages planned at all four major U.S. neutron facilities—ORNL, NIST, and LANL—the nation risks falling behind global competitors in materials science, national security, and advanced technology development. While Europe and Asia are aggressively expanding their neutron capabilities, the U.S. has not kept pace and now faces an unprecedented gap in access for scientists and engineers.
To address this, the NSSA urges coordinated, strategic investment across federal agencies to:
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Support ORNL’s HFIR and complete the Second Target Station (STS) to retain global leadership
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Enhance NCNR operations and personnel to match its world-class instrumentation
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Expand access and rebuild capability at LANL’s Lujan Center to serve as a critical backup
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Increase funding for university-based reactors to ease user demand and train the next generation
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Begin planning for a new reactor-based neutron source to ensure long-term resilience
Take Action:
The message is clear—without immediate and integrated federal action, the U.S. risks scientific stagnation and the erosion of its strategic capabilities. Neutrons are essential not just for research, but for innovation, defense, and economic competitiveness.
We urge all members of the neutron science community and broader scientific stakeholders to read and support this petition.
👉 Visit: https://www.change.org/NSSA_Letter
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NOTE: This is not an NSSA fundraising campaign. The “donate now” button in change.org funds that website and not the NSSA.