Fermilab to receive $34.9 million in Recovery Act funding

Funds are part of $1.2 billion from Recovery Act to be disbursed by Department of Energy's Office of Science

In the first installment of funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science under President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, DOE's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory will receive $34.9 million.

The funds are part of $1.2 billion announced by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today from funding allocated under the Recovery Act to DOE's Office of Science. The funds will support an array of Office of Science-sponsored construction, laboratory infrastructure, and research projects across the nation. The Secretary made the announcement during a visit to Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton, NY.

"Leadership in science remains vital to America's economic prosperity, energy security, and global competitiveness," said Secretary Chu. "These projects not only provide critically needed short-term economic relief but also represent a strategic investment in our nation's future. They will create thousands of jobs and breathe new life into many local economies, while helping to accelerate new technology development, renew our scientific and engineering workforce, and modernize our nation's scientific infrastructure."

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Watch Energy Secretary Chu speak about stimulus funding for science

From Brookhaven National Laboratory, March 23, 2009

Steven Chu

Energy Secretary Steven Chu spoke about stimulus funding for science on March 23, 2009, at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Watch Secretary Chu's speech.

Durbin, Foster praise $48 million in DOE funding for Fermilab and Argonne

From U.S. Senator Dick Durbin's office, March 23, 2009

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Energy (DOE)'s Office of Science has awarded a total of $48 million in funding to Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory to protect jobs and support critical research. The funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was part of the $1.2 billion in funding that will be announced later today for national labs.

"To continue leading the way in science and technological innovation, we must protect our nation's critically important scientific infrastructure and workforce," said Durbin. "The funding from the Recovery Act will allow America to remain a world leader as science labs like Fermi and Argonne are able to continue existing projects and to expand their research."

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Particle physicist for a day

Watch a four-minute YouTube video of students analyzing real data and mingling with scientists at Fermilab during a similar program in February.

This isn't your average field trip. This month, more than 6,000 high school students participating in Hands-on Particle Physics Masterclasses will have the chance to form national or international scientific collaborations, just like real particle physicists do.

With the help of particle physicists, about 400 students from across the United States will analyze data from large particle collider experiments at CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Research. Most students will participate in this activity at universities and research institutes near their schools.

Classroom groups will discuss their findings via videoconference with other groups of students from across the country or across the globe. Physicists at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, including the laboratory's deputy director, Young-Kee Kim, will help moderate videoconferences.

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