The JSA Initiatives Fund supports a number of projects related to education, outreach and career development to staff and scientific users at Jefferson Lab.
WASHINGTON, DC – Jefferson Sciences Associates (JSA) has announced the award of $449,000 to support projects related to education, outreach and career development to staff and scientific users at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab).
Jefferson Lab, located in Newport News, VA, is a world-leading nuclear physics research facility. More than 1,600 scientists from around the world use the lab’s unique particle accelerator to conduct experiments to expand our understanding of the visible universe.
JSA is a joint venture of the Southeastern Universities Research Association, Inc. (SURA) and PAE. JSA manages and operates Jefferson Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. JSA provides the Initiatives Fund Program annually, so that Jefferson Lab and its scientific users may engage more effectively in many educational, scientific, technical and outreach activities that contribute to the lab’s overall ability to accomplish its mission.
Since 2006, JSA has provided more than $6 million to support 400 projects through the JSA Initiatives Fund Program. The funds support programs, initiatives and activities that further the scientific outreach, and promote the science, education and technology missions of Jefferson Lab in ways that complement its basic and applied research focus. Program funds also support activities of the laboratory’s extended user community.
“The Initiatives Fund is an important investment by JSA to directly support the lab’s mission of scientific discovery and its application to benefit society. The program is recognized for its impact on the education and training of the next generation of scientists through its fellowships, postdoc research grants, and K-12 projects. Over the years, many students and researchers have benefited from the unique opportunity to interact with the Jefferson Lab community both on-site and at scientific conferences,” said Jefferson Lab Director Stuart Henderson.
The FY20 Initiatives Fund Program includes $449,000 of new awards for 28 projects. About 65% of the award funds support the education and outreach programs and activities at Jefferson Lab. The remaining funds support meetings, workshops and conferences, as well as other laboratory programs and activities. Matching funds totaling over $450,000 are associated with the new awards. A complete list of awarded projects can be found at http://www.jsallc.org/IF/IFProjects.html.
The program is managed and administered by SURA, a consortium of 60 leading universities. Funding decisions are made by an evaluation committee whose members represent JSA, Jefferson Lab, SURA and the Jefferson Lab scientific user community. The 2020 evaluation committee was chaired by SURA principal deputy and JSA Board Liaison Elizabeth Lawson. Other committee members included Paul Eugenio, Florida State University; Tanja Horn, The Catholic University of America; Julie Roche, Ohio University; Lawrence Weinstein, Old Dominion University; and Robert McKeown, Jefferson Lab Deputy Director for Science.
SURA President and JSA CEO Jerry Draayer said, “The Initiatives Fund Program is JSA’s commitment to provide the Jefferson Lab user community with resources to help advance the science of the lab. The many fellowships supported by this program enable our future science leaders to continue their educational pursuit in nuclear physics as they spend time at Jefferson Lab on their research projects. The program continues to support young researchers with opportunities to participate in scientific workshops and conferences where they present results of their Jefferson Lab research.”
Contact: Elizabeth Lawson, JSA Initiatives Fund Program Manager, 202-408-7872, elawson@sura.org