Office for National Laboratories

Northwestern’s Commitment to Partnerships with National Laboratories

The Office for National Laboratories traces its origins to 2013, when a strategic partnership was established between Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Northwestern University. This collaboration led to the creation of the Northwestern-Argonne Institute for Science and Engineering (NAISE), which has since facilitated millions of dollars in research grant funding. Notably, the institute played a key role in supporting the NIST Center of Excellence in Advanced Materials: Center for Hierarchical Materials Design between 2014 - 2025.

NAISE pioneered Northwestern's Joint Appointment program, which enables Argonne scientists to hold academic appointments at Northwestern, granting them access to the university's resources. Conversely, Northwestern faculty can receive appointments at Argonne, fostering deeper collaboration between the two institutions. NAISE became the leading exemplary framework in the nation to connect an academic institution with a national laboratory. This success ultimately laid the groundwork for developing a similar partnership with Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL).

The Office for National Laboratories was established in 2025 to strengthen collaboration between Northwestern and the national laboratory ecosystem. With a focus on nearby Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, the office works to expand partnership opportunities that drive innovation, interdisciplinary research, and meaningful scientific discovery.