ORAU: Then & Now Post Archive

Toy trains were once used to move radioactive sources from one location to another to minimize human exposure to ionizing radiation.

Elizabeth Rona was a brilliant scientist, and she had the opportunity to work with other notable scientists because of the timing of her research interests in radioactivity, exceptional expertise in extracting polonium and her contributions to the understanding of radiochemistry.

Discover everything you need to know about the roof tile from Hiroshima located at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, including how it ended up in Oak Ridge.

Many household items and other common objects made during the 1950s and 1960s contained uranium. During this time period, the government was encouraging members of the public to hunt for uranium. The federal governments Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) sponsored the search and advertised fixed rates for uranium ore to go along with bonuses for new discoveries. As a result, you…

Longtime ORAU employee hopes to inspire coworkers to volunteer as serving others has sparked passion and purpose in her life.

What’s the story behind this clunky medical tool? The size of the injection apparatus may catch your attention. It’s a far cry from what you’d see at a modern doctor’s office when you get a flu shot. That’s because this tool was not used for a routine vaccination. This was built to administer radiopharmaceuticals.

Discover what can be learned from forensic science with ORAU’s services, such as how education and training are performed for the next generation.

Learn about the contaminated tea at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, including how it became affected by radiation.

Like a boomerang, many ORAU employees have left for other job opportunities, only to return to ORAU. Discover some of the personal stories of a few of these individuals who have found their way back home to ORAU.

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge has opened an exhibit introducing the life and legacy of Alvin Weinberg, visionary nuclear physicist, who was once director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and was the founder of the Institute for Energy Analysis at ORAU.

Why did ORAU build and donate a Van de Graaff generator to the American Museum of Science and Energy? The hair-raising history dates back to the Atoms for Peace program that was established after WWII

Beneath Reelfoot Lake’s tranquil surface lies a dramatic history that ties directly to the earthquake preparedness work of ORAU.

Learn more about Exercise Builder Energy, one of ORAU’s newest software applications, which organizes data for emergency drills and exercises.

Learn about the light cover from Chernobyl located at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, including how it made its way back to the United States.

ORAU’s Exercise Builder Nuclear (EBN) application is designed to facilitate nuclear emergency preparedness exercises from start to finish. Launched in 2013, EBN is used by 42 of the 55 operating nuclear power plants in the U.S.

Learn more about William Brucer M.D., who was one of the early figures in the history of ORINS, which later became ORAU.

Dr. Marshall Brucer recognized the need for a more accurate and realistic way to measure radiation exposure in humans, so he created a manikin (sometimes called a “phantom”) that is about the size of a grown adult female, and it was filled with a material that simulates the density of human tissue.

Learn more about the life and career of Brenda Blunt, senior director of Health Policy at ORAU

Our company is called Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) because ORAU is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation and government contractor with access to a consortium of more than 150 member universities. University partnerships play a big role in what we do.

ORAU’s annual meeting brings together consortium members with ORAU employees, as well as some invited non-members from industry/adjacent partners and Oak Ridge leaders. The meeting also features keynote speakers and panelists, so there are a lot of subject matter experts in the room.

Discover some fun facts about the shoe-fitting fluoroscope at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, such as who all claims to have invented the machine.

When it comes to national preparedness, ORAU works diligently with the federal government creating resources to equip communities for emergency response. One of those resources includes a CDC discussion guide series for emergency planners. Another project includes considerations for mental health.

Extreme Classroom Makeover is one of ORAU’s most recognizable programs in the East Tennessee community, but you may not have paused to think of what’s going on in the background of this annual competition. Go behind the scenes to get a glimpse of what it is and what goes into it

The fascination with all things nuclear started during World War II and continued for a couple decades. What fed into (and perpetuated) the craze? This blog offers four reasons nuclear science was at the forefront of pop culture throughout the 1950s and 60s

ORAU is not a school, so why do we have a classroom? Certainly, we can use the room as meeting space, but its design is intentionally a classroom. This space is equipped with some bells and whistles for K-12 programming that we offer students and teachers throughout the summer.

Take a look at some of the atomic toys and items for children located at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, including the Atomic Energy Lab.

Take a look at some of the programs and departments within ORAU, such as the Research and University Partnerships Office, to learn more about the work that they do.

Born in Strigeau, Germany, Karl Hubner came to the United States—specifically, Oak Ridge—to learn as much as he could about nuclear medicine. It was rumored that doctors in Oak Ridge would soon be attempting bone marrow transplants. For a young doctor eager for hands-on experience, Hubner found an opportunity with ORINS.

Learn about what students and teachers have to look forward to at this year’s ARC Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge, including the chance to interact with subject matter experts.

Discover everything you need to know about ORAU’s Math & Movement STEM education program, including the dates for this year’s event.

ORAU expert explains what peer review is and how ORAU is involved in the process of ensuring research dollars are funded with the utmost integrity.

One of the eye-catching items in ORAU’s online Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity is a pair of atomic bomb test goggles. Yes, in our collection we house a pair of goggles that someone wore as the United States tested an early nuclear weapon.

ORAU is a government contractor that has been supporting the nation’s top priorities since 1946.

Learn about some of the K-12 STEM education programs offered by ORAU, including the Extreme Classroom Makeover.

Discover how ORAU is connected to the important work of NOAA in climate research and atmospheric science.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, ORAU’s mission is to advance national priorities and serve the public interest by integrating academic, government and scientific resources globally. We elevate science, technology, engineering and math because students who love STEM grow up to be the next generation of scientists and engineers.

ORAU put together a list highlighting some of our biggest impacts. It’s a list we’re very proud of, and it helps take the macro concept of what we do and puts it into perspective. Review this list to find out if you know how wide ORAU’s ripples reach.

The Nuke Buster is one of the incredible items in ORAU’s online Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity. It plugs into a car dashboard to electronically monitor radiation levels. How do hippies, communes and Nuke Busters intersect with ORAU? This blog explains.

In the ORAU Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, you will find hundreds of items that chronicle the history and commercialization of radiation and radioactivity. The collection includes a lot of dosimeters: film dosimeters, pocket dosimeters, thermoluminescent dosimeters, you-name-it-we-probably-got-it-dosimeters! Take a look at what these gadgets do and how they’ve been used through the years.

In our museum’s collection, you will see a lot of different items that relate to fallout shelters because there was a period of time when the U.S. government grappled with the consequences of nuclear weapons and how citizens could respond if our enemies used the technology against us.

It’s a workplace Cinderella story. Evelyn Watson’s career journey is one that is fun to share, and it’s important to ORAU’s history. Watson was a self-taught nuclear scientist who retired with two Lifetime Achievement awards.

Discover some of the fun facts about the atomic movie posters at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, including where the ideas for the movies originated.

The History of ORAU is rooted in the years leading up to when it was established—specifically in the Manhattan Project, the top-secret program created to build the first atomic bombs during WWII. So, how did building nuclear weapons lead to the birth of ORAU? This blog explains.

Perhaps, what ORAU is most known for during our early years is our Medical Division. In the 24 years of operation, the Medical Division of ORAU advanced nuclear medicine and cancer treatment in seven tangible ways. This list includes the highlights from a couple dozen years of research and practice.

Learn about the core values that define ORAU and the ways we support our customers, including quality and innovation.

ORAU Chief Scientist Nazareth Gengozian blazed a new trail when he established a colony of South American marmosets for his research in 1961. He was developing a basic marrow transplant program to explore the feasibility of performing transplants in patients with cancers that begin in immune system cells or bone marrow.

He calls himself Bill Nye the Finance Guy, but everyone else knows him as Archie Smart. As a project manager on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Dose Reconstruction Project, he’s been with ORAU for more than 20 years doing a little bit of everything in operations.