Focal plane of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) camera.
Where research happens

Joint institutes & centers

SLAC is known for building big sophisticated machines for teasing out the secrets of the universe. They give researchers new eyes on the world, spurring discoveries that spark new inventions in a continuous cycle. In our joint research centers and facilities, SLAC and Stanford team up to tackle important scientific problems and train the next generation of scientists.

I believe working with a diverse group of students, postdocs, staff and faculty will fuel our creativity and deepen the impact of the research that we do. Creativity, diversity and inclusion go hand in hand.”

William Cheuh Associate Professor of Materials Science & Engineering and of Energy Sciences & Engineering, Stanford Faculty Scientist, Energy Sciences Directorate, SLAC Senior Fellow, Precourt Institute for Energy Photo - William Chueh (Matt Beardsley)
Electric car graphic.

Materials for society 

Developing the materials we need to improve our quality of life

SIMES does the basic materials research needed to develop technologies that generate, store and transmit energy more efficiently. It doubles as the Materials Science Division of SLAC.

 

Visit SIMES website
See latest SIMES news     
 
Inspection of the LSST Camera optic filters

Eyes on the universe

Bringing cosmic mysteries into focus

KIPAC is dedicated to increasing our understanding of the universe – including the nature of dark energy and dark matter, spectacular phenomena like black holes and gamma-ray bursts and the structure and evolution of the cosmos. 

 

Visit KIPAC website
See latest KIPAC news  
Find the latest KIPAC annual report    
 
Raymond Sierra aligning key components of the imaging setup used at the Coherent X-ray Imaging (CXI) experimental station.

Ultrafast science 

Watching nature in action on the smallest and speediest scales

PULSE researchers use the LCLS X-ray free-electron laser to explore things like chemical reactions and molecular movements at the level of atoms and on incredibly fast time scales.

 

Visit PULSE website
See latest PULSE news
Grad student McKenzie Hubert watches electrolyzer at work

Sustainable chemistry 

Designing catalysts to make chemical reactions cleaner and more efficient

A partnership between SLAC and the Stanford School of Engineering, SUNCAT focuses on the atom-by-atom design of catalysts to accelerate chemical reactions we need to generate and store energy in more planet friendly ways.

 

Visit SUNCAT website
See latest SUNCAT news
Cornelius Gati working on a Tuberculosis samples at the Cryo-EM facility

Advanced imaging 

Peering deep into the molecular machinery of living things

We operate one of the most advanced facilities in the world for cryogenic electron microscopy and tomography, and our experts help the scientific community take full advantage of these powerful imaging technologies.

 

Visit Cryo-EM website
See latest Cryo-EM news
Dig deeper

Related projects and news

Press Release

New SLAC-Stanford Battery Center bridges the gaps between discovering, manufacturing and deploying innovative energy storage solutions. 

Illustration showing a battery researcher at left, a battery at center and a grid of battery applications at right.
News Feature

An astronomy festival will mark the milestone.

Visitors at KIPAC are observing the sun through telescopes and sun-spotters.
News Feature
Chi-Chang Kao, a noted X-ray scientist and director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, recently announced that he will step...
A man in a blue shirt and gray suit poses in front of a large scientific apparatus.
Press Release

New SLAC-Stanford Battery Center bridges the gaps between discovering, manufacturing and deploying innovative energy storage solutions. 

Illustration showing a battery researcher at left, a battery at center and a grid of battery applications at right.
News Feature

An astronomy festival will mark the milestone.

Visitors at KIPAC are observing the sun through telescopes and sun-spotters.
News Feature
Chi-Chang Kao, a noted X-ray scientist and director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, recently announced that he will step...
A man in a blue shirt and gray suit poses in front of a large scientific apparatus.
Press Release
Chi-Chang Kao has decided to return to research after serving 10 years as director of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory...
Chi-Chang Kao
News Feature

A research team including SLAC staff engineer Gustavo Cezar shows that charging electric vehicles in the daytime would spread the load on the electric...

Photograph of a man plugging an electric cord into a gray car on a driveway.
News Feature

One of 17 national laboratories supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, SLAC is also marking its 60th anniversary this year.

Aerial view of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory