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

News Feature

Strongly interacting electrons in quantum materials carry heat and charge in a way that’s surprisingly similar to what individual electrons do in normal metals...

An illustration shows electrons transporting heat from a warmer to a cooler area of a material.
News Feature

A groundbreaking study shows defects spreading through diamond faster than the speed of sound 

Shocking a diamond with a high-power laser produced defects that propagated faster than the speed of sound.
News Feature

Analyzing X-ray movies with computer vision reveals how nanoparticles in a lithium-ion battery electrode work.

Illustration of battery electrode nanoparticles being imaged by X-rays
News Feature

Strongly interacting electrons in quantum materials carry heat and charge in a way that’s surprisingly similar to what individual electrons do in normal metals...

An illustration shows electrons transporting heat from a warmer to a cooler area of a material.
News Feature

A groundbreaking study shows defects spreading through diamond faster than the speed of sound 

Shocking a diamond with a high-power laser produced defects that propagated faster than the speed of sound.
News Feature

Analyzing X-ray movies with computer vision reveals how nanoparticles in a lithium-ion battery electrode work.

Illustration of battery electrode nanoparticles being imaged by X-rays
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

Under his leadership, the lab diversified its research portfolio, expanded its science impact, advanced major projects, increased collaboration with Stanford and met the challenges...

A man in a blue shirt and gray suit poses in front of a large scientific apparatus.