The Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho State University have signed the Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research, or SUPER, agreement.
SUPER Objectives
The goal of the effort is to expand cooperation in critical and strategic materials and minerals research, which involves the investigation and development of materials and minerals vital to modern technology and industrial processes but whose supply is at risk of disruption, INL said Wednesday.
The effort also seeks expanded cooperation in environmental sustainability and security, including carbon reduction, digitalization and artificial intelligence, and spent fuel storage and disposition.
Terms of the Agreement
The SUPER agreement will last five years, during which cooperation between the signatories will involve shared academic materials, visiting research scholars and various joint events like workshops and conferences. The signatories will also pursue ongoing research and development collaborations.
“Research in critical and strategic materials and minerals is essential to our nation’s manufacturing and tech centers. This agreement with the university has the potential to elevate INL’s impact on this urgent national priority,” INL Laboratory Director John Wagner said.
For his part, ISU President Robert Wagner said, “ISU and INL have a long history of successful partnerships and collaborations,” adding, “Not only do we prepare our students for the future, INL and ISU faculty are finding innovative solutions to the energy challenges ahead.”
