Oak Ridge Associated Universities facts for kids

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) is a large group of over 150 American colleges and universities that work together. Their main office is in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU's goal is to support science and education across the country.

History of ORAU

Eleanor Roosevelt (center) and ORAU's first leader, William G. Pollard, watch a nurse show how a radiation counter works in 1955. (Photo by Ed Westcott)

ORAU was started in 1946, right after World War II. At first, it was called the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies (ORINS) and had 14 member universities.

Its main job was to help students and professors use the advanced science labs at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This gave them access to amazing tools for research in atomic energy. In return, scientists at the lab could learn from university professors. A professor named William G. Pollard came up with the idea and became the first leader of the group. The name was changed to Oak Ridge Associated Universities in 1966.

Helping People with Science

In 1950, ORAU opened a special hospital. Doctors there studied how to use radiation and radioactive materials to treat cancer. The hospital helped many patients until it closed in the mid-1970s. ORAU also taught courses on how to safely use special medical materials called radioisotopes. Later, experts reviewed this research to make sure it was done safely and that patients were treated well.

Studying Energy and Climate

In 1974, ORAU started a new group called the Institute for Energy Analysis. Led by former ORNL director Alvin Weinberg, this group studied how the world could meet its future energy needs. They also researched important topics like carbon dioxide and its effect on the world's climate.

Emergency Response Team

In 1976, ORAU created the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS). This is a special team of doctors and scientists who are always ready to help. They give medical advice and assistance for any accident involving radiation, anywhere in the world.

What ORAU Does Today

ORAU's main goal is still to advance science and education. It runs the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy.

ORISE helps with important science projects by:

• Training the next generation of scientists and engineers.
• Reviewing science projects to make sure they are high quality.
• Studying the effects of radiation to keep people and the environment safe.

ORAU is also a leader in health physics, which is the science of protecting people from radiation. They conduct safety checks, help screen workers for health issues, and figure out if workers have been exposed to harmful materials. Since 1948, ORAU has offered training programs to teach professionals about radiation safety.

University Members

ORAU is a team, or consortium, of more than 150 universities. These schools are called "sponsoring institutions." They are top research universities that grant doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

There are also about 26 "associate members." These are other colleges and universities that are growing their research programs.

ORAU also has a special group called the Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Research Council. This council helps build connections between universities that have historically served minority communities and the nation's largest research labs. This helps more people from all backgrounds get involved in science.

See also

• Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments
• Atoms for Peace
• Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education