‘Oscars of Innovation’: Savannah River National Lab Wins R and D 100 Award

Savannah River National Laboratory researcher Cory Trivelpiece and his team, in partnership with Silica-X Inc., developed a technology known as advanced engineered cellular magmatics that led the laboratory to be named an R&D 100 Awards winner.

SRNL team to advance award-winning technology at EM’s new Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative

AIKEN, S.C. — The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has won a prestigious R&D 100 Award this year for its breakthrough technology that converts landfill-bound materials into high-value products that could help accelerate the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) cleanup mission.

Earning an R&D 100 Award showcases the national significance of SRNL’s EM-funded research and its contribution to innovation in environmental stewardship.

The awards are sponsored by “R&D World Magazine” and recognize the world’s 100 most innovative technologies each year. They are often referred to as the “Oscars of Innovation.”

The SRNL technology in the spotlight, known as advanced engineered cellular magmatics (AECM), was developed by SRNL researcher Cory Trivelpiece and his team in partnership with Silica-X Inc.

“I’m incredibly proud of our SRNL team for earning this R&D 100 Award in partnership with Silica-X,” SRNL Director Johney Green said. “This recognition highlights the power of innovation, collaboration and turning bold ideas into real-world impacts.”

The winning team members include Trivelpiece and William Ramsey with SRNL and Gert Nielsen and Robert Hust with Silica-X.

“It’s an honor for me and this team to get recognition from the awards committee,” Trivelpiece said. “To be selected for the award along with other national labs and some of the largest R&D companies in the world is truly humbling and amazing.”

The award recognition in the mechanical/materials category highlights the innovative AECMs project, which involves reusing materials, such as recycled glass or other feedstocks, in creative ways to develop products with applications in waste remediation, construction and more.

Trivelpiece’s team recently developed AECMs that react like a cementitious material with low-activity radioactive waste streams. If implemented, this would enable a containerized waste form that requires no mixing equipment and minimal onsite operations.

From left, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Director Johney Green listen while SRNL researcher Cory Trivelpiece discusses advanced engineered cellular magmatics during a demonstration of the technology.

Trivelpiece’s team is moving its laboratory into the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC) Facility to continue advancing the technology. EM constructed the facility for SRNL on the University of South Carolina Aiken campus.

Joined by local, state and congressional leaders, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and other DOE officials opened the doors to the AMC facility last month, launching a new chapter for American innovation in South Carolina.

“This is an example why the recently completed AMC Facility is so critical to SRNL’s future. And we can’t wait to see what the laboratory will do next,” said Greg Sosson, EM associate principal deputy assistant secretary for field operations.

Ming Zhu, EM’s senior advisor for laboratory policy, said SRNL has been expanding its research portfolio through public-private partnership to position the laboratory for an enduring mission as EM works towards the completion of nuclear legacy cleanup.

“SRNL’s partnership with Silica-X Inc. enables real-time tech-to-market analysis of laboratory-scale results and the ability to translate these results to industrial-scale solutions,” Trivelpiece said.

Learn more about engineered cellular magmatics here.