The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University is a world-unique research laboratory and home to the most powerful heavy-ion accelerator. Operated by MSU as a user facility for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC), FRIB enables researchers from around the world to answer fundamental questions about the nature of matter, driving groundbreaking discoveries in nuclear physics and astrophysics.
Located on the campus of a research-intensive university, FRIB attracts the best students to study nuclear science, accelerator science, cryogenic engineering, and radiochemistry, areas in which workforce development is in short supply and critical to U.S. economic competitiveness, energy security, nuclear security, and nonproliferation efforts. MSU awards 15% of U.S. nuclear physics PhDs a half a year faster (5.5 vs. 6 years) and at higher completion rate (81% vs. 60% nationally) than the national averages. Additionally, FRIB has a strong tradition of hosting undergraduate interns in hands-on learning experiences that build professional and practical skills. FRIB’s Career Experience Internship Program aligns with MSU’s Green and White Council career-readiness initiatives, emphasizing communication and professionalism, critical thinking and problem-solving, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital skills, disciplinary knowledge, and global leadership as students collaborate on active projects. Specific variations on programs in service of national impact are detailed in the following sections.
The DOE-SC’s core investment in fundamental research and user facility operation of FRIB enables additional significant activities in service to the nation. In establishing and operating the facility, FRIB developed capabilities that transfer to other industries and applications. Through these integrated capabilities, advanced research, FRIB strengthens national security and defense across multiple strategic domains.
Heavy-ion radiation-effects testing
FRIB’s heavy-ion single-event test facilities, including the FRIB Single Event Effects Facility (FSEE) and the K500 Chip Testing Facility (KSEE), address the national shortage of radiation effects testing capacity for advanced microelectronics. The facilities allow government and industry users to evaluate how semiconductors and electronic systems perform in radiation environments similar to those encountered in space and on earth. These testing capabilities are critical for technologies used in spaceflight, defense, wireless communications, and autonomous vehicles.
MSU builds upon FRIB's advanced capabilities through initiatives like the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation, which creates new avenues for shared technology development and collaboration. The center strengthens connections among research, education, and industry to support workforce development and the translation of university expertise into practical applications. Additionally, the U.S. National Science Foundation announced in September 2026 it is awarding $20 million to MSU to establish the Infrastructure for Integrated Diamond and Carbon Research in Space Applications (IDiCaRS) project at MSU establishes an end-to-end infrastructure to accelerate the development of radiation-hardened diamond and carbon-based electronics for extreme space environments, which can be tested at FRIB’s heavy-ion test facilities to rapidly validate device performance.
Through the MSU Space Electronics Initiative—a collaboration between FRIB and the MSU College of Engineering—students gain hands-on experience in chip design and radiation testing, preparing engineers and scientists for key defense and aerospace fields.
Nuclear science research
FRIB prepares the next-generation scientific workforce by offering students hands-on experience, engaging in cutting-edge research supported by the DOE Office of Science and the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Students explore pathways in nuclear science that directly contribute to national security and prepare them for future success in the Nuclear Security Enterprise. A recent example is a multi-institutional collaboration led by FRIB and several national laboratories—including NNSA facilities—that resolved a long-standing nuclear puzzle while fostering the next generation of the scientific workforce.
By connecting basic research with national security applications, this partnership yields vital data that improves calculations for nuclear energy systems and NNSA national security missions. To support these professional trajectories, students and graduates leverage distinct fellowship pathways tailored to different stages and goals in nuclear security:
- The DOE NNSA Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship (SSGF): Designed for students pursuing doctoral research in areas relevant to stockpile stewardship and international nonproliferation, this fellowship has supported multiple FRIB graduate assistants over the years—including Brandon Lem (2025), Scott Campbell (2023), and Amy Lovell (2015)—enabling them to advance vital nuclear physics research and complete practicums at national laboratories.
- The NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program (NGFP): Providing a separate, dedicated pathway for professional development and direct entry into the Nuclear Security Enterprise, NGFP equips emerging leaders—such as past FRIB-connected participants Rebecca Lewis and Zachary Matheson (both 2019)—with foundational experience in policy, program management, and technical missions across the NNSA complex.
Together, these complementary programs exemplify the diverse avenues through which foundational scientific discovery at facilities like FRIB translates into long-term national security leadership.
Isotope harvesting
FRIB’s isotope harvesting supports national-security objectives by capturing and processing high-activity radionuclides produced during accelerator operations without disrupting primary physics experiments. Utilizing specialized shielded enclosures and semi-automated systems, the facility provides isotopes applicable to national needs, including applications such as targeted cancer therapy.
Beyond isotope production, the program functions as a training ground for nuclear chemistry, embedding students in hands-on radiochemistry operations to mitigate the national shortage of specialized technical personnel and sustain long-term workforce competitiveness. The U.S. faces a shortage of radiochemists that will be, in part, addressed by attracting students into the field with FRIB and training them in the MSU College of Natural Science’s Chemistry department.
Large-scale high-efficiency helium liquefaction
FRIB’s state-of-the-art helium cryogenic plant provides the ultra-cold infrastructure required for superconducting accelerator systems while serving as a platform for advanced cryogenic engineering and also research and development (R&D). A distinguishing strength of FRIB is its vertically integrated, in-house capability encompassing process development, thermodynamic modeling, system and component design, fabrication, controls, commissioning, operation, and performance optimization. This expertise enables FRIB to develop, test, validate, and demonstrate new cryogenic technologies under realistic operating conditions. The implementation of the patented Ganni Floating-Pressure Process Cycle, together with in-house helium recovery and engineering capabilities, exemplifies this approach.
These capabilities extend beyond accelerator applications to technologies important to U.S. competitiveness and national security, including fusion energy, aerospace, superconducting systems, quantum technologies, and other emerging industries requiring cryogenic infrastructure.
FRIB also provides a unique environment for developing the next generation of cryogenic engineers. Through the MSU Cryogenic Initiative, FRIB and MSU’s College of Engineering combine classroom education with hands-on training in design, R&D, fabrication, testing, and operation of large-scale cryogenic systems, strengthening the domestic workforce needed for emerging cryogenic technologies.
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