At the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's inaugural State of the Labs address, the key message was that scientific breakthroughs originate from the Peninsula's two federal labs, making significant impacts both locally and worldwide.
Introduced by Chamber President and CEO Bob McKenna, leaders from NASA Langley Research Center and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility spoke to about 200 people at the Newport News event in November to learn the labs' latest discoveries, local economic impact and what's on their horizon.
"It all begins with the question 'what if?'" NASA Langley's Acting Director Dawn Schaible said.
Located in Hampton, the 764-acre campus has 200 facilities and employs roughly 3,500 civil servants and contractors. Schaible described NASA Langley as the "mother center" since it's NASA's first research center, beginning in 1915 as National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the precursor to NASA.
Along with numerous technology transfers, patents and the Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore, NASA's annual economic output in Virginia is $6.1 billion, supporting nearly 25,000 jobs, according to a recent NASA report. This includes employee salaries, regional partnerships, construction projects and research initiatives.
NASA Langley's focus is aviation advancements, using 45% of the workforce and budget. The 2023 budget was $983 million, according to the facility's annual report.
The center will open the Flight Dynamics Research Facility in 2025, she added.
"We are working on the future of aviation -- to make it faster, cheaper, quieter and cleaner," she said.
Researchers developed the transonic truss-braced wing to provide more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly aviation. This reduces drag and improves aircraft fuel efficiency, thus helping with the industry's sustainability efforts, Schaible said.
Space exploration makes up 26% of NASA Langley's budget. Researchers are working to determine how the Artemis spacecraft will successfully land on the surface of the moon. Schaible noted that in ancient Greek mythology, Artemis is considered the twin sister of Apollo. Langley researchers are also working on the Europa Clipper mission, set to explore Jupiter's moon Europa for signs of life-supporting conditions.
For climate, researchers monitor and model atmospheric conditions, greenhouse gas levels, weather patterns and long-term climate trends using advanced satellite-based sensors and remote sensing tools.
NASA Langley researchers also work with Old Dominion University, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and independent researchers to develop coastal resiliency and mitigate sea level rise, she said.
Jefferson Lab in Newport News has made several scientific advances, particularly in particle physics and quantum mechanics, said Cynthia Keppel, associate director of experimental nuclear physics.
"We are exploring the nature of matter," she said.
The facility, internationally known among the science community, has about 2,000 scientists exploring the nature of matter. There are 1,200 American scientists with the rest coming from all over the world.
The main attraction is the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility. It accelerates electrons to high energies using superconducting radio-frequency technology. The electron beam runs continuously. This allows for a high rate of data collection and high precision in experiments.
Shaped like a racetrack, the accelerator has two linear accelerators connected by arcs. Electrons circulate multiple times through these linear sections, gaining energy each time they pass. Then, they are sent to four experimental halls where different experiments can run simultaneously, she said.
"This is research that can't be done anywhere else," Keppel said.
There are 750 employees who are physicists, engineers, technicians and support staff. The lab also supports hundreds of additional jobs indirectly through local contracts and partnerships, particularly in Hampton Roads. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Jefferson Lab operates with an annual budget of around $150 million.
She said the lab is working to secure and improve the supply of high-purity niobium, which is crucial for the superconducting radio frequency cavities in particle accelerators. It is also used in advanced manufacturing. Most comes from Brazil, she said. Jefferson Lab scientists also collaborate with other national labs, universities and industry partners on niobium research and development.
The lab is also working with Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute to develop less invasive and more effective ways to treat cancer, Keppel added.
Lab data scientist Diana McSpadden said the lab plays an important role in data science, especially tackling the region's flooding.
"Norfolk is especially vulnerable," she said. "Right now, it's predicted that there could be 200 flooding events by the year 2049."
High-performance computing for flood modeling can process massive data sets and run complex simulations. It creates highly detailed flood models that simulate various flooding scenarios, such as those caused by storm surges, rising sea levels, and heavy rainfall. This allows regional planners to understand the most at-risk areas and develop mitigation strategies. The lab collaborates with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and universities. By contributing data and analytical support, Jefferson Lab's scientific studies show how sea levels could affect Hampton Roads over time.
Jefferson Lab helps create future scientists with outreach to local schools and internships. In the next three to five years, the lab is expected to grow in employment and facilities, Keppel said.