Each one aims to steward, develop and integrate R&D across the Laboratory so that we can tackle tough national challenges. They work in tandem with our Lab Agenda.
Pillars aren't owned by any one division or directorate; instead, they draw on expertise from across the Lab to encourage the creative, cross-disciplinary collaborations that national labs are known for. Pillars are dynamic, too; they can be retired when no longer relevant or created in response to new federal priorities and emerging research.
Pillars and their reviews matter because they shape the Lab's future. The panels' feedback can:
- Spur the Laboratory to invest in emerging R&D or specific equipment.
- Identify R&D gaps or fields where competitors might be outpacing us.
- Launch collaborations between teams that might not otherwise intersect.
- Redirect funding to areas that need more support.
"For decades, peer review has been the scientific community's standard mechanism for determining merit... Capability Reviews aren't just assessments; they're strategic, shared conversations that help Los Alamos National Laboratory identify our strengths and areas for growth."
--Deputy Laboratory Director for Science, Technology and Engineering Pat Fitch.
Additionally, feedback from the Capability Reviews filters up to the Lab's operator, Triad National Security, and on to the National Nuclear Security Administration as a factor for evaluating our performance for the year.
- The Lab has done external peer review since the 1970s, though the current approach to Capability Reviews didn't start until about 20 years ago.
- Weapons Systems and Complex Natural and Engineered Systems are the newest pillars, established about five years ago to emphasize "systems thinking" at the Lab.
- Engineering was once a separate pillar. In 2024, it was retired because it already underpins so much of the Lab's mission and contributes to every pillar. (There are about 3,500 engineers at the Lab.)
