Tackling today’s most complex challenges in chemistry and materials science demands a new approach to research. In the next installment of our autonomous discovery video series, we highlight Argonne’s RAPID-200: Autonomous Lab for Materials and Chemistry.
As one of Argonne’s Robotic Autonomous Platforms for Innovative Discovery (RAPID) labs, RAPID-200 combines robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced experimental tools. The integration of synthesis, robotic manipulation, characterization and data analysis into a seamless, autonomous workflow helps researchers tackle problems in energy storage, quantum science and microelectronics.
By connecting experimental systems and applying AI to optimize each step, the lab is accelerating progress and expanding what is possible in materials and chemistry research.
Check out the video to see how RAPID-200 is redefining autonomous discovery at Argonne. Check the link in bio to learn more!
Learning doesn’t just happen in meetings—it happens in moments like this.
At the Safety Summit Fair, Argonne teams shared ideas, tools, and real-world insights that help keep our workplace safe.
From hands-on demos to conversations with experts, it was all about learning how work really happens—and how we can make it better.
If you’re looking for a place where you can learn, collaborate, and make an impact, this is what that looks like.
At the AI+ Expo, Argonne researchers shared how artificial intelligence is advancing scientific discovery across multiple fronts – from how workflows are built and run, to how materials behavior is predicted at the smallest scales.
Kyle Chard’s work on agentic systems that coordinate scientific workflows at scale, Neil Getty’s tools for finding and evaluating AI models and workflows, and Henry Chan’s research on predicting defects in microelectronics all point to a clear theme: AI is becoming part of the scientific process itself. These efforts support @ENERGY 's Genesis Mission to harness AI for breakthroughs in energy innovation, discovery science, and national security.
Here are five takeaways from the event!
Argonne welcomed a full house at yesterday’s Quantum Prairie Economic Symposium, bringing together leaders from academia, business, nonprofits and government to examine the future of quantum science and its regional impact.
Hosted by Argonne’s Office of Community Engagement, the symposium focused on topics including workforce development, startups and building the talent pipeline needed to support the continued growth of quantum science in the Chicagoland region.
Through efforts including the Argonne Quantum Institute, Q-NEXT and the Argonne quantum foundry, Argonne continues to help advance quantum science through research, collaboration and cross-sector partnerships. As Illinois strengthens its position in the global quantum landscape, conversations like these are helping shape what comes next.
The 1950s built the foundation.
💡💡💡💡 Four lightbulbs powered by nuclear energy.
🖥️ A room-sized computer solving complex problems.
⚛️ New reactor designs proving electricity could scale.
A submarine powered by atomic energy.
At Argonne, these weren’t experiments alone—they were the start of modern systems in energy, computing, and engineering.
The impact is still with us today.
Explore the full story at the link in bio.
#Argonne80
What if your workplace was designed around how people actually work?
At Argonne’s Safety Summit, teams came together to explore how Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) helps create systems that support people—not the other way around.
From big-picture ideas to real-world applications shared by Andrea Baker, the focus was on:
💡 Learning from everyday work
💡 Speaking up and being heard
💡 Building safer, more resilient systems
It’s all part of creating an environment where people can grow, contribute, and do meaningful work.
From the lab to the comic con stage, science is shaping the stories of tomorrow. In March, Argonne researchers joined the lineup at the 2026 Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (@C2E2 ).
We teamed up with @UChicagoPSD and an incredible group of writers, educators, and creators to explore the science behind sci-fi and storytelling.
Thanks to C2E2 and everyone who joined us for a day of curiosity, collaboration, and conversation!
#C2E2
Advancing solutions to global challenges requires a new pace of discovery.
We’re launching a new video series highlighting Argonne’s autonomous discovery labs, starting with a closer look at the Rapid Prototyping Laboratory (RPL).
At Argonne, RPL is helping make that pace possible. By combining robotics and artificial intelligence, the lab develops integrated systems that enable more targeted, data-driven experimentation. From sample handling and synthesis to characterization and safety, these capabilities work together within a unified, autonomous framework.
Through integration with Argonne’s Modular Autonomous Discovery for Science (MADSci) ecosystem and tools like Globus, researchers can run continuous, end-to-end workflows, from data collection and machine learning to experiment steering and simulation.
The result is a more efficient, scalable approach to science, supporting breakthroughs in energy storage, biotechnology and medical applications.
Watch the video to see how RPL is shaping the future of autonomous discovery. Check the link in bio to learn more.
Behind every breakthrough at Argonne is a postdoc asking a new question, testing a new idea or pushing a problem further than anyone has before.
Congratulations to our Postdoctoral Research Performance awardees. Your creativity, rigor and momentum are essential to Argonne’s success and to the future of science.
Argonne would not be the institution it is today without the contributions of postdoctoral researchers. We’re proud to celebrate your work and excited to see where it leads next.
PFAS “forever chemicals” are used in a wide range of consumer products, from nonstick pans to rain jackets. But when they contaminate water sources, they pose serious health risks. Researchers at UChicago, @UChicagoPME and @Argonne have developed a cost-effective, portable device that can detect PFAS in drinking water—hopefully soon helping people make more informed decisions about their health.
Read more with link in @UChicago 's bio.
80 years of discovery, rooted in moments that continue to inspire! ✨
1942: The first self-sustaining nuclear reaction takes place beneath Stagg Field at the @UChicago .
1946: Argonne National Laboratory is established as the first U.S. national lab.
1949: Scientists build their own computers to solve complex problems, launching a legacy of innovation in advanced computing.
From a wartime effort to a mission rooted in discovery, that legacy continues today.
#Argonne80
What a day at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (@C2E2 ) 2026! 🚀
As part of a full day of programming, Argonne researchers and colleagues from @UChicago — alongside educators, librarians, and storytellers — took the stage across three dynamic panels exploring how science fiction and real-world research evolve in tandem, each pushing the other forward.
The conversations covered a lot of ground: the astrobiology, astronomy, and materials science behind "Project Hail Mary," harnessing fear as a creative superpower, and using zombie outbreaks to explore everything from epidemiology to the way people learn new things.
C2E2 reminded us that science is one of the most powerful catalysts for creativity.
#C2E2 #AIForScience #UChicago #Argonne #SciFi
