CAES Resources

Building

CAES is housed in a 55,000 ft² building located on the INL campus in Idaho Falls, adjacent to the ISU-UI Center for Higher Education.  The building provides laboratory, office, and meeting spaces for collaborative research in Energy-related disciplines. 

Eight large laboratories currently host research projects involving material characterization, thermal hydraulics, 3D printing, radiochemistry, and several other energy-related themes.  Nuclear materials can be investigated under a NRC license maintained by ISU.  In most cases, projects involve collaboration between researchers at two or more CAES institutions.  ISU researchers interested in using these labs should contact the ISU CAES Associate Director who will facilitate the request process.

Offices in the CAES building include ~50 hard-walled offices for senior researchers and staff as well as ~90 cubicles for students and short-term residents.  A certain number of offices are allocated to each CAES institutions; at times of high demand, priority for office space is given to those who have active projects in the building.  ISU faculty or students who would like office space should contact the ISU CAES Associate Director.

Funding

The State of Idaho provides ~$1M annually to each of the three Idaho universities in support of CAES activities.  At ISU, these funds are used in partial support of CAES-related faculty and staff salaries, Seed grants, Graduate Research Assistantships, Equipment, and Travel.  ISU faculty who would like to learn more about obtaining ISU CAES funding should contact the ISU CAES Associate Director.

On behalf of the Idaho National Laboratory, Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) provides multimillion dollar funding for CAES activities, workshops, training sessions, operations, and full-time staff.

Costs associated with Maintenance and Operation of the CAES Building in Idaho Falls are shared by the CAES institutions, with BEA paying 70% and the three Idaho Universities paying 10% each using funds allocated from the State.

_{CAES Budget: Staff 31%, SEED Grant Programs 28%, Faculty 27%, Capital Equipment 6%, Students 5%, Operating Expenses 3%}