• A researcher works with equipment

        • About Us

          URA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) academic consortium composed of over 94 premier research universities across the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan headquartered in Washington, D.C. supporting government lab management and operation in the national interest.

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        • Member Universities

          URA fosters valuable university research partnerships through membership. URA presents members with research opportunities at national engineering and physics labs, engagement with laboratory leadership and management, and recognition of academic achievements.

        • Lab Management

          Since 1965 URA has been an integral part of the management of Fermilab, overseeing the management and operations of the lab and bringing the expertise of our 94 member universities to bear on the challenges facing the Fermilab.  URA supports scholars and interns doing research at Fermilab and recognizes outstanding contributions.  In 2007 URA became part of the organization that manages and operates Sandia National Laboratories and since then has worked to support the scientific and technical demands of Sandia by supporting external calibration of science, technology and engineering (ST&E) programs; aid in ST&E programs’ strategic planning; and assist in development of university partnerships and diverse workforce talent.

        • Science & Research Policy

          URA strives to engender an awareness of the current national science policy issues among its members and early career scientists. This is achieved through a variety of platforms at URA, including science policy and communication training, connecting scientists and policymakers, and policy town halls and workshops. URA’s goal is to facilitate effective science communication to promote the public’s understanding of scientific discoveries, foster trust in scientific institutions, and facilitate informed decision-making by policymakers and the public.

        • Two researchers in hard hats examine computer equipment

        • High Energy Physics User Community

          URA has been a supporter, convener, and integral part of the high energy physics User Community since Fermilab’s creation. Currently approximately seventy-five percent of the university-based users at Fermilab come from URA members. URA members represent the best scientific expertise the nation has to offer. Through our leadership, oversight, and programs URA is committed to ensuring that the full range of expertise from around the Nation and the world contributes to Fermilab’s scientific challenges and the user and affiliate community remains the vital part of the lab’s research base that it has always been.

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National Lab Management Expertise

Home | National Lab Management Expertise

URA was created at the behest of the Presidential Science and Advisory Committee and the National Academy of Sciences to “provide a national basis” in the management and operation of national laboratories.

Since 1965, URA has served as a management and operating M&O contractor to the Department of Energy (DOE), first as the single contractor and since 2007 as part of the Fermi Research Alliance providing both leadership and expertise to the national research enterprise.

URA is dedicated to supporting the missions of Fermilab and Sandia National Laboratories. To read their full mission statement, click here (provide redirect links to national laboratories).

Sandia Mission

Fermilab

Fermilab's 6,800-acre site is located in Batavia, Illinois, and is managed by the Fermi Research Alliance LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. FRA is a partnership of the University of Chicago and Universities Research Association Inc., a consortium of over 90 research universities.

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By fostering linkages to external expertise, contribute to the continuing excellence of Sandia National Laboratories’ science, technology, and engineering and the development of R&D talent, in support of Sandia’s mission to create innovative, science-based, systems-engineering solutions.

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The Pierre Auger Observatory is an international cosmic ray observatory that is designed to detect ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. More than 500 physicists from nearly 100 institutions around the world are collaborating to maintain and upgrade the observatory site, and collect and analyze data.

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Featured News

DOE-SC Diversity Mission

URA HOSTS 2024 COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS ANNUAL MEETING & POLICY FORUM

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DOE-SC Diversity Mission

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THE U.S. PARTICLE PHYSICS COMMUNITY ANNOUNCES P5 PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS

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DOE-SC Diversity Mission

Fermilab’s SQMS Center inaugurates quantum information science and technology facility: “The Quantum Garage”

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