Radio Iowa, IA
12-04-06
Iowa State University renews contract with Ames Lab
by Darwin Danielson
Iowa State University has renewed its contract to run the Ames Lab for the
federal government. I-S-U Vice President for business and finance, Warren
Madden, says they agreed to a 30-million-dollar-a-year contract. Madden says
it's a five-year dealt that begins in January and has a potential 15-year renewal if
the university meets the performance objectives.
Madden says the performance objectives are something new for the Ames Lab
contract. Madden says the financial arrangements involve performance
measures more than in the past, but the scientific research will remain in physics,
chemistry,engineering and material sciences. Madden says the federal
government owns the buildings, but the university hires the researchers and runs
the lab.
Madden says the university has administrative responsibility for the lab, but he
says the unique thing about the lab is that many of the major scientists are hired
jointly by the university and the lab. Madden says that works well as it allow the
university to bring in top notch researchers.
The Ames Lab has been at Iowa State for nearly 60 years. Madden says the lab
started during World War Two as part of the "Manhattan Project" to develop the
atomic bomb. Madden says Dr. Spedding, the man who worked on the bomb
project, headed up the labs after the war. Scientists at the lab have won several
national awards for their research through the year.