Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque

Sandia is at the forefront of optics, electronics, and microsystems. Right now, the lab is developing artificial knees and decontamination foam for combating biological weapons. It is also at the hub of the Sandia Science and Technology Park, a 200-acre technology community giving tenants access to world-class scientists, engineers, and facilities. Sandia also has a small business program providing free assistance to businesses with less than 500 employees.

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

UNM has a reputation as a top-notch research university and is pioneering technologies with a variety of interdisciplinary applications. Its Center for High Technology Materials does quality work in laser spectroscopy and optoelectronic device design. In addition, UNM’s School of Medicine was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 15 primary care-oriented medical schools in the country. The School of Medicine has seen its research grants increase by 80 percent over the past five years. Its Office of Research promises to increase research relationships between UNM and biomedical research organizations. The university plans to break ground for the new Office of Research facility in early 2005.

Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos

LANL has pushed beyond its roots in nuclear weapons, branching out into fields that can take biotech discoveries to a new level. Today, its core competencies include high-performance computing, advanced materials, earth and environmental systems, bioscience, and plasma and beams. Nanoscience is an important area of research as well. LANL’s facilities include the Spectroscopy Resource, NMR Spectroscopy Laboratory, and Gene Cloning and Protein Production Facility.

Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe

The Santa Fe Institute is a private, not-for-profit independent research and education center focusing on multi-disciplinary collaboration in physical, biological, computational, and social sciences. Its fellows are dedicated to the idea that the understanding of complex systems is critical to addressing key environmental, technological, biological, economic and political challenges. Among its trustees is Murray Gell-Mann, Santa Fe resident and winner of the 1969 Nobel Prize in physics.

The MIND Institute, Albuquerque

This Albuquerque-based institute is a group of internationally recognized neuro-imaging scientists who have partnered to share advances and pool resources. The institute is closely linked with partner sites at Harvard University, the University of Minnesota, University of New Mexico, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. By understanding the workings of the mind and brain, these scientists can answer crucial questions about the treatment of mental illness.

Air Force Research Laboratory, Albuquerque

This lab is a national center for high-power lasers and optics.

Research Alliances

Several of the institutions above have joined together to achieve new goals. For example, LANL, Sandia, UNM’s Center for High Technology Materials and the Air Force Research Laboratory have formed the Alliance for Photonic Technology. LANL, Sandia, and UNM have also formed the Nanoscience Alliance.