The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program is a vital source of internally directed funding at SLAC. Each year SLAC directs up to 8% of the Laboratory’s total budget, in accordance with DOE Order 413.2B, to fund scientific research that is either too new or high-risk to be funded by existing programs.
LDRD research translates into projects of one to three years providing the resources for leading scientists to make rapid and significant contributions solving critical national science and technology problems.
Knowledge gained from LDRD projects pushes the Laboratory toward vital and emerging scientific challenges keeping SLAC at the forefront of science and technology. These challenges encourage science that is innovative, creative, and align with the Laboratory's current mission.
Areas eligible for support include:
Within these eligible research areas, the LDRD program is conducted with a scale of effort using existing research facilities. The proposal projects can be characterized as:
