Oregon State University has been selected to lead a prestigious national research center focused on making electronics more resilient to radiation — a breakthrough that could strengthen national security and boost U.S. competitiveness in space and defense technologies.
The new Center for Advancing Radiation Resilience of Electronics (CARRE), backed by a $17 million award from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Predictive Science Academic Alliance Program (PSAAP), brings together six universities to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in modern electronics: enabling critical components to withstand the harsh radiation conditions encountered in space and other terrestrial environments.
Partner institutions include: Vanderbilt University, University of California – San Diego, North Carolina State University, University of California – Berkeley, Seattle University, and the University of Notre Dame.
“This is a meaningful achievement for Oregon State and a proud moment for our research community,” said Todd Palmer, Distinguished Professor in the School of Nuclear Science and Engineering and Director of CARRE. “Being selected twice to host a PSAAP Center places us alongside institutions that have had multiple PSAAP Centers like Stanford, MIT, and University of Texas – Austin. It’s a reflection of the continued dedication, hard work, and collaborative spirit of our team.”
CARRE will develop cutting-edge simulation tools that enable engineers to predict the performance of electronic components when exposed to radiation. Results from these tools will provide engineers with new insights that reduce the need for costly and time-consuming radiation effects experiments, supporting the design of more resilient systems for satellites, spacecraft, missiles, self-driving vehicles, and data centers.
The Center’s work is especially timely given the growing demand for resilient electronics in space and defense applications.
“Off-the-shelf components are attractive because they’re affordable and readily available—but they’re not always built to survive radiation environments. Our simulations will help designers and engineers make smarter choices and build in protections where needed,” Palmer explains.
CARRE builds on Oregon State’s previous success with the NNSA-awarded Center for Exascale Monte Carlo Neutron Transport (CEMeNT), which developed software for dynamic neutron transport simulations. The new center has a different scope but will expand those capabilities to model a wider range of radiation environments and effects, performing irradiation experiments and even launching a satellite to gather real-world data from space.
“This isn’t just about research—it’s about impact,” Palmer said. “We’re training the next generation of scientists and engineers who will shape the future of national labs and high-performance computing.”
Homepage feature photo: Todd Palmer, University Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering. Photo by ohanna Carson.
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com