List of United States college laboratories conducting basic defense research

Following World War II, the United States Department of Defense (and in some cases after 1977, the Department of Energy) funded basic scientific research at labs affiliated with a number of colleges and universities. Here is an incomplete list: LabUniversityLocationNotable workRefs and notesAeronautical and Astronautical Research Laboratory (AARL)Ohio State UniversityColumbus, OHwind tunnels, jet engine test cell designAmes LaboratoryIowa State UniversityAmes, IAseparated and studied rare earth elementsApplied Physics LaboratoryJohns HopkinsLaurel, MDdevelopment of guided missile technology and drones.Applied Research LaboratoryPennsylvania State UniversityState College, PAhydrodynamics and acoustics researchApplied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and SecurityUniversity of MarylandCollege Park, MDsocial and behavioral sciences, AI, and computingArgonne LabUniversity of ChicagoLemont, ILhighly sensitive instruments and technologies to detect chemical, biological, and radioactive threatsCornell Aeronautical LabCornell UniversityBuffalo, NYwind tunnel, seat belt testingDivested in 1972Draper LabMITCambridge, MAguidance systems for Project Apollo and the Polaris missileDivested in 1973FermilabUniversity of ChicagoBatavia, ILdiscovery of the top quarkGeorgia Tech Research InstituteGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlanta, GARadar, energy and electromagnetics workIdaho National LaboratoryIdaho State University, University of Idaho, Boise State University Idaho Falls, IDfirst nuclear-powered electric generator; designed and tested reactors for naval submarinesJet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CADeveloped ballistic missiles in its early days and currently collaborates with several US military agenciesLawrence BerkeleyUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley, CAManhattan Project, electromagnetic enrichment of uraniumNow funded by the Dept. of EnergyLawrence LivermoreUniversity of CaliforniaLivermore, CAhome to some of the world's most powerful computer systemsLincoln LabMITLexington, MASemi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE), TX-0 computerLos AlamosUniversity of CaliforniaLos Alamos, NMManhattan ProjectOak RidgeUniversity of TennesseeOak Ridge, TNSpallation Neutron Source and the High Flux Isotope Reactor.Physical Science Laboratory (PSL)New Mexico State UniversityLas Cruces, NMNational Security Involvement, Missile Telemetry & Electronic Warfare Analysis, UAS Flight Testing, Cybersecurity, High Altitude Ballooning.Radiation LaboratoryMITCambridge, MALORANRadio Research Laboratory (RRL)Harvard UniversityCambridge, MAelectronic countermeasures to enemy radars and communicationsSandiaUniversity of CaliforniaUntil 1949, now operated by a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation Albuquerque, NMreliability and surety of nuclear weapon systemsSLAC National Accelerator LaboratoryStanford UniversityMenlo Park, CAcharm quark and tau lepton; the longest linear accelerator in the world; development of the klystronSoftware Engineering Institute (SEI)Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PACMM or CMMI;CERT/CCApplied Research LaboratoriesUniversity of Texas at AustinAustin, TXacoustics, electromagnetics, and information sciencesWeber Research InstituteNYUBrooklyn, New Yorkelectromagnetic and microwave defense and communication systemsInformation Systems and Internet Security Lab (ISIS)NYUBrooklyn, New Yorkcomputer and network security, digital forensics, hardware for secure systems, digital watermarking and steganographyWireless Internet Center for Advanced Technology (WICAT)NYUBrooklyn, New York increase network capacity and battery life of terminals, enhance network security, and structure applications to run efficiently over wireless networks.

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