U.S. Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level federal agency established in 1977 with a dual mission of advancing energy security and maintaining nuclear security. The DOE oversees the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, manages 17 national laboratories including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sandia, Oak Ridge, and Los Alamos, and conducts cutting-edge research in energy sciences, environmental cleanup, and fundamental physics. Beyond its national security responsibilities, the department plays a critical role in developing clean energy technologies, managing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, regulating energy markets, and funding research in renewable energy, grid modernization, and energy efficiency. The DOE also administers programs for environmental remediation at former nuclear sites, supports STEM education initiatives, and collaborates with industry and academia to accelerate innovation in everything from advanced nuclear reactors to battery storage technologies, making it one of the largest sponsors of basic and applied scientific research in the United States.