The Current Status and Future Direction of High Magnetic Field Science in the United States

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is undertaking a forward-looking study to examine (1) the status of domestic and international high magnetic field science and technology; (2) current and future science disciplines that have critical needs for new capabilities that could only be enabled by high magnetic fields; and (3) gaps in current high magnetic field science, technology, and infrastructure that could help address critical needs. The committee will recommend approaches to maximize the potential for existing and emerging high magnetic field technologies and infrastructure.

This study is a follow-up of the 2013 National Academies report “High Magnetic Field Science and its Applications in the United States,” and will account for the significant advances and new research over the past decade. The study may address topics such as (1) the evolution of recommendations from the 2013 report; (2) current capabilities; (3) the community's access to high magnetic field facilities, instrumentation, and data; (4) training and education; and (5) application areas.

The National Academies will appoint a cross-disciplinary study committee of approximately 14 experts to carry out this 24-month study. During the course of the study, the committee and National Academies staff will meet regularly to gather input, deliberate, and draft the consensus report. During this time, committee members and staff will solicit input from relevant communities, possibly including town halls, participation in professional society meetings, solicitation of white papers, and use of electronic communications and networks.

The committee may also convene focused symposia on special topics of interest. A consensus report will be released outlining new scientific opportunities enabled by existing and emerging high magnetic field technologies for the next decade and beyond. The committee and staff will then help disseminate the study's results.

Funding for the study is provided by the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (Division of Materials Research, Division of Chemistry) and the Directorate for Biological Sciences (Division of Biological Infrastructure, Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences) at NSF.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.