About
The mission of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory is to provide an independent evaluation of the impact of Savannah River Site’s operations on the environment to the public and to the Department of Energy. This mission is accomplished through research, education, and outreach.
The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory had its early beginnings in 1951 when the late Dr. Eugene Odum, a professor of ecology at UGA known as the “father of modern ecology,” received an invitation from the Atomic Energy Commission to conduct biological inventories of what was then known as the Savannah River Plant, before site operations began.
SREL is supported largely by external funding. Major sources include DOE Environmental Management, DOE-NNSA, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Army, National Park Service, National Science Foundation, Augusta-Richmond County Consolidated Government, and the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.