17 Idaho National Laboratory views a robust postdoctoral program as essential to its future.The engagement of early-career research talent is critical to the success of INL’s mission areas. In 2017, the program received 560 postdoctoral applications and hired 13, for a total of 42 postdoctoral appointees in 2017.The program also added a second distinguished postdoctoral fellowship program and offered several enrichment activities. Postdoctoral appointments provide a hands-on research and development experience under the supervision of qualified mentors, opening the way to research independence. Postdoctoral researchers will spend one to three years working directly with their mentor to hone their research skills and further skills in writing proposals, planning and conducting experiments, and creating networks to prepare them for a career in research. While enhancing the quality of the INL workforce, the work done by postdoctoral researchers advances INL’s mission in the fields of nuclear energy, critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity and clean energy innovation. By performing in a rich science and technology environment, and presenting and publishing research, postdocs contribute to the overall research efforts of the laboratory. Postdoctoral Researchers NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO INL’S POSTDOC PROGRAM 560 INL now has two named distinguished postdoctoral appointments, Russell L. Heath and Deslonde de Boisblanc, and expects to announce a third named postdoctoral appointment in 2018. BY THE NUMBERS INL’s 42 postdoctoral researchers were in the following areas in 2017: 19 15 Energy and Environment Science &Technology 3 National & Homeland Security Nuclear Science &Technology 5 Materials & Fuels Complex