Argonne National Laboratory is a multidisciplinary science and engineering research center operated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It was founded in 1946 as part of the Manhattan Project and is now one of the DOE's oldest national laboratories. Located near Chicago, Illinois, Argonne has a staff of approximately 4,840 employees and focuses on solving national problems in energy, the environment, and national security through scientific research and technological innovation.