ɪts ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl pˈɜːpəs wʌz tʊ ɐdvˈæns sˈaɪəns ænd tɛknˈɑːlədʒi ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən ænd ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ baɪ pɹəvˈaɪdɪŋ ˈæksɛs tə ðɪ ɐtˈɑːmɪk ˈɛnɚdʒi ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ fəsˈɪlᵻɾiz ʌvðɪ ˈoʊk ɹˈɪdʒ nˈæʃənəl lˈæbɹətˌɔːɹi ˈɔːɹnəl tə fˈækəlti ænd stˈuːdənts ʌv jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾiz əkɹˌɑːs ðə sˈaʊθ.
Its original purpose was to advance science and technology education and research by providing access to the atomic energy research facilities of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to faculty and students of universities across the South.