32 Ajoint appointment is an arrangement in which a researcher has formal ties to both INL and a university.These partnerships enhance collaboration, as joint appointees conduct research and development at both home and host institutions. Researchers profit by having access to INL employees, facilities and resources, while INL benefits from having ties with multiple university research programs. Joint appointments also allow opportunities to participate in specific proposals that might otherwise be impossible. A joint appointment can work in one of two ways: JointAppointments Incoming Outgoing A UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEE IS REQUESTEDTO COLLABORATE ON-SITE AT INL. AN INL EMPLOYEE IS REQUESTEDTO COLLABORATE AT A UNIVERSITY. Through the program, laboratory employees may conduct research or teach courses at partner universities, or professors can work with INL on collaborative projects. Within a joint appointment agreement, both INL and the university share in the costs of the joint appointment. The Joint Appointment program continued to expand in 2017.Two new programs rolled out: Distinguished Joint Appointment: This new Distinguished Joint Appointment program seeks to increase collaboration between INL and universities by emphasizing strategic high- level connections and a focus on research and development. It is nominally equivalent to an INL Laboratory Fellow, as personnel with this designation are recognized internationally for their research contributions. Teaching Only: This designation serves to develop new talent for INL, a critical need as a significant portion of the lab’s workforce nears retirement age.There is no research component; rather, INL staff share their expertise and unique skill sets at universities, teaching university students and increasing awareness of and connections to INL programs.