Predictions for the structure and reactions of nuclei, with assessed uncertainties, are important for the future of the nation's energy and security needs. Developing a comprehensive description of all nuclei (stable and unstable) and their reactions requires investigations of rare and exotic isotopes with unusual proton-to-neutron ratios that are difficult to produce and study experimentally because of their short lifetimes. This project will result in state-of-the-art simulations that provide needed predictions where direct experiment is not possible or is subject to large uncertainties.

Such calculations are relevant to many applications in nuclear energy, nuclear security, and nuclear astrophysics, since rare nuclei lie at the heart of nucleosynthesis and energy generation in stars. A fundamental description of nuclear structure and nuclear reactions that retains predictive power and carries quantified uncertainties is vital for the future development of nuclear energy in the form of advanced fission reactors and fusion energy. This fundamental description also provides a foundation for interpreting experiments that test the basic laws of nature.