I have accepted a new position with Battelle as senior vice president for laboratory operations. I’m privileged to take on the challenges that lie ahead.
The work begins July 1, 2017, so I have a few months of transition before I really say good-bye.
It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with everyone at ORNL. I take great pride in the accomplishments of the lab for our community and nation. I am especially grateful as I look back on the many successes our team has accomplished. During the almost 19 years I have called Oak Ridge home, we have:
- Completed and brought to full scientific operation the Spallation Neutron Source and greeted the 20,000th neutron user to SNS and HFIR.
- Fielded two successive No. 1 supercomputers and brought the power of high performance computing to a wide range of science and engineering problems.
- Revitalized the laboratory infrastructure and recruited and mentored many outstanding new staff.
- Defined a substantial role for ORNL’s nuclear enterprise in fission, fusion, isotopes, and nuclear security.
- Developed and demonstrated game changing technologies in support of clean energy and manufacturing and taken those innovations to the private sector.
I know that this team will have many more successes in the future. It is an important benefit of my new role that I will remain connected to the work here.
The UT-Battelle Board of Governors is conducting an open, deliberate search for my replacement. In the meantime, ORNL will not slow its ongoing efforts to solve big problems and support national missions in energy, scientific discovery and national security.