COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 12 — Battelle announced today the appointment of Dr. Steven Ashby as Laboratory Director for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, WA, effective April 1. Battelle operates the lab for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

Ashby has served as PNNL’s Deputy Director for Science and Technology since 2008. He has been instrumental in integrating PNNL’s science and technology capabilities to address critical challenges in science, energy, the environment, and national security. He was selected following a highly competitive national search.

“Steve’s expertise and passion fit well with the demands of the director position at PNNL,” said Battelle President and CEO Jeff Wadsworth. “He fully understands PNNL’s mission; has a compelling vision for the future of the lab, and has developed strong relationships with senior leaders across DOE, key sponsors, and the entire laboratory system. Most importantly, he is committed to driving PNNL forward as one of the top science and technology institutions in the country.”

Prior to coming to PNNL, he served as the Deputy Principal Associate Director for Science and Technology at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and held several leadership roles in LLNL’s Computation Directorate. He is widely recognized as a leader in computational science and has worked to advance it as a discipline throughout his career.

Ashby, 55, holds doctorate and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign and a bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and was elected AAAS Fellow in 2013. He was elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences, and serves on the Science Policy Committee of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

“Steve is a superb choice to lead PNNL, one of the most diverse laboratories in the DOE system,” said Patricia Dehmer, acting director of DOE’s Office of Science. “Steve’s scientific accomplishments, demonstrated leadership, and familiarity with the breadth of PNNL’s research programs make him well suited for this role. As deputy director for science and technology, Steve was central to shaping PNNL’s vision, and I look forward to working with him in his new role as laboratory director.”

Ashby succeeds Mike Kluse, who is retiring after eight years as PNNL Director.

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Source: PNNL