NREL Names New Executives to Lead Scientific Research and Lab Operations

The Energy Department’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently made two key hires to lab leadership positions. NREL has named Peter Green as the new deputy laboratory director for science and technology and Julie Baker as associate laboratory director for facilities and operations.
 
“Peter’s scientific research positions him to be the ideal leader as we look to evolve and grow the laboratory’s mission and capabilities,” NREL director Martin Keller said. “Julie will apply her extensive experience in the DOE national laboratory system to various internal teams and provide agile support to NREL’s mission.”
 
Green will be responsible for NREL’s science and research goals, strengthening the laboratory’s core capabilities and enhancing NREL’s research portfolio. Green comes to NREL from the University of Michigan College of Engineering, where he is currently the Vincent T. and Gloria M. Gorguze professor of engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Applied Physics. 
 
He also recently served as director for DOE’s Energy Frontiers Research Center (EFRC) for solar and thermal energy conversion. In addition to his academic career, Green was a manager and scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, focusing on polymers, glass and electronic ceramics research. Among his many honors and recognitions, he is a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (United Kingdom), a fellow of the American Physical Society, and a fellow of the American Ceramics Society. He is a former president of the Materials Research Society (MRS) and has served on numerous advisory boards for organizations that include the National Academies, National Laboratories and Universities. Green has won awards from professional and academic organizations, including the National Science Foundation and DOE.
 
Baker joins NREL from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), where she was the director of business at the Materials and Fuels Complex.  For more than 25 years, Baker served in a variety of operations, engineering, and management positions at INL.  She will oversee the lab’s Environment, Health and Safety office; Security and Emergency Preparedness; Site Operations; Office of the Chief Information Officer; and Quality Management Systems and Assurance.