News Release: NREL Names New Executives to Lead Scientific Research and Lab Operations

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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. I'm looking forward to both Peter and Julie joining the lab's leadership team."

Peter Green to Lead NREL's Scientific Research

As deputy laboratory director, 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. During that time, the EFRC made significant new advances in science and engineering, which were documented in more than 250 collaborative publications and 20 patent disclosures.

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.

He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in physics from Hunter College and an M.S. and Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Cornell University.  His first day at NREL will be Aug. 1.

Julie Baker to Head Facilities & Operations

Julie Baker joins NREL from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) where she was the director of business at the Materials and Fuels Complex.  As the new NREL associate laboratory director for facilities and operations, 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.

For more than 25 years, Baker served in a variety of operations, engineering, and management positions at INL.  As a special assistant to the INL laboratory director, she engaged in the full array of the laboratory's internal and external strategic priorities. Baker also serves on the governing committee overseeing operations at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She holds a B.S. in process technology from the University of Idaho. Her first day with NREL was May 31.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.