The search committee tasked with finding the next director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory has begun its work. Mufit Akinc, professor of materials science and engineering; and Cynthia Jenks, assistant director for scientific planning and division director of chemical and biological sciences in the Ames Laboratory, are the group's co-chairs.
The search committee currently is advertising the position, with an application deadline of Oct. 9. The interview process will begin in late fall. The committee held two open forums this summer to solicit feedback on the search and to encourage nominations.
More search information, including the position advertisement, can be found on the provost's office, Ames Laboratory and ISU Jobs websites.
Jenks said the committee is looking for both internal and external candidates and already has more than 50 nominations from the laboratory and Iowa State community.
"We continue to develop a strong pool of candidates through advertising and by networking with our peers in the Department of Energy, national labs and other research universities," she said.
Joining Akinc and Jenks on the search committee are:
- Iver Anderson, scientist, Ames Laboratory, and adjunct professor of materials science and engineering
- Matt Besser, assistant scientist, Ames Laboratory
- Paul Canfield, faculty scientist, Ames Laboratory, and distinguished professor of physics and astronomy
- Matt Kramer, scientist and division director of materials sciences and engineering, Ames Laboratory, and adjunct professor of materials science and engineering
- Breehan Lucchesi, communications specialist, Ames Laboratory
- Diane Muncrief, personnel officer, Ames Laboratory
- Jake Petrich, faculty scientist, Ames Laboratory, and professor of chemistry
- Marek Pruski, scientist, Ames Laboratory, and adjunct professor of chemistry
- Beate Schmittmann, dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and professor of physics and astronomy
- Andrea Spiker, manager, purchasing and property services, Ames Laboratory
- Theresa Windus, faculty scientist, Ames Laboratory, and professor of chemistry
Julie Johnston, executive assistant in the provost's office, will provide support to the committee.
"The Ames Laboratory is a world leader in materials development and computational chemistry," said senior vice president and provost Jonathan Wickert. "The lab has a history of innovative leadership -- it's in great shape right now, and I'm confident we'll find a new leader who will take the lab to even greater heights."
The next director will succeed Alex King, who left the position in May to lead the laboratory's new Critical Materials Institute, a five-year, $120 million program to address the shortage of rare-earth materials critical for U.S. energy security. Tom Lograsso, Ames Lab division director of materials sciences and engineering and an adjunct professor of materials science and engineering, is serving as interim director.
The laboratory, one of the DOE's 10 Office of Science labs, is administered by the university under contract. Many of its scientists and administrators also hold Iowa State academic appointments, most notably in the departments of physics and astronomy, chemistry and materials science and engineering.
