PNNL

Ten years ago, I was given the honor of a lifetime and began serving as director of the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. After a decade of contributing monthly articles to the Tri-City Herald, this valedictory column reflects with pride on our progress and hope for the future. 

During my tenure—and throughout PNNL’s 60-year history—we have focused on addressing the most pressing challenges in scientific discovery, energy resilience and national security. Here are a few examples where PNNL has made a difference.

Advancing AI and computing

Over the last decade, PNNL computer scientists have been tackling the “big data” problem, developing novel approaches to analyze vast amounts of data and teaching machines to learn from it. They have been pioneers in artificial intelligence, enabling computers to aid humans in scientific discovery and decision-making. They also are on the forefront of autonomous experimentation, which will transform fields from chemistry and materials to energy and engineering. Meanwhile, other researchers are helping to make quantum computing a reality. Tomorrow’s quantum computers will take only seconds to solve problems that take years on today’s fastest supercomputers.  

Putting chemistry to work 

Drawing on PNNL’s strength in chemistry and the world-class instruments in the Energy Sciences Center, which opened in 2021, researchers seek to control chemical transformations that could enable new fuels, energy technologies and materials. For example, they developed a new catalyst for catalytic converters in heavy-duty off-road vehicles that uses less of the critical mineral cerium, lowering costs and reducing our dependence on foreign supply chains. Other discoveries include better-performing materials for energy storage and nuclear reactors, as well as cheaper, domestically available alternatives to the critical materials essential to many of our industries. 

Expanding the frontiers of biology

PNNL researchers are leveraging years of life science studies to focus on the complexities of biological systems—from understanding simple cellular processes to shaping a new field called predictive phenomics. Predictive phenomics aims to understand how genetics and the environment act together to define an organism’s observable traits. Researchers can then harness this knowledge to engineer biological systems to produce biofuels, extract critical minerals and enable novel sensors for national security. This exciting work will put the United States at the forefront of an emerging $4 trillion global bioeconomy. 

Modernizing the grid

My first day as laboratory director, I participated in a regional forum on grid modernization. PNNL continues to be a leader in shaping a secure, reliable and affordable power grid. Researchers are exploring new approaches for real-time, predictive grid operation and developing tools such as energy storage, microgrids and advanced controls to improve stability and flexibility. For example, they are applying machine learning to automate the process of identifying and evaluating remedial actions to help utilities better plan for contingencies and emergencies. They also protect the grid from cybersecurity risks by analyzing data shared voluntarily by utilities to detect potential threats in their network traffic. As I like to say, PNNL has the smart people who are making the smart grid a reality!

Improving energy storage

We just celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Grid Storage Launchpad—a one-of-a-kind battery testing and validation facility on our campus. DOE’s investment here is a testament of PNNL’s ability to leverage fundamental science expertise to advance energy storage technologies for the grid and transportation. By applying their materials science and chemistry capabilities, researchers have delivered technical breakthroughs to reduce battery costs, increase the amount of energy they hold, make them last longer and improve their overall performance. 

Transforming manufacturing

PNNL put a new spin on manufacturing by pushing the limits of solid phase processing. These methods make it possible to produce materials and components with extraordinary properties not achievable through conventional manufacturing. Early projects focused on developing strong, lightweight materials for vehicles. Others enable the joining of different materials and explore approaches for producing ultra-conductors. These efforts are unlocking the potential to decrease the energy intensity of U.S. manufacturing while delivering higher-performing components at reduced costs. 

Enhancing nuclear security

Building on our Hanford heritage, PNNL researchers apply their expertise in radiochemistry and nuclear physics to determine the origin and history of nuclear materials to support nuclear nonproliferation and prevent our adversaries from advancing their nuclear programs. This includes developing and deploying highly sensitive monitoring systems that analyze trace amounts of gases that could be evidence of underground nuclear explosions. This and related capabilities are critical to U.S. and global efforts to deter and detect nuclear explosive testing.

Keeping the homeland safe

PNNL has developed multiple technologies for sensing and detecting threats to our homeland and national security. The most well-known led to the “PNNL salute,” where airport travelers pause with their arms held overhead as they pass through the 3D scanners that can identify threats that would be missed by traditional metal detectors. Researchers also created systems that can quickly detect explosives and drugs, including fentanyl, at border crossings by detecting scant traces of the illicit materials as their molecules waft through the detector. 

These are just some of the many amazing scientific and engineering discoveries PNNL has made over the past 10 years. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to experience this impressive arch of progress from the laboratory director’s perspective. Soon, I will begin my new role with Battelle (which manages PNNL for DOE). As I depart PNNL, I want to thank the outstanding colleagues with whom I have had the privilege to work, from our innovative and dedicated employees to our many federal sponsors, scientific collaborators, industry partners, elected officials and you—the people in the Tri-Cities community that I will continue to call home. 

Steven Ashby contributed this column every month during his ten years as Laboratory Director. This is his last column as he steps aside to take a new position with Battelle. To read previous Director's Columns, please visit our Director's Column Archive.