Bob Runkle Director, Center for Robotics and Autonomy Bob Runkle is a physicist leading PNNL’s Center for Robotics and Autonomy. Having spent over 20 years in national security, he has a passion for reaching across fundamental science into applications. Former roles include serving as a division director of Physical Detection Systems, serving as chief science and technology officer for the National Security Directorate, and working in the Program Development Office as an account manager for Nuclear Security Science and Technology. Runkle's scientific contributions to national security include the development of algorithms for radiation detectors used for law enforcement and international border security.

Malachi Schram Chief Scientist for Autonomy Malachi Schram joined PNNL as a chief scientist in 2026. In this role, he contributes to PNNL efforts in autonomous systems, AI‑ready data frameworks, and related research activities supported across DOE programs. Schram has participated in DOE advisory groups, scientific organizing committees, and proposal review panels, and has contributed to research projects in accelerator controls, uncertainty‑aware machine learning, generative modeling, flood prediction, anomaly detection, nuclear physics, and scientific workflows.

Russ Burtner Robot Operations Lead Russ Burtner is an Experience Advisor in Research Computing at PNNL, with over 30 years of expertise in human-computer interaction, user research, software design, and vision exploration. His work focuses on collaborative analytic user experiences, natural user interfaces, immersive computing, and human-in-the-loop analysis of large, complex, multi-modal data. His current interests lie in advancing human-centered design as a laboratory capability, operationalizing generative AI, developing innovation practices, and contributing to strategy, vision development, and project leadership across diverse domains.

Brian Higgins Business Operations Lead Brian Higgins is a project manager and group lead in the National Security Directorate's Physical Detection Systems division, leading business operations for PNNL's Center of Robotics and Autonomy. With over 16 years in national security programs as a project manager, most recently as Deputy Program Manager for the Office of Radiological Security, he has contributed to several lab initiatives and mission focused technical efforts.

Jill Brandenberger Fieldable Autonomy Lead Jill Brandenberger is a coastal oceanographer with over 25 years of experience building multi-disciplinary teams to translate science to inform national security mission sustainment. She currently leads PNNL’s Environmental Intelligence program where she leverages partnerships across DOE national labs, universities, and industry to focus on advancing energy resilience, climate security, and automating the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance mission with a focus on GEOINT. In what is now a more data rich world, this program seeks to automate and integrate measurements with modeling platforms to evaluate interdependencies between human and earth systems under current and future conditions. Directly linking science to national security decisions enhances our resiliency.