The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has named W. David Pointer, director of the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division, or NEFCD in ORNL's Fusion and Fission Energy and Science Directorate, or FFESD.
As director, Pointer will lead a world-class team of ORNL research professionals focused on addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by current and future nuclear energy systems. This includes extending operations of existing U.S. nuclear reactors, investigating economical and flexible advanced reactor systems and providing foundational training and capabilities to domestic and international institutions seeking to use nuclear energy systems.
"Dave's extensive experience and inclusive leadership, paired with his innovative vision on advancing nuclear research and technology, will drive ORNL's nuclear energy legacy for years to come," Mickey Wade, Associate Lab Director for the Fusion and Fission Energy and Science Directorate, said.
A recognized expert in the thermal hydraulics and safety of both conventional and advanced nuclear energy systems, Pointer brings robust experience in computational fluid dynamics software and a strong background in experimental fluid dynamics methods for nuclear energy systems and component design and licensing. Pointer came to ORNL in 2012 from Argonne National Laboratory and held the position of group leader before becoming section head for FFESD's Advanced Reactor Engineering and Development Section in 2020. He has served as NEFCD's interim division director since 2022.
Pointer is an active member of the American Nuclear Society, or ANS, and has served in numerous leadership roles for the organization, including as an at-large member of the ANS Board of Directors from 2017-2020. A Tennessee native, he holds bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Alix Riter has been selected to serve as division administrative assistant for NEFCD, where she will support Pointer and the division's activities.
Riter joined ORNL in September 2019 and holds a Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence, or PACE, from the American Society of Administrative Professionals and certificates in Conflict Resolution and Strengthfinders.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE's Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE's Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science.
