RICHLAND, Wash.-Chemist Wendy Shaw has been named associate laboratory director of the Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
In her previous role as PCSD's chief science and technology officer, Shaw oversaw science and technology strategy and stewarded capability investments. She now helms a broad range of fundamental research, including advanced computing, physical sciences and particle physics. The directorate includes a $95 million research portfolio and 400 staff. She succeeds longtime leader Louis Terminello, who retired in early 2025.
Shaw's career-spanning journey at PNNL began in 1993, when she initially joined the lab as an undergraduate. She went on to receive her Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry from the University of Washington in 2000, rejoining PNNL as a research scientist that same year. She quickly rose as a leader in her field-in 2010, she was among the first recipients of the Department of Energy Office of Science Early Career Research Program award.
Leading through partnerships
As a people-focused leader, Shaw brings demonstrated success in developing compelling strategies, establishing multi-institution collaborations and building effective multidisciplinary teams. As associate laboratory director, she will shape PCSD's vision, foster the success of scientific and technical objectives and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders such as federal sponsors, business and industry partners and elected officials to advance scientific outcomes.
"Wendy has a keen understanding of DOE priorities and the ability to align PNNL's fundamental science capabilities with areas of national importance," said Laboratory Director Steven Ashby. "With her leadership, we will continue to sharpen our focus on areas such as artificial intelligence, advanced computing, isotopes, catalysis, and critical materials."
In addition to being an experienced and team-focused leader, Shaw is also an expert in chemistry and materials sciences, with a focus on learning from and mimicking nature at the intersection of these two fields. Her research covers two primary areas-developing a fundamental understanding of the role that proteins play in biomineralization processes and designing catalysts that mimic enzymes for energy applications.
"Leading an organization with such a strong reputation for outstanding science in chemistry, materials sciences, computing-especially artificial intelligence-data, and mathematics is truly inspiring," said Shaw. "We are in an important time of transformational change in science, and PCSD is well positioned to lead that transformation."
Shaw has published more than 100 peer-reviewed research papers and is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Washington State Academy of Sciences. She currently serves as an editorial board member for Sustainable Energy and Fuels and serves on membership committees for both the Washington State Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Driving advances at the boundary of AI and science
As associate laboratory director, Shaw stewards much of PNNL's DOE Office of Science portfolio. Through the support of DOE's Advanced Scientific Computing Research program, PCSD stewards advanced computing, AI, applied mathematics and data science capabilities. Work for DOE's Isotopes, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics programs rounds out the directorate's Office of Science portfolio, which draws on strengths within the directorate and, more broadly, throughout PNNL.
The breadth of research expertise in PCSD positions the directorate well to advance scientific discovery in autonomous science and quantum computing, which are areas that leverage the computing, data and AI side of PCSD as well as its chemistry, materials and physics side. Rapidly developing areas such as isotopes and fusion energy are also places where PCSD has the expertise in fundamental science that can contribute to PNNL's applied missions.
