Karl Mueller has been selected as the new director of the Ames National Laboratory, which is part of the Department of Energy.
The Iowa State University-operated national laboratory said Tuesday Mueller’s appointment will officially commence on June 1. He succeeds Adam Schwartz, who is set to resign after serving as director since 2014.
Who Is Karl Mueller?
Mueller is a former chemistry professor who joined the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2010. He held several leadership roles during his 15-year stint at PNNL, most recently as the director of the Program Development Office of the Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, or PCSD.
He also served as the chief science and technology officer for PCSD for almost five years. In this role, he spearheaded a science and technology strategy for the directorate with a focus on bolstering the PNNL’s reputation and facilitating global technical integration.
Mueller initially served as the lead scientist for magnetic resonance for five years. He led research centered on applying high-resolution solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, to study catalytic systems, battery materials and radionuclide transport under geochemical conditions.
Mueller started his career in academia in 1993 and spent almost 24 years at Penn State University teaching chemistry.
“For more than 75 years, Iowa State University has operated the Ames National Laboratory, producing scientific breakthroughs that have shaped history and addressed society’s most pressing challenges,” said ISU President Wendy Wintersteen. “I am confident Dr. Mueller is the right person to advance this legacy of excellence.”
