As acting director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Sean I. Plasynski, Ph.D., manages the complete NETL complex, including delivery and execution of the Laboratory’s mission and national programs in carbon-based energy and program support to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Electricity; and Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response. Plasynski leads NETL’s more than 1,300 employees and guides more than 1,000 R&D projects in 50 states with a total award value of $5 billion. As acting director, Plasynski fosters strategic relationships with utility and academic institutions, state and local governments, and important carbon management stakeholders. Over his nearly 34-year career with NETL, Plasynski has held numerous management and technical positions, including deputy director and chief technology officer, chief operating officer, director of the Strategic Center of Coal, and Sequestration technology manager. He holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business.
As chief research officer, David C. Miller, Ph.D., directs the organization’s research activities and frames S&T strategic plans based on broad assessment and evaluation of current and emerging energy challenges. Previously, Miller served as an NETL senior fellow and provided technical and strategic leadership across the Strategic Systems Analysis and Engineering directorate. Miller initiated and led the highly collaborative, multi-institutional Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems, which is focused on computational approaches to enable the design and optimization of complex integrated energy and industrial systems, accelerating their development and deployment to support rapid decarbonization of the energy and industrial sectors. Miller also served as the technical director of the Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative, which pioneered new ways to maximize learning during pilot-scale testing to reduce technical risk during scale-up. Miller is a recipient of the Arthur S. Flemming Award for Exceptional Federal Service, Applied Science and Engineering. He earned his doctorate in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University.
Sydni Credle, Ph.D., is currently acting NETL deputy director and chief technology officer. In this role, she is responsible for managing the Lab’s national programs with various DOE national laboratories, universities and industrial partners. The focus surrounds the development of technology primarily for minimizing environmental impacts of fossil fuels while working toward net-zero emissions in addition to technologies implemented by NETL for other parts of DOE. Previously, Credle served as acting senior fellow for Computational Science & Engineering, providing technical and strategic leadership to help ensure high-level quality and relevancy of computational programs within NETL. During her tenure at the Lab, Credle has served as technology manager and portfolio lead for three research and development (R&D) programs within Hydrogen with Carbon Management Program, including Sensors, Controls, and Novel Concepts; Simulation-Based Engineering; and University Training and Research. These programs, composed of both in-house and extramural R&D efforts, combined for a total of more than 60 active projects valued at over $50 million dollars. Credle holds a bachelor’s and master’s in mechanical engineering from Florida A&M University, as well as a doctorate in the same field from University of Florida. Credle is a registered professional engineer with a specialization in thermal and fluid systems for the state of West Virginia.
As acting chief operating officer for NETL, Heather Quedenfeld provides strategic direction, leadership and management of NETL’s support functions and services, including cybersecurity and information technology infrastructure. Previously, Quedenfeld served as deputy director for NETL’s Technology Development Center, responsible for implementing the nation’s $4.5B+ portfolio of active energy research, development, demonstration and deployment projects in support of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management and other Department of Energy programs.
During her 31 years of federal service, Quedenfeld has worked in all technology program-related areas, resulting in diverse experience at the Lab. She has held senior level positions, including her current role as acting chief operating officer, and previous positions deputy director for the Technology Development Center, associate director for Carbon Management research, acting chief of staff for the Laboratory director, and acting lead for the Office of Science and Technology Career Management.
Quedenfeld holds a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Penn State University, and a master’s in industrial engineering from West Virginia University.
As associate laboratory director for Research and Innovation for NETL, Bryan Morreale, Ph.D., is responsible for all aspects of NETL’s internal research efforts, valued at approximately $120 million per year and involving about 500 multidisciplinary federal and contract research staff at the Lab’s three research sites. Morreale leads NETL’s Research and Innovation Center (RIC) in developing and implementing a dynamic research portfolio that effectively addresses DOE and other customer goals by effectively exercising NETL’s core competencies. In nearly 19 years of service with NETL, Morreale has pursued gas separations and membrane-reactor research, led strategic technical and organizational initiatives, and served in senior leadership positions within RIC. Morreale holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
As chief financial officer (CFO) for NETL, Jim Wilson is responsible for planning, direction and coordination of the Laboratory’s CFO, procurement and financial assistance functions; he provides effective oversight and stewardship of the Laboratory’s financial resources. Wilson has more than 30 years of management and finance experience in the energy industry, including serving as president of Wholesale and Retail Energy Trading Businesses within PJM Interconnection, corporate controller for a public electric utility and working as a management consultant in the energy industry and as an auditor with a Big Four accounting firm. Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Saint Vincent College and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh..
As chief counsel for NETL, Susan Malie is responsible for the management and oversight of the complete portfolio of NETL legal matters. An accomplished legal executive, she leads the Office of Chief Counsel and administers expert guidance concerning legal authority for and implementation of all activities related to execution of NETL’s mission, including multiple R&D programs and projects, science and technical research, and management, business, strategic, financial and operational functions. Malie has decades of experience as senior in-house government corporate counsel managing full-service legal organizations engaged in a broad spectrum of legal practice. Malie holds a bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University and a Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law.
