Michele Ostraat, Ph.D. has been named chief operating officer of NETL.

Ostraat joins NETL from a prestigious career in industry and academia, most recently serving as senior downstream research center leader at Aramco Services Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In this role, she championed the launch, growth and expansion of Saudi Aramco’s Global Research Center, with a focus on game-changing, high-risk/high-reward, long-horizon research portfolio and strong engagement with the scientific community and innovation ecosystem. Ostraat brings a strong record of leadership and expertise across energy, chemicals, defense, environment and health.

Ostraat holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in chemical engineering from California Institute of Technology and a B.S. in chemistry from Trinity University.  

As chief operating officer, Ostraat will provide strategic direction, leadership and management of NETL’s support functions and services, including cybersecurity and IT infrastructure.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that produces technological solutions for America’s energy challenges. From developing creative innovations and efficient energy systems that make coal more competitive, to advancing technologies that enhance oil and natural gas extraction and transmission processes, NETL research is providing breakthroughs and discoveries that support domestic energy initiatives, stimulate a growing economy, and improve the health, safety, and security of all Americans. Highly skilled men and women at NETL’s sites in Albany, Oregon; Anchorage, Alaska; Houston, Texas; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania conduct a broad range of research activities that support DOE’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.