The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy (HGEO) announced today the selection of Sean Plasynski, Ph.D., as the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Director.

Director Plasynski brings more than three decades of distinguished service and institutional leadership to the role. Since joining NETL in 1992, he has served in critical executive and technical positions across the organization, including acting laboratory director, principal deputy director, deputy director and chief technology officer, chief operating officer, and director of the Strategic Center for Coal.

“Dr. Plasynski’s technical knowledge, proven executive leadership, and deep dedication to NETL’s workforce make him the ideal choice to lead the Laboratory into its next era of innovation,” said DOE Acting Assistant Secretary of the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office Curt Coccodrilli. “Throughout his public service career, Sean has forged vital relationships across industry, academia, and government, positioning NETL to deliver technologies essential to an affordable, reliable, and secure energy future that fuels human prosperity.”

As laboratory director, Plasynski leads the NETL complex and its workforce of nearly 1,400 scientists, engineers, and support professionals across three laboratory sites in Albany, Oregon; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as well as an office in Houston, Texas.

“NETL’s strength has always been its extraordinary people and their shared dedication to solving our nation’s most complex energy challenges,” said Director of NETL Sean Plasynski. “I am honored to serve as director and look forward to continuing our close work with HGEO, DOE leadership, and our nationwide partners to deliver innovative solutions that enable affordable, reliable, and secure energy.”

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratory dedicated to innovating and accelerating the nation’s energy solutions in hydrocarbons, geothermal energy, and critical minerals production. The Lab further strengthens its impact by engaging with industry, academia and other stakeholders through four strategically located Centers of Excellence: Coal, Critical Minerals and Advanced Alloys, Oil & Gas, and Geothermal. With research sites in Albany, Oregon; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, NETL operates as one laboratory to create advanced energy technologies that support DOE’s mission and enable affordable, reliable and secure energy to fuel human prosperity.