RICHLAND, Wash. – Dr. Steven Ashby, director of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), announced he will step down after a decade of leadership.
Ashby has been at the helm of PNNL since 2015, overseeing a $1.6 billion research budget and approximately 6,400 employees, according to a PNNL release.
“When I began my career with DOE as a graduate student, I never imagined that I would have the honor of leading one of its great national laboratories,” Ashby said. “I am proud of all that we have accomplished.”
Under Ashby’s leadership, PNNL touted the laboratory’s significant growth in its research portfolio and strategic partnerships, leading a $1 billion campus transformation, modernizing infrastructure and enhancing research facilities such as the Energy Sciences Center and Grid Storage Launchpad.
His tenure is marked by PNNL’s consistent top performance rating among DOE laboratories, PNNL added in the release.
PNNL said Ashby will transition to a new role as senior vice president of Strategic Partnerships at Battelle. Meanwhile, a national search for his successor is expected to take four to eight months.
