University begins search for Grunder’s successor at Argonne National Laboratory

Hermann Grunder, an internationally renowned physicist who has led Argonne National Laboratory to new levels of excellence in his four years as Argonne Director, has announced that he will not serve in the next contract cycle that begins in September 2006.

He has agreed to continue to lead Argonne forward as the University, which manages the laboratory for the Department of Energy, initiates a search for his successor.

Grunder’s announcement follows a Department of Energy on-site review of Argonne that has been described as “exemplary” and “extraordinary.”

“Fortunately we will continue to have the benefit of his leadership under the two-year extension of the present contract,” said President Randel. “This is especially fortunate in light of the highly successful on-site review recently conducted by the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. To Dr. Grunder’s great credit, the laboratory was uniformly praised for the extraordinary level of scientific excellence that it has achieved, especially in the last two years.”

Randel further praised Grunder for his many contributions. “Hermann has been an outstanding director and a trusted friend. He has been a tireless partner and advocate, bringing new energy and vision to the laboratory and to its scientific agenda. He has set the highest standards and he has achieved them.”

Thomas Rosenbaum, University Vice President for Research and for Argonne National Laboratory, said: “Under Hermann’s leadership, the University and the laboratory have never been closer. Hermann understands that science today depends on collaboration, on building bridges that link researchers across disciplines, cultures and geographies. Hermann has worked relentlessly to establish joint centers and institutes&in astrophysics, biology, computation, and environmental science and nanotechnology.”

As a result of Grunder’s initiatives, the University and Argonne today share 100 joint appointments.

“Hermann’s efforts extend to creating partnerships between the national laboratories,” Rosenbaum added. “He led a six-lab consortium that drafted a national roadmap for nuclear energy, as well as a seven-lab consortium whose roadmap for advanced computation science has recently been funded by DOE’s Office of Science. Hermann leaves an indelible stamp on a great institution.”

Grunder is a physicist of international repute. Before his service at Argonne, he directed the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Va. Previously he served as deputy director of general sciences at Lawrence Berkeley Lab in California. Grunder’s work on nuclear physics, high-energy and heavy-ion accelerators in medical research and accelerator technology has been cited extensively. He received the Distinguished Associate Award from the U.S. Department of Energy in 1996 and the U.S. Senior Scientist Award from Germany’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in 1979.

Argonne was the nation’s first national laboratory, chartered in 1946. Approximately 4,200 employees perform research and engineering work in fields ranging from energy technology to high-speed computing. Argonne’s annual operating budget is approximately $600 million. The University has been Argonne’s manager and partner throughout its history.

The search committee for Argonne’s next director includes: Harvey Plotnick, University Trustee and chair, president and CEO of Paradigm Holdings, Inc.; John Browne, former director of Los Alamos National Laboratory; Renee Carder, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Research Initiatives, Office of the Vice President for Research and Argonne National Laboratory; George Crabtree, Senior Physicist and Division Director, Materials Science, Argonne National Laboratory; Robert Fefferman, Dean of the Physical Sciences Division and the Max Mason Distinguished Service Professor in Mathematics and the College; Barry Lesht, Acting Division Director, Environmental Research, Argonne National Laboratory; James Madara, Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, Vice President for Medical Affairs, and the Richard T. Crane Distinguished Service Professor in Pathology; Roger Poeppel, Division Director, Energy Technology, Argonne National Laboratory; Daphne Preuss, Professor in Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology; Irving Wladawsky-Berger, vice president, technology and strategy, Enterprise Systems Group, IBM; and Linda Young, Senior Physicist, Chemistry Division, Argonne National Laboratory.