For release: April 28, 2008

Contacts: 
Pat Thiel, (515) 294-8985
Alex King, Director, (515) 294-2770
Steve Karsjen, Public Affairs, (515) 294-5643

THIEL APPOINTED AMES LABORATORY DIVISION DIRECTOR

Appointment effective May 1, 2008

AMES, Iowa – Patricia Thiel has been appointed division director for Science and Technology at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory.  The appointment, which becomes effective May 1, 2008, was announced by Alex King, Ames Laboratory director.

Thiel is a senior chemist in the Ames Laboratory’s Materials Chemistry and Biomolecular Materials program and a Distinguished Professor in Iowa State University’s Department of Chemistry.  She holds an adjunct faculty appointment in Materials Science and Engineering in ISU’s College of Engineering.  Thiel has served as a program director for Ames Lab’s Materials Chemistry program and as chair of ISU’s Department of Chemistry.  Highly respected in the scientific community, Thiel has authored or co-authored approximately 250 publications.  She is a recipient of a U.S. Department of Energy Award for Outstanding Scientific Accomplishment in Research, is a Fellow of several societies, including the American Physical Society, and has been a visiting professor at universities in Japan and France.  In her new position, Thiel will take the lead in developing the Laboratory’s scientific programs and long-term scientific strategy.

“Pat brings a significant amount of scientific and administrative experience to this position,” said Alex King, Ames Laboratory director.  “Her appointment brings both distinction and diversity to the Director’s office.”

Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory operated for the DOE by Iowa State University. The Lab conducts research into various areas of national concern, including the synthesis and study of new materials, energy resources, high-speed computer design, and environmental cleanup and restoration .

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