Release date: February 11, 2005
PNNL lands researcher in prestigious National Academy
Fuel cell pioneer Subhash Singhal elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Subhash C. Singhal
(Original high-resolution image.)
RICHLAND, Wash. – Subhash C. Singhal, Battelle Fellow and director of fuel cells research at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, was one of 74 members elected today to the National Academy of Engineering, the NAE announced in Washington, D.C.
Singhal is PNNL's only current staff member in the National Academy, which includes NAE, the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council.
Singhal was cited by NAE "for the development and promotion of solid oxide fuel cells for clean and efficient power generation." He is noted for developing high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells, having brought this technology from experimental units that generated only a few watts to fully integrated, 200 kilowatt power-generation systems.
"Subhash is recognized internationally as a leader in solid oxide fuel cell technology," said PNNL Director Len Peters. "This is a wonderful recognition by his peers and members of our nation's most prestigious scientific and engineering body. Not only are we thrilled for Subhash, but we also take this as a reflection of the world class, high-impact science we do at PNNL."
Singhal leads the technical, managerial and commercialization efforts for PNNL's extensive fuel cell program. He joined the lab's Energy Science and Technology Directorate in 2000 after 29 years with Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp. He has conducted and managed major research, development and demonstration programs in advanced materials and energy conversion systems, particularly high temperature fuel cells.
He is author of more than 70 scientific publications and has edited 12 books, received 13 patents and given more than 205 invited presentations worldwide. He is a fellow of the American Ceramic Society, of the Electrochemical Society and of ASM International (formerly known as the American Society for Metals); and a member of the Mineral, Metals & Materials Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He serves on numerous national and international advisory committees. He holds a doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
NAE (www.nae.edu) membership is among the highest professional distinctions accorded an engineer, the NAE said in its announcement. Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature" and to the "pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."
Today's elections bring the total U.S. membership to 2,195. Singhal and the other new members will be inducted at a ceremony at the NAE annual meeting on Oct. 9 at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
For more on PNNL's fuel cells work, see http://www.pnl.gov/energy/fuelcells/index.stm.