• Advanced coal-fueled power generation and hydrogen production.
• Carbon sequestration.
• Environmental control for the existing fleet of coal-fired power plants.
• Improving the efficiency and environmental quality of domestic oil and natural gas exploration, production, and processing.

Dr. Cugini previously served as Director of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) at NETL.Before that position, Dr. Cugini served as the Focus Area Lead for NETL's Computational and Basic Sciences Focus Area. He has been at NETL since 1987. Prior to joining NETL, Dr. Cugini worked at Procter and Gamble and Gulf Research. Dr. Cugini has had a range of research interests over a wide cross section of energy and environmental technologies, including the kinetics of exothermic reactions, catalyst development, advanced carbon synthesis, hydrogen production and separation, gas hydrates, CO2 sequestration and computational modeling. Dr. Cugini received B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Scott Klara, Deputy Director
Mr. Klara supports the NETL Director with managing the day-to-day execution for all aspects of the Laboratory's mission. He has over twenty five years of diversified engineering and management experience that spans a broad spectrum of technology areas including: electric power generation; advanced separation processes; process control; coal conversion processes; and simulation/systems analysis. Mr. Klara has seven years of industry experience with AT&T Technologies - Bell Laboratories and Calgon Carbon Corporation. He has twenty years of federal government experience with NETL and its' predecessor organizations. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemical engineering and an M.S. degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a registered professional engineer in chemical engineering in the states of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Brad Tomer, Chief Operating Officer
Brad Tomer is the Chief Operating Officer for the National Energy Technology Laboratory responsible for managing the day-to-day operations for the Lab. Mr. Tomer oversees institutional operations including Information Technology, Environmental, Safety and Health, Human Resources, and Site Operations for five sites across the United States including significant research laboratories in Morgantown, WV, Pittsburgh, PA and Albany, OR. In addition, Mr. Tomer manages all business operations including Site Support Contracting, Acquisition and Assistance, and, Budget, Finance and Accounting. Mr. Tomer serves as a member of NETL's Executive Board which oversees the implementation of major science and technology development programs in Fossil Energy, Office of Electricity, and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Previously at NETL, he served as Director of the Office of Major Demonstrations (OMD), Deputy Director for the Strategic Center for Coal, Director for the Strategic Center for Natural Gas and Oil, Technology Manager and project manager. Prior to NETL, he worked at the Belvoir Research, Development & Engineering Center as a petroleum engineer. Mr. Tomer has 26 years experience in successfully moving technologies from concept to field deployment. He has a B.S. degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, an M.B.A. from George Mason University, and a Masters degree in economics from West Virginia University.

R. Paul Detwiler, Chief Counsel
Paul Detwiler came to NETL in January 2009. Prior to joining the laboratory, he had served DOE in a number of positions: special assistant to the general counsel, acting manager of the Carlsbad Field Office, and deputy general counsel of NNSA. He worked for the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, DC, before coming to DOE in 1994. He has an AB degree from Dartmouth College, a PhD in ecology from Cornell University, a JD from George Washington University, and is a registered patent attorney.

David J. Anna, Director, Office of Public Affairs
David Anna manages a staff of communications professionals charged with helping others understand NETL's mission, its achievements, and its people through timely and accurate communication of information about projects and results. Mr. Anna began his career in the fields of finance, accounting and auditing, working for Arthur Andersen and Company, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of Interior before joining NETL's Budget and Financial Management Division in 1991. In 1998 Mr. Anna moved to NETL's Public Affairs Office, where he served as Media Relations Manager and Communications Team Leader before assuming directorship of the office in 2003. Mr. Anna holds a BS in accounting from Saint Francis University.

Cynthia Powell, Director, Office of Research and Development
Cynthia Powell supervises the onsite research personnel and laboratories in Albany, Oregon; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Morgantown, West Virginia. Dr. Powell was previously the Materials Science Focus Area Lead at NETL. She has over 15 years experience in high-temperature phase and microstructural development of structural materials and the effects of these phase changes on the bulk properties of these materials. She received her Ph.D. in materials science from Case Western Reserve University preceded by an M.S. and B.S. in ceramic engineering from Clemson University. Her research also addressed microstructure/processing relationships in a wide range of intermetallic, metallic, ceramic, and composite materials, and the influence of microstructure on the tribological performance of ceramics and ceramics-based composites.

John R. Duda, Director, Strategic Center for Natural Gas and Oil
John R. Duda directs NETL's R&D activities aimed at providing national and economic security to the United States through reliable, clean, and affordable supplies of oil and natural gas. This includes a broad range of technology initiatives in the areas of Oil and Natural Gas Exploration and Production, Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Solutions, and Methane Hydrates. The research portfolio is inclusive of the Ultra Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources R&D Program established by Title IX, Subtitle J, Section 999 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. John earned a Master of Science Degree in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering from West Virginia University and has 30 years of experience – the last twenty-six as a R&D manager and professional in DOE’s fossil energy and environmental management programs. Prior to joining the Energy Department, John worked in the private sector in various engineering and managerial capacities, including assignments in South and East Texas developing low permeability natural gas resources. 

Ken Kern, Director, Office of Systems, Analyses and Planning
Ken Kern has been involved in a wide range of energy related business activities during a 35 year career within the power generation industry.   He has participated in business development, strategic planning, sales and licensing of major equipment for the power generation industry (gas turbine, steam turbine and boilers), both domestically and internationally.  His international power generation involvement included several years of operations and general management at manufacturing and sales offices in Singapore, Japan and Poland.  Prior to joining NETL, he was Vice President for Marketing and Business Development for a major, international power generation equipment manufacturing company.  Mr. Kern holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Charles M. Zeh, Director, Project Management Center
Chuck Zeh manages NETL's clean energy programs. In this role he is responsible for management and oversight of projects for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE). Over his 27 year career Mr. Zeh has held numerous management positions administering the research, development and commercialization of new and emerging technologies at NETL. He supervised and was responsible for developing technology for vehicles, buildings, gas turbines, fuel cells, reciprocating engines, and environmental restoration. Mr. Zeh holds a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Thomas Wilson, Jr., Director, Office of Institutional & Business Operations
Mr. Wilson heads institutional functions that support operations at all five NETL sites/offices - Pittsburgh, PA; Morgantown, WV; Sugarland, TX; Anchorage, AK; and Albany, OR. Mr. Wilson plans, directs, and supervises staff that provides complete administrative and technical support for NETL’s day-to-day operations. He coordinates administrative, operational, and construction activities, including site management and the administration of NETL's site support contracts.