Jeff Neaton has appointed David Prendergast as the Interim Director of the Foundry, effective immediately (as of July 25).
David has been a staff scientist at the Foundry since 2007, and a senior staff scientist since 2016. He has been an active member of the Foundry’s management team as Theory Facility Director since 2012, and currently serves as chair of our Division Staff Committee. In his time at the Foundry, David has developed a remarkably broad multidisciplinary research program, involving all four divisions in the Energy Sciences Area. David’s research combines first-principles electronic structure theory and molecular dynamics simulations to study energy relevant processes in complex materials systems at the nanoscale, especially at interfaces, often through direct simulation and interpretation of X-ray spectroscopy experiments; his cross-cutting program has made significant contributions through collaborations with nearly all Foundry facilities.
An international search for a Foundry director will commence this summer.
