Dr. Karl Mueller, Director, Ames National Laboratory
Professor of Chemistry
Iowa State University

Coupling Science and Technology for Discovery: From Academia to National Labs

Abstract  This presentation will describe fundamental and applied research into the chemistry and reactivity of complex materials, primarily utilizing solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as a probe. My career has led me through academic growth and challenges, expanding from research into leadership at a national laboratory. Along the way, I have interacted with colleagues across the physical sciences as we probed amorphous materials, mineral surfaces, energy storage materials, and the impacts of nuclear waste.
My current interests, which I pursue in my role as Director of Ames National Laboratory, include artificial intelligence, critical materials, and fusion energy systems. I will highlight past and future opportunities to couple advanced technology with scientific theory and simulations. 

Biography:  Karl Mueller, Ph.D., is the Director of Ames National Laboratory and holds the rank of tenured professor in the Department of Chemistry at Iowa State University. Prior to joining Ames Lab, Dr. Mueller served for 15 years in multiple roles at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), most recently as Director of the Program Development Office for PNNL’s Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate. Before joining PNNL in 2010, Dr. Mueller spent 17 years as a faculty member at Penn State University, where he rose to the rank of professor in the Department of Chemistry.
Dr. Mueller earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. He also completed a postgraduate studies certificate at the University of Cambridge, England, as a Churchill Scholar supported by the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States. In 2011, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His research career includes more than 195 peer-reviewed papers detailing the development of magnetic resonance methods and applied studies in natural and engineered systems.