Dr. Michalske has over 35 years of experience in technical and organizational leadership positions in the fields of materials science, nuclear materials management, nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy science, and national security systems.
Most recently Dr. Michalske served as the Laboratory Director for the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in Aiken South Carolina. In that position he was responsible for the management, operation, and strategic direction of approximately 1,000 employees conducting research and development for a diverse set of U.S. government agencies, foreign governments, and private companies. Under his leadership, SRNL was the safest of all 17 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories and was recognized by the National Safety Council, Safety Leadership Award winner for 7 straight years.
Dr. Michalske oversaw the expansion of SRNL’s science and technology support for nuclear waste cleanup to include 15 sites across the continental U.S. as well as the developed of a long-term partnership with Tokyo Electric Power Company and the Government of Japan to support Fukushima site restoration. SRNL’s international programs grew significantly providing innovative approaches to safely and securely manage nuclear materials in countries including Hungry, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, Jamaica, Germany and Japan. Dr. Michalske also initiated and directed the launch of new funded programs in advanced manufacturing and cyber security. Fundamental to the laboratory’s transformation was an overhaul and modernization of the laboratory’s business systems and governance framework that improved cost effectiveness and helped build stronger partnerships with its U.S. government sponsors, community stakeholders, and private sector customers.
Prior to joining SRNL, Dr. Michalske served in various technical and leadership positions at Sandia National Laboratories including founding Director for the DOE Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Director for the DOE Combustion Research Facility, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Joint BioEnergy Institute, and Director of Energy and Security Systems.
Dr. Michalske began his technical career as a National Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellow with the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. His scientific work has been recognized by several international awards including the Orton Lecture Award, an R&D 100 award, the Woldemar A. Weyl International Glass Science Award, and the Ross Coffin Purdy Award from the American Ceramic Society. He is a two-time winner of the DOE Materials Science Award for Outstanding Technological Accomplishment. Dr. Michalske has been invited to present keynote lectures including the Engineering Deans Institute, The Washington Conference on the Future of Nuclear Power, Climate Change and Sustainability, the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management, the Smithsonian Institution/Lemelson Foundation, and the Swiss Academy of Engineering.
Dr. Michalske has testified before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives as well as the state legislatures of California, New Mexico, and South Carolina on topics including nanotechnology, energy security, and nuclear waste cleanup. Dr. Michalske served as Chairman of the U.S. DOE National Laboratory Directors’ Council, which advises the Secretary of Energy on energy and nuclear policy issues. He also served as Chairman of the Environmental Management National Laboratory Network. In 2015, Dr. Michalske was selected as the National Laboratory Director of the Year by the DOE Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
He has played leadership roles in several technical societies, panels, and advisory boards and has chaired numerous technical workshops and symposia. He is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and the American Vacuum Society. Dr. Michalske holds seven patents, has authored 90 journal publications, and has been a collaborator on several books. Dr. Michalske serves on several non-profit, academic and nuclear industry Boards.
Dr. Michalske received his B.S. and Ph.D. from Alfred University, New York State College of Ceramics.