Mickey Wade has been named associate laboratory director for the Fusion and Fission Energy and Science Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, effective April 1.

“To reach the nation’s clean energy goals, we must develop and deploy nuclear energy technologies,” interim ORNL Director Jeff Smith said in a press release. “Given his experience in industry and the national lab system, Mickey is the perfect choice to ensure ORNL is applying its leading expertise and capabilities to help the United States reach net zero.”

In his new role, Wade will oversee the directorate’s facilities, capabilities, and scientists and engineers who are tackling such challenges as extending operations of the current U.S. nuclear reactor fleet, investigating economical and flexible advanced reactor systems, and making fusion energy a viable power source, the press release said.

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