Laboratory hires new MST division director

Contact: Todd Hanson, tahanson@lanl.gov, (505) 665-2085 (03-008)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Jan. 21, 2003 -- Former Los Alamos scientist Paul S. Follansbee has been selected as the new director of the Laboratory’s Materials Science and Technology Division. Follansbee succeeds Ross Lemons, who resigned in October 2002 after serving as division director since 1993.

Los Alamos Associate Director for Strategic Research Thomas J. Meyer announced the selection and said, "In addition to his significant scientific prowess, Paul has had extensive experience dealing with governmental agencies and international corporations. He not only brings with him a critical understanding of US and international commercial scientific research perspectives, but an understanding of the importance of the strengthening the Laboratory’s relationship with its stakeholders."

“Seven years in industrial R&D have taught me a lot about the commercialization and implementation of technology,” says Follansbee, “but I've also observed the short term focus and volatile support base that limits real innovation. I believe that this is a niche that the national laboratories can and should fill for our nation. Although MST is both stronger and more diverse than when I left in 1993, I understand the operational environment has changed greatly, which poses continued challenges to us. Still, I am eager to work with the MST leadership team and staff to serve our national security missions.”

Follansbee was most recently vice president of technology for Howmet Castings and President of the Howmet Research Corporation in Whitehall, Michigan. Howmet is a subsidiary of Alcoa Inc. specializing in precision investment castings and coatings for aerospace and industrial gas turbine applications. Prior to Howmet, worked for General Electric as laboratory manager of the Physical Metallurgy Laboratory at GE's Corporate Research and Development Center in Schenectady, NY. From 1994-1995 he served as Team Leader on a national manufacturing assessment project for the Department of Commerce while on change-of-station from Los Alamos. From 1990 to 1993 Follansbee was deputy division leader of the Materials Science and Technology Division at the Laboratory.

Follansbee came to Los Alamos in 1981 and served the Laboratory in various capacities: as a technical staff member, deputy group leader and group leader. He received the Los Alamos Fellows Prize in 1989 for theoretical and experimental work on the rate sensitive behavior of metals with regard to the hardening behavior of metals and alloys with large changes in plastic strain rate and the application to Department of Defense armor/anti-armor technology. Follansbee takes over as leader on January 21.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring safety and confidence in the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction and improving the environmental and nuclear materials legacy of the cold war. Los Alamos' capabilities assist the nation in addressing energy, environment, infrastructure and biological security problems