Pesiri to lead Technology Transfer Division

September 22, 2011—David Pesiri has been named the new leader of the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Technology Transfer Division, replacing Steve Girrens (Associate Director for Engineering).

Pesiri earned a doctorate in catalysis, and has technical expertise in materials and nanotechnology. He first joined LANL while in graduate school, working in the Chemistry Division. He later was a postdoctoral fellow in the Materials Science and Technology Division. Pesiri’s technical career has always centered on complex systems, including catalysis and processes that went beyond industrial limits, leading him to explore natural systems.

At Los Alamos, he was drawn to merging technical themes together in new systems at the intersection of materials, nanotechnology, and separations. This love of technical complexity and high stakes led him to leave Los Alamos to begin a startup business in Southern California. Consequently, Pesiri found "exquisite complexity" in the marriage of technology and business. He also has served as a business development leader in the Lab's Technology Transfer Division for several years.

"David brings strong experience and vision for the future to how we meet the tech transfer mission at Los Alamos," said Duncan McBranch, deputy associate director for Science, Technology and Engineering. "He was part of several technology start-up companies as both a technologist and a business leader. This combination of science and business will serve the Laboratory and our customers extremely well."

Pesiri was selected by a committee comprised of a broad cross-section of stakeholders in the success of tech transfer at the Lab.