Kathleen McDonald and Marc Witkowski with the Feynman Center for Innovation at Los Alamos National Laboratory have received national awards from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC). McDonald received the Outstanding Technology Transfer Professional Award for her leadership in licensing and partnership development across nuclear, fusion and national security technologies; Witkowski received the Excellence in Technology Transfer Award for advancing the Ion Pair Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) technology.
“These recognitions show how strong partnerships and thoughtful licensing help turn scientific discovery into real-world capability,” said Melissa Fox, senior director of the Lab’s Partnerships and Pipeline Office. “Technology transfer is a critical part of delivering mission impact for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).”
McDonald and Witkowski are senior commercialization managers at the Laboratory. The awards will be presented May 13 at the FLC National Meeting in Seattle.
The Feynman Center for Innovation serves as the Laboratory’s office for technology transfer and partnership development. Its mission is to ensure that federally funded research transitions responsibly to industry and government partners in support of the Laboratory’s national security responsibilities for the NNSA.
Advancing hydrogen fuel cell capabilities
The Ion Pair MEA addresses long-standing technical barriers that have limited broader use of hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Traditional systems often require complex cooling equipment and can face durability and cost challenges.
The Ion Pair MEA, originally developed at Los Alamos, uses a unique polymer electrolyte system that increases energy production by 60%. It can use lower-purity hydrogen fuel and eliminates the need for complex cooling and humidification systems. The design reduces manufacturing costs, improves durability and avoids costly perfluorinated materials. This technology advanced over nearly a decade of research and commercialization planning.
“This award reflects years of close collaboration between researchers and technology transfer professionals,” Witkowski said. “By aligning licensing strategy with partner capability and national priorities, we helped accelerate deployment.”
Leadership in federal technology transfer
McDonald’s award recognizes professionals whose work significantly exceeds normal responsibilities.
Over the past five years, she has led major licensing and partnership efforts in nuclear energy, fusion, quantum science and safeguards technologies. She has negotiated and managed numerous Cooperative Research and Development Agreements and executed licenses that support advanced technology development.
McDonald also has developed new approaches to managing intellectual property, including strategies for protecting and licensing federally developed datasets and using copyright-based licensing for certain safeguards technologies. These approaches have helped speed deployment while protecting U.S. interests.
“Effective technology transfer strengthens national capability,” McDonald said. “Our focus at FCI is to ensure that federally funded research delivers measurable impact.”
Recognizing excellence across the federal laboratory system
The FLC is a nationwide network of more than 300 federal laboratories and agencies dedicated to promoting best practices in technology transfer. Its annual awards are considered among the most respected honors in the federal laboratory community.
Together, these recognitions highlight the Laboratory’s role in translating scientific discovery into operational capability, reinforcing U.S. technological leadership and supporting national security objectives.
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