SLAC Today

Friday, December 7, 2007

Persis S. Drell Named Fourth Director of SLAC

Persis Drell met with Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman (left) and Under Secretary for Science Raymond L. Orbach last Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

Persis S. Drell has been named Director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), effective immediately, Stanford University president John Hennessy announced yesterday. Drell, a professor of physics at SLAC, has held a series of senior positions at the laboratory since 2002 and has served as acting director since September. Stanford University operates SLAC on behalf of the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Supportive of Drell's appointment, U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said he was pleased to have such a qualified individual leading SLAC, furthering departmental support for breakthroughs in science and technology so the nation remains at the forefront of innovation and continues to lead the world in basic energy sciences.

Drell's appointment as director follows an international search and interview process conducted by a committee appointed by President Hennessy. The committee began its work in March 2007, when former director Jonathan Dorfan announced his intention to step down.  Read the full press release...

From the Director:
Remarks from Yesterday's Announcement Ceremony

"Thank you John, Burt and Jonathan for your kind words and for your support. I did not plan for this outcome when I agreed to chair the Director search committee. However life often takes us in unusual and unexpected directions. Here we are and I am committed to and very excited about moving forward.

"This is an extraordinary laboratory. We are justifiably proud of our history. We see outstanding opportunities for our future. Our mission is science, and our goal is to be the best in the world in the disciplines we explore.

"It has been the tradition of this laboratory to reinvent itself scientifically every decade and we are in the midst of that process yet again right now. Fields of science and the laboratory programs have advanced remarkably in 45 years, but as the laboratory program has evolved and broadened under the leadership of Pief, Burt and Jonathan, the principles of excellent science that this lab has always stood for have not changed.  Read more...

Watch Yesterday's Event Online

Video of yesterday's announcement ceremony is now available online.  (Viewers must have RealPlayer installed to monitor the stream. SLAC employees and users can download RealPlayer here.) Photos of the event, courtesy of Diana Rogers, are also available.

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