LLNL’s Robert Maxwell selected as 2025 AAAS Fellow

Robert S. Maxwell, Strategic Deterrence (SD) program director for Materials and Manufacturing Transformation, was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in recognition of nearly three decades of leadership and significant contributions in materials chemistry related to national security.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled by this recognition by AAAS and the external scientific community,” Maxwell said.

According to the association, AAAS Fellows represent a “distinguished cadre of scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their achievements across disciplines.” Election as a fellow requires a significant record of cross-disciplinary achievement and approval by the AAAS Council.

Maxwell started his career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study fundamental surface chemistry at the silica/water interface and the critical role these phases play in geochemical and environmental processes. Since then, he has made substantive contributions to national security programs across the Lab.

Maxwell currently leads numerous high-consequence efforts at the Lab in partnership with National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) production agencies, including the Polymer Enclave — an additive manufacturing collaboration between Lawrence Livermore and the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC). The Polymer Enclave aims to accelerate product realization for specific components while demonstrating advanced manufacturing techniques that can be applied across the NNSA enterprise, enabling more rapid delivery and significant cost savings.

Previously, Maxwell served as division leader for Materials Science within the Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, serving as the principal investigator for the Materials Transformation Initiative and many other national security programs.

He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California Santa Barbara and a B.Sc. from UC Davis. A member of the Lab since 1997, his research explores advanced manufacturing, nuclear magnetic resonance, materials degradation, compatibility and aging.

Maxwell will join other distinguished AAAS fellows such as Thomas Edison, W.E.B duBois and numerous Nobel laureates.

—James McGirk