Council fosters growth in energy, environment
Last spring, at the Director’s Office strategic offsite, Director
Bruce Tarter asked me to lead the Council on Energy and Environmental
Systems (CEES). CEES is one of five councils that focus the attention
and energy of senior LLNL leaders on essential business lines and Laboratory
operations. As constituted, CEES includes associate director-level leaders
who have a stake in the success of LLNL’s energy and environmental
work.
Over the past several months, CEES has focused on developing major new
initiatives at the nexus of U.S. interests in energy, environment and
national security. CEES is chartered to foster program growth and increase
recognition of LLNL’s nationally important mission in this area.
To this end, CEES is developing, implementing and coordinating the LLNL
vision for intersecting energy, environment and national security program
activities. We are engaged in both strategic planning and business development.
CEES responsibilities include:
• Clarifying LLNL’s strategic mission in energy and environment;
• Identifying and conducting program campaigns;
• Developing strategic business lines;
• Defining collaboration and investment priorities; and
• Selecting program development directions.
The CEES approach encourages crosscutting collaborations as the associate
directors guide and advise LLNL’s energy and environmental activities.
CEES includes members from the Energy and Environment; Nonprolifera-tion,
Arms Control and International Security; Chemistry & Materials Science;
and Engineering directorates; the Environmental Protection Department;
and the Center for Global Security Research. In addition, three new business
councils are part of the CEES structure. They help us prepare and execute
strategic business development campaigns.
CEES guides and uses business councils to develop mission-oriented programs
in three main areas: Nuclear Materials Stewardship, Energy/Carbon/Climate,
and Environmental Risk Reduction. Business Council membership is dynamic,
with representation chosen from across the CEES directorates.
Nuclear Business Council functions and initiatives include:
• Optimizing DOE nuclear materials management and disposition;
• Supporting domestic and international nuclear materials initiatives;
• Protecting the environment against radioactive contamination; and
• Creating new nuclear energy and fuel cycle technologies to help
unblock the nuclear energy option while managing proliferation risks.
Energy/Carbon/Climate Business Council functions and initiatives include:
• Analyzing and understanding climate effects to inform and shape
relevant U.S. policies;
• Developing technical alternatives to improve fossil fuel utilization
and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
• Providing technical means to safeguard the strength of the U.S.
energy economy against disruption.
Environmental Risk Reduction Business Council functions and initiatives
include:
• Developing methods to characterize and mitigate nuclear, chemical
and biological contamination and its effects;
• Devising new techniques for site and facility decontamination and
cleanup; and
• Furnishing scientific approaches for resource protection and environmental
management to enhance regional security.
In simple terms, CEES makes certain that the right people are working
together and talking with each other. Then CEES supports and coordinates
these activities to help LLNL reach its full potential in applying the
best of science and technology to meet the nation’s energy and environmental
challenges. We are taking an activist approach to program development
— we want CEES to be a constructive catalyst for change in the energy
and environmental work at LLNL. Our approach will only succeed if our
processes are inclusive of everyone’s ideas. To this end, we encourage
you to work with CEES through your line organizations, the Business Councils
and directly with the CEES office.
Tom Isaacs is the director of the Office of Policy, Planning & Special
Studies.