Tomas Diaz De La Rubia Selected as Associate Director for Chemistry and Materials Science

Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, has been selected as Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s new Associate Director of Chemistry and Materials Science – replacing Hal Graboske, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

The appointment was made by LLNL Director Michael Anastasio and confirmed by the University of California and by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). It is effective immediately.

"Tomás is an outstanding scientist with an impressive multidisciplinary background," said Michael Anastasio, director. "These two qualities complement the mission and vision of the Chemistry and Materials Science directorate and make him a good selection for this position. I look forward to working with him."

In his new position, Díaz de la Rubia will manage more than 520 chemists, chemical engineers, materials scientists, and physicists. The directorate is responsible for multidisciplinary research and technology development in support of the laboratory’s missions in national security, energy and environment and biotechnology. Díaz de la Rubia will also take the lead on the development of a high quality workforce and a sound infrastructure for the directorate.

"I am honored to have been selected," said Díaz de la Rubia. "I am excited about the future. There is a tremendous opportunity for growth and I look forward to continuing the great tradition of our founder, E.O. Lawrence, with multidisciplinary teams working on world class science and technology that supports our national objectives."

Díaz de la Rubia joined LLNL in 1989 in a post-doctoral appointment. Subsequently, he served as a term scientist in the CMS directorate, a staff physicist and as the Scientific Capabilities Leader for Computational Materials Science. In 2000, he was appointed Deputy Division Leader for Science and Technology in the Materials Science and Technology Division of CMS. He also held a concurrent position leading a team of CMS scientists who brought expertise to the National Ignition Facility (NIF) project – specifically solving the potential issue of 3 omega damage on NIF’s final optics.

In 2001, Díaz de la Rubia became Materials Program Leader for NIF Programs, in addition to leading the Lasers-Materials Interaction Investment area in CMS. He earned a B.S. in physics in 1984 and a Ph.D., also in physics, in 1989, both from State University of New York. He and his wife Loretta are residents of Danville. They have an 11 year old daughter, Pilar. An avid reader, Díaz de la Rubia also enjoys classical music, opera and hiking in the mountains of the San Francisco Bay area.

The author of more than 130 publications in the areas of computer simulation of physical properties and performance of materials, Diaz de la Rubia is also an active member of the scientific community and has chaired a large number of national and international conferences. He is a member of the American Physical Society and is on the board of directors of the Materials Research Society.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a national security laboratory, with a mission to ensure national security and apply science and technology to the important issues of our time. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

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