About Me

Principal Investigator

Steven R. Spurgeon, Ph.D.

I am an internationally recognized materials data scientist with a 15-year track record of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate the discovery and design of functional materials. My expertise spans a wide range of applications, from quantum computing and microelectronics to renewable energy and national security.

Throughout my career, I have consistently led large, multidisciplinary project teams at national laboratories, resulting in over 79 publications, 6 software packages, 2 licensed technologies, and an R&D 100 Award. I have secured and managed over $2M/year in external funding and $500k/year in internal funding, driving transformative research for both basic and applied missions.

My current research focuses on developing AI-guided high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy techniques to understand the synthesis, degradation, and lifecycle of thin-film interfaces for electronics, sensing, and computing applications. I am also passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers, and I actively participate in educational outreach programs.

For full curriculum vitae click the link below.

Present Affiliation

Senior Materials Data Scientist
Materials, Chemical, and Computational Science Directorate
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO

Research Associate
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)
University of Colorado–Boulder, Boulder, CO

Selected Research Experience

Materials Data Scientist IV, National Security Directorate |2017 – 2024
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA

Affiliate Associate Professor, Department of Physics | 2021 – 2024
University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Fundamental and Computational Sciences Directorate | 2015 – 2017
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA

Visiting Researcher, NIST Center for Neutron Research | 2010 – 2014
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD​

​Visiting Researcher, Spallation Neutron Source | 2011 – 2012
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN

Professional Preparation

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering | October 2014
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering | May 2009
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Selected Awards

R&D 100 for Autonomous Electron Microscope (AutoEM), R&D World | 2024
Deal of Distinction Award for Autonomous Electron Microscope (AutoEM), Licensing Executive Society | 2024
Laboratory Director’s Award for Early Career Achievement, Pacific Northwest National Laboaratory | 2022
Postdoctoral Research Award, Microscopy Society of America | 2016
National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship, Department of Defense | 2011 – 2014
Presidential Student Award, Microscopy Society of America | 2013
Gold Graduate Student Research Award, Materials Research Society | 2013
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Fellowship, National Science Foundation | 2009 – 2011

Professional and Service Activities

Editor, Microscopy and Microanalysis Journal, Microscopy Society of America | 2022 – Present
Chair-Elect, Focused Interest Group Committee, Microscopy Society of America | 2023 – Present
Member, Proposal Review Board, National Center for Electron Microscopy| 2019 – Present
Regular Program Reviewer, NSF and DOE | 2019 – Present