
NREL’s New Laboratory Director and Google’s AI Hackathon—Plus, an Energy Tech Pitch Event
From The NREL Podcast by National Laboratory of the Rockies
August 20, 2025 · 14 min · Season 1 · Episode 49
About this episode
This episode discusses the appointment of NREL's new laboratory director and highlights recent events in energy technology and AI.
Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR). It’s been a busy summer at NREL. In this episode, you’ll learn about: The appointment of NREL’s incoming laboratory director Dr. Jud Virden, who brings 34 years of national lab experience at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a background in chemical engineering to his new position. How Goo...
Topics covered
- laboratory leadership
- artificial intelligence
- energy technology
- national labs
- chemical engineering
Keywords
- NREL
- Dr. Jud Virden
- AI Hackathon
- Energy Tech Pitch Event
- national laboratory
- chemical engineering
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Laboratory of the Rockies, Google
More episodes of The NREL Podcast
- Lab Notes: Alaska Heat Pumps and Workforce Development · June 10, 2026 · 14 min
- NASA Invention of the Year, First-of-Its-Kind Test Bed, and Artificial Photosynthesis · June 3, 2026 · 10 min
- University Partnerships, Self-Driving Laboratories, and Helping Airports Meet Growing Energy Demands · May 20, 2026 · 11 min
- We’re Back! Rooftop Sunscreen, Plant-Based Snowboards, and Cell-Free Biomanufacturing · May 6, 2026 · 10 min
- Improvements in Batteries, Trains, and Wave Technology · November 19, 2025 · 10 min
- A Dashboard for Trucking Efficiency, an HVAC Game Changer, and More Power With Less · September 30, 2025 · 14 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The NREL Podcast podcast page.