# Presentation: 085835

## William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

- Background
- Reviews
- Actions

**U.S. Department of Energy **
**Office of Science**
**Office of Biological & Environmental Research**
**Environmental Remediation Sciences Division**

## Environmental Remediation Sciences Division (~$90M)

**Fundamental research for DOE environmental problems.  Supports a research program and a national scientific user facility:**

**Environmental Remediation Sciences Program**
**$47.5M**

**Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)**
**$39M**

- The William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a U.S. Department of Energy national scientific user facility located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington provides integrated experimental and computational resources for discovery and technological innovation in the environmental molecular sciences to support the needs of DOE and the nation.

**Notes:**
The Environmental Remediation Sciences Division is directed by Dr. Teresa Fryberger.  ERSD was formed in 2002 and includes the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research program, the Environmental Monitoring Science Program (which we recently inherited from the Office of Environmental Management), the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (at PNNL) and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.  

Together, these programs provide DOE with the basic science it needs to meet the growing list of environmental remediation issues.  Teresa and her team are working to reevaluate and reorganize these programs to stay current with the needs of the Department. 

## William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

## Expertise & Capabilities

**  ****EMSL Facilities**
- High Performance Mass Spectrometry
- Interfacial & Nanoscale Science
- Molecular Science Computing Chemistry & Physics of Complex Systems
- Environmental Spectroscopy & Biogeochemistry
- High Field Magnetic Resonance
**Support**
- Computer and Network Services
- Instrument Development Laboratory
- User Administration and Outreach

** **

**Notes:**
EMSL has 80 laboratories, which are comprised in 6 topical research facilities.

## Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

## DOE Management of EMSL

**PNSO** holds the PNNL contract and provides an on-site management & oversight presence at PNNL:
- Contract management, program implementation, Federal stewardship
- Project, construction, contractual, and information management;
- Administrative and financial assistance and support;
- Environment, safety, health, and physical security oversight;
- Scientific, technical, and credentialed professional resources.

**BER/ERSD** provides to EMSL:
- Federal Direction and Performance Oversight
- Distribution of appropriated funds for user facility operations and capital equipment
- Review of facility operations, management and science
- ERSD provides $33.5M operating and $5.5M capital equipment funds for EMSL in FY06

- BER & Pacific Northwest Site Office (PNSO) have integrated science & operations in the oversight & management of the EMSL national scientific user facility (200,000 ft2, 388 people) to meet the Office of Science management goals.

## May 2005 Review Findings

- May 17-19, 2005: BERAC & SC’s Office of Project Assessment (OPA) reviews evaluated EMSL mission, science, operations, future plans, and provided findings & recommendations for improvement.
- BERAC review of EMSL science found:
- “The science conducted in the EMSL is of very high quality, and a significant amount is, indeed, cutting edge. It is appropriate for BER to support this Laboratory that is a national resource.”
- Need for reinvigorated User & Scientific advisory committees
- BERAC and OPA found:
- Lack of a shared vision for EMSL
- Need for prioritization/decision making plan
- Need for standardized user access protocol
- OPA found:
- Need for enhanced managerial resources
- Need for improved communications among all parties
- Need for improved financial reporting systems
- Need to understand the impact of non-BER funding within EMSL
- Need for extensive benchmarking

## Addressing Review Findings

- BER, PNSO, PNNL/EMSL worked closely to address findings & recommendations from the reviews through an Action Plan:
- Shared EMSL Mission Statement
- Science Themes & Priorities
- User Definition
- Utilization Plan
- UAC & SAC charter
- User Proposal Review Criteria

## Addressing Review Findings

**May 2005**

**Nov 2005**

**Dec 2005**

**Jan 2006**

**May 2006**

**EMSL Action Plan Completed: tools, strategies, policies in place**

**Action Plan Implementation Phase Started**

**EMSL Follow-on Review**

**OPA & BERAC Reviews of EMSL: **
**May 17-19, 2005**

**Science Themes & Science Priorities Completed**

**Sept 2006**

**Action Plan Implementation Phase Completed**

**EMSL Action Plan Developed in Response to Reviews**

**Continue BER-PNSO Management Plan for EMSL**

**EMSL Action Plan Status Review by BER/PNSO Management Team**

## DOE’s Lessons Learned

- Needed a structured management approach for EMSL
- Strengthened relationship between HQ & Site Office
- Weekly conference calls
- Quarterly face-to-face briefings
- Review of EMSL “Dashboard” report
- PNSO briefings (weekly informals, monthly formals)
- Programmatic rep – science and user service
- Facilities rep. – infrastructure, EHS & operations
- Needed closer involvement with EMSL
- “Deep dives” during June-November ’05 monthly visits
- PNSO emphasis on EMSL oversight
- Management team on-site update in November 2005
- Value Mapping exercise
- Proactive management vs. “manage by review”
- Value of “Project Management”

## May 2006 Follow-on ReviewCommittee Charge

**May 2006 Follow-on Review****Committee Charge**

- Does the EMSL Action Plan adequately address findings & recommendations of the May 2005 reviews?
- Is EMSL implementation of the Action Plan on track for completion by the end of FY2006 (September)?
- Will implementation of the Action Plan resolve findings & recommendations?