Our challenge is to advance the cutting edge of science and technology and use these to address important national issues. Most recently, Reichle's office has been immersed in the global climate change debate, coordinating 11 national laboratories in a study on greenhouse gas reduction technologies. It has also been stimulating to see real teamwork across the national laboratories. To him, it's further evidence that working together pays off. Reichle sees these and similar collaborations as vital for the Lab's growth.
National labs can bring excellent science and engineering together as few other institutions can.
Many of these practical problems are big, complex and interdisciplinary. I feel pretty fortunate with the technical composition of our directorate. Another division with unique assets, Chemical Technology, is forging new directions in process engineering and chemical separations aimed at developing more efficient and environmentally friendly industrial production methods. Chem Tech's isotopes separations work also has a direct link to the work of the Life Sciences Division's pioneering nuclear medicine research. Life Sciences' strengths in mammalian genomics, plants and microbes, on the other hand, link directly to ESD's research in biofeedstocks and environmental restoration.