Joe Hoagland, a leader in regional energy innovation, has been named director of special initiatives at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

He joins the lab after more than 30 years with the Tennessee Valley Authority, where his leadership helped drive a number of key strategic issues for TVA, including new opportunities in nuclear, the Integrated Resource Plan process, coal combustion strategies and various new technology deployments within the Valley region.

At ORNL, Hoagland will help steward complex opportunities that require alignment of multiple stakeholders, expertise and organizations, and convergence of science and operations.

“Joe’s extensive experience in strategy, research and development, community and stakeholder engagement in the evolving energy marketplace will help us position the lab for the future,” ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer said.

At TVA, Hoagland held numerous leadership positions, most recently as vice president of innovation and research, leading a team of technology professionals in transformational research and management of innovation projects for TVA’s Power System of the Future.

“The research capabilities at Oak Ridge make this one of the most exciting places in the world for energy and technological innovation,” Hoagland said. “I’m excited to join the team to help ensure that Oak Ridge continues to be a leader in solving critical energy issues.”

Hoagland chairs the Tennessee State Energy Policy Council and is a member of the boards of the Cherokee Farm Development Corp., Smart Electric Power Association, and American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation.

He earned his doctorate and master’s degree from Washington State University in physical chemistry, after completing a bachelor’s in chemistry from Southern Utah University. He is currently an adjunct professor at the Howard Baker School for Public Policy teaching about technologies related to the power system.

UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science.