Margaret S.Y. Chu, Ph.D.
Director
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
U.S. Department of Energy

Dr. Margaret S.Y. Chu was confirmed on March 6, 2002, as the Director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. The Office is responsible for developing the Nation’s waste disposal system for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, as mandated by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended.

Dr. Chu has over 20 years experience at Sandia National Laboratories that spans from Research and Development to program management. Her technical expertise ranges from nuclear waste management, nuclear reactors, energy policies, nuclear materials management, nuclear non-proliferation issues, environmental remediation, and technology development.

Since 1998, Dr. Chu served as the Director of the Nuclear Waste Management Programs Center under the Energy and Information Infrastructure Surety Program. As Director, she provided the vision and developed the strategy for the Center. She led and managed 170 professional staff conducting research and development in providing integrated solutions to global nuclear waste management problems.

Dr. Chu held various positions at Sandia including, Manager, Waste Isolation Pilot Program (WIPP) Deputy Manager of the Technical Integration Department from May 1995 until April 1998. In this capacity, she integrated all technical activities within the WIPP project for a timely, successful certification application. Prior to that from October 1991 until May 1995, she was the Manager of the Environmental Risk Assessment and Waste Management Department. From May 1980 to October 1991, Dr. Chu served as Project Lead in various areas of waste management at Sandia National Laboratories.

Dr. Chu received her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1973, and her B.S., 1967 in Chemistry, from Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana. After completing her Ph.D., Dr. Chu became a National Institute of Health Postdoctoral Fellow at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Chu has authored close to 50 publications, and has received numerous awards including Team Lead of Lockheed Martin Nova Award (1998), Team Lead of Sandia National Laboratories' Employee Recognition Award (1998), Distinguished Member of Technical Staff Award, Sandia National Laboratories (1986). She is a member of several professional societies including the Waste Management Education & Research Consortium, American Chemical Society, American Nuclear Society, American Association of the Advancement of Science, Iota Sigma Pi, and Phi Lambda Upsilon, American Chinese Engineers and Scientists Society, and Overseas Chinese Environmental Engineers & Scientists Association.

Dr. Chu is married to Tze-Yao, a Senior Scientist from Sandia National Laboratories. They have 3 children and reside in Washington, D.C.

Source: http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases02/marpr/DrMargaretSYChu_Bio.html