Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) leaders, founders, execs: who are they? These brilliant visionaries lead the charge of research programs related to harnessing energy sources and delivering solutions that benefit the government and private sectors.
The prime objective of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy is to support research and development initiatives that disrupt energy storage, technologies, and utilization for various purposes.
About Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy is a government agency under the U.S. Department of Energy focused on funding research projects that change the game for energy, environment, and scientific solutions and are deemed complex for the private sector.
ARPA-E History
The origins of ARPA-E can be traced back to 2005 when party leaders in Congress asked the National Academies to identify and analyze the challenges the U.S. federal government faces regarding science and technology matters and how to maintain security in the 21st century.
As a result, the National Academies submitted a report titled Rising Above the Gathering Storm Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future to Congress. The report highlighted the importance of establishing an agency within the U.S. Department of Energy to address the already-eroding science and technology advancements of the nation.
In 2007, Congress passed the bill, with then-President George W. Bush signing into law The America COMPETES Act, a decree that officially authorizes the establishment and operation of Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.
ARPA-E embarked on its first high-profile mission when it was awarded funds of over $400 million in 2009. Since then, the agency has managed a wide range of innovative efforts ranging from new wind turbine designs, more efficient semiconductors, innovative energy storage solutions, and fuels made of bacteria.
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Leaders, Founders, Execs: Who are They?
Below are the executives and leaders spearheading ARPA-E’s initiatives through critical government contracts focused on energy and the environment.
Dr. Evelyn N. Wang, Director
Dr. Evelyn Ning-Yi Wang was appointed Director of Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy in January 2023. She oversees the agency’s development, launch, and deployment of various critical and high-profile energy research programs.
A mechanical engineer by profession, Dr. Wang has a wealth of experience in thermal management, thermal energy storage, thermal energy conversion, water purification, and water harvesting. She also holds 15 years of academic experience as a professor of mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Dr. Wang applies her extensive professional experience to fulfill her role as ARPA-E’s Director. Some of the projects she actively participated in include the construction of advanced technologies for underground electric grids and eight research programs focused on low-energy nuclear reactions.
Shane Kosinski, Deputy Director for Operations
Shane Kosinski has been a vital member of ARPA-E’s leadership team since 2009. He began his career as Acting Deputy Director, where he actively contributed to efforts that helped ARPA-E gain a foothold in the energy technologies and innovation landscape and the agency’s funds worth $400 million.
One of the prime projects he participated in as acting deputy director was the agency’s first Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), which funded $170 million to over 30 transformational energy projects that evolved energy storage and utilization methods in the United States.
Kosinski currently holds the position of Deputy Director for Operations and leads the development of flexible management processes that establish clear oversight for over 300 ARPA-E projects and missions.
Other than managing multi-million dollar projects, Kosinski handles ARPA-E’s financial, contract procurement, and human resources operations. Among his seminal contributions as Head of the Contracting Authority (HCA), was establishing a new procurement office completely internal to Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.
Dr. David Tew, Acting Deputy Director for Technology
Dr. David Tew assumed the role of Acting Deputy Director of Technology in February 2023 and is responsible for operations encompassing industrial processes, transformational energy efficiency, and combined heat and power systems.
Dr. Tew has been a part of ARPA-E’s leadership team since 2016. He began his career as Program Director, where he managed ARPA-E’s Modern Electro/Thermochemical Advances in Light Metal Systems (METALs) program. In October 2020, Dr. Tew contributed to Sortera Alloys, an offshoot of ARPA-E’s METALS program with Chrysalix Venture Capital for the development of an intelligent sorting system for the upcycling of non-ferrous scrap metals such as copper, aluminum, zinc, and brass.
Before joining ARPA-E, Dr. Tew spent nearly 20 years at United Technologies Corporation, specifically in the Research Center, Pratt & Whitney, and UTC Power subsidiaries. He also gained experience as an adjunct professor at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Hartford campus for ten years and as a postdoctoral associate at MIT for a year.
Dr. Daniel Cunningham, Acting Director for Commercialization
Dr. Daniel Cunningham is a distinguished leader in the energy, power, and commercialization spaces. He carries over 30 years of experience managing product development operations for energy, power sources, materials, and technology efforts.
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy welcomed Dr. Cunningham to its team in 2015 as Acting Deputy Director for Commercialization. He currently oversees the agency’s portfolio of disruptive low-carbon energy technologies and their transition from the lab to the market. Added to that, Dr. Cunningham manages the development of ARPA-E’s emerging power electronics portfolio and maximization of these technologies’ impact.
In his role, Dr. Cunningham has actively worked on notable ARPA-E programs worth millions of dollars. Some of the efforts he participated in include SCALEUP 2019, BREAKERS, and SWITCHES.
Before joining Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Dr. Cunningham developed his expertise in energy, materials, and product development from his previous leadership roles. He spent 17 years at BP Solar, where he managed semiconductor technologies and silicon materials projects, and 12 years at BP America Inc., where he honed his product development expertise.
Dr. Isik Kizilyalli, Associate Director for Technology & Program Director
Dr. Isik C. Kizilyalli is an industry leader with decades of experience in applied research, energy technology, and energy systems. He joined ARPA-E in 2020 and has been Associate Director for Technology & Program Director since then.
In his current role, Dr. Kizilyalli supports the Deputy Director of Technology in establishing oversight for technology issues in all ARPA-E programs. Also under his purview is assisting program development tasks, coordinating project management across the agency, and providing leadership and direction to cross-functional project teams.
Dr. Kizilyalli draws from his extensive professional experience to fulfill his current responsibilities. Prior to entering the Energy Department’s research and development division, Dr. Kizilyalli assumed leadership roles covering engineering and technology operations at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Agere Systems, and Avogy Inc.
FAQs
Where is Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s headquarters?
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy is located at the U.S. Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, D.C.
What are Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s programs?
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy spearheads various programs encompassing grid modernization, energy efficiency, electric-powered vehicles, and net-zero carbon emissions. Notable ARPA-E programs include ULTRAFAST, SCALEUP, COOLERCHIPS, MINER, and ONWARDS.
Advancing Research and Development for Sustainable Futures
Since 2009, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has invested nearly $4 billion to support over 1,000 research projects on energy innovation and technologies and environmental sustainability. In return, the agency has garnered over $12 billion in financing from the private sector and over $20 billion worth of market evaluations from mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs.
ARPA-E’s commitment to actively supporting high-profile federal government projects entails robust technologies and methods that enhance the well-being of civilians and the nation. While there are still many steps to take, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has taken the necessary actions to foster sustainable communities that promote the wellness and safety of civilians and their descendants and to win the fight against climate change.