Executive Leadership Board:
Anthony Peurrung

Retired, Deputy Laboratory Director and Chief Research Officer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Education:

• Ph.D. Physics, University of California, Berkeley, 1992
• B.S. Electrical Engineering, Rice University, 1987

Tony recently retired after a 31-year career at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, serving ultimately as the Deputy Laboratory Director and Chief Research Officer.  For a decade he served as Associate Laboratory Director, responsible for strengthening the laboratory’s involvement in and impact on diverse national security missions.  He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences. 

Tony has contributed to a variety of fields within fundamental and applied physics including fluid mechanics, plasma physics, medical physics, environmental remediation, and nuclear physics.  The common theme in Tony’s career has been strengthening and connecting fundamental science capability with more applied research programs.  As a researcher he notably leveraged fundamental nuclear physics and materials science for improved nuclear security.  As an executive, he led the laboratory’s efforts in data science and artificial intelligence, ensuring that the U.S. government harnessed these disruptive capabilities optimally. 

Tony grew to appreciate Washington State university through extensive collaboration with faculty and staff early in his career.  As an executive, he benefited from varied collaborative efforts with university leadership.  He continues to believe that WSU and PNNL are crucial and sometimes underappreciated strategic assets for each other. 

Tony is currently focused on community service through a variety of board and advisor roles, notably for Trios Health, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties, and Battelle.  Beyond his passion for STEM and Leadership, his priorities include trail running, mountaineering, and “place collecting” both domestically and internationally.  He resides in Richland and is a proud husband and father.