Dr. Daniel Laird is Director of the NWTC. Dr. Laird also serves as an executive committee member of the DOE Atmosphere to Electrons Wind Plant Optimization Initiative and provides leadership in the high-fidelity modeling, wind plant controls, and rotor dynamics focus areas. Prior to joining NREL in 2015, he spent 19 years at Sandia National Laboratories leading wind energy and water power research efforts in structural analysis and simulation, computational design tools, advanced manufacturing, composite materials, and blade reliability.

Education

M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison