John Farrell — Associate Laboratory Director, Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences

John Farrell serves as the associate laboratory director for NREL's Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences directorate.

In this role, he oversees NREL's buildings, wind, water, geothermal, advanced manufacturing and composites, industrial innovation, solar thermal, fossil energy, and Arctic research programs. The portfolio encompasses more than $260 million and a workforce of approximately 600. Farrell is also the co-executive lead of the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems research platform, the nation's most advanced platform for energy systems integration research and validation.

Previously, Farrell served as laboratory program manager for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Vehicle Technologies Office, which includes vehicle electrification, batteries/energy storage, power electronics, vehicle/grid interactions, and biofuel/advanced engine interactions. He also managed the RD&D portfolio for the DOE and U.S. Department of Transportation Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and was responsible for developing and integrating NREL's advanced mobility strategy with broader initiatives across NREL, other DOE national labs, and industry.

Prior to joining NREL in 2013, Farrell spent 15 years at ExxonMobil's Corporate Strategic Research Laboratory, where he held various technical, strategic planning, and program management positions and led research collaborations with numerous vehicle manufacturers, universities, and national labs.

He is an NREL Distinguished Member of Research Staff and a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers International. He holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Purdue University and a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Colorado.