As the laboratory program manager for advanced manufacturing, Matt Ringer oversees NREL's portfolio of science and engineering research completed on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) and the Industrial Efficiency & Decarbonization Office (IEDO). He ensures NREL researchers and engineers working on AMMTO- and IEDO-funded projects provide high-quality, groundbreaking results to our clients. NREL's almost $15 million annual research budget from the AMMTO and IEDO is focused on advanced composites manufacturing, power electronics, supply chain and circular economy analysis, polymer upcycling and water.

Additionally, Ringer is the partnerships director for the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), a five-year, $100-million Energy-Water Desalination Hub funded by DOE. NAWI is designed to address water security issues in the United States by focusing on early-stage research and development for energy-efficient and cost-competitive desalination technologies.

In addition to his DOE client management experience, Ringer has worked with national laboratories, universities, and industry to create lasting projects such as DOE's Energy I-Corps program.

Research Interests

Advanced composites that improve energy efficiency and drive adoption renewable energy technologies

Purification technologies that enable new water sources for domestic and industrial use

High-performance computing to drive the application of advanced manufacturing techniques

Machine learning that drives energy efficiency improvements in manufacturing

Algal-derived fuels and chemicals

Education

B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of California at San Diego

MBA, Strategy, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver