Here at ARPA-E, we focus on transformational energy projects that can be meaningfully advanced with a small investment over a set amount of time. Our streamlined awards process enables us to act quickly and catalyze cutting-edge areas of energy research. Part of making sure we have a constant infusion of fresh thinking and new perspectives comes from our Program Directors, who serve on limited terms. ARPA-E hires Program Directors with visionary ideas for new energy technologies. During their three-year terms, Program Directors are responsible for program creation, design, implementation, and management. Hear from three Program Directors—two current and one alumnus—about what being an ARPA-E Program Director is like.

The ARPA-E Fellows Program seeks to seed innovation and creativity within the Agency by generating new ideas and connecting with leading experts to empower cross-disciplinary solutions that improve energy efficiency, reduce energy imports, and curb emissions. During their two-year tenure, ARPA-E Fellows influence the direction of American energy innovation, engaging with world-class researchers in academia and industry, entrepreneurs, and government officials.

Learn more about Dr. Sonja Glavaski's background, how she came to ARPA-E, all about the Network Optimized Distributed Energy Systems (NODES) Program, and what it means to be a woman in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  

For the last three years, TJ Augustine has served as a Technology-to-Market (Tech-to-Market) Advisor at ARPA-E, where he has helped prepare breakthrough energy technologies for transition from the lab to the market. He was responsible for leading the commercialization strategy for Reducing Emissions through Methanotrophic Organisms for Transportation Energy (REMOTE), Plants Engineered to Replace Oil (PETRO), and other ARPA-E programs in the area of liquid transportation fuels.

Get to know more about Dr. Williams in this Q &A, adapted and excerpted from the Fireside Chat with Dr. Ellen Williams video from the 2015 ARPA-E Innovation Summit.

Behind the Scenes with Dr. Chris Atkinson, Program Director at ARPA-E Dr. Chris Atkinson discusses his background, why he came to ARPA-E, and the possibility of an interdisciplinary solution to creating energy-efficient, automated vehicles.

Meet Cheryl Martin, Acting Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) and the latest profile in the Energy Department’s #WomenInSTEM video series. Her work focuses on catalyzing the advancement of transformational energy technologies that will allow the United States to stay at the cutting edge of technological innovation.

Dr. John Lemmon discusses the launch of ARPA-E’s new Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS) program and why it’s important to develop transformational fuel cell technologies for low-cost distributed power generation. 

Dr. Timothy Heidel discusses the SWITCHES program and its mission to develop next-generation power switching devices that could dramatically improve energy efficiency across a wide range of applications.

Learn where Dr. James Klausner is now as he looks back on his experiences at ARPA-E as a Program Director.