LIVERMORE, Calif. – Sandia’s Chief Technology Officer Steve Rottler will become vice president of Sandia’s California laboratory on Feb. 1. He replaces Rick Stulen, who is retiring after 36 years at Sandia National Laboratories.

In his new role, Rottler will lead Sandia’s Energy, Climate, and Infrastructure Security Strategic Management Unit. Rottler also is currently vice president of Sandia’s Science and Technology Research Foundations Division.

Sandia National Laboratories Chief Technology Officer Steve Rottler has been selected to head Sandia\’s California site. (Photo courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories) Click on thumbnail for a high-resolution image.

“This management change will maintain continuity and operational stability during the pending contract competition and help ensure a leadership team that supports the workforce as we continue to deliver on our commitments,” said Paul Hommert, Sandia president and labs director.

Rottler has held a number of increasingly important leadership roles since he joined Sandia as a member of the technical staff in 1985, including vice president of Weapons Engineering and Product Realization and chief engineer for Nuclear Weapons. He also led nuclear warhead system engineering, the integration and development of high performance electronic systems and organizations and programs responsible for the research, development and application of advanced computational and experimental techniques in the engineering sciences.

Rottler received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate, all in nuclear engineering, from Texas A&M University.

“Everyone at Sandia owes a tremendous debt of gratitude and appreciation to Rick Stulen for his significant contributions to the laboratories and the nation,” Hommert said. “I wish him the very best in his retirement.”

Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin company, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies and economic competitiveness.

Sandia news media contact: Mike Janes, mejanes@sandia.gov, (925) 294-2447