The National Laboratory Chief Research Officers

[revised 2/23/17]

Purpose

The Chief Research Offices (CRO) Working Group (WG) advises DOE senior leadership and the National Lab Directors Council (NLDC) on scientific, programmatic and operational issues.  It serves as a forum for communication and coordination of major activities as they relate to the DOE national Laboratories.  
 
Working Group Activities
  1. Coordinate among the Laboratories to communicate and advance the R&D impact of our institutions.
  2. Provide feedback to DOE and to the NLDC on issues relevant to nurturing and advancing the DOE mission.
  3. Coordinate strategic planning for new programs that address grand challenge problems in science, energy, environment and national security.
  4. Encourage collaborative research among the DOE Labs that advances world-leadership in scientific and technological innovation.
  5. Communicate best practices in operations and activities that support the research environment at the Laboratories (e.g., technology transfer processes, administration of SPP contracts, conference management, change of station, branding, etc.).
  6. Communicate with the NLDC and other WGs (e.g., the COO WG and the CIO WG) to stay abreast of the developments in those areas and provide insight regarding how issues may impact the programmatic efforts.
Membership

 

The CRO Working Group consists of the CROs or equivalent position for the following national laboratories:

 

  • Ames Laboratory
  • Argonne National Laboratory
  • Brookhaven National Laboratory
  • Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
  • Idaho National Laboratory
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • National Energy Technology Laboratory
  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  • Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
  • Sandia National Laboratories
  • Savannah River National Laboratory
  • Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
  • Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

 

It is expected that the members will attend all regularly scheduled meetings or send a delegate fully authorized to represent them.

 

Officers


The CRO Executive Council (EC) shall consist of four members, 2-SC and 2 non-SC.  The EC members will be elected by plurality of the full membership to serve two-year staggered terms, with two members selected each year. The Chair-elect is elected by the CRO Working Group (WG) and moves into the position of Chair the following year.  The immediate past Chair may sit on the EC as an Ex-Officio member. 

If a member leaves the EC role, an open election will be held to fill the rest of the term of the departing member.  If the departing member is either the Chair or Chair-Elect, the EC shall choose a replacement for the remainder of the term.  If the EC cannot agree upon a replacement, the full CRO membership shall elect the replacement. 

 

Meetings


The Chair shall schedule regular meetings of the CRO WG.  The meetings shall be scheduled at least three times per year.  Meetings and locations will be announced via electronic mail. 

 

Voting


Decisions will normally be made by consensus.  Where voting is appropriate, it shall be managed by a third party and each member laboratory will have one vote. Normally, the NLDC Liaison will serve as the third party representative. Ballots may be cast by members during meetings or by electronic mail to the Chair within 3 working days of CRO WG meetings, by voting members who were not present.  A quorum of members must vote for a decision to move forward. Two thirds of the members represent a quorum.  A decision of the CRO WG is not binding on member Laboratories.

 

Cost


Each member will cover the cost of their participation, to include labor and non-labor, in the CRO Working Group.  The Chair may elect to make arrangements for members to share in the cost of hosting a meeting of the CRO WG or to fund additional technical or administrative support. 

 

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