SRNL’s Wellman joins Critical Materials Innovation Hub bringing lab’s expertise and capabilities
Senior research fellow Dawn Wellman has been appointed to the Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI Hub) executive team, strengthening Savannah River National Laboratory’s expertise and capabilities in critical minerals and materials (CMM).
“Critical materials capabilities have been part of the SRNL story since the lab’s founding in the Cold War Era,” said SRNL’s Eric Pierce, associate laboratory director for environmental and legacy management. “SRNL’s expertise in areas such as separations science, process intensification, materials science, and resource discovery support and expand DOE’s Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation priorities and CMM-related initiatives.
“Wellman’s extensive industry and national laboratory experience and respected expertise in this field bolsters SRNL’s ability to drive innovation, and the new partnership with the CMI Hub will bring additional opportunities to collaborate across industry, academia and the national lab complex,” he added.
The demand for CMM continues to grow, as they are essential for advanced manufacturing, electronics, energy systems and defense applications. However, with many of these materials sourced primarily from outside the United States, there is an increased urgency to strengthen domestic capabilities for recovery, processing, and responsible environmental stewardship.
In her role as the CMI Hub’s science integration lead, Wellman will integrate the capabilities and expertise of all CMI Team members to enhance scale-up and commercialization activities, workforce development and education efforts.
The Critical Materials Innovation Hub is an Energy Innovation Hub led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory with support from the Office of Critical Materials and Energy Innovation (CMEI), Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO). CMI seeks ways to accelerate the development of critical material technologies and enhance the innovation pipeline for U.S. supply chains by accelerating research, educating the workforce, and creating de-risked, commercial-ready technologies in partnership with American industry.
Wellman joined SRNL in March 2026 and brings more than two decades of experience across government, academia and industry, including her time at Rio Tinto as strategic programs manager in their Copper Research and Development organization. She led efforts in critical mineral recovery, advanced tailings and water management and innovations for sustainable copper production. While at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Wellman made significant contributions in various leadership and scientific roles, including program manager and division director. She also previously served as chief scientist for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management in the Office of Groundwater and Soil Remediation.
Wellman holds a doctorate in chemistry and has authored more than 125 peer-reviewed publications, with an h-index of 17, underscoring her prolific impact in environmental chemistry and materials science. She is widely respected for her ability to translate scientific discoveries into operational results.
In 13 years as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Energy Innovation Hub, 27 CMI technologies have been licensed. CMI has 750 publications and 73 patents. CMI has developed six open-source software packages. To partner with CMI or license their technologies, contact Stacy Joiner, CMI Partner Relations, sjoiner@ameslab.gov or 515-296-4508.
Savannah River National Laboratory is a multi-program federally funded research and development center managed and operated by Battelle Savannah River Alliance for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management.
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Contact: SRNL Media Relations
Media contact: SRNL Media Relations