Eric Schwegler

Dr. Eric Schwegler was named Director of Academic Engagement Office & Science Education at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in April 2022. He oversees a broad range of educational science and technology programs and initiatives that advance the mission and vision of the Laboratory. Aligned with senior leadership, Dr. Schwegler strengthens the Laboratory’s core science and engineering competencies through engagement with academic institutions. In addition, Schwegler oversees LLNL’s institutes and centers, builds strategic partnerships to foster collaborative research and development, and nurtures a pipeline of talent to secure a top-tier science and technology workforce.

Prior to his current role at LLNL, Schwegler served as Director of Sponsored Science within the Office of the Deputy Director of Science and Technology (DDST) from 2017–2022. Schwegler joined the Laboratory in 1998 as a postdoctoral researcher and has held roles of increasing responsibility, serving as Quantum Simulations Group Leader in the Physical and Life Sciences Directorate from 2005 to 2017.

Schwegler holds a B.S. in Chemistry and Computer Science from Southwestern University and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Minnesota. He was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2013 and serves as member of the Leadership Team for the Critical Materials Institute, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub.