Title: Senior Data Scientist
Company: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Location: Arvada, Colorado, United States
Robert R. White, Senior Data Scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Scientists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Renewable Energy.
Mr. White’s illustrious career spans over three decades, marked by significant contributions to astrophysics and renewable energy. Since 2008, he has served as a senior data scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. In this role, he has been instrumental in designing automated data acquisition systems and developing adaptable reactor control software systems. Mr. White’s expertise in data analytics and infrastructure is evident through his work on autonomous experimentation projects that merge artificial intelligence (AI) with scientific research instruments.
The NREL is recognized as the leading national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. It strives to achieve an affordable and secure energy future by providing state-of-the-art solutions that allow for economic opportunity and propel America’s global competitiveness.
Before his tenure at the NREL, Mr. White was a staff member at the Los Alamos National Laboratory from 2001 to 2008. There, he played a pivotal role in developing autonomous robotic observatories capable of capturing groundbreaking images of gamma-ray bursts. His work contributed significantly to the understanding of these astronomical phenomena. Before joining Los Alamos, Mr. White honed his skills as a software developer and designer at Ion Storm-Austin between 1999 and 2001 and as a software engineer at Origin Systems Inc. from 1994 to 1999. Mr. White’s early career began as a research engineer at the Fusion Research Center at the University of Texas from 1991 to 1994.
Mr. White’s academic background laid a strong foundation for his professional achievements. He holds an Associate of Science in computer science and electronics from the College of the Mainland in Texas City, Texas, since 1989. Subsequently, Mr. White garnered a Bachelor of Science in astrophysics and mathematics from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro in 1991 and a Master of Science in astrophysics and high-temperature physics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993.
Active in his professional community, Mr. White is a member of several professional organizations, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Physical Society, the American Astronomical Society and the American Chemical Society. Beyond his professional endeavors, he is deeply committed to civic engagement. Mr. White volunteers with the Pika Patrollers and Boreal Toad Project at the Denver Zoo and served as an advisory board member for Escape Dynamics Inc. from 2014 to 2015.
As a seasoned researcher, Mr. White has contributed to numerous scholarly publications, including the Astrophysics Journal and the Journal of Photovoltaics. He has authored or co-authored over 80 publications in all.
Throughout his career, Mr. White has been recognized for his contributions with several awards, including an Outstanding Mentor Award from the SULI Program in 2013 and a President’s Award from the NREL in 2010 and 2018. He attributes much of his success to his ability to adapt quickly to technological advancements, a skill he developed early on due to his exposure to computer technology during high school and his father’s influence as a U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel involved with NASA.
Looking ahead, Mr. White aims to enhance scientific capabilities at the NREL by integrating AI into their processes. This initiative will allow researchers to focus more on scientific inquiry while delegating application tasks to computers.
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