Brinkman to step down as head of DOE Office of Science

Science : William Brinkman, who was appointed by President Obama as the head of the Department of Energy’s Office of Science in June 2009, announced that he will resign the position on 12 April. In his letter to DOE staff, he cited personal reasons as his motivation for leaving government service. Although Brinkman says that he has no immediate plans, he is open to returning to Princeton University, where he was working prior to his appointment, or to working at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he and his wife will be moving. His resignation letter highlights several of the Office of Science’s achievements over the last four years, including the establishment of DOE’s 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers , which focus on the development of clean and alternate energy technologies. He also indicates his concerns over federal budget implications for research and development. His replacement, who will have to undergo Senate confirmation, has not yet been announced by the Obama administration.