Drell appointed acting director at SLAC as Dorfan accepts new university position

Persis Drell, deputy director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), has been appointed acting director by university President John Hennessy while the search for the successor to Jonathan Dorfan continues during the fall.Dorfan, who last March announced his intention to step down this fall after eight years as SLAC’s director, will relocate to the university’s main campus and become an assistant to the president. In this role, Dorfan will focus on the relationship between Stanford and SLAC, including the renewal of the lease of the SLAC site to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Stanford’s contract to continue overseeing SLAC on behalf of the DOE.

Drell’s appointment as acting director is effective immediately. The international search for a new SLAC director is expected to be completed later this year.

As director, Jonathan has amplified the interaction between SLAC and the main campus, making it an ever more important asset to the university,” said Hennessy. “He is the perfect person to help us cement that relationship."He added, “I also appreciate Persis’ willingness to lead SLAC at this critical time. I am confident that she will not only maintain but accelerate the changes Jonathan has initiated.”

The university’s operating contract with the DOE for SLAC expires on Sept. 30, 2007. The DOE has indicated it will grant Stanford a two-year extension. The lease agreement between Stanford and the DOE for the SLAC site expires in 2012.

http://www.slac.stanford.edu/Contact:

Neil CalderDirector of CommunicationsStanford Linear Accelerator Center2575 Sand Hill RoadMenlo Park CA 94025U.S.A.

T: +1 650 926 8707F: +1 650 926 8793neil.calder@slac.stanford.edu