William Bookless is an American scientist and government official who served as the acting

Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security The Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, in the United States Department of Energy, is the Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is a United States federal agency ...

from 2020 to 2021. Bookless, who had previously served as deputy under secretary, assumed office on November 6, 2020 after the resignation of Lisa Gordon-Hagerty.

Education

Bookless earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a PhD in physics from

University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming (UW) is a public land-grant research university in Laramie, Wyoming. It was founded in March 1886, four years before the territory was admitted as the 44th state, and opened in September 1887. The University of Wyoming ...

Career

Bookless worked as a senior physicist at the

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is a federal research facility in Livermore, California, United States. The lab was originally established as the University of California Radiation Laboratory, Livermore Branch in 1952 in response ...

for 32 years, where he specialized in nuclear security-related issues. At the Livermore National Laboratory, Bookless conducted research into the effects of X-ray lasers. He was also an associate program leader in the laboratory's nuclear design division. He later served as the Deputy Associate Director of Defense and Nuclear Technologies and Associate Director of Safety and Environmental Protection. For three years, Bookless served as the Assistant Laboratory Director for Policy and Planning at Brookhaven National Laboratory. From 2009 to 2012, he served as a senior policy advisor in the

National Nuclear Security Administration The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is a United States federal agency responsible for safeguarding national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, and e ...

. On May 23, 2019, Bookless was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

to serve as principal deputy director of the NNSA. After Director Lisa Gordon-Hagerty resigned on November 6, 2020, Bookless assumed her position in an acting capacity.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bookless, William Living people United States Department of Energy officials Trump administration personnel Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni University of Wyoming alumni American physicists Brookhaven National Laboratory staff Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory staff Year of birth missing (living people)