Tom Lograsso, Director of the Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI) and the Division Director of Critical Materials at the Ames National Laboratory, has been named R&D Leader of the Year by R&D World. His award was announced as part of the 2025 R&D 100 Professional Awards. The honorees were selected by a panel of 54 industry experts from around the globe. Winners will be formally awarded at the R&D 100 Awards Banquet in Scottsdale, AZ on Nov. 20.
Additionally, R&D World announced 158 finalists for the 2025 R&D 100 Awards. Among the finalists is the MnBi-based rare-earth-free permanent magnet, developed by an Ames Lab team led by Jun Cui. Here is a recent story discussing the technology.
Finally, the Rare Earth Metals via Alternative Fluoride Salts (REFMAS) technology developed by a team of Ames Lab and CMI scientists, led by Ikenna Nlebedim, was announced as a gold medalist in the 2025 R&D 100 Awards Special Recognition. These and other winners will be celebrated at the R&D 100 Awards Banquet in Scottsdale, Arizona on Nov. 20. Here is a recent story discussing the technology.