Steven R. Spurgeon
Joint Appointment in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Bio
Dr. Steven R. Spurgeon is a leading figure in materials data science who directs the TIME (Transformative Intelligence for Materials Exploration) Research Group at the Colorado School of Mines. He also serves as a Senior Materials Data Scientist at the National Laboratory of the Rockies and a Research Fellow in the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) at the University of Colorado–Boulder. His research group unites artificial intelligence with advanced microscopy to accelerate materials discovery, creating “self-driving” laboratories to understand and design next-generation materials for energy, computing, and sensing. Dr. Spurgeon’s innovative work has been widely recognized with prestigious awards, including the R&D 100 Award and the Burton Medal from the Microscopy Society of America. His contributions extend beyond research, as he actively mentors students, fosters commercial partnerships, and shapes the future of materials science through leadership roles in professional societies.
Professional Experience
2024 – Present: Joint Appointee, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines
2024 – Present: Senior Materials Data Scientist, National Laboratory of the Rockies
2024 – Present: Fellow, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder
2021 – 2024: Affiliate Associate Professor of Physics, University of Washington
2017 – 2024: Senior Materials Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
2015 – 2017: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Education
2014: Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University
2009: B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
Selected Awards
2024: R&D 100 Award for Autonomous Electron Microscope (AutoEM)
2022: PNNL Laboratory Director’s Award for Early Career Achievement
2016: Postdoctoral Research Award from Microscopy Society of America
2014: National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship from Department of Defense
2013: Gold Graduate Student Award from Materials Research Society
2013: Presidential Student Award from Microscopy Society of America