Dr. Sunita Satyapal is an internationally known subject matter expert and leader in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells with three decades of experience in government, industry, and academia. She has had diverse roles including as a researcher, a visiting assistant professor, as Chief Engineer and Director for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, and as a manager in industry at United Technologies for research and development (R&D) as well as business development and stakeholder collaboration. She has been responsible for overseeing R&D in industry and government, including strategy development, coordinating over $10 billion in hydrogen funding over the years, and collaborating across more than 25 countries through global hydrogen partnerships.
With more than 15 years of leadership as head of the DOE’s hydrogen and fuel cell activities, her work leaves a lasting impact on the U.S. and global hydrogen economy.
Under her guidance, her office:
- Helped launch the U.S. National Hydrogen Strategy
- Enabled thousands of hydrogen and fuel cell projects
- Supported billions in public and private H₂ investment
- Forged global partnerships
She received her Ph.D. from Columbia University and did postdoctoral work in Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University. She has numerous publications, including in Scientific American, 10 patents, and several recognitions including two Presidential Rank Awards from the President of the United States.