Sean Hearne
President & Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Sean J. Hearne is the President and CEO of the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA), where he focuses on advancing SURA as a leading organization in scientific research and innovation. With more than twenty years of leadership experience in the Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory system, Dr. Hearne has an extensive background in directing world-leading materials science and technology facilities.
Before his current role at SURA, Dr. Hearne was the Director of the Materials Science and Technology Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). There, he led research efforts that supported the DOE, the Department of Defense, and various industrial partners, focusing on areas such as quantum materials, energy, and space exploration technologies.
Dr. Hearne has also held positions as the Director for the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at ORNL and co-Director of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies at Sandia National Laboratories. His research has spanned various aspects of materials science, from nanotechnology to energy storage, significantly impacting the field. Early in his career, he worked at Intel Corporation, contributing to the development of the company’s first copper interconnect technology.
He earned his Ph.D. and MS in Solid State Physics from Arizona State University and a BS in Aviation Technology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Dr. Hearne is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and has served as President of the Materials Research Society. He holds multiple patents and has published extensively on topics ranging from material science to energy storage.
In addition to his research and leadership roles, Dr. Hearne has been active in advising academic and economic development boards, including those at Georgia Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Arizona State University, and the Singapore Economic Development Board.
As he leads SURA, Dr. Hearne is focused on promoting scientific discovery and collaboration, drawing on his extensive experience in research, development, and innovation to guide the organization’s significant grown in its mission and impact.