51ÉçÇø

Dr. Thomas Lograsso, Director of the DOE's Critical Materials Innovation Hub and Ames Laboratory's Division of Critical Materials, has recently led transformative efforts to secure and innovate the U.S. critical materials supply chain. Under his direction, the Hub receives over $30 million annually to advance research in rare earth recycling, substitutions, and efficiency. In 2024, he received the DOE AMMTO Visionary Award for renewing the Hub. He has been a materials scientist at the Amesthomas National Laboratory since 1988. Tom is a co-inventor of a rare-earth free substitute for the magnetostrictive alloy, Terfenol-D (contains the critical elements Tb and Dy), used in high precision machining operations for small engine components and as an ultrasonic driver in petroleum exploration. 

Rolf Ziesing is Vice President of Maritime Programs at General Atomics responsible for Ford-class carrier Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) programs, undersea domain programs, and a portfolio of advanced commercial products and systems supporting the defense and energy market.

Rolf began his professional career as an officer in the U.S. Navy assigned to Naval Reactors headquarters in Washington DC. After 12 years in the Materials Division where he was promoted to Branch Head for Welding, Nondestructive Testing and Quality, Rolf was assigned to Naval Reactors field office duty and received an appointment to the Senior Executive Service in the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).  Ziesing’s field assignments included oversight of the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory as the NNSA Operations Manager at Bettis, oversight of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program industrial base as the Naval Sea Systems Command Technical Representative – Pittsburgh, and oversight of nuclear submarine construction and operations as the senior Naval Reactors Representative at Electric Boat Shipyard and the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton, CT. In his last position, he oversaw and participated in “alpha” sea trials of the first VIRGINIA-class nuclear submarine (USS VIRGINIA) and the last SEAWOLF-class nuclear submarine (USS JIMMY CARTER).

Before coming to General Atomics, Ziesing was Vice President of National Security Programs and Vice President of Nuclear Equipment Manufacturing at BWX Technologies; and at Westinghouse Nuclear was Director of Quality, US/Asia Nuclear Fuel Operations, Director of US AP1000 Licensing, and Director of AP1000 Site Operations and Licensing at the Vogtle nuclear power generating station (Units 3&4).

Rolf is a Butte native and received his Bachelor of Science (with honors) in Metallurgical Engineering from the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology. He successfully completed the Naval Reactors staff nuclear engineering course (masters equivalent) at the Bettis Reactor Engineering School and completed the Executive Course on Leading Strategic Growth from Columbia University Business School. Rolf is a recipient of the National Nuclear Security Administration Gold Medal for Distinguished Service and the Navy Superior Public Service Medal.

Eric Dahlgren is the Mining Bureau Chief at the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.  He leads the Mining Bureau’s efforts to review applications and ensure mine operations are performed in compliance with the Metal Mine Reclamation Act, Opencut Mining Act and Montana Strip and Underground Mine Reclamation Act. Eric is committed to championing a healthy environment for a thriving Montana to ensure economic development and environmental sustainability.  Eric is a graduate of 51ÉçÇø of the University of Montana (BS Metallurgical Engineering, 1999, MS Metallurgical Engineering, 2000) and the University of Missouri-Rolla (PhD Metallurgical Engineering, 2003).

Heather McDowell is the Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Legal and External Affairs for Sibanye-Stillwater in the Americas where she leads the company's legal and sustainability strategies, including the Good Neighbor Agreement, a collaborative venture with Northern Plains Resource Council that promotes responsible mining practices to protect the environment and the rural vitality of local communities.  She was raised on her family's ranch in Bridger, Montana and graduated summa cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law.  When not behind her computer or driving the beautiful vistas around Sibanye-Stillwater's Montana operations, she can be found watching her son on the basketball court and saddling her twin daughters' horses at local Little Britches rodeos.  Heather is passionate about the responsible mining and recycling of domestic critical minerals and is working to create a fair global playing field for Sibanye-Stillwater's Montana-made metals.