Los Alamos National Laboratory Experts Kathleen McDonald And Mark Witkowski Recognized For Advancing Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology And Tech-Transfer Leadership – Los Alamos Reporter
Publish Date: 2026-03-22 00:02:00
Source Domain: losalamosreporter.com
Kathleen McDonald and Marc Witkowski. Photo Courtesy LANL
LANL NEWS RELEASE
Kathleen McDonald and Marc Witkowski with the Feynman Center for Innovation at Los Alamos National Laboratory have received national awards from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC). McDonald received the Outstanding Technology Transfer Professional Award for her leadership in licensing and partnership development across nuclear, fusion and national security technologies; Witkowski received the Excellence in Technology Transfer Award for advancing the Ion Pair Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) technology.
“These recognitions show how strong partnerships and thoughtful licensing help turn scientific discovery into real-world capability,” said Melissa Fox, senior director of the Lab’s Partnerships and Pipeline Office. “Technology transfer is a critical part of delivering mission impact for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).”
McDonald and Witkowski are senior commercialization managers at the Laboratory. The awards will be presented May 13 at the FLC National Meeting in Seattle.
The Feynman Center for Innovation serves as the Laboratory’s office for technology transfer and partnership development. Its mission is to ensure that federally funded research transitions responsibly to industry and government partners in support of the Laboratory’s national security responsibilities for the NNSA.
Advancing hydrogen fuel cell capabilities
The Ion Pair MEA addresses long-standing technical barriers that have limited broader use of hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Traditional systems often require complex cooling equipment and can face durability and cost challenges.
The Ion Pair MEA, originally developed at Los Alamos, uses a unique polymer electrolyte system that increases energy production by 60%. It can use lower-purity hydrogen fuel and…
