Susannah V. Howieson, JD, MEM

Susannah V. Howieson, JD, MEM is a Federal science and technology policy expert who focuses on basic and applied energy research and development and national security science and technology. In addition, her years of experience working with the Executive Office of the President, Federal research agencies, and Congress on critical science policy issues have provided her with broad expertise and networks that enable her to support clients across energy, defense, physical sciences, and economic development issues.

Most recently, Susannah led strategic planning, interagency coordination, and infrastructure planning for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science where she spearheaded efforts on laboratory modernization, place-based innovation, and increased research program integration. Susannah managed the development of an umbrella Memorandum of Understanding between the Office of Science and NSF and created a vision for the future of the National Laboratory complex (Laboratories of the Future) through far-reaching stakeholder engagement. She also completed a rotation in NNSA’s Office of Policy and Strategic Planning, further deepening her connections to and understanding of the nuclear community. Susannah is a master communicator, facilitator, and consensus builder, and is especially skillful in distilling complex policy topics down to key digestible messages.

Susannah has authored dozens of reports on topics such as technology transfer, facilities and infrastructure planning and prioritization, and government laboratory-university partnerships. Her efforts have been integral to the development of critical national policies, including the Decadal Vision for Commercial Fusion Energy, the National Security S&T Strategy, and the Presidential Memorandum on Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion, and she has served on multiple interagency committees, such as Lab-to-Market and the subcommittee on Critical and Emerging Technologies List.

Issue Expertise: Basic and applied energy research and development and DOE; Nuclear production, policy, and security and NNSA; physical sciences; Federal research management, national labs and FFRDCs, interagency coordination, and infrastructure; Technology transfer and regional economic development; emerging technology and the national security S&T enterprise.

Additional Experience:  Before joining DOE, Susannah served in the office of Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11) as a Nuclear Security Working Group fellow. For close to a decade prior, Susannah conducted science and technology policy analysis for the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI), a federally funded research and development center that supports the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and other Federal agencies. At STPI, Susannah focused on assessments of research organizations and national security. She also has significant experience in strategic planning and policy development, primarily through her work for the National Security and International Affairs Division of OSTP. Susannah co-led the research team for the Commission to Review the Effectiveness of the National Energy Laboratories (CRENEL) for DOE. Before STPI, she worked as an attorney at Sidley Austin, LLP in New York, NY, and for the Office of Climate Change Policy and Technology at DOE.

Vital Statistics:  Susannah holds a BA from Rice University with a double major in Biology and Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations, a JD cum laude from Boston University, and a Masters of Environmental Management (MEM) in Environmental Economics and Policy from Duke University. She lives in Alexandria with her husband, three children, and a dog, cat, and fish. In her free time, she loves to travel, especially to historical sites and nature preserves.