President and CEO, Energy Futures Initiative; Former US Secretary of Energy
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Ernest J. Moniz is the chief executive officer of Energy Futures Initiative and EJM Associates. He served as the thirteenth US Secretary of Energy from 2013 to January 2017. In that role, he advanced energy technology innovation, nuclear security and strategic stability, cutting-edge capabilities for the American scientific research community, and environmental stewardship. He also strengthened the Department of Energy’s (DOE) strategic partnerships with its seventeen national laboratories to produce science-based policy proposals that attracted strong bipartisan support.
A key architect of the Paris Agreement on climate change and Mission Innovation at COP 21, Professor Moniz championed international initiatives that placed energy, science, and technological innovation at the center of the global response to the climate crisis. He also negotiated the historic Iran nuclear agreement alongside Secretary of State John Kerry. Today Professor Moniz also serves as CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a non-profit organization that has advanced innovative solutions for securing nuclear materials, building international cooperation for nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, preventing the spread of disease, and reducing radiological threats. Professor Moniz was the founding director of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) and director of the Laboratory for Energy and the Environment. He received a bachelor of science degree summa cum laude in physics from Boston College, a doctorate in theoretical physics from Stanford University, and has received multiple honorary doctorates.
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