Scott Weidner, the first Princeton University assistant vice president for engineering at PPPL, brings skills developed over 25 years on multiple NASA projects at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas. “This is definitely going to be a new chapter in my career and it’s very exciting to me because I’ll be doing things that I have not done before,” Weidner said of his new role.

The position has several functions. They include assisting David McComas, Princeton University vice present of PPPL and also a veteran of SwRI, with understanding large Laboratory projects from an engineering and project management perspective. Weidner will also work on PPPL projects with the U.S. Department of Energy and with Laboratory and University leadership, and will manage six NASA projects for McComas that have come under contract to Princeton.

Weidner, who holds master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Purdue University and technology management from the University of Texas at San Antonio, has designed, built, tested and delivered scientific instruments for numerous spaceflight missions. “I love everything about engineering,” he said. “I’m happy to serve in any way possible to make the Lab the best in the world.”