Bio

John Sarrao became SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s sixth director in October 2023. The lab’s ~2,000 staff advance the frontiers of science by exploring how the universe works at the biggest, smallest, and fastest scales and invent powerful tools used by scientists around the globe. SLAC’s research helps solve real-world problems and advances the interests of the nation. SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. It is home to three Office of Science national user facilities: the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the world’s most powerful X-ray laser; the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL); and the Facility for Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests, (FACET-II). SLAC hosts thousands of users each year and manages an annual budget of ~$700M. In addition to his role as lab director, John is a professor of photon science, and by courtesy, of materials science and engineering at Stanford University, a senior fellow at Stanford’s Precourt Institute, and dean of SLAC faculty.

John came to SLAC from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico, where he served as the deputy director for science, technology, and engineering. In that role, he led multiple directorates, including chemistry, earth and life sciences, global security, physical sciences, and simulation and computation. He also stewarded technology transitions and served as LANL’s chief research officer in support of its national security mission. Before becoming deputy director, he served as associate director for theory, simulation, and computation and division leader for materials physics and applications at LANL.

John’s scientific research focus is superconductivity in materials. He studies the synthesis and characterization of correlated electron systems, especially actinide materials. He won the 2013 Department of Energy’s E.O. Lawrence Award and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, and LANL. John received his PhD and master’s degree in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Stanford University.

Academic Appointments

Honors & Awards

  • Department of Energy Secretary's Achievement Award - The Science and Technology Risk Matrix Team, U.S. Department of Energy (2020)
  • Department of Energy Secretary’s Appreciation Award - Technology Convergence Working Group, U.S. Department of Energy (2017)
  • E.O. Lawrence Award, U.S. Department of Energy (2013)
  • Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratory (2010)
  • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2009)
  • Fellow, American Physical Society (2005)
  • Fellows Prize for Outstanding Research, Los Alamos National Laboratory (2004)
  • Director’s Development Program, Los Alamos National Laboratory (2003)

Professional Education

  • Ph.D., University of California Los Angeles, Physics (1993)
  • M.S., University of California, Los Angeles, Physics (1991)
  • B.S., Stanford University, Physics (1989)

Contact

  • Academic
    sarrao@slac.stanford.edu
    University - Faculty Department: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Position: Professor
    • 2575 Sand Hill Rd
    • Mailstop 0075
    • Menlo Park,  California  94025 
    University - Staff Department: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) Position: Director of SLAC

Additional Info

All Publications

  • Global perspectives of the bulk electronic structure of URu<sub>2</sub>Si<sub>2</sub> from angle-resolved photoemission ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE Denlinger, J. D., Kang, J., Dudy, L., Allen, J. W., Kim, K., Shim, J., Haule, K., Sarrao, J. L., Butch, N. P., Maple, M. B. 2022; 4 (1)

    View details for DOI 10.1088/2516-1075/ac4315

    View details for Web of Science ID 000775185300001

  • National Competitiveness FRONTIERS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH: A DECADAL SURVEY (2019) Greene, L. H., Lubensky, T., Tirrell, M. V., Chaikin, P. M., Ding, H., Faber, K. T., Hammond, P. T., Heckle, C. E., Hemker, K. J., Heremans, J. P., Jones, B. A., Mason, N., Mason, T., Rahman, T., Reichmanis, E., Sarrao, J. L., Sinnott, S. B., Stemmer, S., Stupp, S. I., Tolle, T., Weaver, M. L., Younkin, T., Zinkle, S. J., Wang, B., Adkins, R. C., Arnold, C., Chang, J. I., Donnellan, T. M., Forrest, S., Fuchs, E., Kotanchek, T., Larbalestier, D., Maher, M., Miller, R., Morris, E., Peppas, N. A., Pollock, T. M., Tassey, G., Wadley, H., Zinkle, S. J., Jacak, B., Loeb, A., Dimauro, L., Disalvo, F., Fisch, N., Fisher, D., Freedman, W., Heckman, T., Hill, W., Hurd, A., Jones, B. A., Lankford, A., Mavalvala, N., Page, L., Ritz, S., Comm Frontiers Mat Res Decadal, Natl Mat Mfg Board, Board Phys Astronomy, Div Engn Phys Sci, Natl Acad Sci, Natl Acad Engn, Natl Acad Med, Natl Acad Sci Engn Med 2019: 220–47

    View details for Web of Science ID 000510604600006

  • Brief Survey of Developments over the Decade FRONTIERS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH: A DECADAL SURVEY (2019) Greene, L. H., Lubensky, T., Tirrell, M. V., Chaikin, P. M., Ding, H., Faber, K. T., Hammond, P. T., Heckle, C. E., Hemker, K. J., Heremans, J. P., Jones, B. A., Mason, N., Mason, T., Rahman, T., Reichmanis, E., Sarrao, J. L., Sinnott, S. B., Stemmer, S., Stupp, S. I., Tolle, T., Weaver, M. L., Younkin, T., Zinkle, S. J., Wang, B., Adkins, R. C., Arnold, C., Chang, J. I., Donnellan, T. M., Forrest, S., Fuchs, E., Kotanchek, T., Larbalestier, D., Maher, M., Miller, R., Morris, E., Peppas, N. A., Pollock, T. M., Tassey, G., Wadley, H., Zinkle, S. J., Jacak, B., Loeb, A., Dimauro, L., Disalvo, F., Fisch, N., Fisher, D., Freedman, W., Heckman, T., Hill, W., Hurd, A., Jones, B. A., Lankford, A., Mavalvala, N., Page, L., Ritz, S., Comm Frontiers Mat Res Decadal, Natl Mat Mfg Board, Board Phys Astronomy, Div Engn Phys Sci, Natl Acad Sci, Natl Acad Engn, Natl Acad Med, Natl Acad Sci Engn Med 2019: 14–25

    View details for Web of Science ID 000510604600002

  • Research Tools, Methods, Infrastructure, and Facilities FRONTIERS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH: A DECADAL SURVEY (2019) Greene, L. H., Lubensky, T., Tirrell, M. V., Chaikin, P. M., Ding, H., Faber, K. T., Hammond, P. T., Heckle, C. E., Hemker, K. J., Heremans, J. P., Jones, B. A., Mason, N., Mason, T., Rahman, T., Reichmanis, E., Sarrao, J. L., Sinnott, S. B., Stemmer, S., Stupp, S. I., Tolle, T., Weaver, M. L., Younkin, T., Zinkle, S. J., Wang, B., Adkins, R. C., Arnold, C., Chang, J. I., Donnellan, T. M., Forrest, S., Fuchs, E., Kotanchek, T., Larbalestier, D., Maher, M., Miller, R., Morris, E., Peppas, N. A., Pollock, T. M., Tassey, G., Wadley, H., Zinkle, S. J., Jacak, B., Loeb, A., Dimauro, L., Disalvo, F., Fisch, N., Fisher, D., Freedman, W., Heckman, T., Hill, W., Hurd, A., Jones, B. A., Lankford, A., Mavalvala, N., Page, L., Ritz, S., Comm Frontiers Mat Res Decadal, Natl Mat Mfg Board, Board Phys Astronomy, Div Engn Phys Sci, Natl Acad Sci, Natl Acad Engn, Natl Acad Med, Natl Acad Sci Engn Med 2019: 162–219

    View details for Web of Science ID 000510604600005

  • Frontiers of Materials Research A Decadal Survey Preface FRONTIERS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH: A DECADAL SURVEY (2019) Greene, L. H., Lubensky, T., Tirrell, M. V., Chaikin, P. M., Ding, H., Faber, K. T., Hammond, P. T., Heckle, C. E., Hemker, K. J., Heremans, J. P., Jones, B. A., Mason, N., Mason, T., Rahman, T., Reichmanis, E., Sarrao, J. L., Sinnott, S. B., Stemmer, S., Stupp, S. I., Tolle, T., Weaver, M. L., Younkin, T., Zinkle, S. J., Wang, B., Adkins, R. C., Arnold, C., Chang, J. I., Donnellan, T. M., Forrest, S., Fuchs, E., Kotanchek, T., Larbalestier, D., Maher, M., Miller, R., Morris, E., Peppas, N. A., Pollock, T. M., Tassey, G., Wadley, H., Zinkle, S. J., Jacak, B., Loeb, A., Dimauro, L., Disalvo, F., Fisch, N., Fisher, D., Freedman, W., Heckman, T., Hill, W., Hurd, A., Jones, B. A., Lankford, A., Mavalvala, N., Page, L., Ritz, S., Comm Frontiers Mat Res Decadal, Natl Mat Mfg Board, Board Phys Astronomy, Div Engn Phys Sci, Natl Acad Sci, Natl Acad Engn, Natl Acad Med, Natl Acad Sci Engn Med 2019: IX-+

    View details for Web of Science ID 000510604600001

  • Materials Research Opportunities FRONTIERS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH: A DECADAL SURVEY (2019) Greene, L. H., Lubensky, T., Tirrell, M. V., Chaikin, P. M., Ding, H., Faber, K. T., Hammond, P. T., Heckle, C. E., Hemker, K. J., Heremans, J. P., Jones, B. A., Mason, N., Mason, T., Rahman, T., Reichmanis, E., Sarrao, J. L., Sinnott, S. B., Stemmer, S., Stupp, S. I., Tolle, T., Weaver, M. L., Younkin, T., Zinkle, S. J., Wang, B., Adkins, R. C., Arnold, C., Chang, J. I., Donnellan, T. M., Forrest, S., Fuchs, E., Kotanchek, T., Larbalestier, D., Maher, M., Miller, R., Morris, E., Peppas, N. A., Pollock, T. M., Tassey, G., Wadley, H., Zinkle, S. J., Jacak, B., Loeb, A., Dimauro, L., Disalvo, F., Fisch, N., Fisher, D., Freedman, W., Heckman, T., Hill, W., Hurd, A., Jones, B. A., Lankford, A., Mavalvala, N., Page, L., Ritz, S., Comm Frontiers Mat Res Decadal, Natl Mat Mfg Board, Board Phys Astronomy, Div Engn Phys Sci, Natl Acad Sci, Natl Acad Engn, Natl Acad Med, Natl Acad Sci Engn Med 2019: 104–61

    View details for Web of Science ID 000510604600004

  • Progress and Achievements in Materials Research over the Past Decade FRONTIERS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH: A DECADAL SURVEY (2019) Greene, L. H., Lubensky, T., Tirrell, M. V., Chaikin, P. M., Ding, H., Faber, K. T., Hammond, P. T., Heckle, C. E., Hemker, K. J., Heremans, J. P., Jones, B. A., Mason, N., Mason, T., Rahman, T., Reichmanis, E., Sarrao, J. L., Sinnott, S. B., Stemmer, S., Stupp, S. I., Tolle, T., Weaver, M. L., Younkin, T., Zinkle, S. J., Wang, B., Adkins, R. C., Arnold, C., Chang, J. I., Donnellan, T. M., Forrest, S., Fuchs, E., Kotanchek, T., Larbalestier, D., Maher, M., Miller, R., Morris, E., Peppas, N. A., Pollock, T. M., Tassey, G., Wadley, H., Zinkle, S. J., Jacak, B., Loeb, A., Dimauro, L., Disalvo, F., Fisch, N., Fisher, D., Freedman, W., Heckman, T., Hill, W., Hurd, A., Jones, B. A., Lankford, A., Mavalvala, N., Page, L., Ritz, S., Comm Frontiers Mat Res Decadal, Natl Mat Mfg Board, Board Phys Astronomy, Div Engn Phys Sci, Natl Acad Sci, Natl Acad Engn, Natl Acad Med, Natl Acad Sci Engn Med 2019: 26–103

    View details for Web of Science ID 000510604600003

  • Progress in mesoscale science MRS BULLETIN Sarrao, J. L., Crabtree, G. W. 2015; 40 (11): 919-922

    View details for DOI 10.1557/mrs.2015.265

    View details for Web of Science ID 000364852700012

  • Multiconfigurational nature of 5f orbitals in uranium and plutonium and some of their intermetallic compounds Booth, C. H., Jiang, Y., Wang, D. L., Mitchell, J. N., Tobash, P. H., Bauer, E. D., Wall, M. A., Allen, P. G., Sokaras, D., Nordlund, D., Weng, T., Nordlund, D., Torrez, M. A., Sarrao, J. L. AMER CHEMICAL SOC. 2013

    View details for Web of Science ID 000324303602700

  • Viewpoint: Materials prediction scores a hit Physics Ronning, F., Sarrao, J. 2013: 109
  • Opportunities for mesoscale science MRS BULLETIN Crabtree, G. W., Sarrao, J. L. 2012; 37 (11): 1079-1088

    View details for DOI 10.1557/mrs.2012.274

    View details for Web of Science ID 000311050200020

  • Controlling the Functionality of Materials for Sustainable Energy ANNUAL REVIEW OF CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, VOL 2 Crabtree, G., Sarrao, J., Langer, J. S. 2011; 2: 287-301

    View details for DOI 10.1146/annurev-conmatphys-062910-140447

    View details for Web of Science ID 000288917400014

  • New surprises "down below": Recent successes in the synthesis of actinide materials MRS BULLETIN Sarrao, J. L., Haga, Y., Ward, R. C. 2010; 35 (11): 877-882

    View details for DOI 10.1557/mrs2010.714

    View details for Web of Science ID 000284861500013

  • The road of sustainability Physics World Crabtree, G., Sarrao, J. 2009; 22: 24
  • Hidden magnetism and quantum criticality in the heavy fermion superconductor CeRhIn5. Nature Park, T., Ronning, F., Yuan, H. Q., Salamon, M. B., Movshovich, R., Sarrao, J. L., Thompson, J. D. 2006; 440 (7080): 65-8

    Abstract

    With only a few exceptions that are well understood, conventional superconductivity does not coexist with long-range magnetic order (for example, ref. 1). Unconventional superconductivity, on the other hand, develops near a phase boundary separating magnetically ordered and magnetically disordered phases. A maximum in the superconducting transition temperature T(c) develops where this boundary extrapolates to zero Kelvin, suggesting that fluctuations associated with this magnetic quantum-critical point are essential for unconventional superconductivity. Invariably, though, unconventional superconductivity masks the magnetic phase boundary when T < T(c), preventing proof of a magnetic quantum-critical point. Here we report specific-heat measurements of the pressure-tuned unconventional superconductor CeRhIn5 in which we find a line of quantum-phase transitions induced inside the superconducting state by an applied magnetic field. This quantum-critical line separates a phase of coexisting antiferromagnetism and superconductivity from a purely unconventional superconducting phase, and terminates at a quantum tetracritical point where the magnetic field completely suppresses superconductivity. The T --> 0 K magnetic field-pressure phase diagram of CeRhIn5 is well described with a theoretical model developed to explain field-induced magnetism in the high-T(c) copper oxides, but in which a clear delineation of quantum-phase boundaries has not been possible. These experiments establish a common relationship among hidden magnetism, quantum criticality and unconventional superconductivity in copper oxides and heavy-electron systems such as CeRhIn5.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/nature04571

    View details for PubMedID 16511490

  • Unconventional superconductivity in PuCoGa5. Nature Curro, N. J., Caldwell, T., Bauer, E. D., Morales, L. A., Graf, M. J., Bang, Y., Balatsky, A. V., Thompson, J. D., Sarrao, J. L. 2005; 434 (7033): 622-5

    Abstract

    In the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory of superconductivity, electrons form (Cooper) pairs through an interaction mediated by vibrations in the underlying crystal structure. Like lattice vibrations, antiferromagnetic fluctuations can also produce an attractive interaction creating Cooper pairs, though with spin and angular momentum properties different from those of conventional superconductors. Such interactions have been implicated for two disparate classes of materials--the copper oxides and a set of Ce- and U-based compounds. But because their transition temperatures differ by nearly two orders of magnitude, this raises the question of whether a common pairing mechanism applies. PuCoGa5 has a transition temperature intermediate between those classes and therefore may bridge these extremes. Here we report measurements of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate and Knight shift in PuCoGa5, which demonstrate that it is an unconventional superconductor with properties as expected for antiferromagnetically mediated superconductivity. Scaling of the relaxation rates among all of these materials (a feature not exhibited by their Knight shifts) establishes antiferromagnetic fluctuations as a likely mechanism for their unconventional superconductivity and suggests that related classes of exotic superconductors may yet be discovered.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/nature03428

    View details for PubMedID 15800618

  • Plutonium based superconductivity above 18K Nature Sarrao , J. L., Morales, L. A., Thompson, J. D., Scott, B. L., Stewart, G. R., Wastin, F., Rebizant, J., Boulet, P., Colineau, E., Lander, G. H. 2002: 297-299
  • Heavy fermion superconductivity in CeCoIn Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter Petrovic, C., Pagliuso, P. G., Hundley, M. F., Movshovich, R., Sarrao, J. L., Thompson, J. D., Fisk, Z., Monthoux, P. 2001; 13
  • A new heavy fermion superconducting prototype Celrln5: A relative of the cuprates Europhysics Letters Petrovic, C., Movshovich, R., Jaime, M., Pagliuso, P. G., Hundley, M. F., Sarrao, J. L., Fisk, Z., Thompson, J. D. 2001; 53 (3)
  • Pressure-induced superconductivity in quasi-2D CeRhIn5. Physical review letters Hegger, H., Petrovic, C., Moshopoulou, E. G., Hundley, M. F., Sarrao, J. L., Fisk, Z., Thompson, J. D. 2000; 84 (21): 4986-9

    Abstract

    CeRhIn5 is a new heavy-electron material that crystallizes in a quasi-2D structure that can be viewed as alternating layers of CeIn3 and RhIn2 stacked sequentially along the tetragonal c axis. Application of hydrostatic pressure induces a first-order-like transition from an unconventional antiferromagnetic state to a superconducting state with T(c) = 2.1 K.

    View details for DOI 10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.4986

    View details for PubMedID 10990848

  • Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy Migliori, A., Sarrao, J. L. Wiley. 1997
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9357-661X