Don Hillebrand is the Deputy Associate Laboratory Director for Programs for Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Energy Technologies directorate. He is also the former director of Argonne’s Energy Systems Division, leading a team of engineers and scientists developing sustainable innovative technologies to improve the efficiency of resource and energy utilization, minimize America’s dependence on imported energy, and enhance U.S. national security.

In 2013, Dr. Hillebrand was elected President and Chairman of the Board of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the largest mobility-focused engineering society in the world.  

Prior to joining Argonne in 2004, he worked for Daimler Research in Stuttgart, Germany, as Daimler’s research and technology liaison with the European Commission. From 1996 to 1999, Dr. Hillebrand served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Executive Office of the President in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Technology Division.

Dr. Hillebrand was named by Automotive News as one of the 100 most influential people bringing about the elect rification of the automobile and is listed on the Forbes 10 list of automotive thought leaders. He was named Michigan’s Outstanding Young Engineer of the Year in 1993 and served as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow in 1995.

Dr. Hillebrand began his career in 1983 as a research engineer with Chrysler Motors, where he worked for 20 years in positions of increasing responsibility. He has two patents and is the author of over 100 publications and invited seminar presentations. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University.