Peter Nico Appointed Director of Berkeley Lab’s Energy Geosciences Division

Peter Nico, an accomplished soil and environmental biogeochemist who joined the lab in 2005, has been selected to serve as the new leader of the Energy Geosciences Division (EGD) in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Area (EESA) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Equipped with 20 years of experience within EGD, Nico brings deep expertise that ranges from examining how contaminants move around in the environment to studying soil nutrients and the breakdown of rocks. His wide-ranging research experience has served as an asset in previous roles which include department head and deputy director, and will continue to be valuable as he crafts the future of the division. 

“We are thrilled to have Peter Nico lead the Energy Geosciences Division,” said Bill Collins, associate laboratory director for EESA. “His deep experience in both environmental chemistry and geosciences, in addition to his long tenure with the Lab, will be instrumental in further strengthening the division’s ability to produce leading research focused on helping improve infrastructure resilience, water security, and a broad energy portfolio.”

Established nearly 50 years ago, EGD focuses on enabling more effective and informed use of underground resources–from fossil fuels to energy to water. Researchers within EGD study how to responsibly recover critical minerals such as lithium, develop new technologies to monitor earthquakes, and advance models of groundwater, pollution, and other important aspects of Earth’s subsurface. Scientists also lead research in geothermal energy, advancing technologies that model and monitor hot fluid deep underground that can power our electricity. These experts range from geologists to physicists, mineralogists, engineers, and hydrologists, all working towards a future with more secure and reliable water and energy systems. 

“It’s been a privilege to witness how our research has changed and grown over the past 20 years, especially in geothermal science and critical minerals,” Nico said, who joined the lab in 2005. “From advancing geothermal energy technologies and models that help inform industry, to uncovering brine-based lithium resources, I’m excited to see how our research continues to progress in the future.”

Nico arrived at the Lab in 2005 with a PhD in agriculture and environmental chemistry from UC Davis and a master’s in organic chemistry from UCLA, after completing a postdoc in soil and environmental biogeochemistry at Stanford. Nico has led the Division’s Resilient Energy, Water, and Infrastructure Program Domain since 2017, and has now served as deputy director of EGD for over two years.

Nico’s research, which has resulted in nearly 150 publications, ranges from modeling water in Colorado watersheds to studying the effectiveness of land management strategies for optimal soil health, and evaluating the potential for aquifer thermal energy storage. His expertise in chemistry equips him to apply his ideas and knowledge to Earth and environmental fields of all kinds. His work is grounded in uncovering how metals move and transform throughout the environment to become more (or less) toxic, informing our understanding of human and environmental health issues. He studies these processes at the nanoscale (one hair is about 75,000 nanometers thick) using spectroscopy, which accelerates particles to create x-rays that can be used to examine the chemical compositions and reactions of soil. 

“Almost everything we do is driven by our scientists,” Nico said. “I’m excited to help craft the future of the division by facilitating the growth and collaboration of our researchers and guiding scientific questions.”

Nico’s tenure at the lab has also been rooted in mentorship. He is passionate about preparing the next generation of researchers, from undergraduate students to postdocs, to tackle pressing water and energy challenges.

“Helping people succeed in science is really about matching what they’re passionate about with the needs of the field,” Nico elaborated. “I’ve enjoyed guiding people as they discover their scientific interests, and then helping them find where those interests can make a real impact.”

Collins added, “Peter’s scientific and leadership experience, combined with his commitment to mentorship and collaboration, will ensure EGD continues to drive innovative research that refines our understanding of the subsurface environment, and informs effective, responsible solutions to meeting energy and water demands.”

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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 16 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

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