Cranberry Township, PA, January 18, 2022 –Westinghouse Electric Company announced the appointment of Chief Technology Officer Dr. Rita Baranwal to lead the company’s global research and development investments and spearhead a technology strategy to advance the company’s innovative nuclear solutions.
Dr. Baranwal’s appointment marks a return to Westinghouse where she worked for nearly a decade in leadership positions in the Global Technology Development, Fuel Engineering, and Product Engineering groups. In this new, strategic role, Dr. Baranwal will drive next-generation solutions for existing and new markets that align with Westinghouse’s forward-looking strategy.
“With new nuclear solutions built and implemented each day, we are thrilled to have Dr. Baranwal drive Westinghouse’s continued development of best-in-class technologies in the commercial nuclear space,” said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and Chief Executive Officer. “With her industry-recognized leadership in the private sector and in public policy, Dr. Baranwal provides invaluable insight as she leads our global research and development initiatives and ensures Westinghouse remains at the forefront of innovative nuclear solutions.”
Prior to rejoining Westinghouse, Dr. Baranwal served as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy where she directed the R&D portfolio across current and advanced nuclear technologies while collaborating across nuclear utilities, national labs, reactor developers, academia and government stakeholders. She has also held senior leadership roles with the Idaho National Laboratory as Director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), and most recently was the Chief Nuclear Officer and Vice President of Nuclear for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Dr. Baranwal has advanced degrees in materials science and engineering, including a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, and is distinguished as an American Nuclear Society Fellow.