Gretchen E. Hund

Ms. Hund is a senior scientist and leader of the Policy and Analysis Team within the Global Security Technology & Policy Group at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She has over 25 years of experience addressing topics that combine science and technology and public policy issues. These topics range from nuclear non-proliferation to carbon capture and storage as a means to address climate change. Concerning the former, she is working on industry governance/self regulation where the focus is on nuclear suppliers’ and dual-use industries’ possible role in preventing the spread of materials and technologies that could be used in a nuclear or radiological weapon. These industries’ can be a tremendous help in ensuring that illicit diversions do not occur anywhere along their supply chain. Ms. Hund’s research focuses on self regulation approaches individual companies or an industry as a whole can take to endorse nonproliferation and nuclear security to compliment government’s role in this area.

Concerning carbon capture and storage (CCS), Ms. Hund’s research is on understanding public perception associated with the technology. She is responsible for designing and managing communications and stakeholder involvement for the nonprofit -- FutureGen Alliance, whose mission is to design, build, and operate a regional site for storing carbon dioxide permanently in a deep saline formation in Illinois. She is also the lead for the stakeholder involvement effort of the Big Sky Carbon Sequstration Partnership in Wallula, Washington where the mission is to demonstrate CCS in basalt. Ms. Hund is also supporting a regional CCS training center in Seattle, WA. She is also a member of an international team of researchers comparing public perception of CCS at five sites around the world.

Related work has included managing a substudy for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development focused on helping a consortium of cement companies around the world be more sustainable given the industry’s current contribution to CO2 emissions. She developed a Communication and Stakeholder Involvement Guidebook for Cement Facilities to help managers solicit stakeholder feedback and recommendations. This work results in Ms. Hund serving as an expert for the United States in developing a new standard on Environmental Communication that is part of the ISO 14000 series (14063). She published a book on communication to support sustainable development that can be used by organizations interested in endorsing this new standard.

Ms. Hund was a senior analyst for several years at the US Congressional Office of Technology Assessment focused on environmental issues including radioactive waste management and wastes in the marine environment.

Ms. Hund serves on the boards of Monterey Institute of International Studies, a globally focused graduate school; the Pacific Science Center, an institution designed to inspire a lifelong interest in science, math and technology by engaging diverse communities through interactive and innovative exhibits and programs; Islandwood, an outdoor education school designed to provide exceptional learning experiences and to inspire lifelong environmental and community stewardship; and the Washington Foundation For the Environment; a nonprofit providing small grants to students and Washington-based organizations focused on environmental education and stewardship.

Ms. Hund has a bachelor’s in geology from Middlebury College and her master’s in political science with a concentration in science, technology, and public policy from MIT.