PNNL remembers man behind BSEL

By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory remembered the man who dreamed up the idea for the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory at Washington State University Tri-Cities on Monday.

But if Walt Apley had been there to see the new plaque honoring him at the entrance to BSEL, he would have been chuckling and shaking his head, said his widow, Gail Apley.

"Instead of taking credit, he would be giving accolades," she said.

Apley died four years ago shortly after being diagnosed with cancer and three years before seeing BSEL become a reality.

In about 2001, PNNL was considering how it could invest in biofuels research, said Mike Kluse, PNNL director.

"That's great guys. But where will we do the work?" Kluse remembers Apley asking.

"Really it was from that moment that the idea started," Kluse said.

Apley envisioned a facility that could showcase how researchers could use biomaterial such as wood and straw to make fuels and chemicals. Although some research was done before BSEL opened, it was scattered across the entire PNNL campus.

Having all work done now at BSEL helps show industry that PNNL is a leader in biomaterial research and helps demonstrate the process from small-scale tinkerings to finished products that industry could produce.

Apley also proposed forming a partnership with WSU Tri-Cities for the project, helping train the next generation of scientists.

Before that collaborations between the two institutions had been researcher to researcher rather than institutional, said Lura Powell, former PNNL director. But Apley's vision was to form a partnership that drew in PNNL; Battelle, which manages PNNL; Washington state and WSU.

"It was really tough going because it really was path breaking," Powell said.

But Apley had a persistence and passion that served him well whether he was recruiting support for BSEL or SausageFest at Christ the King School in Richland, said Julie Erickson, the acting manager of the Department of Energy Pacific Northwest Site Office.

"It was one thing to have a vision and another to get people excited about it," she said.

Since BSEL was dedicated last spring, 50 PNNL scientists and engineers have moved their research to the new 57,000-square-foot building on the WSU Tri-Cities campus. WSU has post-doctoral researchers at BSEL and is hiring faculty.

Work is under way at BSEL to develop biofuels from agricultural waste and crops grown for fuel more efficiently than today's biofuels and in ways that they can be used with the nation's existing infrastructure. A key objective is to move new technologies from the lab to commercial use. In addition, students will be given a hands-on education.

"You don't have any idea how excited Walt would be having this project a reality," Gail Apley said.

Walt Apley started work at PNNL in 1977. He served in a variety of positions, including interim laboratory directory, director for operations, associate laboratory director for the Environmental Technology Directorate and director of the Fast Flux Test Facility Standby Project Office. He also headed a task force to come up with a plan to vacate old facilities used by 900 workers in Hanford's 300 Area and replace the space with modern facilities, construction that is underway now.

But he left a legacy beyond BSEL and other projects he worked on for PNNL, said those who gathered at BSEL to remember him Monday.

He was encouraging to staff, was a team player and had a quote for every situation, whether from Mark Twain or Yogi Berra, they said.

"We really miss him," Kluse said.

w Annette Cary: 582-1533; acary@tricityherald.com

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Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009

PNNL remembers man behind BSEL

By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer