Jill Hruby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jill Hruby
Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration
In office July 26, 2021 – January 20, 2025
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	William Bookless
Succeeded by	TBD
Personal details
Education	Purdue University (BS) University of California, Berkeley (MS)

Jill M. Hruby is an American mechanical engineer and a government leader. She held important roles from 2021 to 2025. She was the Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security and led the National Nuclear Security Administration. This job needed approval from the Senate. Jill Hruby was also the first woman to lead a U.S. nuclear weapons lab. She was the director of Sandia National Laboratories from 2015 to 2017.

Early Life and Education

Where Jill Hruby Grew Up

Jill M. Hruby was born in 1959 in Defiance, Ohio. She grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Her College Studies

Hruby studied mechanical engineering in college. She earned her first degree from Purdue University College of Engineering. Later, she received her master's degree from the UC Berkeley College of Engineering.

Career Highlights

Starting at Sandia Labs

Jill Hruby began working at Sandia National Laboratories in 1983. She started as a technical staff member. She worked there until she retired in 2017.

Leading a National Lab

At Sandia, Jill Hruby took on more and more leadership roles. She worked on many important projects. These included nuclear weapons systems, preventing nuclear weapons from spreading, and defense technologies. She also worked on renewable energy and materials science. She made history as the first woman to lead a national security lab.

Working with the Government

After retiring from Sandia, she was a special fellow at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. On April 14, 2021, President Joe Biden chose Hruby for a big job. She was nominated to be the Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security. She would also lead the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Senate Approval Process

The Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, supported her nomination. The Senate received her nomination on April 22, 2021. A hearing about her nomination happened on June 16, 2021. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved her nomination on June 10, 2021. The full Senate confirmed her for the role on July 22, 2021. She officially started her new job on July 26, 2021. Her term ended on January 20, 2025.

Awards and Recognition

Important Memberships

Jill Hruby has been part of several important groups. These include the Defense Science Board. She was also on the National Nuclear Security Administration Defense Programs Advisory Committee.

Special Awards and Honors

In 2016, she received the Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award. This award came from the Society of Women Engineers. In 2017, Business Insider magazine named her the second most powerful female engineer.

She has also received several awards from the U.S. government. These include the Department of Energy Secretary's Exceptional Service Award. She also got the National Nuclear Security Administrator's Distinguished Service Gold Award.

Honorary Degrees

On May 13, 2022, her first college, Purdue University, gave her a special honor. She received an honorary doctorate degree in engineering. In 2022, she was also elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

On May 5, 2023, Michigan State University gave her another honorary degree. She received an honorary Doctor of Science. This was for her amazing career in engineering and science. It also recognized her leadership in nuclear security.