By Steve Seepersaud
Jeremy Mehta, MAT '18, PhD '19, saw opportunity in a project that some might consider a pain in the neck. When his research group moved from Science 3 to the Smart Energy Building in 2018, he viewed the new lab setup as a chance to think critically about how instrumentation and infrastructure enable scientific discovery. That part of his Binghamton University experience helped ready him for a career that involves looking at the big picture and bringing moving pieces together.
Mehta is chief of staff for the Office of Critical Minerals, Materials, and Manufacturing Technologies at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), helping coordinate strategy and operations across several offices supporting research, development, and commercialization of technologies for domestic critical minerals and energy technology supply chains.
"A big part of the job is bringing together people and resources across DOE, national laboratories, industry, and other parts of government to tackle complex technical challenges," Mehta said. "What I enjoy most is helping connect scientists, engineers, and policymakers around shared problems that require all three perspectives."
Prior to his promotion at DOE, he was a technology manager in the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, which leads DOE's efforts to develop next-generation materials and manufacturing technologies that strengthen American industrial competitiveness and support a resilient domestic energy sector. He was introduced to the office through the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Science and Technology and Policy Fellowship after receiving his doctoral degree from Binghamton.
"What I’ve found most rewarding about this path is the opportunity to use a scientific background in service of public policy — helping translate technical insight into programs that support innovation, industry, and the public good."
Mehta credits Jeffrey Mativetsky, director of materials science and engineering, for encouraging him to pursue the renewable energy Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, on which he worked alongside M. Stanley Whittingham, Nobel laureate and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry.
"Celebrating his Nobel Prize in 2019 was a special moment," Mehta said. "I remember we had a cake that read, 'Congratulations on the Nobel Prize,' which is probably a fairly rare cake inscription.
"Looking back, what I appreciated most about Binghamton University was the opportunity to explore science not just as research, but also as education, mentorship, and public engagement. Those experiences shaped how I think about science today — not just as discovery, but as a collaborative enterprise that connects research, education, industry, and public service."