Franklin M. (Lynn) Orr, Jr. served as the inaugural under secretary for science and energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from December 2014 to January 2017. Leading the office after its creation by Secretary Ernest J. Moniz to integrate DOE’s basic science, applied research, technology development, and deployment efforts, Orr was the principal advisor to the secretary and deputy secretary on clean energy technologies and science and energy research initiatives.
A member of the Stanford University faculty since 1985, Orr was the Chester Naramore dean of the School of Earth Sciences from 1994 to 2002, director of the Stanford Global Climate and Energy Project from 2002 to 2008, and director of the Precourt Institute for Energy from its establishment in 2009 to 2013. He currently serves as emeritus professor in the Energy Science and Engineering Department. Orr holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science from Stanford University, both in chemical engineering.