The Advanced Photon Source
a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility

Schwarz and Narayanan complete distinguished leadership program

The highly competitive Strategic Laboratory Leadership Program helps build the skills of emerging leaders.

Two X-ray Science Division group leaders, physicist Suresh Narayanan and principal computer scientist Nicholas Schwarz, have completed the Strategic Laboratory Leadership Program (SLLP).

A joint venture between the Department of Energy’s (DOE) national laboratory complex and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, SLLP is a highly competitive and distinguished executive leadership program designed for the laboratory’s high-potential emerging leaders.

Narayanan and Schwarz, both of whom work at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, were two of the 14 Argonne employees in the 2022/2023 cohort.

Narayanan Suresh
Suresh Narayanan

“The Strategic Laboratory Leadership Program has been an extraordinary opportunity to help build and hone the leadership skills that I and Argonne need for the future,” said Schwarz. “I highly recommend the SLLP to all new and emerging leaders at Argonne.”

Through this unique program, employees can build leadership skills, network, gain cross-functional knowledge and prepare for more senior leadership roles. Some topics addressed during the program include leadership agility, strategy and financial management, techniques for handling motivation, problem solving, and systems thinking.

“SLLP was a phenomenal leadership training experience. The program emphasizes the soft skills that are an important part of leadership,” said Narayanan. “The interaction with peers at Argonne and other national labs resulted in a strong connection that will last beyond this program and the knowledge and experience gained is something that I can apply in my current role in real time.”

Laurent Chapon, Associate Laboratory Director for Photon Sciences and Director of the APS commended their achievement saying, “I am so pleased to have two great emerging leaders, such as Suresh and Nicholas, participate and complete the SLLP. I have no doubt the skills they learned and the connections they forged will be highly beneficial to their immediate and future roles as leaders and will benefit the entire PSC directorate.”

Nicholas Schwarz
Nicholas Schwarz
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