PNNL

Bobbie-Jo Webb-Robertson is an established technical leader with a PhD in decision sciences & engineering systems from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and experience in managing complex scientific programs and line organizations. She has also served in editorial, advisory, and key member positions for multiple professional organizations.

During her 21-year career at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Webb-Robertson has held many leadership positions, including group leader positions in the National Security Directorate and the Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, and has an extensive track record on recruiting and onboarding with diversity, equity, and inclusion in mind, as well as staff retention and career development.

“I cannot express how thrilled I am to be taking on the position of director for BSD. I have moved around the Lab over the past 20 years, but the Bioscience Division has always been my research home. The team approach of the people here has been one of the key enablers of the success I have had in my scientific career, and I hope to pay that forward.”

Her research portfolio is largely related to the biomedical field and primarily focuses on the development and application of advanced statistical and machine learning methods to address challenges associated with large and complex omics data, as well as integration across multiple data sources. She is a highly accomplished publisher with an h-index of 30 and more than 100 publications.

“My next step in this new capacity is to grow the scientific programs and impact of our division. In the coming months I will continue working with our previous and acting directors, Katrina, and Chris, on this transition. Although I know many of you, I certainly am a stranger to some. My immediate goal is to get to know all of you better, and in the longer term to define BSD priority areas for this fiscal year and the future. I hope to have your input for this shared vision.”

She has demonstrated strong biology-focused and collaborative program development skills, including building personal research programs at the intersection of biology and machine learning, cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional project stewardship, and Health & Human Services sector management. 

“I have an open-door policy (physical and virtual) and I am happy to discuss either of these opportunities, or anything else you have on your mind. I am excited for the future we will build together here at BSD.”

Bobbie-Jo also holds three joint appointments to facilitate collaborative program development:

• Clinical Volunteer Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
• Courtesy Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida
• Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University

Bobbie-Jo assumed the role of Division Director on March 13, 2023.