Office of National Laboratories
Established in January 2025, the Office of National Laboratories (ONL) strengthens strategic partnerships between the University of Michigan and federal mission-driven science and technology agencies, especially the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. ONL serves as the university’s central platform for engaging with national and service laboratories, aligning world-class academic research with the country’s most pressing challenges in energy, security, health and technology.
Learn how the University of Michigan is preparing for the federal Genesis Mission by coordinating activities with U-M researchers to accelerate AI-driven scientific discovery and innovation.
Our Mission
To catalyze and sustain long-term partnerships that accelerate scientific discovery and innovation in service of the American public. We focus on three pillars:
Strategy
Aligning university capabilities with state and federal R&D priorities to drive solutions to emerging and long-standing national needs.
Agility
Lowering barriers to collaboration through flexible structures, rapid response mechanisms and tailored partnership models.
Teamwork
Building durable relationships between federal laboratories and U-M faculty, students and staff, from fundamental research to applied innovation.
What We Do
- Enable collaborative research with national laboratories and federal agencies.
- Facilitate cross-sector collaboration.
- Design and support new models for co-located research, talent development and shared infrastructure.
- Develop workforce pipelines and leadership pathways in mission-relevant research, science and engineering.
- Serve as a point of contact for developing National Laboratory partnerships and connecting scholars across the U-M research continuum.
Why It Matters
From advanced materials and artificial intelligence to energy and biotech innovation, today’s national challenges demand coordinated action across institutions and sectors. ONL helps ensure that Michigan’s research enterprise advances knowledge and delivers solutions that protect, power and serve the public.
The Team
Monica Dus - Director
Dr. Monica Dus serves as the Director of the Office of National Laboratories at the University of Michigan, where she leads efforts to build strategic, cross-sector partnerships with the nation’s federal research and mission agencies.
A 2023–2024 White House Fellow and former Special Assistant to the 78th Secretary of the Navy (GS-14), Dr. Dus led portfolios in science, education and force resilience, contributing to the Department of the Navy Science & Technology Strategy, the Naval Education Strategy and the $50 million Michigan Maritime Initiative. She was awarded the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award and the U-M President’s Award for Public Impact for her service.
Dr. Dus is a Guggenheim and Sloan Fellow and a member of the National Academies’ New Voices in Science, Engineering and Medicine (the NASEM “Young Academy”). She is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s “Vision for American Science & Technology” task force, which advances cross-sector strategies and policies for national science leadership, and of the society’s Leadership Development Committee.
Trained in molecular biology and neuroscience, Dr. Dus is the principal investigator of an NIH- and NSF-funded research lab and teaches genetics, neuroscience and science communication in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, NY, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine at the NYU School of Medicine in New York, NY.
Nicole Sitek - Assistant Director
Nicole Sitek serves as the Assistant Director for the Office of National Laboratories at the University of Michigan. In this role, she leads operational strategy and project execution across a range of initiatives that connect the university’s research enterprise with national laboratories, federal agencies and mission-driven partners.
Ms. Sitek brings deep experience in academic research administration, cross-sector collaboration, and organizational strategy. She works closely with faculty, staff and external stakeholders to coordinate high-impact research partnerships, facilitate joint initiatives and advance the Office’s mission of aligning university research with national and state priorities.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Madonna University and has experience in finance and research administration at the University of Michigan.
Linda Lillemoen - Senior Executive Administrative Partner
Linda Lillemoen joined the Office of the Vice President for Research in 2023. In her role, Linda provides support to the the Office of the National Laboratories, as well as other AVPs and Directors within the OVPR office.
Linda has worked for the University since 2003. Prior to joining OVPR, she served as the Program Manager for the Stephen M. Ross School of Business Global MBA. Linda holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Oakland University.
News
U-M, Argonne National Laboratory sign five-year partnership
Agreement launches with maritime innovation and ship design
The University of Michigan and Argonne National Laboratory signed a memorandum of understanding on Nov. 21 that formalizes decades of collaboration between the two institutions.
Get in Touch
Office of National Laboratories
The University of Michigan, Office of the Vice President for Research
[email protected]