Lifetime Achievement – National Laboratory

As a Senior Manager of Nuclear Engineering Fuel Cycle at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, Evaristo “Tito” Bonano is focused on protecting the environment through careful management of nuclear waste disposal, an area that’s been his focus throughout his remarkable 40-year career.  A recipient of a HENAAC Award in 2000, his work is internationally recognized across the nuclear waste industry.

Dr. Bonano reached the summit of his profession with his work on the Yucca Mountain project.  Sandia was designated as the lead laboratory for the Department of Energy’s Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, and Tito’s contributions were critical to its success.  He directed the efforts of 50 engineers and scientists from across the nation to prepare crucial licensing for the proposed repository.

For the past 10 years, he’s led Sandia’s Nuclear Energy Fuel Cycle Program, positioning Sandia as the nation’s – and perhaps the world’s – premier nuclear waste disposal research organization. His budget responsibilities hit $60 million in fiscal year 2020, and the 122-member workforce he directs includes technical managers, R&D staff, and contractor employees across five technical departments.

Dr. Bonano has also provided technical advice related to nuclear waste management to international organizations including the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute in South Korea and the Nuclear Safety Council in Spain. Thanks to his contributions, Sandia also recently assisted Australia in its nuclear waste disposal effort.

Born in Puerto Rico, Dr. Bonano earned a bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, and received his masters and doctorate degrees in the same subject from Clarkson University. Before joining Sandia National Laboratories, he worked as a research and teaching assistant in the Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

He is the author or co-author of dozens of refereed journal articles, conference papers, and scientific reports and is also a member of several professional organizations including the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Nuclear Society

Dr. Bonano has made it a point throughout his career to create more opportunities in his native Puerto Rico.  He helped establish a 10-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between Sandia and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, his alma mater, and he was the catalyst for the establishment of a similar program with the School of Engineering at the Universidad Ana G. Mendez – Recinto de Gurabo.

Despite his roots in Puerto Rico, Dr. Bonano has transplanted himself and his family well to develop a flourishing life in New Mexico. His new roots in the state include his wife Nilsa, his son and his daughter (who both now also work at Sandia), and three grandsons.