Chinese American physicist named as next U.S. Energy Secretary

Since 2004, he has been running the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, which is attached to the energy department, and has a budget of 645 million dollars and a staff of 4,000.

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama introduces Nobel physics laureate Steven Chu (2nd-L) as Energy Secretary and Nancy Sutley (L) current Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment for the City of Los Angeles, as Chair of the White House  Council on Environmental Quality during a news conference in Chicago, December 15, 2008.  (Stephen J. Carrera/Reuters)

If his nomination is approved by the Senate, Chu is expected to lead Obama's agenda to create 2.5 million new jobs through "green" and new technologies, and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil supply.

"I look forward to being part of President-elect Obama's team which believes we must repair the economy and put us on a path forward towards sustainable energy," Chu said at the press conference.

He defined the role of the Department of Energy as "a major force in meeting the challenges" by supporting "energy research and development" that will lead to innovation in the private sector, to nurture broad-based scientific research that is essential for the country's future prosperity, and to provide scientific leadership to minimize the proliferation and use of nuclear weapons.

Other key posts Obama announced to fill include Carol Browner as the newly-created "climate czar" at the White House, Nancy Sutley as chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Lisa Jackson as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

He said that nominees for the secretaries of the interior, transportation and agriculture, who he said also play important roles in energy and environment policies, would be announced in the days to come.