Dr. Marie Mapes is a photovoltaic Technology Manager for the SunShot Program in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. Her current responsibilities focus on creating photovoltaic research and development programs for universities, national labs, and companies that will improve the performance of photovoltaics and lower their cost, in order to make solar energy widely affordable and maintain US competitiveness. She also manages several programs with a workforce and education component, such as Diversity in Science and Technology Advances National Clean Energy (DISTANCE) program, Minority University Research Associates, and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Postdoctoral Research Awards.  She entered DOE in 2006 as a Presidential Management Fellow.  Before coming to DOE, Dr. Mapes earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin--Madison.  Her undergraduate institution was Grinnell College, where she earned a B.A. in chemistry.