William Priedhorsky, PhD
LGNA Partner and Chief Scientist
Dr. William Priedhorsky is a Partner and the Chief Scientist at LGNA, focusing on advancements in space technologies following a distinguished 44-year career at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Joining LANL in 1978 and named a Laboratory Fellow in 1997, he served as Chief Scientist across multiple threat reduction and space divisions, concluding his full-time tenure as the Program Director for Laboratory Directed Research and Development (2007–2022). Throughout his career, Dr. Priedhorsky pioneered critical innovations in astrophysics, space instrumentation, and global security. Notably, he conceived and led the development of ALEXIS—Los Alamos’ first small satellite—and managed high-stakes programs in remote sensing, proliferation detection, treaty monitoring, and nuclear safeguards. He remains active as a guest scientist and Fellow in LANL's Intelligence and Space Research division.
He earned his B.A. in Physics summa cum laude from Whitman College and his Ph.D. in Physics, specializing in x-ray astronomy, from the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Priedhorsky's scientific contributions have earned him elite industry recognition, including being named a Fellow of the American Physical Society and receiving their prestigious Leo Szilard Award, alongside international fellowships with the Max Planck Institute and the University of Melbourne. Outside of his research and advisory roles, he is an avid outdoorsman who has served multiple terms as President of the Los Alamos Mountaineers.
• Laboratory Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratories https://www.lanl.gov/• Fellow, American Physical Society https://www.aps.org/• Leo Szilard Award of the American Physical Society• Whitman College, Alumnus of the Year 1995. • Max Planck Fellow• Lyle Fellow, University of Melbourne, Australia• Visiting Scientist, Danish Space Research Institute• Elected Head, Los Alamos National Laboratory Fellows• Fellow, Intelligence and Space Research division, LANL
• Laboratory Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratories https://www.lanl.gov/• Fellow, American Physical Society https://www.aps.org/• Leo Szilard Award of the American Physical Society• Whitman College, Alumnus of the Year 1995. • Max Planck Fellow• Lyle Fellow, University of Melbourne, Australia• Visiting Scientist, Danish Space Research Institute• Elected Head, Los Alamos National Laboratory Fellows• Fellow, Intelligence and Space Research division, LANL