An Iowa State professor recently has been named director of the Institute for Physical Research and Technology (IPRT).

Tom Barton, distinguished professor of chemistry who has been a member of the ISU faculty for more than 30 years, will succeed Joel Snow as the IPRT’s new director, according to a press release.

The director of IPRT coordinates the activities of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and 10 IPRT centers, including the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation and the Center for Advanced Technology Development.

According to a press release, IPRT is a federation of research, development and technology transfer entities at ISU.

Snow, who has been director of IPRT since 1993, will become executive associate director of the International Institute for Theoretical and Applied Physics (IITAP).

IITAP is an international physics center set up in partnership with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization to foster world peace through the sharing of scientific advances.

“Given Professor Snow’s long experience in Washington, I believe Joel is well suited to assume the domestic portfolio of IITAP,” Provost John Kozak said in a press release.