Statements by Dr. Alondra Nelson & Dr. Francis Collins On President Biden’s Intent to Nominate a New OSTP Director
Dr. Alondra Nelson, Deputy Assistant to the President, performing the duties of Director of OSTP:
“I am absolutely delighted that President Biden intends to nominate the Honorable Dr. Arati Prabhakar to serve as the next director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), as well as a member of his Cabinet and his chief science advisor.
Dr. Prabhakar is the real deal. The first woman to receive a Ph.D. in applied physics from Caltech, she is a pathbreaking scientist, innovator, and leader. Her stellar track record of accomplishment in science and technology policymaking, innovation, and social entrepreneurship includes serving as the youngest Senate-confirmed Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology – and the first woman and person of color to serve in that role – and later on as Director of DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Across this distinguished career, Dr. Prabhakar has advanced innovations in science and technology in service of the American public. And, she has built and led collaborative organizational cultures that enable everyone to do their best work.
I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing Dr. Prabhakar for several years; I have greatly admired her even longer still. She shares President Biden’s unwavering commitment to harnessing the power and possibilities of science and technology for all. She also shares OSTP’s values, and will continue to support the work and initiatives of all of its teams – mobilizing the power of nature to address the climate crisis, ending cancer as we know it, steeling our nation against future pandemics, rooting our science and technology in democratic values, ensuring our security, driving clean energy game-changers, and much more. And, she will lead OSTP with a commitment to equity.
I am deeply inspired by the President’s historic pick, and pending her confirmation by the Senate, I look forward to working closely with Dr. Prabhakar to ensure that, under her visionary leadership, OSTP will continue to deliver on its mission to maximize the benefits of science and technology to advance health, prosperity, security, environmental quality, and justice for all of America.”
Dr. Francis Collins, Acting Science Advisor to the President, Acting Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and former Director of the National Institutes of Health:
“I’m thrilled about the President’s decision to nominate Dr. Arati Prabhakar to serve as his science and technology advisor and OSTP Director. Dr. Prabhakar has worked with every facet of America’s vibrant research and development ecosystem.
She brings the right mix of broad experience across government, industry, and academia; deep scientific knowledge and expertise across many disciplines; a profound appreciation for the value of fundamental research; and visionary leadership to tackle the toughest challenges facing our nation and the world. I can’t think of anyone better to help President Biden lead American science and technology into the future, and I hope the Senate will move swiftly on her confirmation.”
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