President Trump’s Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, former University of Oklahoma weather researcher Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier has just been given more duties by the President.
He has been named Acting Director of the National Science Foundation as of the end of March while continuing on as the President’s science adviser. Droegemeier has previously served two six-year terms on the National Science Board, the governing body of NSF. He currently serves as the President’s Science Advisor and Director of OSTP, with responsibility for coordination of science and technology initiatives across the Federal Government.
“Director Kelvin Droegemeier has unmatched experience as the science advisor to the White House and leader the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He has a distinguished career of advancing the progress of science. NSF will continue to thrive under his leadership,” said former Director of NSF Dr. France Córdova.
Drogemeier was a meterologist and atmospheric research scientist at the University of Oklahoma when he was picked by President Trump in January of 2019. He co-founded and directed the National Science Foundation’s Science and Technology Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms and the NSF Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere.
Dr. Droegemeier served two six-year terms (four years as Vice Chairman) on the National Science Board, under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
The Director of the National Science Foundation is charged with managing the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and leads a workforce driven to improve the world through research, discovery and innovation.
“I am honored to serve in this acting capacity for NSF, and it is a homecoming of sorts as a former member of the National Science Board and longtime recipient of grants from NSF. I thank President Trump for his confidence as well as his appreciation that maintaining continuity of science leadership is more important now than ever. Dr. France Córdova has been a tireless advocate for science the past six years and is leaving NSF with a solid leadership team in place. My role at NSF is a temporary one as we all excitedly await the swift Senate confirmation of Dr. Panchanathan. I had the privilege of serving on the National Science Board with both Dr. Córdova and Dr. Panchanathan and both are exceptional leaders. The future is bright, and the United States will continue to lead the world in science and technology as we transition from one NSF Director to the next,” said The White House OSTP Director Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier.
“Kelvin has devoted his career to ensuring that science and engineering discoveries benefit and protect Americans. He has a deep appreciation for NSF’s foundational role in our innovation economy, as well as how the pieces of our ecosystem build on the seed corn of basic research. He loves our agency and I can’t think of a better caretaker. I look forward to working closely with him again,” said The Chair of the National Science Board Dr. Diane Souvaine.
This week the White House formally announced the appointment of Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, PhD, a meteorologist and atmospheric research scientist at the University of Oklahoma, to direct the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The position has laid vacant for nearly 19 months and most of the staff left long ago. Traditionally, the OSTP Director also doubles as the President’s Science Advisor, but the latter role wasn’t mentioned in the announcement. It’s a critically important position in this day and age: OSTP’s job is to help steer cutting-edge scientific research and technology development in the federal government. The director of the OSTP provides critical, expert advice and guidance to the President on complex scientific and technological matters with significant ramifications for the economy, international competitiveness and trade, national security, public health and safety, energy production, environmental protection, global climate change, and more.