Washington, DC - Four eminent scientists have agreed to serve as U.S. Science Envoys beginning in January, 2015: Dr. Peter Hotez, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Dr. Arun Majumdar, and Dr. Geri Richmond. Announced by President Obama in Cairo in June 2009, the U.S. Science Envoy program demonstrates the United States’ commitment to science, technology, and innovation as tools of diplomacy and economic growth.
Like their nine predecessors, these distinguished scientists will engage internationally at the citizen and government levels to develop partnerships, improve collaboration, and forge mutually beneficial relationships between other nations and the United States to stimulate increased scientific cooperation and foster economic prosperity. Science Envoys travel as private citizens and advise the White House, the Department of State, and the scientific community about potential opportunities for cooperation. This year the Department is pleased to announce the first Science Envoy for the Ocean, building on the momentum created at the Our Ocean Conference held at the State Department in June 2014.
Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair in Tropical Pediatrics, University Professor, Baylor University, President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Baker Institute Fellow in Disease and Poverty at Rice University
Country focus: Saudi Arabia, Morocco
Expertise: Global health and vaccine development
Jane Lubchenco Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor of Marine Biology at Oregon State University and former Administrator of NOAA (2009-2013)
Thematic focus: the Ocean
Expertise: Marine ecology, environmental science, and climate change
Arun Majumdar, Ph.D., Jay Precourt Professor, Senior Fellow, Precourt Institute for Energy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, and former Founding Director of ARPA-E (2009-2012) & Acting Under Secretary of Energy (2011-2012)
Country focus: Poland, Baltic Region
Expertise: Energy, climate change, and innovation
Geraldine Richmond, Ph.D., Presidential Chair and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oregon and founder of the COACh for women scientists and engineers
Country focus: Thailand and Lower Mekong Initiative Countries
Expertise: Women in science
