Statement on Dr. Arati Prabhakar’s Nomination as Director of OSTP
We applaud President Biden for nominating Arati Prabhakar, PhD, to serve as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Once confirmed, Dr. Prabhakar will also be the president’s Chief Advisor for Science and Technology. Dr. Prabhakar – who has served under previous administrations as head of National Institute of Standards and Technology (1993-97) and of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (2012-17) – is well-equipped for the position, which includes serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet.
“I had the privilege of working with Dr. Prabhakar when I chaired the House Science Committee, and I believe she is a perfect fit for this vital role,” said the Honorable Bart Gordon, vice chair of the Research!America Board and partner at K&L Gates LLP. “The nation will be well served by her deep understanding of the pivotal role the federal government can play to advance innovation in science and technology.”
Currently, as founder and CEO of the nonprofit Actuate, Dr. Prabhakar is working to empower the U.S. R&D innovation ecosystem to tackle broad- scale societal problems like climate change and public health. An article she wrote for the Day One Project last year, “How to Unlock the Potential of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Model,” outlines many of her ideas on strategies and opportunities for federal investment and innovation to address an array of critical challenges.
As we’ve witnessed so clearly in recent years, science is at the forefront of addressing major societal challenges such as pandemic preparedness and our response to climate change. This is a critical time for the President’s Science Advisor and OSTP Director.
“We believe Dr. Prabhakar will work effectively across the federal government to help ensure science, technology, and innovation can continue to drive economic growth, create good jobs, and address urgent threats to our health and well-being,” said Mary Woolley, president and CEO of Research!America. “The American science enterprise and the American public will be well-served by her leadership, and we urge Congress to confirm her nomination as OSTP Director as swiftly as possible.”
Contact Tim Haynes, Senior Director of Communications, at 571-482-2737 or thaynes@researchamerica.org with press inquiries.