Alan Boyle

White Home science adviser Kelvin Droegemeier speaks during a Seattle town hall session at February’s annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. (AAAS by means of YouTube)
President Donald Trump has named White House science adviser Kelvin Droegemeier to serve as acting director of the Countrywide Science Basis.
Droegemeier, a meteorologist by coaching, fills the gap that was remaining this week when NSF Director France Cordova’s six-yr term in the post finished. He’ll continue on to provide as Trump’s adviser on scientific concerns as well as the director of the White Home Office environment of Science and Technologies Coverage.
Very last December, Trump nominated Sethuraman Panchanathan, govt vice president and chief investigate and innovation officer at Arizona State College, to acquire above the NSF’s top rated spot — but the Senate hasn’t nevertheless voted to confirm the nomination. “My function at NSF is a non permanent 1 as we all excitedly await the swift Senate affirmation of Dr. Panchanathan,” Droegemeier said in a statement.
Droegemeier has been well-regarded by the scientific group. Cordova reported that “NSF will proceed to prosper underneath his management,” Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Community and Land-Grant Universities, stated in a statement that “it’s terrific we have these a beneficial science leader previously notably serving the federal government who can phase in for this momentary nevertheless vital assignment.”