Arati Prabhakar set to become Biden ’s science adviser and his pick to lead science office

Some content has been removed for formatting reasons. Please view the original article for the best reading experience. In 1993, then-President Bill Clinton picked a 34-year-old applied physicist named Arati Prabhakar to lead the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Two decades later, former President Barack Obama chose her to lead the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). And as soon as this week, President Joe Biden is expected to name Prabhakar as his science adviser and nominate her as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The 63-year-old Prabhakar would succeed Eric Lander, who resigned on 7 February after admitting to bullying his staff and creating a hostile work environment during his 9 months in office. Although she will need Senate confirmation to become OSTP director—which could take months—Prabhakar can immediately take the science adviser post. That would give her a role in addressing several thorny science policy issues, including how best to position the United States to compete with China, implement workable rules for protecting U.S.-funded academic research from theft, and reduce inequality in the research community. Prabhakar’s extensive experience in Washington, D.C., and technical savvy will be a huge plus as she tackles her twin jobs, say those who know her. “I have found Arati to be very smart, very principled, and … with excellent leadership ...
Source: ScienceNOW - Category: Science Source Type: news