Biden appoints Eric Lander and Maria Zuber to key science positions
Yo, let's chat about the science team Biden's assembling for his administration
The President-elect Joe Biden has gone ahead and picked a couple of tech wizards from MIT for top roles. Eric Lander and Maria Zuber are on their way to helping shape the nation's science and technology policies.
Lander, whose scientific brain is as mighty as a supercomputer, will be taking on the roles of Presidential Science Advisor and the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), with the latter requiring Senate approval. This move boldly elevates the position of the Science Advisor to Cabinet level for the very first time in history.
Zuber, a successful geophysicist with a knack for space research, has been named co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), sharing duties with chemical engineer Frances Arnold, who won a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2018. They'll be the inaugural female co-chairs of the PCAST.
These rockstar scientists, along with others, will be joining Biden for a powwow in Wilmington, Delaware, where they'll meet with the president-elect to discuss strategies for maximizing the benefits of science and technology for America's welfare in the 21st century, focusing on challenges such as health needs, climate change, national security, and economic prosperity.
Lander will be taking a temporary leave from MIT, where he's a professor of biology, and the Broad Institute, a position he's manned since its creation in 2004. Todd Golub, the current Chief Scientific Officer at the Broad Institute, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, and an investigator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has been pegged to fill Lander's spot as director.
Zuber, the E.A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, continues to serve as the Institute's vice president for research, a position she has held since 2013.
How about we introduce these badass scientists?
Eric S. Lander (63)This multitalented mastermind has been leading the Broad Institute since its inception in 2004. As a geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician, he was a major player in the international Human Genome Project, dedicating himself to nurturing a new generation of scientific minds and unlocking the potential of genomic insights for human health.
Maria T. Zuber (62)Zuber, a Pennsylvania state trooper's daughter and granddaughter of coal miners, has graced the MIT faculty since 1995 and currently holds the vice president for research position since 2013. She's been a member of the National Science Board, the governing body of the National Science Foundation, for several years, serving as NSB chair from 2016 to 2019.
Zuber's research units the realm of planetary geophysics and the technology behind space-based laser and radio systems. She was the first woman to lead NASA spacecraft mission and has been a crucial part of nine NASA missions since 1990.
Todd Golub (57)Golub, who is taking over from Lander at the Broad Institute, joined Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School in 1997 and has achieved numerous accomplishments within the scientific community. His work has focused on understanding the molecular basis of human cancer and developing new approaches to precision medicine.
These brilliant minds will be a vital asset to America, pushing the nation forward in scientific and technological advancements to tackle some of the most urgent challenges we currently face. Keep your eyes peeled for their impactful contributions!
- Eric Lander, a renowned geneticist, molecular biologist, and mathematician, has been leading the Broad Institute since its inception in 2004.
- He was instrumental in the international Human Genome Project and has devoted his career to cultivating the next generation of scientific minds and exploring the potential of genomic insights for better health.
- Maria Zuber, a geophysicist with a knack for space research, has been a part of MIT's faculty since 1995 and is currently the Institute's vice president for research.
- She has served on the National Science Board, the governing body of the National Science Foundation, for several years, including a stint as NSB chair from 2016 to 2019.
- Zuber's research explores the realms of planetary geophysics and the technology behind space-based laser and radio systems.
- She made history as the first woman to lead a NASA spacecraft mission.
- The three scientists are among the tech-savvy professionals being assembled by President-elect Joe Biden for his administration.
- Lander will be filling the roles of Presidential Science Advisor and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for the Biden administration.
- This move elevates the position of the Science Advisor to Cabinet level for the first time in history.
- Zuber has been named co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), sharing duties with chemical engineer Frances Arnold.
- This marks the inaugural female co-chairs of the PCAST.
- Biden's science team will be collaborating with him to create strategies for maximizing the benefits of science and technology for America's welfare in the 21st century.
- Their focus will be on addressing challenges such as health needs, climate change, national security, and economic prosperity.
- Lander will be taking a temporary leave from MIT and the Broad Institute, where he has been a professor of biology since 2004.
- Todd Golub, who has been a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and an investigator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has been chosen to fill Lander's spot as director at the Broad Institute during his absence.
- These influential scientists bring diverse expertise in biotech, nanotech, physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine, and will contribute to innovations in science, health, and wellness, education and self-development, space and astronomy, technology, and climate change research.
- With their combined intellect and passion for science, these fellows will help shape America's future and positively impact the public's mental health, energy production, genetics breakthroughs, and the overall health-and-wellness ecosystem.
