Meet The National Science Board’s New Chair
The National Science Board has elected Victor McCrary as its new chair, the board announced July 24.
McCary, who is currently the vice president for research and professor of chemistry at the University of the District of Columbia, will replace former Chair DarÃo Gil, who left the role to become under secretary for science at the US Department of Energy.
“The nation’s science and technology (S&T) enterprise is in the midst of a profound transformation,” Chair McCrary said in a press release. “A transformation that began years ago and is now accelerating as priorities shift and the way we ‘do’ S&T evolves from the norms of the past 75 years.”
Aaron Dominguez, executive vice president and provost at The Catholic University of America, will step into McCrary’s former post as vice chair.
What initiatives will McCrary focus on as Chair?
The National Science Board (NSB) is the policymaking body for the National Science Foundation (NSF). It also serves as an independent advisory body to the President and Congress on science and engineering policy issues.
Both McCrary and Dominguez are motivated to continue the momentum of National Science Board initiatives focused on the US National Science Foundation’s essential role in ‘winning’ the technology race with China, developing domestic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics talent, and fostering multi-sectoral partnerships with business, philanthropy, and state sectors to leverage taxpayer dollars and more.
“We can’t succeed in a new era with yesterday’s playbook,” says McCrary.
“The National Science Board supports President Trump’s aspiration for a Golden Age of American Innovation and will continue to work in partnership with the White House, the Congress and leaders across business, academia, national security and state sectors for a vibrant, innovative National Science Foundation and US S&T enterprise that delivers on urgent national priorities and improves the lives of all Americans.”
Who is Victory McCrary?
McCary has served as NSB’s vice chair since 2020 and was a member of the NSB class of 2016-2022 before being reappointed to the class of 2022-2028. During his first six years on the board, he led the effort to recognize the non-degreed STEM workforce, which resulted in the board’s report, The Skilled Technical Workforce: Crafting America’s Science and Engineering Enterprise.
As vice president for research and professor of chemistry at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), he leads the strategic development and sustainability of UDC’s research ecosystem through use-inspired innovations, grants, and partnerships, as part of UDC’s public land-grant mission.
He is also a former national president of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, a fellow of the American Chemical Society, a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus, and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Image credit: Nancy Jo Brown
