Thursday, September 30, 2010

Rita Colwell Named Science Envoy

Dr. Rita Colwell, a member of the Board of Directors of Americans for UNESCO, has been named a U.S. Science Envoy. The Science Envoy program, announced by President Obama in Cairo in June 2009, is a centerpiece program to implement U.S. global engagement in science and technology. Dr. Colwell is one of six distinguished scientists to have been appointed to this prestigious as well as important position.


Dr. Colwell is a Distinguished Professor at both the University of Maryland at College Park and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has focused her research on global infectious diseases, water and health, and is currently developing an international network to address emerging infectious diseases and safe drinking water for both the developed and developing world. Dr. Colwell served as the 11th Director of the National Science Foundation from 1998-2004. She is recipient of the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize awarded on September 9, 2010 by the King of Sweden.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great blog!

What exactly will she do, as the science envoy?

John Daly said...

Dr. Colwell serves as a private citizen and I assume will do pretty much what she thinks best. Not only did she serve as Director of the NSF, she has been President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Washington Academy of Sciences, the American Society for Microbiology, the Sigma Xi National Science Honorary Society, and the International Union of Microbiological Societies. Thus she has unequaled contacts in the U.S. scientific community.

The White House described the functions of the science envoys in the following terms:

"The envoys are scheduled to meet with heads of state, ministers, and representatives from the scientific, education, nonprofit, and business communities to identify opportunities for new partnerships in science and technology. They will investigate opportunities in all areas of science and technology, including math, engineering, health, energy, climate change research, and green technologies. Although the envoys are private citizens, they will share what they learn on these trips with the U.S. Government, and the relationships they build will help reaffirm our renewed commitment to global engagement."

Rohan H. Wickramasinghe said...

Her wide experience included studies relating to the oil spill from the METULA tanker in the Straits of Magellan. It was a privilege to have been part of her team at the time.

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