The White House announced August 1 that Donald Trump nominated Kelvin Droegemeier, a meteorology professor and former member of the National Science Board, to serve as the director for the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

“I am deeply honored that President Trump intends to nominate me to serve the nation as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and I look forward to the Senate confirmation process! Your expressions of support mean a great deal to me - thank you very much!” Droegemeier wrote in a August 1 tweet.

Members of Congress previously criticized the president for leaving the science and technology adviser post vacant, specifically citing the administration’s antagonistic stance towards federal scientists.

But science groups applauded the nomination of a “respected scientist” such as Droegemeier to take the position.

“Science and technology are embedded in almost every issue that the president deals with, and since 2016, we’ve urged the nomination of a respected scientist or engineer. Kelvin Droegemeier is such a scientist; his work cuts across many disciplines from meteorology to cybersecurity and he has demonstrated many years of public service at the interface of science and policy. His years working on the National Science Board during the Bush and Obama administrations and on the Governor of Oklahoma’s Science and Technology Council validate Droegemeier’s ability to work in bipartisan fashion and across many parts of the government, experience that will serve the president and our nation well,” said Rush Holt, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Droegemeier now moves into the Senate confirmation process before he can officially take up the post.

About Jessie Bur

Jessie Bur covers federal IT and management.

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