New Directors for NIST, NOAA

Two veterans of both science and government service were set to become the new directors of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NIST following their nominations by President Bush. Both men, retired Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher and Purdue University nuclear engineer Arden Bement Jr, were awaiting what were expected to be quick confirmations by the Senate as Physics Today went to press.

Bush selected Lautenbacher, who holds a PhD in applied mathematics from Harvard University, to become the new under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, the official title for NOAA’s director. Lautenbacher, a 1964 graduate of the US Naval Academy, was the commander of the US Third Fleet, and advised the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the size and composition of US military forces. He served in both the Vietnam and Gulf Wars and is considered an expert in antisubmarine and anti-air warfare. Scott Gudes has been the acting director of NOAA since Bush took office.

In recent testimony before the House Science subcommittee on research, Lautenbacher advocated greater study of the seas, telling representatives that only 5% of the world’s oceans have been mapped and that “today we know more about other planets than we do about our ocean depths.” He called for a wide range of oceanic research, including increased study of the link between the oceans and the atmosphere so that climate shifts such as El Niño and La Niña can be better understood.

Bement, the head of Purdue University’s school of nuclear engineering, was chosen by Bush to be the director of NIST. Bement was the vice president of science and technology at TRW throughout the 1980s and before that served as the deputy under secretary of defense for research and engineering. He moved to Purdue in 1993, where he served for a time as the director of the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium.

“I can think of few people more deserving of the appointment,” said Ray Kammer, NIST’s director from 1997 through 2000. “Dr. Bement has been associated with NIST for the last 20 years in a variety of posts, including chairman of the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.” The visiting committee makes recommendations for NIST on the agency’s organization, budget, and programs. Karen Brown, who has served as acting director since Bush took office, will return to her former position as NIST’s deputy director.