Contact: Michael Baum, michael.baum@nist.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NIST 95-20
July 14, 1995
Contact: Michael Baum POWELL NAMED AS NEW HEAD OF
(301) 975-2763 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
baum@micf.nist.gov
Lura J. Powell, a chemist who created and has managed the
Biotechnology Division at the Commerce Department's National
Institute of Standards and Technology, has been selected as the
new director of the NIST Advanced Technology Program. Powell
replaces George Uriano, who directed the ATP from its
establishment until his retirement earlier this year.
A 23-year veteran of the NIST laboratory research programs,
Powell also serves as chair of the Biotechnology Research
Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (that
coordinates all federal biotechnology research), as chair of the
Board of Overseers of the Center for Advanced Research in
Biotechnology (a joint venture of the University of Maryland,
NIST and Montgomery County, Md.), and as a member of the U.S.
delegation to the U.S.-European Commission Task Force on
Biotechnology.
The Advanced Technology Program provides cost-shared funding
to private industry to help develop high-risk, enabling
technologies that, if successful, could form the basis for new
and improved products, manufacturing processes and services.
The program supports R&D projects that have strong commercial
potential and that could improve the competitive position of U.S.
industries, but that industry would not undertake aggressively
or at all without the ATP's help because of the risk factor.
Since 1990, the program has underwritten 177 projects in fields
ranging from materials, manufacturing, electronics and
information technology to biotechnology, chemical processing and
DNA analysis.
In announcing the selection, NIST Director Arati Prabhakar
said, "The ATP is one of our most important programs because it
partners with industry to tackle technologies for the future of
the U.S. economy. Dr. Powell brings to the ATP a rare
combination of vision, technical skills, the ability to work with
industry and the leadership capabilities to carry the program
forward."
Powell earned a doctorate in chemistry from the University
of Maryland. Her professional honors include the Department of
Commerce Silver Medal Award and the Outstanding Public Service
Award of the Montgomery County Chapter of the International
Personnel Management Association
A biographic sketch of Powell is attached.
Brian Belanger, who served as acting director of the ATP
since Uriano's retirement, resumes his duties as deputy director
of the program.
As a non-regulatory agency of the Commerce Department's
Technology Administration, NIST promotes U.S. economic growth by
working with industry to develop and apply technology,
measurements and standards.
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LURA J. POWELL
Director, Advanced Technology Program
National Institute of Standards and Technology
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2/91 to Present Chief, Biotechnology Division, NIST.
Responsible for all aspects of NIST
intramural biotechnology programs including
DNA technologies, bioprocess engineering,
biosensor technology, and structural biology.
7/89-2/91 Deputy Director, Center for Chemical
Technology, NIST. Responsible for
Gaithersburg operations of the Center
including programs in disciplines of
biotechnology, physical chemistry and
chemical engineering.
7/88-6/89 Director, NIST Program Office. Responsible
for NIST-wide program evaluation and
planning, staff support for the NIST
Director, and interactions with Department of
Commerce, Office of Management and Budget,
and Congress.
11/87-6/88 Acting Deputy Director, National Measurement
Laboratory, NIST (on assignment).
Responsible for NIST research and development
programs in chemistry and physics and NIST
service programs including reference data,
Standard Reference Materials, and
calibrations.
2/85-10/87 Analyst, NIST Program Office (on assignment).
Responsible for representing NIST chemistry
and physics programs as member of NIST
Director's staff.
7/84-2/85 Project Manager, Office of Standard Reference
Materials, NIST (on assignment). Managed all
aspects of production of Standard Reference
Materials for quality assurance of
environmental, industrial hygiene,
spectrophotometric, and mass spectrometric
measurements.
1972-7/84 Research Chemist, Inorganic Analytical
Research Division, Center for Analytical
Chemistry, NIST. Conducted research in high-
accuracy trace analysis and determination of
atomic weights using isotope ratio thermal
ionization mass spectrometry.
EDUCATION
University of Maryland B.S. in Chemistry with honors, June 1972
University of Maryland Ph.D in Analytical Chemistry, December
1978
HONORS AND AWARDS
Sigma Xi
Department of Commerce Silver Medal
International Personnel Management Association Distinguished
Public Service Award
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEES
8/93-Present Chair, Biotechnology Research Subcommittee,
National Science and Technology Council
1993-Present Member (ex officio), NIH Women's Health
Initiative, Advisory Committee
1991-93 Department of Commerce Representative,
Biotechnology Research Subcommittee, Committee on
Life Sciences and Health, Federal Coordinating
Council on Science, Engineering and Technology
(FCCSET); Chair, Working Group on Technology
Transfer
1990-91 Member, Department of Commerce Committee on
Environment and Competitiveness
1990-91 Member, Subcommittee on Mitigation, Adaptation and
Research Strategies, FCCSET Committee on Earth and
Environmental Sciences
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
American Chemical Society
Chemical Society of Washington
Alpha Chi Sigma
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Testing and Materials
Committee E48, Biotechnology
Sigma Xi