Oceanographer David L. Evans has been appointed Undersecretary for Science at the Smithsonian Institution. He will take office on 9 September, filling a position that has been open since May.
Evans, 56, has been the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Assistant Administrator for Research since 1998, and led the White House Global Climate Change Initiative, coordinating activities of 12 federal agencies.
"I couldn't be more delighted about Dave Evans joining the Smithsonian at this time," said Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence M. Small in a press release issued Monday. "His considerable experience as a leader of complex, federally funded science research organizations and his passion for communicating about science to the general public are exactly what we need. With the overwhelming support of our search committee — which includes the chair, two vice chairs, and two other members of the Smithsonian Science Commission — we have found in Dave a...