APLU Statement on Expected Nomination of Sethuraman Panchanathan as Director of the National Science Foundation

Washington, DC – Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) President Peter McPherson today released the following statement regarding President Trump’s announcement that he intends to nominate Sethuraman Panchanathan as Director of the National Science Foundation.

“We are very pleased that the president intends to nominate Sethuraman Panchanathan as Director of the National Science Foundation. This is an outstanding selection to lead an agency critical to ensuring the United States remains at the forefront of scientific innovation.

“Dr. Panchanathan has been a superb and creative leader at Arizona State University where he serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Research and Innovation Officer. Those of us in the public research university community have long admired his intellect, knowledge across disciplines, vision, and interest in collaborating across universities, industry and government. As chair of APLU’s Council on Research for two years, Dr. Panchanathan led a national group of senior research officers from our nation’s top public research universities as they sought to collectively strengthen and improve their world-class, campus-based research on behalf of the American people. As NSF Director, Dr. Panchanathan will be able to take that long-standing commitment to strengthening and improving the U.S. scientific enterprise to the next level.

“We applaud his selection and urge his confirmation in the Senate. He will be a terrific successor to current NSF Director France A. Córdova who has done an excellent job of leading the agency.”