Merlin Theodore, a researcher at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has received a presidential appointment to the National Science Board. Theodore is one of eight new board members announced by President Biden; she will join the 25-member board for a six-year term.
Theodore is the first full-time researcher from a national laboratory to serve on the National Science Board, the governing board for the National Science Foundation, or NSF.
“Merlin’s appointment to the National Science Board is indicative of her accomplishments as a researcher, her contributions to national missions, and her advocacy for women and minorities in science,” said interim ORNL Director Jeff Smith.
The National Science Board pursues the goals and function of the NSF, including the duty to “recommend and encourage the pursuit of national policies for the promotion of research and education in science and engineering,” according to the White House news release.
As leader of the Manufacturing Science Division’s Advanced Fibers Manufacturing group and director of the materials and processing technology area for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, Theodore directs material research efforts and works with industry to enhance U.S. competitiveness in advanced manufacturing. She also holds a joint appointment with the University of Tennessee.