17 February 2010

Science Envoy Bruce Alberts

Professor emeritus, University of California–San Francisco

Science envoy Bruce Alberts

Bruce Alberts, professor emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco, served two six-year terms as president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) from 1993 to 2005. During his tenure at NAS, Alberts was instrumental in developing the landmark National Science Education standards that have been implemented in school systems nationwide. Currently, Alberts serves as the editor-in-chief of the journal Science. He is also noted as one of the original authors of The Molecular Biology of the Cell, a preeminent textbook in the field now in its fifth edition.

Alberts has earned many honors and awards, including 16 honorary degrees. He serves on the advisory boards of more than 25 nonprofit institutions. He is a trustee of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, a member of the Advisory Board of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a past president of the American Society of Cell Biology. He is widely recognized for his work in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology.

From 2000 to 2009, Alberts was co-chair of the InterAcademy Council, an advisory institution in Amsterdam governed by the presidents of 15 science academies from around the world.

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)