Arden Bement to be Next Director of NSF. (September 16, 2004)

    Yesterday the White House nominated Arden Bement, acting NSF director since February, when microbiologist Rita Colwell stepped down, to be the next director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). AS ScienceNow points out, " Bement is also director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the White House said at the time that he would soon be returning to that post. But the Bush Administration didn't name a new head of NSF. A 1998 law may have finally forced the president's hand: On Saturday, Bement would have reached the 210-day limit for the temporary head of an agency."

David Goldston, staff director for the House Science Committee, which oversees NSF's programs says that Bement "knows NSF well. He's got a lot of credibility within the agency, on the Hill, and throughout the community. He's familiar with how government works. And he's already on good terms with the Administration."

There is every likelihood that the nomination will proceed smoothly through the US Senate though whether or not it will be acted upon before the November US elections is uncertain.