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David L. Evans
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USDA Beltsville Area Distinquished Lecture Series

"Science Collections: Why Do We Keep All This Stuff Anyway"

David L. Evans

 

David L. Evans

Under Secretary for Science
Smithsonian Institution

Building 003 Auditorium
April 9, 2007
10:30 AM



Dr. David Evans was appointed as the Under Secretary for Science at the Smithsonian Institution in September 2002. He oversees a number of museum and research institutes at the Smithsonian, including the National Museum of Natural History, the National Zoological Park, the National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center in Virginia, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Massachusetts, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center near the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, the National Science Resources Center in Washington, D.C., and the Center for Materials Research and Education in Maryland.

Before coming to the Smithsonian, Evans was the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's assistant administrator for research, since 1998. In one of his most important contributions at NOAA, he led the White House Global Climate Change Initiative, coordinating related activities of some 12 federal agencies. In previous positions at NOAA, Evans was deputy administrator for fisheries (1997-1998) and senior scientist and deputy assistant administrator for ocean services (1993-1997).

Evans, 58, an oceanographer, brings an impressive background of science research administration to this position and is widely known as a strategist who knows how to garner support for federal science programs.

Prior to joining NOAA in 1993, Evans served as program manager for physical oceanography at the Office of Naval Research (1988-1992) and as an assistant and associate professor at the University of Rhode Island (1976-1988).

He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania (1968) and a doctorate in oceanography from the University of Rhode Island. His areas of specialty include physical oceanography, small-scale dynamics and the climate.