Dr. Rita R. Colwell
Chairman, Canon US Life Sciences, Inc.
Distinguished Professor, University of Maryland College Park and Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dr. Rita Colwell is Distinguished University Professor both at the University of Maryland at College Park and at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Chairperson of Canon US Life Sciences, Inc.
Dr. Colwell served as the 11th Director of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) from 1998-2004. In her capacity as NSF Director, she served as Co-Chair of the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council. During her term as head of the NSF, Dr. Colwell oversaw a significant increase in budget and a consolidation of the support levels provided to scientists and engineers with NSF grants. In addition she broadened the NSF range of programmes with special interaction in K-12 science and mathematics education, graduate science and engineering education and the increased participation of women and minorities in science and engineering.
Born in Beverly, Massachusetts, Dr. Colwell holds a B.S. in Bacteriology and an M.S. in Genetics, from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Washington. She is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and has a number of honorary doctorates and serves on science advisory boards worldwide. She received the National Medal of Science from the President of the United States in 2006.
