David B. Berkowitz, Elmer H. and Ruby M. Cordes Professor of Chemistry at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has been named vice president for research at the University of Georgia. His appointment begins July 1.
Berkowitz presently serves as assistant director of the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the place he oversees roughly $1.7 billion in research and infrastructure funding throughout astronomy, chemistry, supplies science, arithmetic and physics. He beforehand served 4 years as NSF division director for chemistry and has held management roles shaping nationwide science coverage by way of interagency initiatives and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
At Nebraska, Berkowitz is co-lead of the Nebraska Drug Discovery and Development Pipeline, a systemwide collaboration that has secured about $46 million in federal funding, together with help for research aimed at growing remedies for acute radiation syndrome. His research program focuses on the intersection of chemistry and biology, with acknowledged contributions in biocatalysis, chemical biology and drug discovery.
Berkowitz is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Chemical Society and has acquired nationwide recognition for his research, educating and management.