President Biden has appointed Bevlee A. Watford to the National Science Board. The National Science Board has two important roles. First, it establishes the policies of NSF within the framework of applicable national policies set forth by the President and the Congress. In this capacity, the Board identifies issues that are critical to NSF’s future, approves NSF’s strategic budget directions and the annual budget submission to the Office of Management and Budget, and approves new major programs and awards. The second role of the Board is to serve as an independent body of advisors to both the President and the Congress on policy matters related to science and engineering and education in science and engineering. In addition to major reports, the NSB also publishes occasional policy papers or statements on issues of importance to U.S. science and engineering. The NSB is made up of 25 Members appointed by the President. The NSF Director is an ex officio Member. Members serve six-year terms.
Dr. Bevlee A. Watford is the Associate Dean for Equity and Engagement and Professor of Engineering Education in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. As the founding executive director of the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity (CEED), she has worked to broaden participation in engineering through outreach and student support activities. She has secured more than $17 million dollars in funding and support for CEED and other student initiatives. Her research activities have focused on the recruitment and retention of students in engineering, with a particular emphasis on minoritized students. CEED received the 2010 Claire Felbinger Diversity Award from ABET and the 2011 NSBE-ExxonMobil Impact award for implementing successful research-based efforts to improve retention. In 2019, the College of Engineering was recognized as a Bronze Exemplar institution in the ASEE Deans Diversity Recognition program, largely based on CEED’s activities.
From 2005-2007, Watford served as a program manager in the Division of Undergraduate Education for the National Science Foundation, returning from 2013-2015 to serve as the program director for broadening participation in the Division of Engineering Education and Centers. In 2010, she was elected as a Fellow of ASEE and she served as ASEE president for the 2017-2018 year. Watford was the 2004-2005 President of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network and has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Administrators.
