Dr. Rita Colwell is Distinguished University Professor at the
University of Maryland at College Park and at Johns Hopkins
University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her interests
are focused on global infectious diseases, water, and health,
and she is currently developing an international network to
address emerging infectious diseases and water issues, including
safe drinking water for both the developed and developing world.As
the 11th Director of the National Science Foundation, 1998-2004,
Dr. Colwell’s policy approach enabled the agency to strengthen
its core activities, as well as establish support for major initiatives,
including Nanotechnology, Biocomplexity, Information Technology,
and the 21st Century Workforce.
In her
capacity as NSF Director, she served as Co-chair of the Committee
on Science of the National Science and Technology Council. One
of her major interests include K-12 science and mathematics education,
graduate science and engineering education and the increased
participation of women and minorities in science and engineering.
Under her leadership, the Foundation received significant budget
increases totaling approximately 70%, and its funding reached
a level of approximately $6 billion. Before going to NSF, Dr.
Colwell was President of the University of Maryland Biotechnology
Institute and Professor of Microbiology and Biotechnology at the
University
Maryland. She was also a member of the National
Science Board from 1984 to 1990.
Dr. Colwell has held many advisory
positions in the U.S. Government, nonprofit science policy organizations,
and private foundations, as well as in the international scientific
research community. She is a nationally-respected scientist and educator,
and has authored or co-authored 16 books and more than 700 scientific
publications. She produced the award-winning film, Invisible Seas,
and has served on editorial boards of numerous scientific journals.She
is the recipient of numerous awards,
including the Gold Medal of both Charles University, Prague,
and the University
of California, Los Angeles and Alumna Summa Laude Dignata from
the University of Washington, Seattle. She has also received
the American Institute of Biological Sciences Outstanding Service
Award and the Central Intelligence Agency Civilian Recognition
Award. Dr. Colwell has also been awarded 35 honorary degrees
from institutions of higher education, including her Alma Mater,
Purdue University. Dr. Colwell is an honorary member of the microbiological
societies of the UK, France, Israel, Bangladesh, and the U.S.
and has held several honorary professorships, including the University
of Queensland, Australia.
A geological site in Antarctica, Colwell
Massif, has been named in recognition of her work in the polar
regions.Dr. Colwell has previously served
as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the American Academy
of Microbiology and also as President of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science, the Washington Academy of Sciences,
the American Society for Microbiology, the Sigma Xi National
Science Honorary Society, and the International Union of Microbiological
Societies. Dr. Colwell is a member of the National Academy
of Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm,
the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American
Philosophical
Society.
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.
