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4/25/01
NSF director to give commencement address
Fargo, N.D., April 25—Rita Rossi Colwell, director of the National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va., is scheduled to present the address during NorthDakota State University commencement ceremonies at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 12, in the Fargodome.
Colwell, who oversees a $4.5 billion budget, became NSF's 11th director in 1998. NSF is an independent federal agency which supports all fields of science, mathematics and engineering. It provides 23 percent of the federal funding awarded for basic research at academic institutions. Approximately 1,600 universities, schools, nonprofit institutions and small businesses receive about 19,000 awards annually.
During her time in office, Colwell has spearheaded the agency's emphases in K-12 science and mathematics education, graduate science and engineering education and increasing participation by women and minorities in science and engineering.
"Having a person of Dr. Colwell's stature visit campus is a high honor for the university. We hope her visit will further strengthen an already dynamic relationship between NDSU and the foundation," said NDSU President Joseph A. Chapman. "The continually changing and increasing role of science and technology is clearly a major focus for both NSF and NDSU. It is of particular note that Dr. Colwell will be here for the dedication of our already successful Research and Technology Park, which I envision will prove to be an important player in economic development for the region."
Construction on the park continues to move ahead at a brisk pace. The 75,000-square-foot Phoenix International Inc. building is expected to open in late spring. The Fargo company, which manufactures electronic controls and sensors, is the cornerstone tenant of the park. The second building, a 40,000-square-foot structure for NDSU researchers, is anticipated to be ready by late summer.
"Our NDSU project has attracted quite a bit of attention," said Philip Boudjouk, vice president for research, creative activities and technology transfer, noting representatives of South Dakota State University visited campus in January to learn from NDSU's development of the park. "We have a situation that is particularly fortuitous for the successful early stages of developing a research park. I am delighted the director will witness our progress."
Prior to joining NSF, Colwell was president of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and a professor of Microbiology at the University of Maryland, College Park. She previously was on the faculty of the University of Washington, Seattle, and Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
A nationally respected scientist, Colwell has written or co-written 16 books and more than 600 scientific publications. She also produced the award-winning film "Invisible Seas."
She has received numerous awards, including the Medal of Distinction from Columbia University, the Gold Medal of Charles University, Prague, and Alumna Summa Laude Dignata from the University of Washington.
A native of Beverly, Mass., Colwell earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., and her doctorate in oceanography at the University of Washington. She has been awarded 14 honorary degrees.
She has served as chair of the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Microbiology and as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington Academy of Science, American Society for Microbiology, Sigma Xi National Science Honorary Society and International Union of Microbiological Societies. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
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