Biden Nominates Arati Prabhakar as Top Science Advisor

HI INDIA NEWS DESK

WASHINGTON, DC- President Joe Biden on Tuesday nominated Indian-American scientist Dr Arati Prabhakar as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

Once confirmed by the state, Dr Prabhakar will be the first woman and immigrant to hold that post.

Biden said, “Dr Prabhakar is a brilliant and highly-respected engineer and applied physicist and will lead the Office of Science and Technology Policy to leverage science, technology, and innovation to expand our possibilities, solve our toughest challenges, and make the impossible possible.”

Once confirmed she would also be Assistant to the President for Science and Technology.

Neil Makhija from the Indian American Impact Fund said, “”Indian American Impact is thrilled to learn that President Biden intends to nominate Dr Arati Prabhakar as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). We applaud the President for his historic decision, which uplifts not only the exceptionally qualified Dr Prabhakar, but all South Asians and Asian Americans who aspire to reach new heights and become leaders within public service and the scientific community,”

Prabhakar’s family immigrated from India to the United States when she was three years old. The family first moved to Chicago and then settled in Lubbock, Texas. She got her electrical engineering degree from Texas Tech University.

She was the first woman to earn a PhD in applied physics from the California Institute of Technology. She also holds an MS in electrical engineering.