Indian-American scientist Arun Majumdar appointed as US Science Envoy

WASHINGTON: A top Indian-American scientist from Stanford University has been appointed as one of the Science Envoys of the US.

Arun Majumdar, a professor at the prestigious university, along with three others Peter Hotez, Jane Lubchenco and Geri Richmond would serve as US Envoys beginning January next year, the State Department said yesterday.

Like their nine predecessors, these distinguished scientists will engage internationally at the citizen and government levels to develop partnerships, improve collaboration, and forge mutually beneficial relationships between other nations and the US to stimulate increased scientific cooperation and foster economic prosperity, the Department said in a statement.

Science Envoys travel as private citizens and advice the White House, the Department of State, and the scientific community about potential opportunities for cooperation.

This year the Department announced the first Science Envoy for the Ocean, building on the momentum created at the Ocean Conference held at the State Department in June.

An IIT-Bombay alumnus, Majumdar is a material scientist, engineer, who was President Barack Obama's nominee for the Under Secretary of Energy between November 30, 2011 and May 15, 2012.

He formerly ran the Environmental Energy Technologies Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he was also the deputy director of LBNL as well a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.